Half-Term Report: Blackburn

Having established themselves in the Premiership last season and won the Worthington Cup, there is a feeling that Blackburn should have done better. They have certainly not cured their habit of performing well against the top sides like Manchester United and wretchedly against weaker opposition. Having smashed five past Newcastle and become the first team to win at Highbury in 2002, Blackburn embarked on a dismal run of two wins in 11 games that included a 4-0 victory over Rotherham in a Worthington Cup they can still retain. Their 3-0 aggregate defeat to Celtic in the much-hyped Battle of Britain bitterly disappointed their manager, Graeme Souness, a Rangers man. After losing to Everton for the second time this season, he lamented it was: "The same old Blackburn, we have the better of the game, we create lots of chances, but end up losing."