Meet the Opposition

from Swansea City v Blackburn Rovers - 20-21 Season - Issue 5

Swans Community Trust

STADIUM

MEET THE OPPOSITION Now in their third season back in the Championship, Blackburn are aiming to build on consecutive mid-table finishes.

Blackburn are one of only six sides to don the Premier League crown, having beaten Manchester United to the title by a single point in 1994-95, although they have not been in the top-flight for nearly a decade after relegation in 2012.

They had previously won the top-flight title in 1912 and 1914, and have won six FA Cups and one League Cup.

BLACKBURN ROVER’S FORM Blackburn are the leading scorers in the Championship with 18 goals from their opening eight games.

But only Coventry and Wycombe have conceded more than Rovers, who have shipped seven in their last three outings.

Mowbray’s side recorded impressive 5-0 and 4-0 victories over Wycombe and Derby respectively, but have been beaten in three of their five games since.

However, their last outing on the road did bring a 4-0 thrashing of newly-promoted Coventry.

THE KEY MEN Blackburn boast the Championship’s leading marksman in Adam Armstrong, who has already netted nine goals in eight games. Those include a hat-trick in the 5-0 rout of Wycombe, and the former Newcastle striker is well on the way to beating last season’s total of 17 in all competitions.

The experienced Bradley Johnson has added a further three goals from midfield, while youngster Tyrhys Dolan has also made a positive start to the campaign, as has Harvey Elliott since completing his loan move from Liverpool.

ONES TO WATCH

POSITION GK

NATION

AGE 28

Belgian goalkeeper Kaminski joined Blackburn from Gent for an undisclosed fee in August. The 6ft 3in stopper, who played 14 times in last season’s Europa League, has made a solid start to life in England, with four clean sheets to his name already. A former Belgian youth international, Kaminski began his career with Germinal Beerschot and Leuven before spending five years with Anderlecht, who he represented in the Champions League. THOMAS KAMINSKI

BRADLEY JOHNSON

Johnson has made a flying start to his second season with Blackburn, with three goals in his opening four games. The experienced midfielder, who played 100 times in the Premier League for Norwich, is rapidly approaching 600 career appearances. He also represented the Canaries in the Championship, as well as Leeds and Derby, while turning out for Cambridge, Northampton and Brighton in the lower echelons of the EFL.

POSITION MF

NATION

AGE 33

POSITION MF

NATION

AGE 25

Rothwell has also made a bright start to his third season at Ewood Park, already registering a couple of assists to his name. The central midfielder began his career at Manchester United; spending 15 years with the Red Devils before departing for Oxford United, where he scored eight times in 86 appearances. He previously built up his experience with brief loan spells at Blackpool and Barnsley.

JOE ROTHWELL TYRHYS DOLAN

Dolan has made a blistering start to his senior career, scoring in each of Rovers’ thumping victories over Wycombe and Derby. The Manchester-born midfielder signed his first professional contract at Ewood Park in the summer following his departure from Preston. Dolan, who also spent time in the youth ranks at Manchester City, built up his first-team experience last season during a brief loan spell with Clitheroe.

POSITION MF

NATION