IT'S time for Blackburn Rovers to lose the Christmas flab and become lean and mean again.

I know as a defender I'm bound to keep banging on about the importance of clean sheets and staying tight at the back -- but that's because it is.

I used to hate being in teams that lost - or even won games 4-3 -because if you're going to be consistent, the defence needs to be a basis for that.

If you are defending well and score a goal, you have a chance of preserving the lead but if you're letting goals in, you have to score two or three in every game to have a chance.

That might have been all very well if you go back to the opening day of the season when Rovers beat Wolves 5-1 and they looked like they would be scoring for fun - but things have changed a lot since then.

And when they take on Dave Jones' side at Molineaux tonight, any type of win - or even a draw - would be acceptable.

Wolves is one of those fixtures that you look at and think it's a great chance for three points, but they have a good home record and are showing that they've come a long way since that nightmare first game in the top flight. They seem to know a bit more what it's all about now.

One thing's for sure, losing just isn't an option because it's such an important game and the repercussions will be massive.

If that puts pressure on people then so be it, that's what you're paid the money to deal with. But Wolverhampton is not a place to go and get beat under any circumstances.

Victory can act as a springboard for the season and allow them to put the FA Cup defeat at Birmingham well and truly behind them.

Cup runs are nice for the fans and give a good feeling about the club but once you're out, that's it, it's over and you can forget about it.

But in the league, every game you're under pressure to get something and you have to be at your best otherwise you get found out.

That's why I wouldn't point the finger at anyone when I say that Rovers have to become leaner and meaner at the back. Defending is the responsibility of all 11 players in the team, as is creating and scoring goals.

But while every team can always use more goals, and it's very nice to have someone who will get 20 goals a season, players like that cost a huge amount of money. I don't see anything happening on that score in the current transfer window.

So at the moment Blackburn have to concentrate on defending situations well and stop making the errors that have cost them so many goals this season.

But I'd like to ignore what happened at Birmingham and think about Newcastle the week before. That was a lovely result and if they can return to that sort of thing it will set them up nicely for the two big games this week.

Like, I've said, I don't want to talk about them losing to Wolves because I just don't see it as an option, but if that happens will we be looking forward to the big derby against Bolton on Saturday?

I don't think so!!