The Blackburn End Podcast

REALITY CHECK! 😳🌹

One week we're talking about the PLAY-OFFS...

The next we're trying to explain THAT! 🤦‍♂️

Blackburn Rovers were hammered 4-0 by Swansea City after an absolutely dreadful afternoon in South Wales.

Mike & Mark pick through one of Rovers' worst performances of the season and ask whether it was simply a horrible day at the office - or whether Swansea exposed some much bigger problems.

😡 An unacceptable performance

🫣 Awful defending

⚙️ Morsy & Morishita badly missed

🪶 Is the squad simply too light?

🛡️ Does Hayden Carter HAVE to start?

🙌 Ohashi & Ribeiro return

🏠 Stoke & West Ham at Ewood

👀 Then the international break... before Burnley away!

After such an encouraging run of form, the response is now everything.

Was Swansea simply a freak horror show - or a brutal reality check?

#BRFC #Rovers #BlackburnRovers

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PLAY-OFFS?! 🤯🌹

A few weeks ago, plenty of us were preparing ourselves for a relegation battle after a hugely frustrating summer.

Now Blackburn Rovers are looking UP the Championship table!

Mike & Mark ask whether we've completely underestimated what Tony Mowbray can get out of this squad after Rovers beat Wrexham 2-0 at Ewood Park.

Andri Guðjohnsen grabbed another two goals, Rovers kept a clean sheet and the feel-good factor continues to grow.

So... how far can this actually go?

🤯 Have our expectations completely changed?

⚽ Andri Guðjohnsen can't stop scoring

👏 Another home win for Rovers

📈 The Mowbray effect

💪 Moussa Baradji's opportunity

🔄 Montgomery returns, Morsy suspended

🏟️ Swansea City away

😂 Burnley battered 4-1 and sack their manager!

Are we getting carried away - or could Rovers genuinely challenge towards the top end of the Championship?

#BRFC #Rovers #BlackburnRovers

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How did Rovers manage to lose THAT?! 🤦‍♂️🌹

Mike & Mark look back on a dramatic three-game week for Blackburn Rovers which brought wins over Cardiff and Bristol City before a painful 3-2 defeat at West Brom.

Rovers raced into a 2-0 lead at The Hawthorns through two Andri Guðjohnsen goals, with Kristi Montgomery's high press causing West Brom huge problems early on.

Then it all changed.

We discuss Morishita's injury, the impact of the second-half changes and whether the collapse highlighted the squad-depth concerns that have been hanging over Rovers since the summer.

There's also plenty of credit for the Bristol City win, Balázs Tóth's performance and a return of six points from a demanding week.

Then attention turns to Ewood Park as Wrexham AFC come to town.

😡 West Brom 3-2 Rovers

⚽ Guðjohnsen at the double

👏 Montgomery impresses

🏥 Morishita forced off

🔄 Squad depth exposed?

🧤 Tóth stars at Bristol City

📈 Six points from three games

🔴 Blackburn Rovers v Wrexham preview

Can Rovers respond by continuing their improving home form against Wrexham?

#BRFC #Rovers #Wrexham

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Back-to-back home wins for Blackburn Rovers! 🙌🌹

Mike & Mark look back at Rovers' 2-1 victory over Cardiff City, with Andri Guðjohnsen and Todd Cantwell getting the goals at Ewood Park.

We discuss a standout performance from Cantwell - complete with his new Slim Shady look - Guðjohnsen continuing to find the net and the encouraging signs from Tony Mowbray's side following the international break.

We're not getting carried away, but are Rovers starting to make progress?

Attention then turns to a big week on the road, with TWO Championship away games in five days.

⚽ Rovers 2-1 Cardiff

🌟 Cantwell shines

🇮🇸 Guðjohnsen scores again

📈 Signs of progress under Mowbray?

🏥 Jørgensen returns

🔴 Bristol City away

🔵 West Brom away

🤔 Can Rovers finally turn decent away performances into wins?

How many points would you take from the two away games?

#BRFC #Rovers

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The international break is almost over and Blackburn Rovers are preparing to return to Championship action.

Mike & Mark are joined by Rovers content creator Ollie Collins - aka Jollie Ollie - to take stock of the season so far and reassess the summer business now we've actually seen this squad in action.

Were we too harsh on the recruitment? Which players have impressed? And has Tony Mowbray managed to get more from this group than we expected?

We also round up the international break, including Tom Atcheson's remarkable start with Northern Ireland, goals for Andri Guðjohnsen, Balázs Tóth's performances for Hungary and Kristi Montgomery's first senior Scotland call-up.

There's also the 3-3 behind-closed-doors draw with Everton, the latest on Rovers' returning players and our preview of Saturday's Championship return against Cardiff City.

#BRFC #Rovers

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With no Rovers game this weekend, we're doing something a little different on The Blackburn End.

Mike & Mark are joined by Blackburn Rovers Her Game Too ambassadors Meg and Nic for a special episode all about Her Game Too.

We find out what the campaign is all about, why it was started and what being a Her Game Too ambassador at Blackburn Rovers actually involves.

Meg and Nic share their experiences following Rovers and discuss the progress that's been made for women and girls in football, the issues that still exist, the importance of challenging and reporting sexism, and what supporters can do to help make football welcoming for everyone.

We also hear about Nic's son Hugo and Hugo's Football Adventures, with Hugo joining The Blackburn End as a fellow finalist at this year's Football Content Awards!

A massive thank you to Meg and Nic for joining us.

#BRFC #Rovers #HerGameToo

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Eight Championship games down and now a three-week international break - so it's time to take stock of Tony Mowbray's Blackburn Rovers.

Mike & Mark ask whether Rovers have got the points their performances deserve, how happy we should be with what we've seen and how positive the opening weeks have left us feeling.

There's plenty to be encouraged by. Rovers continue to show character when falling behind, they're looking increasingly dangerous going forward and the players appear to be embracing Mowbray's ideas.

But there's still work to do defensively, while keeping players fit between now and January could be crucial.

We also look back at the 2-2 draw at Portsmouth, discuss Dapo Afolayan's excellent form and celebrate Kristi Montgomery's Scotland call-up.

PLUS your Three Word Reviews and SpeakPipe reactions!

🎙️ Have your say: https://www.speakpipe.com/TheBlackburnEndPodcast

#BRFC #Rovers

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Balaji Rao made a surprise return to Ewood Park this weekend in what appears to have been his first Blackburn Rovers match in more than 13 years - and the supporters made sure he heard exactly how they feel.

Mike & Mark discuss the furious reaction towards Venky's and the hierarchy, but also an incredible atmosphere as that same passion was used to back Tony Mowbray and his players.

On the pitch, Dapo Afolayan inspired Rovers to a much-needed 3-1 victory over Millwall. We look at the impact of returning players, Kristi Montgomery's superb start and another frustrating performance without reward against Sheffield United.

There's also time to appreciate a quite beautiful Championship bottom three before looking ahead to Saturday's trip to Portsmouth.

PLUS your Three Word Reviews and SpeakPipe reactions!

🎙️ Have your say: https://www.speakpipe.com/TheBlackburnEndPodcast

#BRFC #Rovers

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The transfer window has closed. Blackburn Rovers are still trying to finish their squad.

After a 0-0 draw at Lincoln and defeat at Preston, Mike and Mark examine the bigger issue facing Rovers: how did Tony Mowbray end the window still desperately short of proven Championship quality?

New CEO Steve Curwood has faced the music and offered his explanation, discussing injuries, Mowbray's arrival and assessment of the squad, and how specific the manager became about the players he wanted.

But explanation isn't necessarily accountability.

We discuss Rudy Gestede and the cumulative record of Rovers' football operation, how last summer's recruitment has hampered this summer, Venkys and the familiar questions over budgets and timing, Suhail Pasha's role and whether Mowbray's supposedly narrow recruitment criteria are actually lessons the club should already have learned.

There's also the injury crisis, Gady Beyuku, the deals that collapsed, the free-agent search, Balázs Tóth and Celtic, plus reaction to Lincoln and Preston.

Then it's back to the pitch, with Sheffield United and Millwall both visiting Ewood.

Nearly 6,000 Rovers supporters travelled to Preston after sold-out away ends at Lincoln and Wolves.

The supporters have done their bit. Can everybody running the football club say the same?

#BRFC #BlackburnRovers #Rovers #Championship

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Blackburn Rovers have reached NOW OR NEVER territory.

Saturday's 2-1 defeat to QPR exposed the problem supporters have feared all summer.

At 1-1, QPR could turn to their bench, make changes and go on to win the game. Tony Mowbray couldn't do the same.

With around ten players unavailable and youngsters with little or no senior experience filling the bench, Rovers already look desperately short — before the relentless Championship schedule has really begun.

And the transfer window closes at 11pm on Tuesday.

The frustrating thing?

The core of this Blackburn side looks capable of having a very good Championship season.

The players aren't the problem. But without enough quality and experience around them, how can Rovers possibly sustain it over 46 games?

The warning signs were there last season and weren't properly addressed. Now the situation arguably looks even worse.

Mike Beaty and Mark Hitchen discuss the QPR defeat, the alarming injury list, the lack of experienced options available to Mowbray and why the pressure is now firmly on Rudy Gestede and the club to act.

Last week we asked whether Gestede has actually got more right than he's got wrong.

Now comes perhaps his biggest test.

How many players do Rovers need before the window shuts? Where do they need them? And what happens if the club doesn't deliver?

There's also the small matter of TWO games this week.

Blackburn travel to Lincoln City on Tuesday night — while the transfer window is closing — before making the short trip to Deepdale on Saturday.

PRESTON NORTH END v BLACKBURN ROVERS.

Both Lancashire rivals have problems. Both need a result. And a huge Rovers following will be heading to Deepdale.

Who needs it more — and can Blackburn give their supporters something to shout about?

QPR reaction, transfer deadline pressure, Gestede, Lincoln and Preston away — all on this week's Blackburn End Podcast.

#BRFC #BlackburnRovers #Rovers #TonyMowbray #RudyGestede #Championship #EFL #PNE #Preston

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