THE next four games for Blackburn, against Brentford, Charlton, Bolton and Middlesbrough, are going to be telling.

By the end of them we are going to know a lot more about what they are going to need to do in the second half of the season.

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Two at home and two away, these games are going to be difficult, make no mistake about that.

So if they can get two wins and two draws – eight points – Rovers will be very well placed going into 2015.

That’s because all of the games are against sides either in the play-offs or with aims of getting into them.

These are the kind of games you need to be taking points from because they are against teams in and around you.

Despite the defeat to Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend Blackburn are still in a good position. They are only one point off the play-offs and six off Ipswich in second. It’s all about staying in touch and not getting too far adrift of it.

Brentford are fifth and three points above Blackburn. Beat them on Saturday and you are level, draw and the gap stays the same, but defeat means you are six points behind and needing to beat Charlton and Bolton to catch up again.

That’s not going to be easy whatever happens as Charlton don’t lose too many games while Bolton are on a bit of a revival.

Then you’ve got Middlesbrough who are flying high. So, as I say, it’s going to be very difficult.

But first things first, Blackburn must concentrate on Brentford and get what happened to them on Saturday firmly out on their system.

Sometimes good runs can go to your head. As a player who read and hear the hype in the media and get carried away a little bit.

You’re professional and you don’t want it to happen but sometimes it does. And when it does, and your good run ends, you’ve just got to say, ‘it’s gone now’, and try and get on another.

There would be no better place to get that going than at Brentford. They’ve proved this season they are a good side, winning all of their matches in November, but their run also came to an end on Saturday.

They will be smarting, too, and I think it will be a case of who wants to win it more will come out on top.

I’m sure Rovers old boy Alan Judge will want it. He’s a good example of why it’s sometimes better for a young player to carry on their career elsewhere.

In two different spells now he’s had a better time of it away from Blackburn. I’m glad he’s doing well and I wish him all the best for the future – just not on Saturday.