It wasn’t pretty, at times, but Blackburn Rovers got the job done against Cardiff City, beating the Bluebirds by a solitary goal to nil.
In a game that won’t make the end-of-season highlights reel, Rovers got themselves over the line. Three points, job done, move on.
There haven’t been enough of those performances this season, the under-the-radar victories. Everyone loves free-flowing football and chaotic, end-to-end spectacles, but every once in a while, you need these results sprinkled in.
His move has coincided with Hill coming into the team and he hasn’t put a foot wrong. When Rovers don’t have the ball, he’s a right-back, with the necessary athleticism to match pacey wingers. When Rovers are in possession, he’s a third centre-back with Harry Pickering wandering into midfield to create a 3-2-5 build-up shape, often seen at the top of the Premier League.
Hill’s pace, defensive awareness and added height has been an important addition to the side. Whilst it is not solely down to him by any means, it’s no coincidence that Rovers have conceded once in three games, having shipped 11 in the same period beforehand.
Of course, they were fortunate with the officiating against Cardiff. Dom Hyam admitted after the game Rovers ‘got away with one’ and that was my perception of the disallowed header too.
By the letter of the law, Karlan Grant was offside as Dimitrios Goutas thundered a header into the net, with the West Brom loanee stood in front of Leopold Wahlstedt. But such was the ferocity and close proximity of the header, there was no way he was interfering with play. It was fortunate.
Rovers took advantage of that rub of the green though and did deserve to win. Equally, they were indebted to Wahlstedt for keeping the score level as he flung to his right to push away Ollie Tanner’s powerful strike. He celebrated it like a goal and I’m sure there was a big smile on Gregg Broughton’s face in the Director’s Box too.
With Hill at right-back, Brittain was given the nod in a more advanced wide role and he was a bundle of energy once again. Of the three, I think he’s the most undroppable at the moment with the form he’s in.
Whether it’s right-back, left-back or further forward, he is a threat in the final third. After a stop-start debut season, he is showing his attacking qualities which made him the ideal wing-back for Valerien Ismael’s Barnsley side.
Perhaps Blackburn’s two quietest players were Sam Szmodics and Arnor Sigurdsson, their biggest goal threats. For that to be the case and for the team to still pick up three points is a positive sign.
The Championship is a crazy league, with Rovers jumping from 20th to 14th with their last two wins. Two points separate 17th and ninth in the tables, with Rovers in the middle of that chunk.
With two more challenging but winnable fixtures next week, Rovers need to continue building on this form and string a winning run together. The opportunity for them is there, they just have to grab it.
