The ‘opening day blues’ continued for Rovers, as they failed to win on the opening day of the season for the tenth year in a row, after falling to a late defeat against recently-relegated, and promotion-favourites, Bournemouth.
With some optimism surrounding Rovers, following their unbeaten pre-season, which ended with a creditable 1-1 draw away at the King Power Stadium against Leicester City, fans were looking for their young side to build on their solid pre-season with a good start on the opening day, down on the South Coast. Whilst the supporters were unable to attend, there was hope that Rovers could potentially capitalise on a Bournemouth side that had lost numerous key figures over the break, including manager Eddie Howe and talismanic duo, Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser, both of whom joined Rovers’ Carabao Cup Second Round opponents, Newcastle United.
As the kick-off approached, Tony Mowbray named a relatively strong side, which included debuting goalkeeper, Thomas Kaminski who joined over the summer period, after leaving Belgian runners-up, KAA Gent. Kaminski stood between the posts for Rovers, whilst Ryan Nyambe, Darragh Lenihan, Derrick Williams and Amari’i Bell all lined up ahead of the Belgian, in defence. The Blues’ 4-3-3 formation saw Bradley Johnson, Lewis Holtby and Lewis Travis, all in midfield, whilst an attacking trio of Adam Armstrong, Joe Rankin-Costello and Ben Brereton – who was making his 50th club career start – rounded off the starters for Rovers. On the Blackburn bench were; Andy Fisher, Elliott Bennett, Scott Wharton, Corry Evans, Joe Rothwell, John Buckley and Tyrhys Dolan, as the Championship reverted to the standard three substitutions per game.
Just prior to Bournemouth starting the game from kick-off, referee Gavin Ward signalled for the players to ‘take the knee’ in support of the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement, which coupled with the new ‘Not Today Or Any Day’ sleeve patches that all EFL teams would be donning on their kits for this season. Following that important message, Bournemouth kicked-off their season in the hope that they could use the quality that remained within their ranks after their relegation, in order to find their way back out of the division and back into the Premier League.
Rovers started the brighter of the two teams, as they had the first attempt of the game, which came through last season’s top goalscorer, Adam Armstrong. After some good build-up play, Lewis Travis found Armstrong, who tried his luck from just outside the Bournemouth box, but his eventual shot dragged wide. From the goal-kick, Bournemouth managed to get the ball upfield quickly for Lewis Cook to try and break the deadlock early on, but the former Leeds United midfielder’s effort skewed wide of Thomas Kaminski’s goal.
On the 8th minute, Dominic Solanke was tripped, which resulted in a Bournemouth free-kick from close-range that Junior Stanislas stood over. The former Burnley man’s strike deflected behind for a corner off Ben Brereton. The resulting corner saw Steve Cook rise highest, yet his nod veered wide of the mark.
After the game went a bit quiet, the next couple of chances fell to Rovers through Armstrong and Travis. Armstrong tried his trademark curler, coming in from the left-hand side, on the 23rd minute, but saw his effort cleared only as far as Lewis Travis whose follow-up effort was blocked and cleared by the home defence.
The opening goal of the game soon came on the 26th minute, after the host’s short corner confused Rovers’ defence. Bournemouth played a short corner which saw Stanislaus dictate the play, before the winger teed the ball up for Jack Stacey, who was not closed down by Rovers. The free man then tried his luck from 25-yards out and managed to succeed in getting the ball past the unsighted Kaminski, who failed to keep a clean sheet on his debut for his new side, as the home side took the lead at 1-0.
10 minutes later, Rovers managed to craft an opportunity for Lewis Holtby, but the German’s strike from close-range was well blocked by the home defenders.
Again, Holtby tried to bring Rovers back on level terms on the 40th minute, this time from just outside the box. Sadly, for the German, he couldn’t build on his goal in the Carabao Cup First Round against Doncaster Rovers, as his effort ballooned over the bar.
Rovers weren’t to be too disheartened as they managed to claw themselves back level, just two minutes after Holtby’s attempt, through Bradley Johnson. Joe Rankin-Costello cut inside off the left-hand side to find Johnson lurking, even further away from the box than Stacey was for Bournemouth’s goal. The former Norwich City midfielder, who had all the time and space in the world, managed to kill the ball before releasing an effort that stung the palms of Bournemouth ‘keeper Mark Travers, who saw the ball slip through his fingers, as Johnson’s strike levelled up the game at 1-1.
That leveller proved to be the final action of the half, as referee Gavin Ward soon called an end to a first-half that saw both teams show their prowess in-front of goal, but also their frailties at the back.
During the break, Jason Tindall would have been cautious, prior to his first competitive team-talk as Bournemouth manager, given the precarious situation Bournemouth now found themselves in. The former assistant manager would have been keen to further assert his dominance over his experienced side, most of which had some playing experience in the Championship, prior to this game, in Steven and Lewis Cook as well as Junior Stanislas and Lloyd Kelly, among a couple others within the squad. The newly promoted boss would have been wanting to praise his side for their attacking efforts but would have also been critical of how poor the closing down was, for Johnson’s equaliser.
Tony Mowbray, in the opposite dressing room, would have had similar messages to his squad regarding their defending, given the time and space that Stacey was afforded before his strike beat Kaminski. The former Coventry boss would have been pleased with how his side had fought for the ball in midfield and how well they had pressed Bournemouth’s defence and goalkeeper, yet the gaffer would have been critical with the lack of times they had troubled Mark Travers. Mowbray would have been keen to encourage his side to take advantage of the potential nerves and fragilities that Bournemouth’s fragmented squad would have had, in order to try and end Rovers’ opening day ‘hoodoo’.
After Rovers restarted the game through Ben Brereton’s kick-off, they soon earnt a free-kick on the edge of the Bournemouth box, which led to Steve Cook being booked. From the set-piece, Rankin-Costello found Lenihan, whose knock-down to Bell allowed the left-back to set up Bradley Johnson for another strike at goal – this time from close-range – yet the Rovers goalscorer, couldn’t add to his tally as his left-footed drive ended up in the side-netting, rather than inside the post.
That chance by Johnson seemingly came back to haunt Rovers, as Bournemouth managed to get their noses in-front on the 53rd minute, courtesy of Jefferson Lerma, who had been booked in the 50th minute after a bad challenge on Lewis Travis. Some good build-up by the home side saw Stacey find Solanke, who did well to hold off his marker, before teeing up Lerma, who managed to find the bottom right-hand corner of the goal with a perfectly cushioned effort that saw the Cherries go back in-front at 2-1.
That goal turned out to be Lerma’s last contribution to the game, as the once-£25million signing was replaced by the former Newcastle United midfielder, Dan Gosling, on the hour mark.
On the 61st minute, Thomas Kaminski showed what he had been brought to do, as he pulled off an incredible save to deny Bournemouth extending their lead further. Arnaut Danjuma pulled the ball back for Dominic Solanke in the area, who looked dead certain to extend the home side’s lead, but for the almost ‘Superman-dive’ of Kaminski, who did fantastically to tip the ball over the bar for a corner, which Rovers dealt with.
Seven minutes later, Rovers decided on a double change in order to freshen up their attacking options. On came Joe Rothwell and Tyrhys Dolan – the latter for his senior league debut – as the duo replaced Joe Rankin-Costello and Ben Brereton.
Their impact was immediate as Dolan and Rothwell combined before the latter managed to find Armstrong in the box, whose subsequent effort flew over Travers’ crossbar.
It didn’t take long for the ‘Angel of the North’ to redeem himself, as three minutes after his miss, he managed to find the bottom left-hand corner of the Bournemouth goal, after he got on the end of Ryan Nyambe’s low cross. The Namibian burst down the right and got beyond Lloyd Kelly before whipping in a low cross that was aimed towards Lewis Holtby. Armstrong nipped in ahead of the German, before turning on a sixpence and pulling Rovers back level with a left-footed shot.
After that goal, Bournemouth made their second change of the day as David Brooks came on for Chris Mepham, in an attempt by Bournemouth to try and win the game.
Rovers ramped up the pressure during the final ten minutes and they thought they had gone ahead for the first-time in the tie, on the 81st minute, when Lewis Holtby turned in Adam Armstrong’s effort at goal, but was denied by the offside flag.
The goals were not done there, sadly for Rovers, as the 84th minute condemned them to a late defeat after Bournemouth nicked the ball back and countered against Rovers’ disorganised defence. Danjuma picked the ball up on the left-hand side, before cutting inside and using Darragh Lenihan as a screen in order to find the top right-hand corner after curling the ball past the defender, and Kaminski, to give the recently-relegated side the lead for the third time in the game.
The final changes of the game came within a minute of each other, as the 85th minute saw Phillip Billing replace Junior Stanislas, whilst on the 86th minute, Corry Evans came on to replace Lewis Travis, as the Northern Irishman made his 300th club career appearance.
The 89th minute saw Rovers notch the final chance of the game as Bell’s effort fell to Corry Evans in the area, before his attempt from close-range was well-blocked by Bournemouth’s defenders.
Although referee Gavin Ward added on an extra five minutes to the end of the game, they proved to be unnecessary as neither team managed to alter the scoreline, prior to the final whistle.
Whilst it is never nice to lose any game, let alone the opening game of the season, there are undoubtedly bright sparks within Rovers’ budding team that remains without the attacking duo of Bradley Dack and Sam Gallagher. Although the game was great for the neutral, it left Tony Mowbray and his team left Dorset knowing more positives about themselves than negatives, given the valiant performance they put out against a starting-11 worth over £50m, despite the disappointing scoreline. The Rovers players pressed and fought hard in midfield in order to cause Bournemouth some issues, yet they ultimately fell short courtesy of ‘lady luck’ and the Premier League quality that the recently relegated team have within their ranks.
Despite the transfer window not closing until early October, Rovers will probably need to add one or two more faces in the defensive department in order to try and solidify their ambitions and put pressure on the existing players, in order to try and raise performance levels throughout the squad. Whilst the likes of Kaminski in goal on his debut and Rankin-Costello in a more familiar attacking impressed, there are still some question marks over Rovers’ defensive fragility and their perceived lack of depth behind the first-team, given how thick and fast the games will come this season. Special mentions also have to be reserved for Tyrhys Dolan and Lewis Holtby after their solid appearances today, with Dolan looking lively and positive in wanting to attack the hosting defence, whilst Lewis Holtby looked like a revelation after getting some form of pre-season under his belt, and being placed in a more deeper position which allows him to stamp his authority on the game and dictate Rovers’ tempo.
It remains to be seen how much more Mowbray can add to this squad, given the current world climate, and the fact he claimed he had come close to numerous signings that fell through due to ‘third-party involvement’. Although it looks unlikely that a windfall of fresh faces will be rocking up at Brockhall by Monday 5th October’s deadline, it is encouraging to see that the gaffer has had a number of targets in mind, and close to signing despite the financial restrictions.
Looking forward to Rovers’ next three games, they alter their attentions briefly with Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup Second Round pencilled in, next on the calendar. That cup tie against the Magpies at St. James’ Park will occur on Tuesday 15th September, with kick-off scheduled for 7:30pm. Come next Saturday (19th September), Rovers will return to Ewood Park for their first league game of 2020-21, when they welcome Rovers fan Gareth Ainsworth and his newly-promoted Wycombe Wanderers side for the 3pm kick-off. Following that encounter, Rovers are on the road once again, as they travel to Pride Park to face Phillip Cocu and Wayne Rooney’s Derby County, on Saturday 26th September, at 3pm.
