Blackburn Rovers currently find themselves in the Championship relegation zone.
Championship strugglers Blackburn Rovers fell to a fourth consecutive defeat against Barnsley on Boxing Day, before an impressive draw away at Huddersfield yesterday, but have still won just 2 of their last 11 outings. Having finished 15th last season, 19 points off the playoffs and 15 points above the relegation zone, most expected a similar campaign from Rovers this season, not troubling the top or bottom ends of the division too seriously.
As it happens, roughly half way through the Championship season, Blackburn find themselves in the relegation zone, behind second tier debutants Burton Albion, and facing a real danger of dropping into the third tier of English football for the first time since the 1979-80 season.
In light of Rovers plight, HITC Sport spoke exclusively with summer signing Elliott Bennett, in order to get a gauge on the mood within the camp at Ewood Park, what exactly it is going wrong and how he feels the club can put it right.
Blackburn Rovers winger Elliott Bennett
Bennett joined Blackburn in the summer following 5 years at Norwich City. It was a departure the 28-year-old says “had to happen”, with his game time having become very limited following a serious injury in August 2013 in which Bennett strained his knee ligaments, ruling him out for virtually an entire season.
His move to Blackburn wasn’t a wholly surprising one. It was Paul Lambert’s first transfer window as Rovers boss, and he was looking to put his own stamp on the team, bringing in three new signings and a further four players on loan deals.
With Bennett free to leave and the pair having worked together at Norwich, it was a move which seemed to make sense for both parties. Four months on though, at the end of the season, Lambert’s contract was terminated. We asked Bennett whether Lambert was a big part of why he joined Blackburn and what it has been like since his departure.
“Yes, he gave me my Premier League opportunity [at Norwich] for which I’ll be forever grateful, so I jumped at the opportunity to rejoin him. Also Blackburn is a magnificent club that’s not where it should be. I was shocked and disappointed but that’s football, but that’s football. The new boss has come in with new ideas.”
Bennett was disappointed by the sacking of Paul Lambert
When asked why he felt Blackburn were currently in such a poor position, Bennett said, “We’ve not been performing badly, but every individual mistake seems to be punished at the moment, which is hard to take.”
“We’re not struggling for goals, but there have been mistakes throughout the team. Cut them out and we will turn it around. We’re not worrying about where the next win will come from.”
The statistics tend to support Bennett’s claim, with Rovers losing three consecutive games 3-2 prior to their Boxing Day defeat to Barnsley. Owen Coyle’s men have scored as many goals as sixth placed Sheffield Wednesday, only one fewer than fourth placed Huddersfield Town and more than promotion hopefuls Derby County and Aston Villa.
A dejected looking Owen Coyle
With Bennett’s former clubs Brighton and Norwich targeting promotion, we asked the former Wolves trainee what Blackburn’s aims were this season, a question Bennett wouldn’t be drawn on.
“To be honest, we’re not looking too far ahead. It’s all about the next game and getting three points. That’s how we’ve got to go about it, we can’t afford to target games.”
Reluctant to be drawn on Blackburn’s aims, the winger was more candid when it came to his personal aspirations. Having been a Premier League player for a few years at Norwich, it’s naturally a level Bennett would love to return to, but is it an achievable goal at Blackburn?
“You’ve got to aspire or you might as well stop,” Bennett said, adding, “Everyone wants to play at the highest level they can for as long as possible. I am where I deserve to be. It’s obviously unlikely this season but I’ve got another year here.”
Bennett is still targeting a return to the Premier League
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