Blackburn Rovers boss Valerien Ismael admitted his players were left “hurting” after the recent loss to Sheffield United but praised their resilience in bouncing back to beat Southampton at Ewood Park.
The weekend’s 2-1 win ended a 6-game winless run and lifted the mood around the club after what the head coach described as “a tough period”.
Rovers respond to adversity
Blackburn Rovers had endured a difficult few weeks, slipping to the bottom two of the Championship before the visit of Southampton. The 3-1 defeat at Sheffield United the previous weekend, in which Rovers surrendered a 1-0 half-time lead, had drained confidence and tested the squad’s mentality.
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Speaking to BBC Radio Lancashire, Ismael revealed how much that result had affected his squad.
“The players were hurting after the game against Sheffield United,” he said. “It was the feeling that we gave it away, not because we faced a strong opponent that beat us.”
“We weren’t pinned in our last third and they didn’t stop us from playing. It was a game where you feel that we gave it away. We knew we had to be careful because we can’t afford to give too many things away.”
The manager admitted he was unhappy with the first-half display at Ewood Park but praised the second-half response, describing the comeback as evidence of “belief and passion” returning to the team.
It was also the club’s first home league victory of the season, ending a worrying sequence of late collapses.
Focus on consistency and belief
For Valerien Ismael, the challenge now is to build stability. The Frenchman said the Blackburn squad had shown signs of progress even during their poor run, but performances had not been rewarded with points. He believes the Southampton result can be a turning point if they maintain their standards.
“We are now more aligned because we performed and we got the points,” Ismael said. “If you perform like that, invest a lot and are proactive in the game, you will get your reward.”
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The Rovers boss highlighted the team’s determination in recent weeks despite injuries and contentious refereeing calls. He urged his players to take confidence from overcoming setbacks and to approach each match with renewed focus.
With a run of fixtures against teams around them, Ismael knows the coming weeks are crucial. Blackburn Rovers need to translate improved performances into consistent results to climb away from danger, and the head coach is hopeful Saturday’s victory will spark the momentum required for a sustained recovery.
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