Blackburn Rovers: Harry Pickering on return from injury

John Eustace’s side are a couple of points above the bottom three ahead of this afternoon’s clash with Plymouth at Ewood Park.

There are eight teams, including the Pilgrims, separated by only two points heading into the business end of the campaign.

“We try to attack every game and do well,” said Pickering. “Obviously, this season hasn’t really gone to plan with what we wanted but the group is giving 100 per cent.

“We have just got to keep going and keep fighting. We know it is going to be a tough few games coming up and we must fight as much as possible.

“There are a lot of teams in a similar position to us so we must make sure we focus on ourselves and try to put on the best performances possible to get results.”

He added: “I think that is the main thing, we have just got to focus on ourselves. Obviously, we can’t control what happens with other teams.

“We can only control what happens to us so we have just got to stick together, keep working hard and try to do the business on the pitch.”

The 25-year-old has featured in Rovers’ last three league games since returning from a hamstring injury.

Pickering has featured in the last three league games (Image: Camerasport)

Pickering admits he feared the problem would keep him out of action for longer and it eager to contribute during the run-in.

“I was fearing the worst, to be honest,” he recalled. “I got it scanned and thankfully it wasn’t too bad.

“Five weeks was good news compared to what it could have been. I just tried to get back as quickly as possible and then make an impact when I am playing.”

One of Eustace’s first priorities after arriving at Ewood Park was to tighten up the defence, and the side have conceded more than one goal in just two of the matches since he took charge.

“I think that is a big thing that we have improve on,” Pickering explained. “We are conceding less chances and I think we have nailed that down a bit better.

“The players who came in in January have helped with that and obviously we have gone to a back three as well, I think it has helped. We are just looking to build on that foundation to get results.”

However, Rovers struggled at times to create chances at the other end of the pitch during the draw against Millwall in midweek.

“We didn’t create as much as we would like to but I think that will come,” the defender continued.

“We are getting used to playing a different way and once we get that base, which I think we are getting now, we can improve on that.”

It has been a demanding period for the Rovers squad, with games coming thick and fast in recent weeks.

That has meant time on the training pitch has been limited. However, that is about to change once the Plymouth clash is out of the way.

“It is tough, obviously the Championship is relentless,” Pickering stated. “It is game after game and each one is so intense, but I think the lads who have played have done really well.

“The lads who have come on in each game have made an impact so it shows the spirit and the togetherness that we have got trying to get results.

“Obviously, since the gaffer has come in it has been tough to get full sessions (on the training pitch) with games and recovery.

“But we have tried to do as much as possible and hopefully we can improve on that when the games die down a little bit.”

Pickering moved across to the right flank against Millwall on Tuesday night and his versatility gives Eustace options following the switch to a back five.

When asked if he prefers to play a certain role, the former Crewe man replied: “Not really. Wherever I play, I just try to have an impact on the game.

“Whether that is in a back three trying to link up or playing a bit higher as a wing-back, I just want to put on good performances and help the team.”