Blackburn Rovers Prepare for Portsmouth Clash with Fresh Options

Blackburn Rovers head to Fratton Park this weekend with something they have barely known in recent weeks: options.

After navigating an injury crisis with a bench packed with academy prospects, Tony Mowbray finally has senior bodies back in the frame for Saturday’s Championship trip to Portsmouth (15:00 BST).

“Hayden and Moussa are back in the picture so it's good to have a few more choices off the bench rather than the academy kids,” the Rovers head coach told BBC Radio Lancashire.

Moussa Baradji is set to feature and has clearly caught Mowbray’s eye. The midfielder’s blend of power and technique has injected a jolt of excitement into the manager’s planning, with the Frenchman pushing for meaningful minutes.

Mowbray also pointed to the impact of Andri Gudjohnsen, who stepped off the bench to score in last week’s win and has backed that up with sharp work in training. Suddenly, Rovers’ attacking options don’t look so thin.

“It’s good we have choices which, it's fair to say, we haven't had over the past couple of weeks,” Mowbray said, underlining just how stretched the squad has been.

Not everyone is on the mend, though. Left-back Yuri Ribeiro misses the trip to Portsmouth after suffering a hamstring injury, a blow on the defensive flank just as competition was returning elsewhere.

“Yuri is a no-go for a few weeks, I don't know the exact timings,” Mowbray admitted.

Midfielder Adam Forshaw remains out as well, still troubled by a hip problem and awaiting further assessment. His absence continues to strip experience from the centre of the pitch, with no quick fix on the horizon.

“Forshaw is still an issue with his hip and has a consultation coming up so he won't be available in the short term but I don't want to speculate,” Mowbray added.

There is better news on the opposite side of the back line. Right-back Ryan Alebiosu will be fit for the game after illness forced him off at half-time in the Millwall victory. His return restores some balance to a defence that has been patched together for too long.

For the first time in weeks, Mowbray can look at his bench and see genuine choices rather than enforced gambles. How he uses them at Portsmouth will say plenty about where this Blackburn side is heading.