Happy New Year!
Santa Cruz and Bentley take three final points
Derby County 1-2 Blackburn Rovers
They had to come from behind (again) - but the potential banana skin at Pride Park was avoided! Despite Rovers claiming all the possession, it was Derby County who managed to score the opener and Brad Friedel had to say goodbye to another clean sheet. Matt Oakley found the back of his net in the 26th minute and it could so easily have been two when Ryan Nelsen gave away a penalty. Steve Howard found his shot blocked by Brad, (36'00) and the save saved further embarrassment. At the other end it looked like a great chance for Benni McCarthy - but when the Derby keeper pushed the ball away, Roque Santa Cruz was waiting to tap it home (39'00). The winner came courtesy of David Bentley just two minutes later - His shot curled in from 25 yards out. 1-2 at the break and that also the final score. Derbyshire, Dunn and Olsen all came off the bench - but probably only saw five minutes play between them.
Mark Hughes was relieved to claim the three points:- "We showed great character. It was a great response from us after going behind. We're delighted with that win. It's been a decent period for us over the last week or so. We've shown great courage in coming back and if we had taken our chances we would have won more comfortably."
The result sees Rovers back up to 9th place with 30 points at the end of the year. At the end of 2006, they had 25 points and were in 14th place. The New Year fixture at Ewood Park against Sunderland should see a chance to make it two back to back wins. HAPPY NEW YEAR! (30th December 2007)
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Savage for Sunderland??
Telegraph.co.uk say that Rovers midfield man Robbie Savage has already had talks on Wearside, and they claim, will be making the move to Sunderland as soon as the transfer window opens next week. Last night Savage was in Manchester to watch Rovers 2-2 with City. He appeared on SKY SPORTS as their studio guest. The website say that he's recently fallen out of favour at Ewood, and his chances since returning from injury have been limited. Roy Keane certainly needs help in the North East with Sunderland now second bottom in the Premier League Table. The Telegraph claim a fee of £2million and a three year contract are on offer. The dailymail.co.uk run a similar story - but say the fee is £1.5 million. (28th December 2007)
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Santa DOES call at Christmas!
Rovers first team this season to take a point at Eastlands
Manchester City 2-2 Blackburn Rovers
Seven goals in three games - as Roque bags a brace at City. But Rovers had to come from behind again as three goals were scored in three minutes in an otherwise messy first half. Martin Petrov was too fast for Khizanishvili, and his cross on 26 minutes was perfect for City's first scored by Darius Vassell. But within a minute it was David Bentley who provided Roque with an equally good ball to bring things back to 1-1. Then a further minute on Petrov reproduced his run and this time Ryan Nelsen tried to put the cross wide - but scored an own goal for City. 2-1 at the break and better was needed from Blackburn. And better it was - a sustained period of pressure saw Rovers claim 60% possession, but still fail to test their keeper. With just 7 minutes left Rovers won a corner and then David Bentley provided Santa with the cross for his second and an important point for Rovers. However - there was controversy too, as the linesman originally flagged for off side and the goal was disallowed ... but then a conversation with the referee Howard Webb and the goal stood. Mark Hughes was delighted with the decision and of course the result as Rovers became the first team this season to take a point at the City of Manchester Stadium and stop City's attempt to make it ten wins on the bounce.
He told reporters "In the first half we didn't lay a glove on City, they played around us. We needed a response in the second half and we took the game to them, we were the only team trying to win it. We have been on a difficult run, but this is a positive result and we've now got two games we can get points from." The result also took Blackburn back to 9th place with 28 points. Derby County (on tv again) on Sunday and then Sunderland at home on January 2nd complete the Christmas schedule.
(27th December 2007)
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No Joy ... this Christmas
Blackburn Rovers 0 - 1 Chelsea
A much improved performance - but sadly not points - that's the story of this game. And despite making a great save Petr Chec found himself replaced after a collision wit Santa Cruz. Even then when Roque tested Hilario he too pulled off a great save. At the other end Brad Friedel was up to all that was sent in his direction - other than the one goal that was a super strike from Joe Cole after 20 minutes. After the disappointments of recent weeks - a draw would have been a fair result - Rovers didn't deserve to loose. Khizanishvili was superb in central defense and David Bentley collected the sponsors Man of the Match award.
Hughes told RADIO ROVERS:- "Zurab came in and I thought he was excellent. Considering he hasn't had a great deal of football, I think that was his first league start this season. I thought he came in and did really well for us. After shipping a hatful of goals in recent weeks, Hughes was pleased with the improved defensive performance from his side. It isn't just the back four that has to defend, it is right through the team and I just felt the performance overall was at the level I was expecting and hoping for."(24th December 2007)
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Santa puts two more in the sack - but Rovers go out of the Cup
Blackburn Rovers 2 - 3 Arsenal (AET)
It went to extra time - Arsenal played a 'youth team' and went down to ten men - Rovers came from behind - but still went out of the Carling Cup.
Another poor first half display saw Abou Diaby give visitors the lead after just 5 minutes. Blackburn looked nervous and shaky in defense. Eventually Rovers seemed to come back into the game, and David Dunn came close on 28 minutes - but just 30 seconds later their lead was extended to 2-0 when Eduardo opened his account. Like at Wigan - it was all going a bit pear shape when Roque Santa Cruz (possibly off side) scored his first of the night. With just minutes to go to the break - a good time to restore some confidence. After the interval another Rovers came out to pressure the young gunners. Santa Cruz was rewarded on the hour with his second, and at 2-2 all to play for. A two footed challenge by Denilson saw him see red, and the 90 minutes ended with extra time and penalties on offer. An injury to sub youngster Barazite broke Rovers concentration, as the first quarter hour became 20 minutes. On 103 mins, Eduardo scored his second, and Arsenal's winning goal, to make it 2-3 and send Blackburn out of the cup.
But there were some positive signs for Mark Hughes - with a battling second half and two more goals from Roque - now on 11 for the season.
Hughes told RADIO ROVERS:- "In the second half we came out with a lot more resolve and determination, and the guys were prepared to do those hard yards that you have to to get the results at that level and we get back on level terms. So at that point you hope it is going to be more of the same and we could go on and take the tie. But at the moment we are expending so much energy in trying to get back on level terms that it is taking its toll, there will be periods where we switch off and good teams will punish you and that proved to be the case." (18th December 2007)
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Unbelievable ... even two hat tricks!
Wigan 5 -3 Blackburn Rovers
After the poor home game and result, Rovers must have gone to Wigan hoping for a return to form. But even the most optimistic Wigan fan couldn't have predicted the final scoreline - or the way they did it. After just 9 minutes Denny Landzaat gave the home side the lead - and within two minutes Marcus Bent had made it 2. On the 20 minute mark Benni McCarthy missed a penalty and on the half hour it was 3-0 thanks to Paul Scharner. But Blackburn started to turn it around on the break with the first of three from Roque Santa Cruz. His second came on 49'00 - and the remarkable hat trick on the hour mark. Five minutes later Bent got his second, and his hat trick came with 10 minutes to go. In-between, Brett Emerton had seen red for a second bookable, and the unlikely final scoreline of 5-3 must have shocked both sets of spectators. It was Wigan's first win in 13, and Rovers suffering back to back defeats. Rovers finished the last match with 10 after the departure of Andre Ooijer through injury and had Ryan Nelsen sent off at home to Aston Villa PLUS David Dunn at Man Utd!
Rovers made changes to the team who lost to West Ham, bringing in Robbie Savage and Steven Reid plus the returning David Bentley and Ryan Nelsen at the start.
With Arsenal (Carling Cup) and Chelse next up at Ewood Park - Mark Hughes has plenty to think about. (15th December 2007)
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Andre to miss 4 to 5 weeks
Hughes confirms 'a tear'
After he had to limp out of Rovers last game at Ewood, today Rovers confirmed that Andre Ooijer has suffered a '2.8 tear' with the manager accepting he'll loose the players services well into the New Year. It's a significant injury for the Dutchman, who's been on top of his game and had become a firm fixture in the back four. Mark Hughes told rovers.co.uk:
"So we'll miss Andre because I think he's been excellent, one of our better performers this season, but he's not available so that gives an opportunity for other players that have been itching to get out there." (13t December 2007)
rovers.co.uk (full story)

Poor Game - bad result
Blackburn Rovers 0- 1 West Ham United
It might have something to do with the claret & blue - but whatever it is Rovers completed their third home game in a row with another defeat - and it's probably what they deserved. Mark Hughes made changes with David Bentley and Ryan Nelsen both suspended - but the midfield match didn't seem to gel - and David Dunn, Morten Gamst Pedersen and Aaron Mokoena were all subbed in the second half. To be fair - Dunny could have opened the scoring in the first five minutes, Tugay, and Roque also came close, but no one really tested the West Ham keeper. The visitors replaced Etherington with Dean Ashton for the second half, and the result was a goal for the sub in the 51st minute. To make things worse for Rovers - with all their subs already made, Andre Ooijer came off injured towards the end - leaving them with ten men to compete the afternoon.
Mark Hughes gave RADIO ROVERS an honest appraisal, saying:
"It wasn't a great day in the office, we are disappointed that we have lost the game ... We had opportunities to win, clear-cut opportunities that on another day would have been taken. There are too many errors leading up to the goal, consecutive errors almost always lead to goals so we are disappointed with that. We were still very much in the game, we still pressed, we still created chances but really today, we never really got any momentum in our play in the first half, we needed to start better than we did. We were better in second half but conceded a poor goal from our point of view and in the end that has cost us. It is a little bit of a 'smash and grab' and we got caught out. We are disappointed because we know we are better than we were able to show today. It is a setback, but we need to pick ourselves up and go again, because we are capable of doing so."
Rovers stay 9th in the table with Wigan away next up on Saturday 15th December. At the time of writing, there's no news on Andre - Hughes thought it could be a hamstring or even cramp in the calf. (9th December 2007)
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Rovers get home draw
Third round draw - FA Cup
Blackburn Rovers will face Coventry City as Premier League and Championship teams join in this years FA Cup. The draw made this afternoon sees the Championship side half way down the table after an average start to the season and have Tim Flowers as assistant Manager. Last year it was an all Premier start with Rovers away at Everton - but that 4-1 win saw them progress right through to the semi-final when they lost at Old Trafford after extra time. The big local game will see Burnley face Arsenal at Turf Moor!
The games are scheduled for the 5th and 6th January 2008.
The full draw:-
Preston v Scunthorpe Port Vale/Chasetown v Cardiff Colchester v Peterborough Bolton v Sheffield United Blackburn v Coventry Brighton v Mansfield Northampton/Walsall v Millwall Charlton v West Brom Watford v Crystal Palace Luton/Nottingham Forest v Liverpool Plymouth v Hull Aston Villa v Manchester United Tranmere v Hereford Tottenham v Reading Burnley v Arsenal Bristol City v Middlesbrough Fulham v Bristol Rovers Huddersfield v Birmingham Horsham/Swansea v Havant & Waterlooville Sunderland v Wigan Oxford/Southend v Dagenham & Redbridge Everton v Oldham Derby v Sheffield Wednesday Southampton v Leicester West Ham v Manchester City Ipswich v Portsmouth Wolves v Cambridge Barnsley v Blackpool Chelsea v QPR Stoke v Newcastle Swindon v Burton Albion/Barnet Norwich v Bury
(2nd December 2008)
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