Blackburn Rovers head coach John Eustace has insisted that every game is just as important in the run-in to the end of the season as he looks to ensure the club’s safety.
Eustace would join Blackburn in early February and it has been a mixed bag since he took the helm, with each of a win, a draw and a loss in his opening three games. Nonetheless that has harnessed a pivotal four points which has allowed Rovers to move away from the relegation places.
They’ve now got a five point gap to Queens Park Rangers in 22nd and have moved up to 17th as a result. Still having a game in hand over all the teams below them bar bottom side Rotherham United, they’ll be looking to move closer to safety.
They’ll be looking to make that game in hand count as they travel to the Cardiff City stadium to face an out-of-form Bluebirds side on Tuesday night. Erol Bulut’s men have lost each of their last three which has seen them slip down to 14th in the process. They could in fact fall below their opposition with a loss of more than two goals, and it seems a good time for Blackburn to be playing them.
Though this season may have not gone Rovers’ way, some positives can still be taken and the future looks brighter with Eustace now in charge. Furthering that, they have also seen an increase in finances through the sale of Adam Wharton to Crystal Palace which will no doubt bode well for future transfer windows.
Focusing on the present, Tuesday night brings a winnable fixture on the road for Eustace’s men and a win would carry them even further away from the drop-zone.
Speaking to club media on the visit to Cardiff, Eustace would say:
“The lads will be prepared and ready for another tough evening on Tuesday night but it’s one that we’re looking forward to.” \
They’re a top team and have lots of Championship experience there. They’ve had some really good moments throughout this season and we know it’s going to be a difficult game.
“They’re coached very well but we’re also a good team who are ready to go there, be very competitive and see where it takes us.We’ll just worry about ourselves. We have targets we want to hit and every game’s a big game for us.
“We want to get to 50 points as quickly as we can and Tuesday’s an opportunity to get three more points. We’ll be ready and we want to get a positive result.”
Writer’s View
Although this season seems to be a write-off for Blackburn, the future looks rather bright. The appointment of Eustace is a top one, and one in which pay-off in the coming seasons. Although they’re by no means safe just yet, you’d think they have the squad to stay up this season.
A win against Cardiff would be huge for their bid for survival and they may just be able to do that given their opponents current form. It wouldn’t come as a surprise to see them gain three points on the road prior to a tricky clash with Norwich City at Ewood Park on Saturday.
Senior Editor
