Watching Blackburn Rovers against Stoke was like witnessing someone trying desperately to decant ketchup from a bottle, only to discover the plastic seal was still on.

John Eustace saw his team extend their goal-less run to four Championship matches. But it was not for the want of trying.

25 shots at goal, several of them brilliantly saved by Viktor Johansson. Others, wastefully missed. Rovers would be forgiven for cursing their luck and wondering who they upset in a previous life.

That is the variance of the Championship. The underlying statistics would suggest those chances will go in, soon, but that doesn't detract from the obvious need to sign more goal-scorers in the January transfer window.

READ MORE: ROVERS PAYING THE PRICE FOR SUMMER TRANSFER GAMBLE

Watching those missed opportunities come and go from the back is equally frustrating. Especially when you get punched in the teeth at the opposite end.

But the dressing room view mirrors the managers, though with perhaps more self-critique attached. 

"It was a massive disappointment, I thought we played some good football and we had some good chances to get some goals," Harry Pickering reflected after a frustrating night.

"They took theirs and that's the difference in the Championship. If you don't take them, you get punished.

"I think we have to improve on the goals column. In training, we have to show it matters to put the ball in the net. We are trying and we have players that can do it, as we saw at the start of the season.

"If we keep making the chances then I believe one will go in. We got into some good areas and on another day, they go in. We work a lot on it in training and I hope one can go in.

"First and foremost, we have to keep clean sheets and that gives us a platform to build from.

"We didn't do that against Stoke. Two goals that were avoidable and if we can provide a platform to the lads at the top of the pitch, it gives them more freedom to put the ball in the net.

"I still think we're playing well. We were unlucky against Watford. We played very well there.

"Against Stoke, we still played relatively well. We created some good opportunities and the football we played was very good. We can't go away from that."

Pickering was back in the starting XI after injury to Owen Beck. It is a team game but both full-backs could be pretty pleased with their 90-minute output. Not that anyone would see it that way.

Any professional would rather play badly and win. Rovers did the reverse and now, one way or another, need to put things right away from home.

Cardiff City are a much tougher opposition than of six weeks ago. Omar Riza's caretaker spell has seen them amass 14 points in seven games, a real turnaround from what was a record-breaking start to the season, in all the wrong ways.

Rovers will go with extra fire in their bellies to right the wrongs of Wednesday night. It was a sombre dressing room post-match but one now galvanised to put things right.

"I am pleased to be back in the team but whoever plays, we have to do the right things and do the job," he said.

"I would rather not play well and win but I think overall, plenty of us played well. There are a few improvements that have to be made here and there but that's like most games. 

"We'll go through those things and I think we can take some positives which we have to do ahead of a tough game like Cardiff.

"It's a dressing room of frustration and disappointment for not getting the three points.

"We can't do anything now, the games come thick and fast and we have to go to Cardiff so quickly after. There is no time to dwell on it.

"You have to put it to bed and work towards Saturday. The manager has told us not to let our heads go down. We can't focus too heavily on it.

"We can be frustrated that we didn't get anything but we can't afford to be down and we have to focus on the next game."

Rovers' options in attack have been depleted in recent weeks. Amario Cozier-Duberry and Arnor Sigurdsson are both out whilst Tyrhys Dolan is suspended for the trip to Wales.

Harry Leonard is back in the fold whilst teenagers Matty Litherland and Igor Tyjon made the bench in midweek.

"You look at the lads on the bench and they are in the squad for a reason. Everyone is more than capable of playing and making a difference," Pickering insisted.

"We are together and anyone coming on is ready to make a difference. Someone like Harry (Leonard) can do that, he had a chance tonight and he's been scoring in the week for the Under-21s.

"In training, he looks sharp so I hope that continues and he can get more minutes for the team."