Bill Edgar's tactical analysis

Another near-miss averted by Blackburn Rovers this week – and no, that is not a reference to the Champions League aspirants coming from behind to rescue a point against Middlesbrough. The coronation of Kevin Keegan on Tyneside was greeted with a sense of relief in the Ewood Park boardroom after Hughes, for the third or fourth time in the past nine months, had been tipped to be leaving the club. Whether the speculation had an effect on a listless Blackburn is uncertain, but what is indisputable is that, until Hughes engaged in a second-half shouting match with Gareth Southgate, the Middlesbrough manager, and Colin Cooper, the coach, they were heading towards a fifth home defeat in six matches.

Instead, Matt Derbyshire, a substitute, was on hand in the 76th minute to convert a deflected shot by Jason Roberts and earn the draw that means that Blackburn have come from behind to collect 16 points in the Barclays Premier League this season.

“I won’t say it was premeditated, but, looking back, it was probably the best thing I did,” Hughes said, with a mischievous grin, when recalling the touchline dispute.

Technically, the best thing that Hughes did was to remain at the club because Blackburn must be aware that it is only a matter of time before the Welshman is lured to a bigger and better – read “wealthier” – club.

“I have got used to the fact that I will get talked about whenever a post comes up,” Hughes said. “I have had it with Tottenham and England and Manchester City before this [Newcastle]. We have got used to it here and it’s flattering and suggests we must be doing a few things right, I guess.”

Middlesbrough could feel aggrieved at failing to secure a win after David Wheater, the defender, rose to head in a thirteenth-minute free kick from Stewart Downing. The award of that set-piece appeared harsh, but, in Blackburn’s eyes at least, justice will have been served by the visiting team spurning an astonishing catalogue of chances in the second half, including a shocking miss by Tuncay Sanli, before conceding the equaliser.

Southgate could take solace in a solid display. That Franco Baldini, Fabio Capello’s aide, was in attendance will not have done any harm to the international prospects of Wheater and Luke Young. Wheater, 20, defended with relish and struck the bar with a header in the second half.

“I can’t really believe how well it’s going for me,” Wheater, who has three league goals this season and is in talks over an extension to his contract, said. “I didn’t expect to be here this year – I thought I’d be out on loan. I could be top scorer the way things are going – I’m only one behind Stewie [Downing].”

Blackburn Rovers (4-4-2): B Friedel 7 – A Ooijer 6, C Samba 6, R Nelsen 5, S Warnock 6 – D Bentley 7, S Reid 5, D Dunn 6 (sub: M Derbyshire, 65 7), M G Pedersen 4 (sub: B Emerton, 65 6) – J Roberts 4, R Santa Cruz 8. Substitutes not used:J Brown, B McCarthy, Z Khizanishvili. Booked: Samba. Next: Aston Villa (a).

Middlesbrough (4-4-2): M Schwarzer 7 – L Young 8, R Huth 7, D Wheater 9, E Pogatetz 6 – G O’Neil 7, G Boateng 5, J Arca 5 (sub: F Rochemback, 46 6), S Downing 6 – Tuncay Sanli 4, J Aliadière 4. Substitutes not used: R Turnbull, C Riggott, Lee Dong Gook, A Johnson. Booked: Boateng, O’Neil, Rochemback. Next: Wigan Athletic (h).

Referee K Stroud
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