Blackburn Rovers are ranked 19th in the league Championship table after 18 games. Rovers are four points above the drop zone and have struggled for consistency this season under Valerien Ismael.
They led 1-0 over Sheffield Wednesday at Ewood Park this weekend after Yuki Ohashi’s goal. However, the game was later abandoned due to a waterlogged field after heavy rain.
Ex-EFL defender Virgo, who had spells at the likes of Brighton and Hove Albion, Yeovil Town and Bristol Rovers, has given his verdict on the Lancashire side, according to the Football competition paper (07.12.25, page 13): “What you see now is the culmination of continued underinvestment in the squad, too much management turnover and the lack of any real direction or ambition at the top of the club.
“That’s why Ewood Park was half empty when I went. That’s why I think they are facing the very real prospect of a relegation battle. And that’s why, when you walk through those doors, the image of Chris Sutton and Alan Shearer lifting the Premier League trophy couldn’t seem further away.”
Blackburn Rovers are struggling for consistency in the Championship
Blackburn Rovers turned to Ismael in February. Rovers saw John Eustace head out the door to league rivals Derby County.
Ismael, 50, was chosen as Eustace’s replacement and wrote a contract for three and a half years. He has scored in England in the past with Barnsley, West Brom and Watford, and has also had spells abroad with the likes of Wolfsburg, LASK and Besiktas.
Valerien Ismael’s management statistics at Blackburn Rovers
| Games | wins | Pulls | To lose |
| 31 | 10 | 6 | 15 |
Blackburn Rovers saw a number of key players leave last summer, including Tyrhys Dolan, Dominic Hyam and Lewis Travis. They then delved into the market themselves to sign individuals such as Sean McLoughlin, Lewis Miller and Taylor Gardner-Hickman.
They also brought in quite a few foreign players, including Dion De Neve, Andri Gudjohnsen and Sidnei Tavares. It took a while for their new team to all come together and patience was needed from the fanbase.
What next for Blackburn Rovers?
Blackburn Rovers missed out on the play-offs on the final day of last term. Rovers failed to sneak into the top six and had to settle for another year in the second tier.
They have failed to reach similar heights this time around and as Virgo has indicated, they may struggle to avoid falling into League One if they cannot win more games. Ismael will be extremely frustrated that their match against Sheffield Wednesday has been canceled.
That’s the second time this has happened now, after a similar scenario against Ipswich Town earlier this year. Rovers would have six more points on the board if their pitch were in a better condition.
Blackburn Rovers are back in action at home against Oxford United on Tuesday evening. They then head to Fratton Park on Saturday to play Portsmouth away, so there are some important clashes in store as they look to move away from the danger and the bottom three.
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