Rovers fans can have a big effect on the team, according to Jon Dahl Tomasson, who is looking for more home comforts at Ewood Park tonight.
Victory over Swansea City made it 31 points from a possible 45 at the club’s headquarters this season, and eight of the remaining 14 games are at Ewood, starting with tonight’s visit of Blackpool.
Rovers will be looking to back up the weekend win over the Swans, one which would move Rovers back into the top six heading into the business end of the season.
It was a performance, and atmosphere, of two halves at the weekend, with some boos greeting the half time whistle.
However, when kicking towards the Blackburn End, and with an extra intensity to their play, a collective effort helped see Rovers to a late winner.
“I spoke about wanting Ewood to be a fortress and I think it is,” Tomasson said.
“We’ve won 10 games at home, which is quite a good home record and you need that.
“It was great to hear how the crowd got behind the team in the second half.
“I think the fans can help us during the year.
“If the fans can get behind the team when we’re not playing that well then it will always help.
“Players are not robots, it won’t always be successful, we know that. We all have bad days.
“Of course it would be great to go for the win.
“We had the double against Swansea, winning away and at home, and it would be great to have the double in a derby against Blackpool.”
Tomasson acknowledged that his side were too passive in the first half against Swansea, but credited the second half turnaround which ended with Daniel Ayala’s late winner.
Asked if he was disappointed by the reaction of the crowd at half time, the head coach said: “I don’t get easily disappointed.
“I have been in football many years, I would say that it’s always good to help players, especially young players who haven’t been in this level with a lot of experience, season after season.
“We know it’s a very intense league, great league, a lot of inconsistency in this league because it’s so intense.
“There are a lot of good teams and players in this league.”
Next up for Rovers are the Seasiders who picked up a first win in 14 games with victory over Stoke City at the weekend.
While Rovers are in need of the points in their quest to make the top six, they are equally pressing for Blackpool in their survival bid.
“They had a good win against Stoke, fighting for their lives,” Tomasson said of tonight’s opponents.
“They create three big chances, more or less, every game.
“They play direct, are good at picking up second balls, creating moments with chaos and set pieces and we need to deal with those things and then play around them as well and create chances to score goals.”
The contrast in styles therefore couldn’t be any more different to the possession-based approach of Swansea.
“You’re right, it’s true,” Tomasson said.
“It’s football, a different style of playing and something the players need to cope with at the end of the day.
“They know exactly what to expect, and then at the end of the day it’s about doing a good job.
“We want to win that game and will be doing our best to win it.”
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