In advance of the matchup with Middlesbrough, Blackburn’s manager issues a “first goal” message
Middlesbrough and Blackburn are looking to bounce back from defeats when they face each other next week
The outcome of the match on Saturday will be crucial for both teams, and while Carrick and his counterpart Jon-Dahl Tomasson will be plotting to outwit one another in the coming days, they both agree that their team’s wasted opportunities are hurting them.
Last weekend’s match against QPR saw a number of changes for Boro, who haven’t opened the scoring since last April. Tomasson, a former Milan and Newcastle striker, repeated what Carrick had said in recent weeks when he lamented his team’s bad luck in their loss to Plymouth
Josh Cobrn has a chance to lead Middlesbrough to a breakthrough that many others have missed.
We all understand the significance of scoring first, according to Rovers manager Tomasson. “We had the opportunity to score the opening goal, but Plymouth did so via a deflection.
“If you look at the game, I don’t think it is a fair scoreline at all. I was wondering, “How is it possible we are not leading this game?” up until the 75th minute. We displayed some excellent football, but ultimately, scoring goals is what matters. The chances were there for us.
“We all know how difficult it is to come here, and the first goal they scored was a deflection. Last year, I believe they won 20 of their 23 home games. It’s a good record, then.
It was commendable that so many possibilities were created in the closing third, but the outcome is obviously quite disappointing. I regret that we were unable to award the supporters one or three points. The first goal was incredibly unlucky because our deflected attempt hit the crossbar. However, making blunders as a striker is different from making mistakes in the back.
Despite the outcome, Plymouth’s manager Steven Schumacher praised Blackurn, saying: “Football is a funny old game. Blackburn was an extremely tough opponent, so how did we manage to come away with three points? It’s a significant victory
“I genuinely adore them. They have troubled everyone they have played this season thus far, and they troubled us today. They are a good, well-organized, fit, youthful team. They played faster and with more vigor than we did in the first half. We scored against the flow of play even though we were only a half-yard from them and they were the superior team.
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Blackburn Rovers boss Jon Dahl Tomasson on wasted chances
Jon Dahl Tomasson has been encouraged by the number of chances his Rovers side are creating – but insists they need to be more ruthless in the final third.
Tomasson’s side had several good opportunities in their 3-0 defeat at Plymouth last weekend but ultimately failed to make them count.
It was a problem that plagued Rovers last season as they narrowly missed out on a top six spot despite boasting impressive defensive numbers.
Tomasson says his side need to be more composed at the vital moments if they are to keep progressing.
“We need to be better. We are still creating a lot of chances and we should try to keep on creating those chances,” he told The Lancashire Telegraph.
“We did that in the last 16 games last season, more or less form the beginning of the year. Football is about getting into the right areas.
“If you are able to do that more than your opponent, the chances of winning games are higher. But at the end of the day, we need to score goals and be clinical in those areas.
“We need to improve that the connection in the final third – it can be the pass, the decision-making or the quality of run, and of course the finish. We need goals to win games.”
Stoppage time has been a key talking point in the EFL since the start of the campaign, with officials taking a stricter approach to stamp out time wasting.
Tomasson has been a big supporter of the new rules and believes they should have been implemented years ago.
However, the Dane knows that dealing with the increase in playing time could be tricky over the season while the squad is still light in numbers in a couple of positions.
Prior to the Plymouth game, Tomasson was asked if he thinks the League could revert to the old rules for adding on time at the end of halves. He replied: “Hopefully not because then we are killing the product.
“The fans are paying to watch football and you can’t watch football if the ball is not in play, if the ‘keeper is taking ages or if players are taking ages every time the ball goes out of play.
“The fans are not paying small money, they are paying a lot of money to watch football so hopefully it is not going back to that.
“I saw a game last season – Blackpool v Millwall – where they played 39 minutes! That is a joke, we can’t do that with our product.
“We need the product for years to come, and the passion and love for the game. Maybe not 12 or 13 minutes but let’s find the right amount of minutes.
“If the goalkeeper or the opponent steals six or seven minutes every game, it is a joke.”
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