Fan Focus: Blackburn fan Mark says ex-Sunderland defender Danny Batth has added experience!

Yesterday at 01:00 AM

Ahead of today's trip to Ewood Park, we spoke to Mark from The Blackburn End Podcast to get the lowdown on Rovers' playoff push under John Eustace!

Blackburn have been a surprise package in the Championship this season, despite losing key players in the summer.

What's prompted your excellent form?

John Eustace has built a really solid foundation; we have added experience and are no longer naive.

We have pride in defending but we enjoy creating chances too- although we're lacking pace and a real goal threat in the final third.

Eustace was harshly sacked by Birmingham last season and is now proving himself again at Blackburn.

What makes him such an effective coach?

The players love him!

A real man manager who expects the players to respect each other by giving their all, he's surprised me with how good a tactician he is. He made us hard to beat initially but also adapts well to exploit the opposition and finds the best way for us to get something from each game.

It's a refreshing change from managers who put themselves ahead of the club and want to be seen to be playing 'the right way' even when it costs them. If we can play it around, we will, and if not, we don't.

Blackburn have won seven out of ten matches at Ewood Park.

Has the feelgood factor returned?

Fans are still disabused with the ownership and I can't ever see that changing, but on the pitch, we have a squad that's the embodiment of the club motto: 'arte et labore' - skill and hard work.

That said, we need some more of the skill in the final third and the players need some help.

Without that, fans will again become vocally unhappy as we've brought in over £30 million in twelve months, and have spent less than £5 million.

With six wins in your last seven, are we playing you at the worst time?

We've just lost to Millwall but in truth, we've edged a few similar games to those.

We're always in games and they're usually close encounters, but we've just lost our captain for six weeks and we don't have anyone else quite like him in the middle of the park, so he's a massive miss.

The goals have also dried up for Yuki Ohashi but to be fair, he'd played a full season in Japan before arriving, so he needs a rest.

Ex-Sunderland defender Danny Batth joined on a free from Norwich in the summer.

How has he performed this season?

He's shown his experience and we've really lacked that.

We play in a way that protects him from too much in behind but he's currently required to play three games every week which isn't ideal. I've been impressed with him, though.

Sammie Szmodics and Sam Gallagher both left the club in the summer.

Who's stepped up to replace them?

Gallagher scored three goals last season and has never lived up to what he should be, mainly due to injuries.

We've shared the goals around a bit but the hope was that Tyrhys Dolan would step it up, although he hasn't so far.

Ohashi and Makhtar Gueye came in as unknowns but they aren't prolific, so nobody at the moment.

Aside from the players mentioned above, who should Sunderland be wary of?

Owen Beck is on loan from Liverpool and reminds me of Stephen Warnock; a real good left back who likes to get forward.

That said, it's got to be Todd Cantwell's creativity and general quality on the ball.

He's usually at the centre of things for us.

How do you think Eustace will set up to face Sunderland?

We'll be in a 4-2-3-1. Defending we will have our full backs narrow and the midfield two will prevent space between the lines.

Going forward, we'll look to get the ball to Cantwell and catch teams on the break from there.

Are any players missing and who will start?

Hayden Carter, Lewis Travis, Harry Pickering and Arnór Sigurðsson are all out and the first three would play every week.

I expect it'll be Pears, Brittain, Hyam, Batth, Beck, Baker, Tronstad, Dolan, Cantwell, Hedges, and Ohashi.

Sunderland won 3-1 at Ewood Park last season.

What's your prediction for the final score?

I think we'll bounce back from Millwall with a 2-1 win.