‘Baffled’ – Many Blackburn Rovers fans react to Tony Mowbray comments on frustrating player update

A number of Blackburn Rovers supporters have been reacting to comments made by manager Tony Mowbray on the injury suffered by Ryan Nyambe during the 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Rovers were on the end of another frustrating result at the City Ground, with Mowbray’s side falling to a fourth straight defeat in the Championship. That run of form has seen their play-off aspirations take a major hit and it looks like they will now need to build and plan towards next season, unless they can inspire a massive turnaround in performances and results very soon.

There was more bad news for Rovers on the injury front following the game, with Mowbray confirming that Sam Gallagher had been taken to hospital with a nasty injury that could even be a potential punctured lung. While Nyambe was also forced off the field in stoppage time with an injury and replaced by Elliott Bennett.

Nyambe had been left out of the side for the midweek trip to Barnsley, and after the game Mowbray had suggested that decision was made more for tactical reasons than anything else. However, speaking to Lancashire Live after the defeat at Forest the Blackburn manager seemed to suggest that outside criticism might have potentially played a role in him being included against Nottingham Forest.

He said: “I’m also more worried about Nyambe, somebody we have talked a lot about this week – a kid who works excessively hard and needed a break and yet the world seemed to question why Nyambe wasn’t playing – has now broken down and might be out for months.

“It’s his hamstring, you have to protect your players and people should just let the manager do their job.”

Many Blackburn supporters were left baffled by these comments and did not know what he was referring to by the outside criticism part of his assessment. A couple of fans suggested that these comments reflect how much he is struggling at the moment given their recent form.

Here, we take a look at some of the best reactions on social media…

I am baffled with the managers comments. What is he implying regarding the Nyambe selection? Is it the fans he is blaming, or someone else? Surely he has control over the team? The buck stops with him.

— Simon Fish (@SimonJohnFish) February 20, 2021

This is the ramblings of a man desperate to deflect blame

— Ian Herbert (@ianherbert) February 20, 2021

Hmm, the between the lines connotations don't read particularly well with this one whether it was an intentional jibe at the fans or not. https://t.co/VlRpZPJ51O

— Ewoodparksfinest (@Ewoodparkfinest) February 20, 2021

It is worse Josh, he is admitting that because fans questioned his decision he picked him today. It is weak management. A lot of what he is saying recently just isn’t making any sense. https://t.co/ycmd3rllUS

— Northern Rover (@Northern_Rover) February 20, 2021

But Nyambe was taken out of action for mistakes and costing goals/points. Not a hamstring injury today.

Mowbray is losing the plot. https://t.co/nhoem8rEkL

— Ian Austin (@Ian_Austin_) February 20, 2021

Nyambe played a blinder today which suggests he had a point to prove. He was fit enough for that and fit enough on Weds when he was dropped as a scapegoat.
Nobody but this increasingly deluded manager holds any responsibility for the lads over exuberance and poss injury. @Rovers https://t.co/aydfnGYTaR

— phil tomlinson (@Tom32156Phil) February 20, 2021

If he’s leaving him out to protect his hamstring, why does he not say this at the time and not after he has sustained an injury ? #Rovers

— Wasyl Pidlyskyj (@wasylpid) February 20, 2021

If this were the case, he’d have said he was simply resting him midweek but he didn’t… https://t.co/ELnJouNUnR

— pj. (@tweetpads12) February 20, 2021