Blackburn Rovers

The return of captain Todd Cantwell will see an upturn in results for Blackburn Rovers, says boss Valerien Ismael.

Rovers are currently 20th in the Championship table with just one win from their past six matches as they prepare to visit fellow strugglers Portsmouth on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Cantwell, 27, returned from a two-month absence with a knee injury at the start of December and has appeared as a substitute in the draws with Ipswich Town and Oxford United, scoring a penalty against the U's on Tuesday.

"We've found the way and the shape for this team, and we have the position for Toddy as well, which is really good," Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"He was on an unbelievable level before his injury. Now he's back we still need to manage him. Every time it's a closed discussion with him - how he feels and how long he thinks he can play."

Ismael also believes handing the club captaincy to Cantwell following the departure of Lewis Travis in August has brought a new dimension from the forward.

"At the beginning of the season when I made the decision, I had a long discussion with him. For almost one hour, we discussed everything," Ismael added.

"I think the responsibility was a big lift for him, he wanted that.

"He came to a point in his life where he wanted to prove to himself that he's able to do that, to change maybe the image that people have got of him [that he's a] soft player and not consistent with a lot of quality, and I think he's shown that he's a leader."

Ismael is hopeful midfielder Sondre Tronstad could return for the trip to Fratton Park while goalkeeper Balazs Toth and midfielder Ryan Hedges could be involved against Millwall on December 20.

"It's embarrassing, they should not be getting games [abandoned] when no other games are getting cancelled.

"I think the fact that they were leading both [matches] compounds what is already a really bad situation."

Aaron Paul and Jobi McAnuff are joined by Peterborough Sports boss Phil Brown to discuss troubling pitch problems for Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park and Southampton making it official with boss Tonda Eckert handing him a contract until 2027.

Listen to the full episode of 72+ and more on BBC Sounds.

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Blackburn Rovers have moved their FA Youth Cup third-round tie against Southampton away from Ewood Park to try to protect the pitch.

Friday's tie will now take place at Chorley's Victory Park ground so work can be carried out on the playing surface at Rovers' home of 135 years.

"The decision has been made to move this fixture away from Ewood Park in order to carry out essential works with the aim to protect the pitch for upcoming Championship fixtures," the club said in a statement., external

Blackburn have had two Championship matches abandoned this season because of waterlogged pitches - last Saturday's with Sheffield Wednesday followed September's game against Ipswich - with Rovers leading 1-0 at the time in both.

The club's head coach, Valerien Ismael, said earlier this week he would be willing to sacrifice part of his transfer budget if it meant the money was reallocated to improving their pitch.

Image source, Rex Features

Blackburn Rovers head coach Valerien Ismael believes Todd Cantwell is his side's "technical leader" after the midfielder's penalty prevented a home defeat to Oxford United.

Cantwell came on at half-time for Taylor Gardner-Hickman and scored the crucial spot kick following Jack Currie's handball in the second half to earn a 1-1 draw at Ewood Park.

"When you play at home, you want to win after 90 minutes," Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"If you stay 0-0 in the second half, we knew the game would open up and be better for us. When our players come back from injury, we look completely different — more control, composure and creativity.

"Todd [Cantwell] is clearly the technical leader and gives confidence to everyone. Moussa [Baradji] came in strong, and Dion [De Neve] with his energy.

"We're doing the right things. On the other hand, some players are starting to get tired — we've had a lot of games.

"We're looking forward to Saturday because afterwards we'll finally have a week to recover before the Millwall game."

Image source, Getty Images

The FA Cup third round draw was made on Monday evening, with all 24 Championship clubs entering at this stage of the competition.

Ties will take place between Thursday, 8 January and Monday, 12 January.

These are the ties involving Championship clubs:

• Cambridge United v Birmingham City

• Hull City v Blackburn Rovers

• Bristol City v Watford

• Charlton Athletic v Chelsea

• Stoke City v Coventry

• Derby County v Leeds United

• Ipswich Town v Blackpool

• Cheltenham Town v Leicester City

• Fulham v Middlesbrough

• Burnley v Millwall

• Norwich City v Walsall

• MK Dons v Oxford United

• Portsmouth v Arsenal

• Preston North End v Wigan Athletic

• West Ham United v Queens Park Rangers

• Sheffield United v Mansfield Town

• Sheffield Wednesday v Brentford

• Doncaster Rovers v Southampton

• Swansea City v West Bromwich Albion

• Wrexham v Nottingham Forest

You can see the full draw here.

Rob Heckingbottom
Blackburn Rovers fan writer

Image source, Shutterstock

One win, two draws, six losses. This year's home form isn't great viewing on paper, despite the small shoots of unity and improved performances we've seen in recent weeks.

Coming into Saturday, it had the feeling of a 'must-win' game against Sheffield Wednesday - unfortunately, we came away wet and worried.

Having been at both the abandoned Ipswich game (on 20 September) and Sheffield Wednesday fixture this weekend, the comparisons are hard to avoid. In both moments of the season, a win was in our hands - something that could have lifted us, steadied the mood, and changed the trajectory.

Now we're faced with another replay that might carry an all-too-familiar feeling after the brutal ending to the second Ipswich match.

The Sheffield Wednesday match itself didn't offer much in terms of excitement - maybe in part due to the weather - but there was one bright moment thanks to a well-worked goal in the 33rd minute, with Ryoya Morishita sliding a perfect ball across for Yuki Ohashi to finish.

That gave us the lead, and for a while it felt like the day might finally belong to us. But before the hour mark, the rain won. The pitch became unplayable, and the referee abandoned the game after 59 minutes with Rovers still 1-0 up.

To add to the blow, all the yellow cards stand, despite the game being abandoned -Adam Forshaw, Ryan Alebiosu and George Pratt were all booked before half-time - and seeing Forshaw come off injured just before the break was another hit, given his recent performances and an already-stretched squad.

The weather on Saturday wasn't the worst we've seen at Ewood, and other clubs around us managed to get their games played. But it does make you wonder, what does this mean for future home fixtures as winter properly settles in?

So, what's next? If we can get through 90 minutes against Oxford United on Tuesday, can we finally put three home points on the board?

Right now, it feels like every time we get close, something - be it the weather, injuries, or late drama - snatches it away. And as fans, all we want is that feeling of walking out of Ewood with a win.

But with a yellow weather warning hanging over Tuesday and the prospect of yet another waterlogged pitch, the storm clouds aren't just metaphorical, they're real.

So, let's hold tight (onto our hats and coats).

Image source, Opta

Weather-permitting Blackburn will seek to get back to winning ways at Ewood Park as they welcome Oxford United on Tuesday (19:45 GMT).

Saturday's game against Sheffield Wednesday was abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch with Rovers leading 1-0 just before the hour mark.

It was second abandonment of the season at Ewood Park after the clash with Ipswich on 20 September, in which the hosts led 1-0 against 10 men after 80 minutes.

The U's go into this game sat 21st, one point above the relegation zone and two places and three points behind Rovers, following Saturday's 2-0 defeat at fellow strugglers Swansea.

• Blackburn have lost just one of their past seven league games against Oxford United (W4 D2), though the defeat came in their last meeting in January at the Kassam Stadium (0-1).

• Oxford have won just one of their 12 away league games against Blackburn (D5 L6), winning 3-1 in December 1990 under Brian Horton.

• Blackburn are winless in their past six midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) Championship home games (D2 L4), since a 3-0 win over Portsmouth in January.

• Oxford are winless in their past eight midweek (Tues, Weds, Thurs) Championship games (D3 L5) since beating Luton 3-2 in January.

• Oxford manager Gary Rowett has won just three of his 13 career league games in charge against Blackburn Rovers (D4 L6), failing to win on any of his four visits to Ewood Park (D1 L3).

Andy Bayes
Sports Editor, BBC Radio Lancashire

Image source, Shutterstock

Once is enough, twice is too many - Blackburn Rovers' Ewood Park pitch has become a real problem.

For the second time this season a match has been abandoned.

In September, it was the best part of 80 minutes before the referee was left with no choice but to call a halt to a match against Ipswich, and on Saturday it was pretty much an hour in when Ruebyn Ricardo brought the Blackburn and Sheffield Wednesday players from the field.

To be fair to the official, he gave the ground staff a 10-minute window to remove as much excess water as they could from the playing surface, but they were fighting a losing battle.

In Rovers' 150th anniversary year, Ewood Park has been anything but home sweet home.

Yes, the results are down to the management and the players, but it's only right to say that some of the circumstances going against them are beyond their control.

In both matches that have been abandoned, they've been in front at the time of the premature whistle.

That must anger and disappoint Valerien Ismael and his players in equal measure.

Of course, in both games, the result was by no means guaranteed, particularly with Rovers' tendency to concede late on.

The circumstances of both games not reaching the distance need a thorough internal investigation.

The word used by supporters on their way home was more often than not "embarrassing", and you can understand why.

Just eight miles down the road, Accrington Stanley hosted 120 minutes of FA Cup second-round action plus a penalty shootout.

And 13 miles away Preston North End completed their fixture with Wrexham without issue.

Less than 25 miles away, AFC Fylde completed a 1-0 victory over Merthyr Town in the National League North.

It's pretty clear that something is wrong and needs to be rectified with some urgency.

Who is to say that this will be the last time that it happens?

The infrastructure of the pitch is dated - it was put down 36 years ago and like most things, technology has moved on considerably in that time.

A new pitch system costs a lot of money and it's down to the owners, the Venkys, to decide if they want to foot a sizeable bill.

For those not familiar with Ewood Park, being so close to the River Darwen makes the stadium's drainage system particularly vulnerable during periods of heavy rainfall, as the water outlet from the pitch flows into the river.

A swollen river prevents the pitch from draining effectively, resulting in a waterlogged surface.

However, head groundsman Trevor Wilkin confirmed this wasn't the case in September when the Ipswich game was abandoned, it was the sheer amount of rainfall to blame, and now we await the findings of what happened on Saturday.

The rain was torrential and constant.

The half-time interval seemed to speed up the process as what looked perfectly playable in the first half clearly wasn't after the restart, and the right decision was reached.

What the EFL makes of it also remains to be seen.

The only other fixture to be abandoned this weekend was at Rochdale, who have well-publicised issues with waterlogging.

So much so that they are going through a mid-season rebuild process which will see them temporarily set up base at Accrington Stanley, whose owner Andy Holt financed a reconstruction of their Wham Stadium pitch in 2019.

After waiting 10 weeks to get back to parity with the rest of the division, in terms of games played, Blackburn Rovers are once again left to play catch-up.

Blackburn Rovers winger Ryan Hedges is expected to be out for "a couple of weeks" after picking up an injury during the 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town on Tuesday.

The injury blow comes after attacking midfielder Todd Cantwell made his comeback from a knee problem that ruled him out for nine league games to play 19 minutes against the Tractor Boys.

"It's not a big injury [for Hedges], but it will take him out for a couple of weeks," boss Valerien Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"It's always the story [players picking up injuries], so now we are used to doing that.

"We find the way back, the players show resilience not to be affected by a missing player. Really important to us that we keep the performance always high."

Blackburn will face bottom side Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Listen to the full interview with Ismael by clicking play on the video above.

Blackburn Rovers will look to let their frustrations from their 1-1 draw to Ipswich Town on Tuesday go as they host basement dwellers Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Rovers boss Valerien Ismael was vocal about his disappointment in refereeing decisions that did not go their way during their controversial replay against the Tractor Boys that saw them succumb to a third successive winless game.

But now they face a side who have been on a much longer run without a win (12) and so deep into the relegation battle the hope of getting out is sparse - but with nothing left to lose, could the Owls be up for causing more turmoil at Ewood Park?

• Blackburn have won just one of their last six league games against Sheffield Wednesday (D2 L3), beating them 1-0 at Hillsborough in December 2024.

• Sheffield Wednesday have lost just two of their last nine away league games against Blackburn (W3 D4), with those defeats coming consecutively in December 2018 and November 2019.

• Sheffield Wednesday have lost each of their last four league games, their second such run already this season. They last lost more consecutively in February/March 2021 (7).

• Sheffield Wednesday are winless in their last 12 league games (D4 L8), last having a longer run between August and October 2023 (13).

• Barry Bannan either scored or assisted a goal in each of his first four league games for Sheffield Wednesday against Blackburn (1 goal, 4 assists). However, since then he's failed to score or assist in six games against Rovers.

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire sport editor

Image source, Getty Images

In a little over six weeks, Blackburn Rovers and Ipswich Town will meet again.

Rovers will scarcely be able to believe that they've taken just one point against them in the best part of two games so far.

This was the 'game in hand', the rearranged match following the highly controversial abandonment of the original league fixture in September due to heavy rainfall.

Valerien Ismael's side certainly produced one of their better performances at home, but ultimately, after nine league games at Ewood Park, they have just one victory.

They haven't kept a home clean sheet for 15 matches, and a 94th-minute Ipswich leveller will take some getting over so soon after the same thing happened at Wrexham on Saturday.

The match itself wasn't littered with clear-cut chances and goalkeeping saves. But Rovers were the more proactive, the more likely to score throughout the evening.

Considering the cost to assemble both squads being so different, Ipswich lacked a cutting edge and gave the ball away in their own half regularly.

The two main talking points involved big refereeing calls for referee Oliver Langford to make. Neither went Rovers' way, which incensed Ismael. He told me after the game how the standard of officiating at the level is 'a disgrace'.

There is an old saying that refereeing decisions even themselves out over a season. I remember having this conversation with Sam Allardyce during his time at Bolton and Blackburn Rovers, and he didn't believe that was the case. When it's your team and you're the boss, it's very difficult to see the bigger picture, I suppose.

Ismael pointed out that key match incidents in seven matches this season have cost his side; on some occasions, there has been more than one incident in the same game.

I'm pretty sure that if you talk to EFL head coaches up and down the country, they'll be able to point out some decisions that have gone against them too.

I thought the atmosphere was an improvement on six days earlier against QPR. Ismael was keen to point that out in his post-match summing up, and they've two more games in a row to try and address the painful points return at Ewood.

I don't think you can underestimate the importance of getting results against Sheffield Wednesday and Oxford before the next road trip to Portsmouth.

Late goals are a growing concern. We're not just talking about the last two games either.

To concede seven goals in the 90th minute or later is a recipe for trouble.

Two to Birmingham cost them all three points, with the last two games costing them a combined four. The team and the staff need to improve their decision-making in this area.

Substitutions are key, and don't get me wrong – head coaches aren't going to get them right every time. The fact that you can change half of your outfield every game doesn't necessarily mean that you have to.

On too many occasions recently, Ismael has played his cards, and they haven't worked. We're living in the age of managing workloads more than ever before.

Adam Forshaw is a case in point. He's been terrific in the last two games but was withdrawn on 57 minutes against Ipswich because he's needed for Saturday.

Because of a lengthy absentee list, it rarely looks like the team is getting the boost it needs to see games through, apart from Todd Cantwell's timely return to action for 20 minutes.

It's very much a case of what might have been in recent games. Since the highly impressive away win at Preston, two points from nine isn't really a reflection of what they should have taken.

But, the reality is that they are where they are.

Blackburn Premier League winner Kevin Gallacher says teams will expect Rovers' current crop to collapse in the closing stages of games.

Ipswich stole a point at Ewood Park in the 94th minute on Tuesday, just four days after Wrexham denied Valerien Ismael's side a win with a 95th-minute leveller.

Seven of the 23 goals Blackburn have conceded in their 18 Championship games have come in the 90th minute or later, costing them seven points - which would have seen 18th-placed Rovers within two points of fourth-placed Stoke instead.

Gallacher told BBC Radio Lancashire sports editor Andy Bayes: "It's disappointing, when they have worked so hard in two games, go into the lead and think you've got it.

"Whether it's substitutions or the way players are playing or that players don't understand how to see a game out, it's too often now.

"Teams will be looking now and thinking 'if we can stay in the game the last 10 minutes we'll just throw everything at Blackburn and we'll get a goal because they seem to collapse'."

Gallacher had sympathy for Ismael's passionate rant about decisions going against his side, saying Ipswich should have had "a definite red card" before half-time after Azor Matusiwa's foul on Ryoya Morishita when he looked to be clean through on goal.

"If it was the Premier League, VAR would show it was a clear sending-off," said Gallacher. "Hopefully the tide turns and [Ismael] doesn't have his knuckles rapped."

He added: "There are lots of positives. They played well. Performing like that for lengthy times, the fans were getting behind them. It was fantastic to see.

"It's game management, we need players running channels unselfishly just to get the team up the park to get the six or seven seconds you need to get back into shape.

"We just get deeper and deeper and the crowd go quiet, players get nervous, and that's when you make mistakes."

Blackburn head coach Valerien Ismael was critical of decisions he felt have gone against his side this season in the post-match interview after the 1-1 draw with Ipswich.

The decision not to send off Ipswich's Azor Matusiwa for bringing down Ryoya Morishita shortly before half-time was a big talking point in the match.

"We were very strong, we pressed well and forced mistakes. It was a great first half and the second half we were solid. We took the lead and conceded the goal again so it's very painful," Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"Normally we should talk about the three points tonight to enjoy but tonight I cannot not talk about the referee, enough is enough, we just put the list for all the decisions this season against us.

"The (lack of a) red card is a disgrace. It's terrible. I can't accept that. It's a penalty on Yuki [Ohashi, in a separate incident] and the last situation is a corner for us (before Ipswich's equaliser) so again the standard from the referee in the Championship is terrible.

"Every game, every three days it's always the same with the decision and standard is really poor. It's unacceptable, it can happen one or two decisions I didn't say anything but now that one with the red card it is obvious.

"This is a terrible decision that's why I have to talk about it - it's very disgraceful to show that kind of performance because no one can understand and follow the decision making from the referee.

"Every time is the same it's always sorry but we what we want is to raise the standard. It can't stay like this."

Image source, Getty Images

Blackburn Rovers players must give their supporters something to cheer when they face Ipswich Town at home in the Championship on Tuesday, says former striker Brett Ormerod.

Only Sheffield Wednesday (two) have taken fewer than Blackburn's four league points at home so far in the second tier this season, but they have the second best away record behind Coventry.

"They get some cracking results away from home but cannot buy a win at Ewood," Ormerod told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"You've got to give your fans something to get behind. Everyone loves someone who works hard - fans can put up with that if they have a bad day at the office. It's when you capitulate and there doesn't seem to be any effort."

Blackburn's only win at home this season came at the end of October, when they beat Southampton 2-1.

Tuesday's game with Ipswich is a rescheduled fixture after the initial match in September was abandoned because of a waterlogged pitch.

"With 80-odd minutes gone, against 10 men and 1-0 up, I still don't know how that decision has been made," said Ormerod, who started his career in Blackburn's youth set-up before going on to play for, among others, Blackpool, Southampton and Preston.

"Every club I've been at, when you're not winning home games, you get booed - it's a joint responsibility for the fans to get behind the players and the players to give something back and get the fans going."

Blackburn Rovers defender George Pratt has vowed to stay grounded and work hard to stay in Valerien Ismael's plans going forward.

The 22-year-old was recalled from a loan spell at National League North Chorley last month as Rovers lost Scott Wharton and Hayden Carter to injury.

After being named on the bench for the home defeat by Derby County, Pratt was handed his debut in the derby win at Preston North End and also started in the home defeat by QPR and Saturday's 1-1 draw at Wrexham.

"It's massively changed my life," Pratt told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"Going from playing in front of nobody really at Chorley, getting the recall, getting chucked straight into the Derby and Preston games - good games, good fans, something I've not experienced before.

"Just wrapping my head around the whole thing has been a lot."

Pratt has battled injury problems of his own, missing nearly 18 months after a broken leg and recurring stress fracture of his foot.

"I knew I'd have go to out on loan and prove myself, prove I can play senior football week-in, week-out and stay fit, given my injury record.

"National League North is a fight. Pitches aren't great, the fans and players are really passionate. It's a dogfight all game. It's something you have to get used to dealing with, playing with big men who throw themselves about, it was definitely an experience."

Pratt said he was keen to repay the faith shown in him by Ismael.

"It means a lot he's got that faith in me, that he trusts me. Hopefully, I can keep repaying him with good performances.

"I just want to keep performing and keep my shirt. When people come back, make it hard for them to get back in the team, and give the gaffer something to think about.

"It's about keeping my head down and feet grounded."

Rovers have picked up just four points at home in eight matches this season but face a run of three games at Ewood Park in a week, starting with Tuesday's visit of Ipswich Town (19:45 GMT) before struggling Sheffield Wednesday and Oxford United follow on Saturday and 9 December.

"The lads want to get the home form right. We should make it a fortress, so when you come to Ewood it's a really hard game to get three points," he said.

"It's not massive margins, it's little mistakes or slip-ups, or a first half that hasn't gone well.

"If you look at the table, there's not much in it at all. Six points and we're right up there [in the play-off chasing pack]. In these next three games to get as many points as we can is vital."

Image source, Opta

Blackburn and Ipswich will do battle at Ewood Park for the second time this season when their controversial replay takes place on Tuesday night (19:45 GMT).

The original game on 20 September was abandoned in the 79th minute after heavy rain left the pitch waterlogged.

Rovers were 1-0 up through Todd Cantwell's penalty and with a man advantage following Jacob Greaves' red card on 49 minutes when play was halted as the conditions worsened.

The following week the EFL admitted it was an 'incredibly difficult decision' but said the game would have to be replayed in full.

While Kieran McKenna welcomed the decision, Rovers boss Valerien Ismael branded the decision 'a disgrace.'

Ahead of this game in hand, Rovers sit 18th, three points clear of the relegation zone, and though they have taken 13 points from their past seven games, 10 of those came on the road.

Overall they have lost six of their eight games at Ewood Park this season, claiming just four points.

Though Town lie eighth, having missed the chance to jump into the automatic promotion places as they went down 2-1 at lowly Oxford United on Friday, a win here would take the Tractor Boys into fourth.

• Blackburn Rovers have won only one of their past seven league games against Ipswich Town (D2 L4), a 2-0 home win in January 2019 under Tony Mowbray.

• Ipswich completed a league double over Blackburn Rovers when the pair last met in the 2023/24 season – the last time either side went on a longer winning run in this matchup was between 1990 and 1992 (6 in a row by the Tractor Boys).

• Blackburn have already beaten Leicester and Southampton in the Championship this season. They last won three consecutive league games against sides relegated from the Premier League the previous campaign in May 2014 (v Reading, QPR and Wigan).

• Blackburn have lost six of their past eight home league games (W1 D1), and haven't kept a clean sheet in any of their last 14 at Ewood Park in the Championship (23 goals conceded).

• Ipswich are unbeaten in their past 12 away league games played on a Tuesday (W9 D3) since a 0-2 defeat to Charlton in League One in December 2021.

Image source, Opta

Wrexham could climb into the play-off places when they welcome Blackburn to the Stok Cae Ras on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Phil Parkinson's men have won four straight home games, keeping three clean sheets, and Wednesday's 2-0 win over Bristol City made it seven unbeaten and took the Red Dragons into 10th, just two points outside the top-six.

Rovers were stung by a late 1-0 defeat at home to QPR on the same night and lie 18th, just four points clear of the relegation zone, but head to Wales seeking a fourth straight away win and sixth of the campaign.

• This is the first league meeting between Wrexham and Blackburn Rovers since March 1982, with the Welsh side winning 1-0 at home in the second tier.

• Blackburn Rovers have won just one of their past 13 Football League games against Wrexham, though nine of those games have been drawn (L3).

• Blackburn have lost seven of their past 10 league games against newly-promoted sides (W3) and 14 of their last 15 on the road (D1).

• Wrexham are unbeaten in their past three weekend league matches (W1 D2), keeping a clean sheet in the last two (1-0 v Charlton and 0-0 v Ipswich). They had only kept one clean sheet in their first nine weekend games in the Championship this season beforehand.

• Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson has lost both his previous league meetings with Blackburn, coming during his time in charge of Bolton Wanderers in 2018-19.