Blackburn Rovers

Andy Bayes
Sports editor, BBC Radio Lancashire

Image source, Shutterstock Editorial

A day that started with hopes of pulling further away from danger but ended with the realisation of being in the thick of a relegation battle.

Let's be clear, Ipswich Town have a better squad than Blackburn Rovers. Of that there is no doubt.

The two clubs have different objectives, and the resources that both clubs have at their disposal are further apart than the considerable distance between the two towns.

Any team who can bring on Jack Clarke, Wes Burns and Sam Szmodics as subs really does mean business.

But Rovers' injury-depleted squad contributed considerably to their own downfall at Portman Road.

Eiran Cashin, making his league debut for the club, found his own net early on. It was a blow they never particularly looked like coming back from.

Once Jack Taylor had made it two after 12 minutes, it was as good as game over.

On too many occasions, Ipswich made first contact with set pieces, Rovers made unforced errors time and again, and a painful lack of goals or creativity made it an almost impossible task.

They had their moments. Three key incidents all went against them. Referee Andrew Kitchen penalised Moussa Baradji in the first half as he won the ball on the edge of the Ipswich box; Yuki Ohashi finished well, but the whistle had already gone.

Ohashi was denied a penalty after being pushed in the back by Darnell Furlong, and Furlong again was involved with an apparent elbow on Todd Cantwell. It must also be said that referee Kitchen denied Ipswich a penalty as well for Cashin's challenge on Ivan Azon.

Big moments that never seem to go your way when you're in the lower reaches.

I posed the question to Valerien Ismael if he was worried by the current run of one win in 12 matches. The answer was emphatically no.

It's his job to be positive in trying circumstances, but in the cold light of day results dictate that unless they can start scoring goals and winning games, then this could be a scrap to the end.

Ismael says he's never seen a season like it in terms of injuries. I'd have to agree there. Yet again, it was two players back in and three fresh injuries.

Undoubtedly, they will be a better team with the return of Ryan Alebiosu, Scott Wharton, Hayden Carter, Lewis Miller, Ryoya Morishita, Andri Gudjohnsen and Kristi Montgomery.

Whether their return signals the end of the injury troubles remains to be seen.

Recruitment continues to suit the 3-5-2 system, a switch which has seen them pick up 21 points from 18 league games, with five wins, six draws and seven defeats.

After the permanent signing of forward Mathias Jorgensen, Ismael wants another frontman, so he's got four options.

I'd suggest that a left-sided wing-back is also required with Ryan Hedges' season looking as good as over. But remaining in the confines of a 25-man senior squad will dictate what they can do. They currently stand at 26 seniors.

Some who have found themselves on the periphery will have to be sacrificed.

Blackburn head coach Valerien Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"I think it was another clear penalty on Yuki [Ohashi]. I think at some point the ref has to do the job.

"It's another one, another big decision.

"The clear red card on Toddy [Cantwell]…it's clear we urgently need VAR in the Championship because the players allow themselves to make bad tackles.

"In a situation like that, I think if you know you have VAR there we won't have those situations and discussions every time.

"It's just embarrassing every time, week in, week out. Massive decisions.

"It doesn't change the first half when we conceded two goals but at least in a 90-minute game maybe it can be the key moment when you come back into the game."

New Blackburn striker Mathias Jorgensen says he is excited to bring his A-game to Rovers - potentially starting at Ipswich on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The 25-year-old Dane arrived on a three-and-a-half-year deal from Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt late on Thursday and trained with his new team for the first time on Friday.

With leading scorer Andri Gudjohnsen sidelined by a hamstring injury, Jorgensen could make his debut the following day.

He told BBC Radio Lancashire: "It's fun to try to bring your A-game immediately. I'll do my best for the club if the gaffer calls my name."

Jorgensen made three Champions League appearances for Bodo this season, having previously played for Aalborg and MLS side New York Red Bulls.

"Trying to adapt to a new culture and team, I have tried it before," he said. "I have some experience. I hope it will help me settle in quickly.

"It's such an intense league with so many games and so much quality in the teams, it's competitive and I'm excited to try to bring my best to the league and contribute to help the team to great success."

He added: "It's important I can help the team with hard work, that's the minimum criteria for getting success, then hopefully I can contribute with goals and assists.

"I think we're on a great journey. I am so excited to be here."

Valerien Ismael says the capture of Danish striker Mathias Jorgensen has taken some pressure off Blackburn in the transfer window.

Rovers have failed to score in four of their five games since leading scorer Andri Gudjohnsen suffered a hamstring injury on 20 December.

The Iceland international's goal against Millwall that afternoon was his seventh in 11 games but Rovers have not won since, drawing three of their four Championship games while they went out of the FA Cup on penalties at Hull City on Sunday after a goalless draw.

"We wanted a second striker, the fact we brought Mathi in now will help us a lot," Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"It helps us be a bit more patient in the market (and) the only way to get the deals done is to be patient.

"It's like building a house. The foundation is there (defence) and now it's all about improving every level, our attacking phase, and getting everyone on the same level, we need all the players back.

"It might take two or three weeks to get at least half the group back on the pitch and then another couple of weeks to get them 100%."

Jorgensen arrived from Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt, where he chose to sign from Aalborg in the summer, rather than move to Ewood Park.

"We were on him in the summer. We agreed everything but in the end he got a better offer and decided to play in the Champions League," Ismael added.

"I was surprised he was available but we are completely convinced of his quality, the type of player he is, his leadership already. I am really pleased we were able to get the deal done. I know what he can bring to the team.

"He was in pre-season with Bodo, played 70 minutes at the beginning of the week. He is ready to go. We have to take care of him, but we need him."

Ismael said reports suggesting he was set to sign Norway winger Aaron Donnum from Toulouse were "completely fake news" and revealed Balasz Toth will start in goal at Ipswich on Saturday (15:00 GMT) as Aynsley Pears is nursing a wrist injury.

"We expected Ipswich to be (near the top of the table)," Ismael added.

"The good thing is we have played twice well against them (in the abandoned game in September and the 1-1 draw at Ewood Park in December).

"We know what we have to do. It will be a tough away game but this season we have had some great away performances."

Image source, Opta

Ipswich Town will resume their Championship promotion push with the visit of Blackburn Rovers to Portman Road on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

The Tractor Boys have motored up the standings, taking 16 points from the seven games since these sides drew 1-1 in the rearranged fixture at Ewood Park on 2 December.

If Middlesbrough fail to win at West Brom on Friday night, Kieran McKenna's side would climb into the automatic promotion places with a win against Rovers, who start the day 20th, four points above the relegation zone, after a run of one win in 10 games dating back to November.

• Ipswich Town are unbeaten in their past nine home league games against Blackburn Rovers (W4 D5) since losing 3-1 in 1994/95 in the Premier League.

• Blackburn have won one of their past eight league games against Ipswich Town (D3 L4), a 2-0 home win in January 2019.

• Since the start of November, Ipswich Town have won the most points in the Championship (28) and only Sheffield United (27) have netted more goals than the Tractor Boys (25).

• Blackburn Rovers have drawn six of their past nine league matches (W1 L2) – their previous six draws beforehand came over a period of 51 games (W20 D6 L25).

• Ipswich's Azor Matusiwa has made the most interceptions (46) of any Championship player this season, while he also ranks third for possession won (140).

Image source, Shutterstock

Blackburn Rovers striker Makhtar Gueye has joined Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua for an undisclosed fee.

The 28-year-old signed for Rovers from Belgian side RWD Molenbeek in the summer of 2024.

The Senegalese forward went on to score eight goals in 48 appearances during his first season but has been limited for opportunities this term.

Of his 16 league appearances in 2025-26, all of them have come as a substitute.

"Everyone at Blackburn Rovers thanks Pape for his efforts and the memorable moments he provided during his time at the club, and we wish him well in the future," a club statement said.

Middlesbrough, Preston and Blackburn all sent scouts to watch 28-year-old Barnsley striker Davis Keillor-Dunn, who has 14 goals for the Tykes this season, in action against Liverpool on Monday night. (Pete O'Rourke, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Tuesday's gossip column here.

Andy Bayes
Sports editor, BBC Radio Lancashire

Image source, Getty Images

The domestic cups for Blackburn Rovers in 2025-26 have both been short-lived experiences.

They exited the EFL Cup in August with a much-changed team, and the same thing happened in the FA Cup at Hull on Sunday.

The 6,627 in attendance will have found the game at the MKM a tough watch. A cold, wet and windy January afternoon saw the two sides muster three shots on target between them in two hours of football.

It was one of those occasions where that old phrase, 'If they were still playing now, nobody would have scored,' would be a pretty accurate assessment.

Rovers made eight changes to the team that fought back to draw with Charlton a week earlier. Four made full debuts, with another from the bench tasting senior action for the first time.

Of the 17 players who set foot on the pitch at Hull, six of them are academy graduates or, in some cases, are still academy players. Two more were unused substitutes.

In a challenging season for a variety of reasons, this has to be seen as a real positive. Yes, the majority have been thrown in due to necessity more than choice, but it can only help each and every one of them in their careers going forward.

The big takeaway from the match is that it's abundantly clear where the squad issues lie. It's been clear for a while.

Since Andri Gudjohnsen went out of the team through injury, Rovers haven't scored in four of the last five games.

With a head coach wedded to a 3-5-2 formation, it's a massive problem that the squad boasts one senior striker.

Ismael is clear that he wants two more front men this month. It sounds straightforward in theory, but the reality is anything but. This is the stage of the season where the premium for someone who can find the net grows out of all proportion.

Decisions have been made to part with Makhtar Gueye and homegrown striker Harry Leonard already this season. Gueye, you can fully understand moving on, but Leonard's form and injury-free record for Peterborough this season is making some wonder why he wasn't given a bigger chance to prove his worth.

The left wing-back position is also an area of concern.

Ryan Hedges has proved to be the most natural and consistent fit, but surgery this week will confirm whether or not his season comes to a premature end. It remains to be seen if he's given a new contract; if he isn't, he could well have played his final game for the club.

The midfield area is a bit of a head scratcher. If Sondre Tronstad, Todd Cantwell, Ryoya Morishita and Moussa Baradji all stay relatively injury-free, they'll be ok. But you can't guarantee that.

All four have already had layoffs this season, as have Sidnei Tavares, Adam Forshaw and Kristi Montgomery.

But the goalkeeping and defensive areas in general are now looking sound. Four clean sheets in the last six games suggest as much. And, if all goes according to plan, Ryan Alebiosu, Hayden Carter and Scott Wharton will be back sooner rather than later to further strengthen those areas.

Ismael couldn't be more clear that he needs new blood; one win in eleven backs that up pretty firmly. All eyes are on what can be done between now and 19:00 GMT on 2 February.

Image source, Shutterstock

Head coach Valerien Ismael praised Blackburn Rovers for their efforts despite going out of the FA Cup on penalties to Hull City.

The game finished goalless after extra time before Yuki Ohashi and Moussa Baradji had spot-kicks saved in the shoot-out as the Tigers progressed.

Rovers had made eight changes to their starting line-up, including two debutants and two others making their first start.

And it was in those circumstances that meant Ismael was pleased with how they coped.

"We made a brilliant performance when you see that we were without 12 players today - 10 injured players and two we left at home, Sondre [Tronstad] and Toddy [Cantwell]," the Frenchman told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"Academy players made their debut and it was interesting to see that.

"Hull played a strong team. We didn't see any difference. We were really good in our press, our intensity.

"We played really well but we didn't create the big, big chances. But I'm really proud of the boys and what they did today. It was a great away performance and at the end, it is just a lottery."

Pundits Dion Dublin and Phil Jones join host Kelly Somers to bring you the action and talking points from Sunday's FA Cup ties.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to selected full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Derby County 1-3 Leeds United

• Portsmouth 1-4 Arsenal

• Norwich City 5-1 Walsall

• West Ham United 2-1 Queens Park Rangers

There are eight third-round ties in the FA Cup on Sunday - as Premier League and Championship teams enter the competition - and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Derby v Leeds (12:00) - BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Derby & BBC Radio Leeds

• Portsmouth v Arsenal (14:00) - BBC Radio 5 Live & BBC Radio Solent

• Hull v Blackburn (14:30) - BBC Radio Humberside & BBC Radio Lancashire

• Norwich v Walsall (14:30) - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2, BBC Radio Norfolk & BBC Radio WM

• Sheff Utd v Mansfield (14:30) - BBC Radio Sheffield & BBC Radio Nottingham

• Swansea v West Brom (14:30)

• West Ham v QPR (14:30) - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Radio London

• Man Utd v Brighton (16:30) - BBC Radio Manchester and BBC Radio Sussex

Kick-off times GMT

Follow all of the action and reaction here

And find out how to follow the FA Cup across the BBC this weekend here

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Blackburn Rovers boss Valerien Ismael has said new winter signing Eiran Cashin "ticked all the boxes" as the club looks to bolster their injury-hit squad.

Cashin joined Rovers on loan until the end of the season from Brighton on Tuesday to help cover in defence, with fellow defenders Hayden Carter, Matty Litherland and Scott Wharton out on the sidelines, leaving the squad low on central defensive options.

"The profile was clear that we wanted a left-footed centre-back with some experience, a player that already played in that shape and then his name came on the table," Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"To speak with him convinced us he was the right player for us. It will bring some experience, some leadership - it will be good for the team - and for sure some quality on the build-up.

"We need players who are ready to help us straight away and not wait two or three weeks to get ready. A player with some ambition to prove that they are good - he ticked all the boxes of what we expected."

Ismael has also confirmed that goalkeeper Balazs Toth could make his first start since October in the side's trip to Hull City in the FA Cup on Sunday (14:30 GMT) as he recovers from his knee injury.

Forward Andri Gudjohnsen and midfielders Ryoya Morishita and Adam Forshaw are back on the grass but will not return to the squad for a couple of weeks, while Carter is also training with the team but will need to be assessed before he makes his comeback.

Winger Ryan Hedges is due for surgery on his ankle injury on Monday but does not yet have a timeline for his return.

Listen to the full interview and more Blackburn Rovers content on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Getty Images

Blackburn Rovers defender Ryan Alebiosu's injury kept him out of Nigeria's last-16 win at the Africa Cup of Nations and could sideline him for the remainder of the tournament.

The 24-year-old made his senior international debut for the Super Eagles in their opening 3-1 victory over Uganda but suffered a deep cut to his right leg which kept him on the bench for the subsequent group wins over Tunisia and Tanzania.

Nigeria beat Mozambique 4-0 in Fes on Monday night to reach the quarter-finals but Alebiosu was not part of the squad.

The Super Eagles will now play either Algeria or DR Congo in the last eight on Saturday (16:00 GMT).

Blackburn Rovers are interested in a loan deal for Brighton's former Republic of Ireland Under-21 defender Eiran Cashin, with the 24-year-old only making 11 Championship appearances during his current loan spell with Birmingham City this season. (Alan Nixon - subscription required), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Monday's gossip column here.

Blackburn Rovers boss Valerian Ismael spoke to BBC Radio Lancashire after his side's 2-2 draw with Charlton Athletic.

On Moussa Baradji: "We knew that we've got a special player with him, [that's] why we took the risk with him in the summer because we knew that he's worth it.

"I'm just pleased that he was able to, since he came back, have 100% ability in the training session and the game.

"So we built him up for the game [for] one month and he works well. You see clearly now he's going up and up.

"I'm pleased now he has time to recover properly, it will be good for him to have a breather to Ipswich in the next Championship game."

On status of winger Ryan Hedges' injury: "Yes it's a very serious injury. So he has a fracture from the fibula, so he will have surgery."