Same old Blackburn Rovers as Eric Black is thrown to the Wolves
Blackburn Rovers 0 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1
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Your support makes all the difference.The hope was of a new era at Blackburn – a fresh start. The PA announcer chose the words "For those of you here for the first time this season, it's good to have you. This is our Ewood Park. This is your Blackburn Rovers" beforehand, but Eric Black's time in charge is merely a prelude to glimpses of hope peeking through the Lancastrian hills.
Halfway through this stagnant display they advertised season tickets, only available for another fortnight; uneasy supporters might have to gamble that Shebby Singh makes the right decision on who should replace Steve Kean before purchasing.
The global advisor is set to take decisive action over the international break, with the owners Venky's pushing for a high-profile appointment to appease those in India and around the town.
Alan Shearer would be exactly that, their former striker high-lighting his interest yesterday lunchtime by saying: "I would speak to them, absolutely." Shearer would surely delight supporters, and his right-hand man during his stint at Newcastle United, Iain Dowie, was here for television commitments. The notion that Dowie did not at least check in with goings- on is difficult to believe.
Other names linked to the vacancy include Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Roy Keane, the latter turning down a job offer at Turkish side Kasimpasa. A slightly more left-field candidate is Paulo Sousa. Although never successful in English football, his stock is rising on the continent after transforming Videoton's fortunes in Hungary: they soundly beat Sporting Lisbon 3-0 on Thursday.
Black had wanted to "draw a line in the sand" following the bitter saga that has engulfed the club, but the early derision spewed about his old boss indicates that Rovers won't be over the calamitous reign until a new man is installed and is winning matches.
That is something Black has now failed to do in each of his three games. Devoid of ideas going forward, and with Nuno Gomes an unused substitute, Rovers created little before being dealt a hammer blow via a thundering Bakary Sako strike late on. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake had earlier hit a post. It was a deserved Wolves win, their manager, Stale Solbakken, thrilled for the travelling contingent and celebrating with them at the end: "Every away game they've stood behind us, even when we were crap at Cardiff. They deserved to see that – we're pleased to have loyal support."
Black wasn't to be drawn on managerial speculation: "I'm carrying on, I'm still happy," he said before bemoaning a lack of options going forward. "The problem we're having is we don't have presence up front. We need that and to get the ball forward quicker." The boos were loud and clear. It was as if Kean had never left.
Blackburn (3-4-1-2): Robinson; Hanley, Dann, Givet; Orr, Lowe (Etuhu, 72), Murphy, Olsson; Formica (Nunes, h-t); Rhodes, Kazim-Richards.
Wolves (4-4-1-1): Ikeme; Stearman (Forde, 53), Johnson, Berra, Ward; Foley, Henry, Davis (Zubar, 61), Sako; Hamed Doumbia; Ebanks-Blake (Batth, 88).
Referee Nigel Miller.
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