Blackburn Rovers

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire's Sport Editor

Image source, Shutterstock

A fourth away win of the season by the 4 November is a really good return for Blackburn Rovers. All of them coming accompanied by a clean sheet too.

They've reached four victories on the road a month quicker than they did last year when they only missed out on a play-off spot on the final day.

It's been a little like feast or famine under Valerien Ismael. He lost five in a row shortly after his appointment last season, but within the next five games, he'd won four on the bounce.

Seven defeats in ten at the start of this season gave cause for concern, and now it's three maximums in a row.

Rovers are the very epitome of the Championship. Expect the unexpected.

It seems that in these three victories, the losing team has turned out to be 'the story'. Southampton and Leicester City are both struggling to come to terms with life back in the Championship, and Bristol City were hit by significant injuries on the back of a 5-1 defeat at Stoke City on Saturday.

I think that's really unfair on Ismael and his side to label it that way. They're a new-look team who are adapting to a new way of playing. The names of some of the players on the team sheet at Ashton Gate probably won't be considered household names in English football, but nevertheless they're learning to hold their own at a level that is simply sink or swim.

The switch to playing three centre-backs is working. They appear more solid, less likely to buckle late on. Scott Wharton has marshalled the back line in outstanding fashion on his return from long-term injury.

The frustration of losing Callum Brittain in the summer has been largely forgotten by the emergence of new recruit, Ryan Alebiosu.

The right-back has been a revelation in a back four or as a wing-back. A player brought up by Arsenal who has appearances in League One, the Scottish Premiership and Belgium already on his CV.

Taylor Gardner-Hickman is making a central midfield position his own following the August departure of Lewis Travis. A permanent move from Birmingham City, you would think, would be a formality.

Andri Gudjohnsen has three in his last three games, and you sense that a front pairing with Yuki Ohashi could bear fruit. Both frontmen have contributed winning goals in this three-match winning run.

It's all the more impressive that Rovers are turning around their fortunes without captain and talisman, Todd Cantwell. He, along with defender Hayden Carter, is close to returning from the treatment table and can only improve matters further.

But the problems picked up at Ashton Gate could give great cause for concern.

Goalkeeper Balazs Toth picked up a knee injury late on. He needed treatment twice before being replaced by Aynsley Pears. Valerien Ismael called Bristol City's reaction to the injury 'a disgrace'.

Toth is having an excellent first season as Rovers' number one, but the head coach's comments post-match were clearly those of a worried man.

Wharton also went off with an ankle problem. If anyone deserves luck regarding injuries, it's him. He missed the whole of last season with a serious knee injury.

And Sondre Tronstad has succumbed to a suspension after picking his fifth yellow card. He'll miss the 150th anniversary fixture against Derby County.

The squad is thin; it's perhaps a blessing that the final international break of 2025 is just around the corner.

Blackburn Rovers head coach Valerien Ismael believes his side are finally into their stride following their win at Bristol City.

The 1-0 triumph was the club's third successive victory, coming on the back of wins against Southampton and Leicester City.

"Another forceful performance away and another clean sheet which is good for the confidence after Leicester," Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"We knew the performances were right from the beginning of the season without getting the reward, now we are picking up points so the picture is right."

It leaves Blackburn seven points clear of the Championship relegation zone ahead of Saturday's lunchtime game against Derby County.

Bristol City host Blackburn Rovers tonight (19:45 GMT) and will be hoping to bounce back after Saturday's heavy 5-1 defeat by Stoke City.

Blackburn are fresh from an impressive 2-0 away victory over Leicester City on Saturday which was just their fourth win of the season.

The away side have won their last two games and will be eyeing a third straight victory.

• The home side has won all four league meetings between Bristol City and Blackburn Rovers over the past two seasons, while the Robins are unbeaten at home against Rovers in their last five (W3 D2).

• Blackburn Rovers did the league double over Bristol City in the 2019-20 campaign but have won just two of 10 league meetings with the Robins since then (D3 L5).

• Since the start of last season, Coventry City (59) are the only ever-present side to win more home points in the Championship than Bristol City (57), who have lost just five of 30 matches at Ashton Gate (W16 D9).

• Blackburn Rovers won three of their seven midweek (Tue/Wed/Thu) Championship away games last season (D1 L3), their most midweek away wins in a league campaign since 2017-18 in League One (6).

• Bristol City manager Gerhard Struber's first game in the EFL came against Blackburn Rovers with Barnsley in November 2019, a 3-2 defeat. His only other meeting with Rovers ended in a 2-0 home win in June 2020.

Blackburn Rovers forward Andri Gudjohnsen says he is determined to "create his own path" and avoid comparisons to his father.

Gudjohnsen, who moved to Ewood Park in August from Belgian side Gent, has scored three times in the past two games to help secure wins over Southampton and Leicester City.

The Iceland international bears a surname synonymous with football in his homeland as he is the son of Eidur Gudjohnsen.

Gudjohnsen Sr scored 26 goals in 88 appearances for his country and enjoyed a trophy-laden career, winning the Premier League twice with Chelsea and the La Liga title and Champions League as a Barcelona player.

"Growing up I heard endless stories of my dad playing football, so I know what it means to the fans over here," the Blackburn forward, who was born in London during his father's time at Stamford Bridge, told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"The Gudjohnsen name is big in Iceland and in Europe, so the comparisons will always be there, but we have all done quite well to create our own paths and hopefully that can continue.

"There is not much you can do about it, but you can't let comparisons get into your head, or listen to what other people have to say."

"I just try to keep calm myself and play my game, which scoring goals is part of that."

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire's Sport Editor

Image source, Shutterstock

This was the victory that Valerien Ismael craved in his pre-match interview with me 24 hours before the match.

The statement win.

The win that tells his new look squad that they are capable of competing with the powerhouses of the Championship.

He's still unable to let go of the disappointment of having a match abandoned against Ipswich earlier this season which could (and only could) have brought that statement victory earlier on and maybe settled his players down that little bit quicker.

Perhaps Rovers arrived at the King Power more in hope than expectation. Recent visits there have been fruitful, with the final day survival of 2024 and an FA Cup success there a year earlier. Great memories for the supporters, but hardly any playing staff remain from either triumph.

There was a pre-match blow with the news that talisman Todd Cantwell wouldn't be fit to lead them out, but in fairness they performed admirably without him.

Granted, Leicester are going through a difficult time results-wise. Since Brendan Rodgers was sacked two-and-a-half years ago, they've had five full-time managers. Only Enzo Maresca has had the luxury of two transfer windows, and they do look like a side without a real identity, a group put together by a variety of different people with different ideas.

But it's difficult to feel too much sympathy when a look through the side tells you how much it's cost to assemble. Figures that Rovers are unable to get close to.

A Mavididi header that found the net early on but was comfortably offside was their biggest first-half threat.

Rovers' players looked keen to show their boss that his half-time dressing down of them a week ago wouldn't need repeating as they grew into the game on the counter attack. The reward came when Foxes midfielder Boubakary Soumare inadvertently presented Andri Gudjohnsen with a chance that he wasn't going to miss.

Two in two for the Iceland international, and there was more to come later.

It wouldn't have been a shock had Rovers scored again before half-time. Time and again, Leicester gave away possession in their own half and really ought to have been punished. Yuki Ohashi tested goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk; Axel Henriksson less so, but chances were being created.

The second half was a similar story. Taylor Gardner-Hickman fired over from 12 yards, and substitute Ryoya Morishita volleyed straight at the keeper.

The next goal was always going to be crucial, and it almost went to the hosts. It took a miraculous save from Balasz Toth to thwart Stephy Mavididi from close range with his leg. A fantastic stop but for a forward player, one that goes under the heading 'has to score'.

And, within nine minutes of that save, the points were in the bag. The always impressive Ryan Alebiosu got into the final third with a lovely change of pace; he lifted his head and put it on the plate for Gudjohnsen to finish.

A large portion of the home support were already en route home long before the final whistle.

Back-to-back wins against recently relegated sides should give Rovers cause for optimism. The move to a back three is largely looking a success, unless you play full-back and your place in the side has gone. Two strikers leading the line also looks like it's helping the creation of chances. Valerien Ismael has told me that the players are enjoying the change in formation.

It wouldn't be right to start boldly predicting that the march up the Championship table has now started, but it would be right to give credit where it's due.

I thought that Valerien Ismael got his changes wrong against Sheffield United two games ago. We're all managers, aren't we? But his in-game decisions in the last two matches have been outstanding. The introduction of Ryan Hedges and Morishita at the interval was evidence of that. His triple change against Southampton was also a game changer.

There are still two games left before the next international break. A visit to top six Bristol City who lost 5-1 on Saturday followed up by the 150th anniversary match against Derby County who have three wins in a row after a tough start. Predicting the outcome of either would be pretty futile. But, it's safe to say that two maximums in a row have given Rovers room to breathe.

Blackburn Rovers boss Valerien Ismael spoke to BBC Radio Lancashire after Saturday's 2-0 victory at Leicester City.

"Today is a big win, a statement in the performance – especially in the second half," he said.

"A clean sheet away at Leicester is exactly what you need to and dream of if you are to have that statement win.

"It's something we can build on with the players. It will give us that confidence, and this is the win that we were missing at the beginning of the season."

Valerien Ismael admitted he shared some home truths with his Blackburn Rovers players at half-time against Southampton.

Trailing 1-0 at the break at Ewood Park, the Rovers boss told BBC Radio Lancashire: "They just needed a little push at half-time."

He added that they "forced him" into using a different personality which may have helped them come back to win 2-1.

"My feeling was to tell them the truth, to speak clearly," Ismael said.

"The job [of a footballer] is always to give 100%. What is not negotiable is for the performance to be less than 100%.

"I said there are three reasons why you can't be 100% - if you are sick, injured or have a private problem, otherwise we have to give it everything.

"It's a privilege to be in this job and this is the least we can do.

"We cannot play like we played in the first half. The second half set the benchmark, and the players know we cannot go below that performance."

Skipper Todd Cantwell will miss his fourth match in a row when Rovers visit Leicester City on Saturday (12:30 GMT) as his knee injury has lingered, and he is now expected to return after the international break.

"It's a very strange one. It's a kick on his knee, normally you say a week, but sometimes it turns into two weeks, three and so on. You have to deal with it and how it's feeling on a daily basis," Ismael said.

"He's been on the pitch but hopefully he can get some consistency in training and have a full training week next week, and we'll see him after the international break."

Defender Hayden Carter has returned to training with the first team but his return is also not expected to be until after the international break is over, while Moussa Baradji's return might be a week or two after that.

Leicester City will look to end their three-match winless streak when they host a struggling Blackburn Rovers side on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

The Foxes lost both of their past two matches to drop out of the top six and into 10th place, two points short of sixth placed Charlton Athletic and 11 under pacemakers Coventry City.

Meanwhile, Blackburn's last game provided them with a much needed win over relegated side Southampton to escape the bottom three.

However, Rovers are just one point above the relegation line and will want to increase the distance to keep their spirits high.

• Leicester City have lost just one of their last 10 home league games against Blackburn Rovers (W5 D4), though that sole defeat did come the last time this exact fixture was played in May 2024 (0-2).

• After winning their last away league game against Leicester City, Blackburn Rovers will be looking to beat the Foxes in successive away matches for the first time since January 1991.

• Leicester have drawn each of their last three home league games and not since March 2009 in League One have the Foxes seen four consecutive home matches finish in stalemate.

• Blackburn have lost each of their last two away league games without scoring, but they haven't lost three in succession on the road whilst failing to score each time in any since October 2022.

• Leicester have conceded just one goal from set pieces in the Championship so far this season (excluding penalties), fewer than any other side.

Scott Wharton is confident Blackburn's influx of overseas summer signings now know what it takes to play in the Championship.

Of Rovers' 10 summer arrivals, only Sean McLoughlin and Taylor Gardner-Hickman arrived from Championship clubs, with Dion de Neve and Ryan Alebiosu coming from the Netherlands, Andri Gudjohnsen from Belgium, Sidnei Tavares having played in Portugal, Ryoya Morishita in Poland, Lewis Miller in Scotland and Axel Henriksson in Sweden.

Wharton, who captained Rovers in the absence of Todd Cantwell as they came from behind to beat Southampton for their first home win of the season on Saturday, told BBC Radio Lancashire the division is "ruthless and brutal" but believes the new arrivals are now aware of what is required to compete.

"It's tough," he said. "English football and the Championship is probably a lot different to where some of the boys have been playing. It will take a bit of time for them to adapt.

"They have probably had a taste of it now, understand what's required, the intensity, what's demanded and what's required to perform week-in, week-out, every three days - it's ruthless, it's brutal.

"If you lose the ball, you don't see it again for two or three minutes. The new lads know what it's all about now and what's expected of them."

Defender Wharton welcomed Valerien Ismael's shift to three at the back, having played there with success under Tony Mowbray, adding: "I have probably played some of my best football in a back-three.

"I have no problem in a four or three but I like a three, there's a good balance at the back with three of us there."

Lindsey Lewis
Fan Writer

Image source, Getty Images

Football. The strangest game in the world. Had I written this column after 65 minutes on Saturday, I would have told you it was a lacklustre - at best - performance by a Blackburn Rovers side who looked like they had first met at 3pm.

After recent results, I had hoped to see an instant reaction but Southampton were very comfortable and the game only seemed to be going one way.

Valerien Ismael declared post-match he remained confident throughout the game that Rovers would come good despite the chances missed. I think he was the only person in Ewood Park feeling that way!

As the substitute board was raised in the 67th minute, the crowd turned with chants of 'We want Venky's out' and 'You're getting sacked in the morning'.

The plot twist I and many others didn't see coming was the subs changing the game and the remaining 30 minutes were an absolute joy to watch - end to end and a real sense of fight from a team I feel is still trying to find its identity.

I was absolutely delighted for Ryan Alebiosu scoring his first ever senior goal. His celebrations showed what it meant to him, and he has been my favourite summer signing so far.

Andri Gudjohnsen had a very quiet game but did what he was bought to do and found the net, securing our first home win of the season.

We don't come from behind to win often, and my celebrations were somewhere between pure joy and a huge sense of relief.

The result leaves us 21st on 10 points and I am sure the one thing the gaffer, the squad and the fans can agree on is that is not good enough. The performance of the last 30 minutes needs to be maintained for 90.

So while the win deserves to be celebrated - because who knows how many we will get - the challenge now for Ismael and his men is to build upon it.

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire Sport Editor

Blackburn Rovers have good news and bad in preparation for Saturday's visit to Leicester City in the Championship in terms of injuries.

Captain Todd Cantwell is back in full training after missing three matches with a knee injury and will return to the squad, providing there are no fresh setbacks this week.

Valerien Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire after Saturday's victory over Southampton: "The signs are positive. He's been on the pitch.

"It's earlier than expected. We hope he has a full week and if that's the case, he will be ready."

But Rovers will be without defender Hayden Carter and midfielder Moussa Baradji until after the next international break in early November and winger Augustus Kargbo will not return until early 2026.

"He came back from the national team with a dead leg. He played at Coventry with this discomfort and against Sheffield United," Ismael added.

"He was complaining and so we did a scan on Wednesday. He had an injury and that will rule him out for at least 12 weeks. It was very tough for us to deal with that situation again.

"It's a tear when he got kicked which caused the dead leg. In an area where you can't run or sprint. It's very bad news for him and for us.

"Hayden is not ready. We don't need to rush him. The international break is coming as well. He is close but we take more caution with him."

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire Sport Editor

Image source, Rex Features

At half-time against Southampton things were looking increasingly bleak for Blackburn Rovers.

By the end of the match they were out of the relegation places after coming from behind to win at home for the first time this season and in the process ending the Ewood Park hoodoo.

A Southampton perspective might point at two missed chances for Adam Armstrong. Granted, you'd have expected him to bury them both having seen him do it so often at Ewood down the years, but he didn't.

You'd have also backed Rovers' duo Yuki Ohashi and notably Ryoya Morishita to do better when in on goal.

In the cold light of day it doesn't matter.

On a day that Blackburn Rovers needed to stand up and be counted they did. Particularly in the second half. They went behind to another poor goal, again self-inflicted but threw caution to the wind, went for it and were rewarded against a side who just can't shake off Premier League relegation.

First goals in blue and white for the excellent Ryan Alebiosu (his first career goal) and Andri Gudjohnsen completed the comeback and after taking the lead, they never really looked back.

Southampton's cause not helped by a sending off for substitute Welington who left a stray arm while challenging in the air.

Valerien Ismael was criticised for his changes made during Tuesday's defeat by Sheffield United so it is only right to praise the Rovers boss for his triple substitution that breathed new life into his team in this one.

Kristi Montgomery added a drive to the midfield, Ryan Hedges and Axel Henriksson playing their part too.

It's not been an easy week for Ismael. He's fielded questions about the quality of the summer recruitment as well as his own position. He will not win over everybody overnight but this is a step in the right direction.

The return of captain Todd Cantwell next weekend at Leicester will be a welcome boost but for now it's about savouring that feeling of winning a home game and the weekend feeling that little bit better.

Blackburn Rovers boss Valerien Ismael was full of praise for his side after they came from behind to beat Southampton and secure a first home win of the season.

He told BBC Radio Lancashire: "It's a great feeling to win at home, I want to give credit to the players for the second-half performance. It was exactly what we wanted - passion, desire, and belief. We came from behind and got the reward, thanks to a great mentality from the players.

"I was not pleased with the first half and I told them that at half-time, because it was not what we wanted or how we had played the last two games. We should have scored earlier in the game.

"Everyone stepped up in the second half and we were back on the level of performance we wanted. It's great for Ryan and Andri to get their first goals, too.

"Today still showed us what we need to improve, we created a lot of chances but we weren't clinical. We want to believe in ourselves, stay calm and focus. But this result will help us to build some confidence."

It is "stupid" to suggest Blackburn Rovers' squad is weaker than last season, according to boss Valerien Ismael.

Rovers head into Saturday's Championship match at home to Southampton (15:00 BST) with just one point from their past five outings and sitting second from bottom of the table, after finishing seventh last season.

"This is stupid analysis. We didn't lose any quality (in the squad) we reduced the age, we took younger players so we have players who need to adapt to the Championship and the new environment," Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"It is something the club wanted to do to create assets for the club and when you go through that it will be a bumpy road."

The Frenchman says he has been encouraged by recent performances and it is too early to judge his side.

"The season is not over in October, it is over in May so we have a lot of time to adjust everything," he said.

"At the minute the performance is consistent and at some point we will get the rewards.

"There are two things to assess a team, how many points you get and how the team performs - at the minute we don't have enough points as we expected - we should have more which is a good feeling."

Ismael has confirmed captain Todd Cantwell has returned to training, but will not be ready to face Southampton.

Blackburn are one of three sides in the Championship yet to win at home this season, with their last victory at Ewood Park coming in April.

Southampton's only away win so far came at Sheffield United at the end of September.

• Blackburn Rovers have only won one of their past six league games against Southampton (D2 L3), failing to score in either league meeting in 2023-24.

• Southampton have only won in one of their past 16 league visits to Blackburn Rovers (D4 L11), 2-0 in November 1998 with goals from Matt Oakley and Steve Basham.

• Blackburn are winless in their five home league games this season (D1 L4), last failing to win any of their opening six in 1979-80 in the third tier.

• Since their opening day win against Wrexham, Southampton have won just one of their 10 league games since (D6 L3) and could lose successive Championship games for the first time since April 2024 (run of three).

• Southampton's Adam Armstrong has four goals across his past six league games, though he's yet to score in five previous Championship appearances against former side Blackburn.

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire

Image source, BBC Sport

Are 10 matches the first benchmark to judge a football team, and what might unfold for the remaining 36?

In modern times, 10 games is perhaps a little late to be making that first forecast.

Blackburn Rovers' seventh defeat in those 10 matches represents great cause for concern. No matter how you dress it up, the results speak for themselves. A situation head coach Valerien Ismael says he's never experienced during his 32 years in football.

One point from a possible 15 at Ewood Park on the face of it couldn't be much more disappointing. The manner of those defeats has made matters worse.

On three occasions they have taken the lead and been left with nothing. A first-half sending-off was a huge factor in the fourth. A well-earned point against Stoke has been the only respite from the homesickness.

"If you're not able to win games at home, it becomes complicated," was the verdict of Rovers boss Ismael after his side slipped to 23rd position in the Championship.

The home form in 2025 over two seasons hasn't been close to a success: 18 points from a possible 48 since January cost them a play-off spot at the end of last term, and it's held them back ever since.

The most prominent supporters on social media will tell you that they saw this coming, with a mass exodus of players boasting hundreds of Championship appearances between them to be replaced largely by players (who through no fault of their own) hadn't tasted English football's second tier before.

A comparison of the team sheets on matchday 10 in 2024 and 2025 shows that only Sondre Tronstad started both games. 11 of the 20-man squad from a year ago are no longer at the club.

This is an unforgiving league that takes no prisoners. Any weaknesses will be exploited, and Rovers have fallen victim to that. Needing time is something that's barely afforded to head coaches or managers.

Goals have been a problem. Three of the eight goals this season all came in one visit to Hull in August.

They are finding themselves in promising situations on a semi-regular basis but just haven't found the killer instinct or the final ball anywhere near enough. You don't come away from matches thinking the opponents' goalkeeper has kept them at bay.

Ismael told me: "The only thing that would concern me is, again, we gave away too many chances. I don't know how many chances we need to score more goals."

He knows the buck stops with him in terms of results. That's the price of the ticket for any boss.

"You cannot always push the responsibility somewhere else," he said. "It's on us; it's on me. You have to win games; it's as simple as that."

So how do Rovers put this right? They host Southampton this weekend, another team going through a turbulent time. It's highly likely that Ewood Park will have a toxic atmosphere from one set of supporters come 5 o'clock on Saturday.

Undoubtedly getting skipper Todd Cantwell and defender Hayden Carter back fit will be a huge boost. That can't come soon enough.

Summer signing Moussa Baradji is another who the club believes will be a big hit when he is fit to start his Rovers career next month. But heaping pressure on him to succeed from day one is asking an awful lot.

A look at the bottom three after 10 matches over recent seasons shows that turning around a poor start is still achievable.

Last season QPR were on seven points (the same as Rovers) and comfortably stayed up. In 2023-24, Sheffield Wednesday had two points after 10 and survived.