The 2024/25 English Football League Championship season kicked off with a bang, as John Eustace’s Blackburn Rovers dominated with a 4-2 victory over promoted Derby County under Paul Warne.
This particular match at Ewood Park was a shining example of the quality within the Championship and despite short spells on the ball from Derby County gained control back of the match.
Blackburn dominated the majority of the game and came back after a 20-minute slower start to the second half to demolish the County backline and gain the first three points in the second tier this season.
Blackburn subs made an impact
Blackburn made a slow start to the second half, as the Rams finally began to take considerable control of the game.
But Rovers came back effectively to win the game and one key component to the scoreline we’ve seen is the substitutions made by manager John Eustace, to contain Derby County and successfully reduce their control of the match.
Three particular subs made a considerable impact on the game. Experienced debutant Andreas Weimann, veteran Japanese attacker Yuki Ohashi and potentially departing star Sammie Szmodics.
Weimann showcased his experience amongst the players on that pitch. The way he used his football intelligence to make his run towards the back post, combined with how the Derby defenders just let him stay onside for the easy header, makes him a dangerous attacker.
Ohashi’s pace and press are just simply phenomenal. He never gives those defenders a second to breathe and the way he fluently glides to cover all bases out of possession to try and win the ball back is a sacred talent to behold.
Szmodics is one of the most creative players still in the Championship right now and his ability to look one step ahead of the opponents, make the right runs forward and how he takes on opponents and forces very effective 1v1 situations, made him a dangerous player in the night and he topped it off with a goal and an assist to kick off his campaign.
Subs are key within matches and teams have to utilise their bench. Paul Warne will need to learn that more going forward, especially in such a lethal and competitive league, but Blackburn Rovers were the main beneficiaries of effective players raring to go off the bench with a wide range of experience.
Kayden Jackson Needs More Service
Derby County striker Kayden Jackson showcased his pace and pressing ability on the pitch during this game and it was clear that he shuts down possession and build-up play very well, even from the goalkeeper. But the one thing Rams supporters want to see is more service towards Jackson.
He only managed one shot on target and one shot off target, but the belief is that his season can only get better from here.
Kayden has the pace to run into the box sneakily like a fox-in-the-box as well as use his pace to make the runs off the shoulder of the last defender, so a variety of high and low crosses are needed from wide positions to allow these opportunities.
Low-to-the-ground passes and through balls are also crucial and there were a few opportunities to do that during the game at Ewood Park, but defensively, it was too easy to snuff out the danger for the Rovers.
Set pieces are also very important. Kane Wilson showcased with the final goal of the game, sneaking into the front of the box and glancing a header into the net for the second goal of the game for Derby, so there’s an opportunity to use these set pieces to have Kayden Jackson fulfil that role also.
Crossing key for Rovers
This win was Blackburn Rovers’ biggest opening day victory in 21 years as a football club and one key ingredient towards cooking up three points was the ability to cross the ball into the box successfully.
Inside the first ten minutes, there were seven crosses in the game and one team took all seven crosses.
That was Blackburn Rovers. One particular player who had a wonderful performance, and could also benefit from more crosses into the box and switches in transition, is their debuting Senegalese striker who started the game, Makhtar Gueye.
The 26-year-old former Saint-Étienne, Oostende and RWD Molenbeek striker showcased multiple times he can adapt as an all-round striker.
At least a couple of times in that game, he’d be on the receiving end of some potentially effective crosses which could have led to something already.
Rovers fans are already seeing what Gueye is capable of given the time to develop further at Ewood Park and gain even more experience.
Derby must improve defensively
Defensively Derby County, cannot concede four goals in any game. That simply must not be allowed to happen again.
We saw throughout that second half, that gaps began to appear within the defensive shape on numerous occasions which allowed Blackburn to increase their pressure on the Derby goal.
Two goals were caused by unmarked situations down the right-hand side and with a wingback playing in the right fullback role, we could see him coming forward well, but defensively, he’s not in the position to cover the space where the wingers for Rovers run into to cause problems.
Something the Rams need to do is adjust their defensive shape to allow that cover on the right-hand side with Kane Wilson tracking back further and developing the deeper defensive side of his game to continue his adaptability both as a fullback and wingback.