Season 20/21: Blackburn Rovers v Swansea City Match Thread

[swansnews]

UPDATED: 7th March 2021

Blackburn v Swansea City
Ewood Park, Blackburn
Tuesday March 09 2021, 6pm Kick Off

It will hopefully be a case of second time lucky for the Swans this midweek as they head towards Blackburn for what is one of our games in hand thanks to a game that became the victim of the weather back in January.

It was a postponement on the day when the Swans were ready to play in midweek and now we have the chance to make ground up on those around us and move into second place in the table thanks to our back to back wins in the last few days, both courtesy of last minute penalties from Andre Ayew.

Blackburn go into the game on the back of a 2-0 win this weekend but that followed six straight defeats, six defeats that to all intents and purposes have finished their season with significant daylight between both the Top 6 and the Bottom 3 from their 15th placed position.

As ever on Planet Swans we have for you some of the most comprehensive pre-match coverage in our matchday thread that will bring you all we need to know over the next few days as well as all the chat during the match together with every post match follow up you would wish to read (and maybe even more!)

 

[swansnews]

Updated: 7th March 2021

Vital numbers

Last 6 meetings
View attachment Last 6.jpg

Last 4 at Ewood Park
View attachment Last 4 Ewood Park.jpg

Per match stats
View attachment Stats Per Game.jpg

Goal statistics
View attachment Goals.jpg

Disciplinary Records
View attachment Discipline Record.jpg

Team characteristics
View attachment Team Characteristics.jpg

 

[swansnews]

LAST TIME OUT AT EWOOD PARK
Blackburn 2 Swansea City 2
Sky Bet Championship
29th February 2020

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QU48L_ldP18&t=108s

 

[swansnews]

LAST TIME OUT AT THE LIBERTY STADIUM
Swansea City 2 Blackburn 0
Sky Bet Championship
31st October 2020

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlSPQqtbnQg&t=292s

Reminisce on the game with our matchday thread from the match by clicking here

 

[swansnews]

LAST TIME OUT FOR BLACKBURN
Millwall 0 Blackburn 2
EFL Championship
6th March 2021

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAElxqFfOhA

 

[swansnews]

LAST TIME OUT FOR SWANSEA
Swansea City 2 Middlesbrough 1
EFL Championship
6th March 2021

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftJaKcCCGOk

 

[swansnews]

UPDATED: 7th March 2021

Meet the referee

View attachment Robert Jones.jpg

Tuesday's referee is Robert Jones

Robert Jones takes charge of just his fifth Championship match of the season when the Swans face Blackburn on Tuesday but one of his previous four has overseen a Swans win in Lancashire - he had the whistle in our opening day win at Preston. He has handed out 10 yellow cards in those four games.

He was promoted to the Select Group 1 panel at the start of this season though and has officiated in four Premier League games this season and his promotion came after three years as a Select Group 2 referee and taking charge of some Premier League games last season.

He also took charge of the South Wales derby at the Liberty last season as well as the last game at the Liberty that was played in front of a crowd (against West Brom back in March)

Jones was slated by former referee Keith Hackett at the end of last month when he first awarded a match winning penalty to Leeds and then ruled out a seemingly good equaliser from Burnley which prompted some pretty fierce criticism from Sean Dyche after the game as well.

View attachment Robert Jones Swans Cardiff.jpg

Hackett wrote after the game in his Daily Telegraph column - "This was a worrying performance. Yes, Jones is new to the Professional Game Match Officials Limited - this was only his fourth game in the Premier League, and third this season - but he has had several years of experience at Football League level, and should not be making an error such as this.

"Jones needs some operational advice: his movement is pedestrian and at no time did he apply any dynamic sprinting to get into good viewing positions and angles.

"There were occasions when he lost contact with the game and in this particular instance, this shortfall in pace exposed him to the error of blowing too quickly.

"Referees have to be able to keep pace with the match. Everyone knows Leeds, in particular, play a fast brand of football where the ball travels quickly from one end of the pitch to another.

"Jones did not seem to be able to keep up, which is a failure not only of his officiating but of the appointment process."

View attachment Dyche Jones.jpg

Dyche himself said "When you do speak to referees, and it is difficult, because they have just finished and it is an emotional game for them as well in any game because of the physical side of it,

"They were perfectly civil, as was I, but I am incredibly frustrated today.

"He said he felt it was a clear foul from Ben Mee on the goalkeeper,

He added: "If the referee is suggesting, as he did to me, that he felt the had a decent game today, then that needs to be fed back. That is for the powers that be."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDT5H8cTcBA

Jones will be assisted by Ian Hussin and Adrian Holmes whilst Geoff Eltringham is the 4th Official

 

[BBC Sport]

THIS ARTICLE INITIALLY APPEARED AHEAD OF THE ORIGINAL FIXTURE DATE

Steve Cooper: Championship fixture list unfair says Swansea City boss

Source: BBC Sport

Steve Cooper has claimed the Championship fixture list is "unfair" as Swansea City prepare for Tuesday night's meeting with Blackburn Rovers.

Swansea made the long trip to Barnsley for a televised fixture on Saturday night.

They will be back on their travels again for a midweek game at Ewood Park.

"We've got to go to Blackburn on Tuesday and we're still in Yorkshire at twenty past ten on a Saturday. It's unfair," said Swans head coach Cooper.

"We've got four days of travel, truth be told.

"It's going to be really tough, a quick turnaround for Tuesday. Is it unfair and unkind? Yeah. Would they do it to some of the other clubs in our league? No chance. Sometimes we get that treatment, but we'll get on with it."

The EFL has declined to comment.

Swansea's 2-0 triumph at Oakwell boosted their automatic promotion hopes.

The second-placed Swans have a four-point cushion over Bournemouth, who are third, ahead of the meeting with mid-table Blackburn.

Cooper, who hopes to add new faces to what is a fairly small squad this month, says keeping players fit and available will be key in the second half of the season.

"What's important this year is that this is a season for adapting," he said.

"We've had really busy periods already, nine games in 29 days (earlier in the season), that's never been done before.

"I've said all along, player availability is key to giving yourselves the best chance this year.

"The players have taken great responsibility for that in terms of their recovery, nutrition, making sure they get the right amount of sleep and looking after themselves. The more fresh our boys can be going into games the better."

 

[swansnews]

THIS ARTICLE INITIALLY APPEARED AHEAD OF THE ORIGINAL FIXTURE DATE

Food for thought for Mowbray ahead of Swans test

Source: Blackburn Official Site

The boss has admitted his side have a few bumps and bruises going into Tuesday night's encounter

Tony Mowbray says time will tell regarding who is available for selection against Swansea City on Tuesday night.

Battered and bruised at the weekend against Stoke City, Rovers were forced to replace both Joe Rothwell and Sam Gallagher due to injury in the 1-1 draw against the Potters.

And with Elliott Bennett, Joe Rankin-Costello, Corry Evans, Daniel Ayala, Derrick Williams and Scott Wharton all out of action, Mowbray's hopeful that nobody else will be added to the list of casualties.

“There’s a few knocks and niggles, a few players who have been with the physios," Mowbray reported to iFollow Rovers.

“We’ll have to wait and see. Nobody’s ruling anybody out but nobody’s ruling anybody in.

“I’ve always got food for thought when it comes to selection and you can’t keep picking the same players when you have a game every few days.

“We’ll look to move a few things about, whilst keeping the same kind of intensity and playing how we like to play," he added.

“We’ll see tomorrow who’s available and try to pick a team to give Swansea problems."

 

[Official Site News]

THIS ARTICLE INITIALLY APPEARED AHEAD OF THE ORIGINAL FIXTURE DATE

TALKING TACTICS | BLACKBURN ROVERS V SWANSEA CITY

Source: Swansea Official Site

Football stats experts WhoScored.com take a close look at the excellent recent form of Freddie Woodman, and the key role he can play in Swansea City's Championship clash with Blackburn Rovers.

Swansea City kept the pressure on league leaders Norwich with a solid 2-0 win at Barnsley on Saturday night to extend their unbeaten run to five league matches. With Bournemouth falling to defeat, the Swans have some breathing space between themselves and the play-off places.

Steve Cooper's side can't afford to get complacent, however, and with a tough trip to Blackburn looming they will be desperate to keep this run going to maintain a promotion push. Rovers have not had an easy time of things of late, with head coach Tony Mowbray overseeing a run of just one win in their last five.

At Ewood Park, though, they remain a difficult side to beat having lost just one of their last eight home league outings, that coming against Championship leaders Norwich.

Blackburn aren't in the best of form right now but Mowbray's side are the highest scorers in the league, netting 39 times this season and, in Adam Armstrong, boast the division's joint-top goalscorer.

Granted, Armstrong has scored just twice in his last nine league outings, but no player has scored more goals than the 23-year-old (16) in the Championship this season.

With that in mind it will be key for Freddie Woodman and the Swansea defence to keep the Blackburn attack at bay. The 23-year-old has again been exceptional between the sticks in 2020-21, keeping more clean sheets (14) than any other goalkeeper in the Championship this season.

Blackburn may boast the Championship's best attack, but Swansea have conceded fewer goals (13) than any other team this season, and have shipped just three goals in their last nine. Woodman has been vital to that fine defensive resolve with the on-loan shotstopper boasting the third best save success rate (75.4%) in the Championship this season.

Woodman has previous at Ewood Park, too, having saved a penalty in the game there last season, one of three penalty stops in Championship action since the start of 2019-20, to reinforce a statistically calculated WhoScored.com strength of 'penalty saving'.

And, after putting in his fourth best-rated performance of 2020-21 at the weekend, earning a WhoScored.com rating of 7.21 at Oakwell, Woodman will be looking to build upon that solid showing to help Swansea maintain their unbeaten run and move to within a point of league leaders Norwich, who aren't in action until Wednesday.

Armstrong, of course, will be the man tasked with firing past Woodman. Even for his recent lack of goals, the former Newcastle man has still scored 10 goals in 11 home outings this season, more than any other player to back up a WhoScored.com strength of 'finishing'.

A home WhoScored.com rating of 7.54 is second only to Emiliano Buendia (7.61) in the Championship this term but, if any goalkeeper can keep Armstrong at bay, then it is Woodman.

The Swansea shotstopper earned a WhoScored.com rating of 7.32 when these two teams met back in October and he and Swansea will be looking to add yet another clean sheet to their record at Ewood Park on Tuesday night as well as, more importantly, another three points.

 

[Ringwood Jack]

Game might be off tomorrow.. Storm Christof prolonged heavy rain predicted right up to kick off

 

[swansnews]

THIS ARTICLE INITIALLY APPEARED AHEAD OF THE ORIGINAL FIXTURE DATE

In the opposition dugout



Tony Mowbray

Tony Mowbray is now the 7th longest serving manager in the Football League having taken over at Ewood Park in February 2017 after the sacking of Owen Coyle.

This is his 7th club he has been in charge of following Coventry, Middlesbrough, Celtic, West Brom, Hibs and Ipswich (as an interim manager) previously. His managerial career followed a career spanning more than 550 appearances for three of those sides - Middlesbrough, Celtic and Ipswich

Taken from the League managers association website

The former Middlesbrough, Celtic and Ipswich defender has been a high achiever in management since taking charge at Hibernian in May, 2004.

Hibs finished in the top four of the Scottish Premier Division in both his two full seasons at the helm. After the first of those, he won the Scottish Football Writers Association's manager of the year award.

Mowbray, a holder of the UEFA Pro License, also brought European football to Easter Road before moving to West Bromwich in October, 2006 after rejecting an earlier approach from Ipswich.

As Albion's replacement for Bryan Robson in the wake of relegation, he guided his new team into the play-offs where they were beaten 1-0 by Derby in the final after winning both legs of the semi-final against West Midlands rivals Wolves.

There followed a major upheaval in which Albion raked in large fees for established players. Mowbray made a total of 14 signings, after which his club was still substantially in profit.

With recruits like James Morrison, Chris Brunt and Leon Barnett proving influential, the Baggies stormed to the Championship title in his first full season at the Hawthorns in 2008. They also reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup, losing to eventual winners Portsmouth.

Mowbray picked up the LMA's divisional Manager of the Year award in 2008, having won the Championship.

Mowbray was then confirmed as the new manager of Celtic on June 16 2009 and remained with the club until March 2010.

Having taking charge of Boro during the 2010/11 season, Mowbray enjoyed immediate success in the role as his side went onto finish 12th in the npower Championship.

He enjoyed a successful first full season in charge at the Riverside as he guided the club to a 7th place finish in the npower Championship, narrowly missing out on a play-off place. He also received the manager of the month award on two occasions. The club then followed this up with a 16th place finish the following term.

Tony has battled adversity on and off the field. As skipper, he was the embodiment of home town Middlesbrough's revival after they went into liquidation and served the club courageously for nine years.

Mowbray is definitely starting to run out of plaudits for his work at Ewood Park with fans turning on him more and more - they are the division's highest scorers this season but the league position reflects a weak defence alongside it and fans are realising it isn't what they want it to be

https://twitter.com/BkU8s/status/1344219110398455812

Speaking after the weekend match against Stoke (which Rovers drew 1-1) Mowbray said "we were way off where we can be and we’ll have to search for the reasons why, aside from the opposition being really good today.

It’s all about learning from games, and we’re frustrated to lose a goal from a set play.”

Yet again though the words of the manager were met with groans from the Rovers faithful

https://twitter.com/IcemanCT/status/1350505062053904384

https://twitter.com/TomScott1808/status/1350521540090195970

https://twitter.com/roddersnotdel/status/1350679660091355137

Let's hope we pile more pressure on Mowbray on Tuesday!

 

[Richard]

Blackburn away is never easy. We need to show the same resilience as last Saturday.

 

[sainthelens]

With the strong likelihood of changes to side next Saturday ( Forest) the lads can go full blast tonight knowing they'll have a week or so to recover. Doesn't help that the league have fcked us over with the travelling as Coops has alluded , but confidence must be through the roof atm, and with the Derby performance still fresh in the memory, I'd expect us not to slip up tonight. With our defence now having a massive reputation, its gotta start playing on minds of any opponent.
Will settle for a point...but going for a 1-0 away win.

 

[swansnews]

View attachment Mascot - Blackburn Away.jpg

Tonight's virtual mascots are brothers Steffan and Caian Francis.

Steffan is aged 10 and Caian is aged 12, they both come from Bridgend. They play football for Brackla JFC, and say Ben Cabango is their favourite player.