An Injury Crisis...Again?

Last January, Blackburn Rovers were in an injury crisis. Players falling left, right and centre. Almost twelve months on, are the Championship outfit at risk of falling into a similar situation?

Almost a Win at the Racecourse

A dramatic 95th-minute equaliser from Max Cleworth rescued AFC Wrexham a point at the STōK Cae Ras on Saturday, and in doing so, they stole two points from a Blackburn Rovers side who were arguably much better on the day. Andri Guðjohnsen made it 5 goals in his last 7 games to put the Lancashire outfit ahead after 13 minutes with a brilliant header set up by a brilliant Ryan Alebiosu cross.

After a damning home defeat on Wednesday night at the hands of Queens Park Rangers, the fast start was just what the doctor ordered. Chance after chance came and went, but Blackburn were unable to put daylight between them and their hosts, which always left the door open for Wrexham to come back into the game. Blackburn boss Valérien Ismaël felt his team had been let down by the officials, who he claimed awarded Wrexham a soft free-kick leading to their goal, but admitted his side should have not only defended better at the death, but taken the game away from Wrexham much earlier.

The draw in north Wales, along with wins for Sheffield United, Norwich City and West Bromwich Albion, leaves Blackburn hovering just 3 points above the drop zone, albeit still with the game in hand against Ipswich. That game, which is being replayed at Ewood Park on Tuesday night, may come too soon for Ismaël's side with injuries galore. Todd Cantwell confirmed on Instagram on Saturday night that he is, in fact, suffering setbacks on his return from a knee injury picked up against Stoke on the 4th October; however, the Rovers manager has hinted he is nearing a return. A much-needed boost for a squad on its knees with Balázs Tóth, Hayden Carter, Scott Wharton, Jake Garrett, Sondre Tronstad, Kristi Montgomery, and Augustus Kargbo all out injured, whilst young Igor Tyjon is nearing a move to Arsenal with the January transfer window right around the corner.

A sense of déjà vu?

But fast forward a few weeks and look back to last season, you'll find Blackburn Rovers in a very similar situation. Key players are out with the key Christmas period fast approaching. Despite a 6-game winning run at the beginning of December 2024, Blackburn Rovers hit Christmas with players on their last legs, and the injury list was about to explode. What ensued had a near-catastrophic effect on the outcome of the season. The squad was not properly reinforced in January, which arguably led to the departure of manager John Eustace and the run of defeats that plagued the second half of 2024/25. Knowing that this time around, a couple of defeats could see Blackburn Rovers in the relegation zone, should Rovers fans be worried? Yes, possibly a little, but no, not really. The January transfer window is just around the corner, and I do not think it will come as a surprise to see Connor O'Riordan recalled from his loan spell with George Pratt, currently under increasing pressure to perform at the back with so little EFL experience under his belt. It is not fair to him, if nothing else.

What now?

A good deal of investment is going to be required to bring this squad up to scratch to rescue this season. Ismaël has repeated that he will not enter the free agent market, no matter how desperate the situation gets with January just around the corner. EFL experience is a must for me. To escape the drop zone, should Blackburn Rovers end up in it by Christmas, they need to find a player like Kyle McFadzean, whose experienced presence will sure up that back line, which looks so incredibly vulnerable at times this season. The midfield also needs reinforcements. With Todd Cantwell's return date unknown and a poor showing from Sidnei Tavares and Axel Henriksson, it may be a one-man midfield of Adam Forshaw before long. Not that that is necessarily a bad idea...

One positive that can be taken from Wrexham is that this side does look to be clicking. I said a few weeks ago, after big wins against Southampton, Leicester and Bristol City, that this side can be dangerous when they click. Andri Guðjohnsen is knocking them in for fun, and how good is it to have a true striker who is scoring consistently?! Valérien Ismaël's style of play is there to see, on occasion, and it is attractive and has brought success. More time is needed, yes, but not at the expense of relegation.

The next few weeks could be make or break for Valérien Ismaël and Blackburn Rovers. A nice 6-game winning run at the beginning of December would be very handy indeed.