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Wednesday, 12 March 2014

Blackburn are still finding their feet

The heavyweights are starting to make their move in the Championship table. Among them are Blackburn Rovers who have steadily seen performances come together under Gary Bowyer, despite losing their last two games. While it is hard to read anything from the fiery derby match against Burnley, Rovers will be aiming to win at home no matter who they play in this division.

Blackburn players warm up at Dean Court.
Despite their upward graph since Bowyer's appointment, Blackburn are a team that you still feel could be doing even better. A thoroughbred that is shaking off the burden its recent past and still not quite sure how it should refine itself in a Championship that is unforgiving for big spenders that don't then perform week in and week out. If Rovers results had been more consistent since the New Year rather than being a bit up and down they could have been sitting much closer to the play-offs. Still, four wins and three draws in the last 10 matches is not a bad stat. What has slowed for them are the goals from Jordan Rhodes, just one goal in his last 10 games.

Rhodes still currently stands on 17 goals and we know he is the archetypal predator that marks out the top teams from the also-rans in the Championship. Once a player has his instinct and knowledge of where to be at the right time it is not usually much of barren spell before you start sticking the ball away again. He even managed it with a bad hand against AFCB earlier in the season and he alone makes this game against AFCB at Ewood Park a match that is so much harder than the average away fixture. There will be no hiding place for AFCB's back four and not a moments peace. The bad news is that he scored against Burnley in Blackburn's last game and we don't need him finding top form again now.
Rhodes is still the main man to watch.
Luke Varney similarly seems to know where the goal is and AFCB will do well to try and get on the front foot with such a potent attack force lining up against them.  We know that they have also added Liam Feeney to their squad and at the back they have Michael Keane, who is an England U21 player, to add some strength who is also on loan until the end of the season.

A point at Ewood Park would be huge for the Cherries having had good success in the last two matches, but this one won't be at all easy. Blackburn won 1-3 at Dean Court last September, but the Cherries are a better team now and I want that unbeaten run to continue so 1-1 would do nicely tonight.

Blackburn Home Form:

DLWDW

AFCB Away Form:

DLDLW

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