Blackburn Rovers Premier League Preview

When Indian investors Venkys took over Blackburn Rovers last November they promised they would make the club a force in English football once again. They went about this by sacking manager Sam Allardyce who had finished 10^th with the club in the Premier League the season before and appointed his assistant Steve Kean who had no previous managerial experience.

They said this was the way forward but it almost royally backfired on them as victory against Wolves on the final day of the season was just enough beat the drop.

With the wealthy investment by the owners, Blackburn fans probably thought they would the next Chelsea or Manchester City, welcoming international superstars to Ewood Park after a healthy cash injection into the club by a money-mad sugar daddy. This, however, hasn’t transpired and for all the hype from the takeover by the owners, no player of significance has arrived at Blackburn. The only real activity they have had in the transfer market has been the sale of the highly-talented Phil Jones to Manchester United.

Rovers might have a lot of money at their disposal now but it is hard to see them attracting high-calibre players to the small Lancashire club, especially when they did so bad last year and still have an inexperienced manager. Kean found it very difficult last year, struggling to keep his side just above the relegation zone in the closing months of the season after he picked up just 5 wins in 21 matches. It is no surprise to see that Kean tops the market in the next Premier League manager to be fired at 6/4 with SkyBet.

If Blackburn were going to avoid a repeat of last season they needed to bring in some new recruits this summer to rejuvenate the squad. They lost their best, young defender which will make their defence much weaker while their midfield looks very average without a playmaker in sight. Their biggest concern would be up-front where they lack a forward who can hit double digits in terms of the goals that would push them up the table and create some breeding space between them and the bottom three.

Blackburn’s saving grace might be that there are probably three worse teams than them in the Premier League this coming season. The newly promoted sides will likely struggle while Wigan and Wolves look like relegation candidates once again. Blackburn will probably be the best of a bad bunch and that is why bet365 place them sixth in the relegation market at 10/3 to go down.