Prior to Rovers’ return to Ewood Park since 26th August to face AFC Wimbledon, Tony Mowbray spoke to the club’s official media team on Thursday regarding how important Rovers’ home form would be in order to make the team as successful as the players and the supporters want.
“The squad are looking fine. Rekeem (Harper) felt his hip flexor at half-time and came off against Scunthorpe, but on the positive, Craig Conway was training on the grass today so if Rekeem doesn’t make it, Craig has a chance of making it. We’re alright; there isn’t an injury issue around the place at the moment, three games a week can be demanding, but it’s the same for everybody. Wimbledon have to travel as well so, we have to be physically and mentally ready for the game. I anticipate a tough game and I’m sure that’s what we’ll get.”
The boss was asked to give his opinion on how Rekeem Harper played, as the 17-year old made his Rovers debut away at Glanford Park, despite coming off at half-time.
“It was a game where we really had to dig in I think. It wasn’t a game in which we dominated possession and controlled the ball and it was comfortable for him to move the ball and find the next position for him to move into. It was a day where he had to run up and down, where he had to compete for some headers and had to put a few tackles in, he also had to get back and defend. I think it was good for him at the delicate age of 17, to come in and compete physically at the level, which is why I’m sure West Brom have allowed him out on loan for. It’s also good for him to feel what it’s like, with the expectation of needing to get points with a crowd behind him expecting the team to win. It’s all part of his development process. Bar his missed header, he did fine in my opinion and I’m sure he’ll be a good option for us during the season.
“The footballers don’t mind playing games; it takes them out of training. They’re sick of hearing my voice, telling them where they need to be and what they need to be doing. Today for example would normally be a heavy coaching day, yet we’re just moving them on slowly at the moment, giving them a touch of the ball, getting their legs going again, making sure they don’t overexert their bodies before Saturday. We’ve already got six points this week and we’ll be doing our best to make it nine.
“As we’re at home, it’ll be a different performance. Let’s hope we can reach the levels that we did in the second half against MK Dons, as there were spells where we were in control and scored a few goals and hopefully we can send the fans home happy. At home we need to try and be on the front foot, try and ask questions of the opposition, but also be very respectful of them as there are some very good teams in this league and if you’re too go gung-ho, commit too many forward, expand too much with the ball you’re not going to get a lot of positive results as we found out against Doncaster; over 650 passes and we lost 3-1. You have got to find a way of winning games and hopefully there is a level of patience within the stadium at the weekend as I hope the team and supporters understand that we have to find a way to win games. At the moment, we’ve found a formula that seems to be working, so let’s see how far we can take it.”
Mowbray was also questioned about whether he prefers the current set-up that he has the team playing in, or whether he would prefer another system, more fitting with his footballing ideology.
“With total respect to Scunthorpe, them having more possession in our half is slightly uncomfortable for me and yet with this group of players, that is probably the best way to play as it gives us the best chance to win games because of the balance that we have in the squad. I’d like to think that we can play a number of ways as there have been games where we look in charge, we’ve dominated possession and have had most of the chances. Then there have been games where we’ve sat behind the ball and let them have it for long spells and then tried to break. I think each game requires a fresh outlook, having a look at the opposition, seeing where their strengths and weaknesses are, seeing how you think they might play and then selling your game plan to the players.
“Hopefully we’ll see the positive implications of the last home game. Hopefully it takes the attention out of the fact that Rovers haven’t been able to win at home consistently for a few years and we have to, of course, break that if we’re going to be successful this year because every successful team, generally gets most of its points at home and we have to find it comfortable to perform at home, to be brave, to create chances and ask questions of the opposition. Let’s hope we can put a few demons behind us on Saturday and come out with a positive result.
“It’s important for the players to enjoy playing at home. When I look at the fixtures, I look at the balance of home and away games and going into the last two away games, I thought they were going to be really tough games at Rochdale and Scunthorpe, which they were, but we managed to get the six points. You feel more comfortable playing at home as a manager, you look at the fixture list and think, ‘we’ve got this at home and that at home, there are points there for us’, yet you have to win the games on the field not on paper, because you know how tough the away games are. We can potentially have a different mind-set at home because Saturday’s game is huge for everybody as its Blackburn Rovers and Ewood Park and with total respect to this division and the teams in it, you don’t get the same feelings before kick-off in other stadiums so we have to match away teams’ adrenaline levels as they’re going to come with an intensity in their play and we have to match that.
“I think Wimbledon are more than a stereotypical ‘big, strong and play direct football’ team, they’ve got more about them than that. They play through the lines; they’ve got some speed and some physicality. They’re a threat, but we have to be wary of their pace and power and try to nullify it.”
