Blackburn Rovers manager John Eustace was full of praise for new signing Owen Beck following his excellent debut against Burnley at the weekend.
The 22-year-old joined the Lancashire outfit on a season-long loan from Premier League giants Liverpool last week. It is his first taste of Championship football having spent last season on a temporary deal in the Scottish Premiership with Dundee.
His arrival coincided with an injury to first choice left-back Harry Pickering. The 25-year-old has been a staple of Rovers’ defence for the past three seasons and had started all their opening five games in all competitions. However, he missed Saturday’s clash with local rivals Burnley with a back spasm, prompting Beck to be thrust straight into the team.
The Welsh under-21 international was widely praised for his performance, especially in keeping the likes of Luca Koleosho quiet. He also successfully won nine duels, a stat only bettered by teammate Ryan Hedges.
Despite Makhtar Gueye’s sending off in the second half, Blackburn held on for a 1-1 draw to maintain their excellent start to the campaign. Speaking to Lancashire Telegraph after the game, Eustace admitted he was impressed with the youngster:
“It took him a while to get going but once he did, I thought he was top.
“He went a little bit white when I told him he was starting on Friday! It was the right thing, straight in.
“You probably couldn’t have picked a better game for him to come into. He didn’t have time to think about it, a big local derby and I thought he was great.
“He’s a really good talent and one we’re very happy to have. They’re dangerous down the sides and they did very well to stop that.”
The 1995 Premier League champions head into the international break in fifth, unbeaten from their opening four fixtures. For Beck though, a chance to join up with the Wales senior squad awaits. Manager Craig Bellamy named the defender in the squad last week, saying:
“Owen Beck, we will see what happens there but a player with big potential. I believe in the next couple of years he is really going to be an accomplished international player.”
Writer’s View
Blackburn were a team written off by many before a ball was kicked and were widely tipped for relegation. However, they had a smart transfer window, recruiting wisely despite the departure of talisman Sammie Szmodics. Their early season form may be a surprise for many, but John Eustace showed with Birmingham City last year that he is capable of producing at this level before his shock sacking in October.
Beck’s arrival shows that all signings were made with squad depth in mind. Losing a regular first team player such as Harry Pickering would normally be a big blow, but being able to bring in a quality back-up will stand them in good stead. His performance at Turf Moor shows that there will be a battle on for the left-back position after the international break.
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