Football is a funny old game. Last season, Blackburn Rovers couldn't buy a win in front of their own supporters.

In fact, John Eustace officially failed to win any of his matches at Ewood Park from February until the end of the season, though he'll tell you the Stoke City match counts. Given the job he's done, we'll not fight him over that one.

Throw forward to this season and victory over Swansea City this weekend would make it five in a row for Rovers. The last time they did that? Yeah, *that* season 30 years ago. A win would also take them one away from equalling last year's tally, with 18 more to go.

Trying to pinpoint exactly what has changed is difficult. Same ground, same sized attendances. Better squad? Yeah maybe but it's the intangibles that have turned around the attitude at Ewood Park.

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Several players have spoken about a new mentality heading into home games. Eustace has often spoken about making Ewood a fortress and that's what the players are feeling too.

"It's a long season, we had a very good start, we were unbeaten but you can't take any games lightly," Harry Pickering tells the local media, reflecting on back-to-back defeats at Coventry and Plymouth before the break.

"We have a good group here that don't ever believe we'll walk into games and win. When you have an off day you can be punished.

"Hopefully, we can keep that home form going. The fans have been brilliant and they've given us great support. The performances have been good and I hope we can continue that.

"The whole mood has changed since the gaffer and the coaches came in. The mentality has switched right around, we're going into games hard to beat and playing good football.

"I don't know exactly what's changed but the mentality of the whole squad has shifted a bit. The fans at home have been brilliant, they have got right behind us.

"We have fed off that. Especially if we go one down, we don't panic, we're coming back from losing positions with draws and wins. There is a lot of togetherness."

It does seem that the coaching team, and that very much includes Matt Gardiner and Keith Downing, are universally popular. As we've heard since, that wasn't the case under the previous regime, though many did enjoy that period.

Eustace has made Rovers harder to beat. More emphasis on team unity. How far can that take Blackburn? Well, the next six games might just give a big indication.

"The objective last year is different to last year, we had to stay in the league," Pickering explains.

"We needed to be harder to beat and the gaffer doubled down on that and ensured we were doing the basics well. We have taken that into this season and the new lads have gelled really well.

"We wanted better as a group and I think the fans deserved better and more from us as a group. We're looking to be a competitive team this season.

"I have really enjoyed it since he's come in. We had to stop the goals going in and we have done that. It's been hard work on the training ground, a lot of repetition in the weeks.

"We have a tough run of games coming up, things can change very quickly but we'll be looking at 15 games and a third of the season. That'll show us what we need to do, what we can improve or try to stay there.

"The lads we've brought in have been brilliant, strength in every position and players that can change it which is so important.

"This squad is right up there from my time of being at the club. The level in training has gone through the roof really. Competition helps to do that, the squad we have now as a whole is brilliant with the quality we have.

"For the ones that are new to the league and country, they've adapted so well and bought into what we want to do. It's vital in this league to have that, you get injuries and suspensions which you need a quality squad to cover for."

Pickering has long been an automatic pick at Rovers. He won't admit it, at risk of disrespecting former team-mates, but Owen Beck is the strongest competition he's had for his shirt in many years. 

It is welcomed though. The battle for shirts across the pitch has made Rovers' far stronger.

"Yeah, there's great competition for my spot too," Pickering conceded.

"I've had that since I have been here but Owen is a good player and that's good competition. I didn't know what was going on (when he was sent off), you didn't really realise until after the game which was crazy.

"It's about being ready to come on and take that opportunity, it's all you can do. Whether you're starting or not, you have to do a job. We've seen with the number of goals we have scored from the bench.

"That's the mentality of the gaffer and the coaches and they've installed that. If the games aren't going right, something isn't working, we have quality that can change things for us in this league."