Football: Cracks in the house that Jack built is crumbling

AT THE end there was an eerie low moan. Hardly any boos, more a collective despair sweeping round Ewood Park, a sorrow provoked by the deterioration of Blackburn Rovers. The club that Jack built is looking very sickly indeed.

In the match programme there was a eulogy to Jack Walker, whose millions have been plundered again this last fortnight to bring in Nathan Blake, Oumar Konde and Dario Marcolin. "The club's No 1 fan" was how he was described, and like the 23,000 ones behind him in the hierarchy on Saturday he must wonder when the pain is going to stop.

Because this year has been truly awful. As 1997 turned into 1998 Rovers were second in the Premiership and this result pushed them into the relegation places. Christmas decorations are in the shops and yet Blackburn have managed only seven League victories since they were last on display in local homes. No team in the top division has a worse run of form.

The reasons why are baffling. Roy Hodgson is a coach good enough to be considered by the German national team and even though he has an entire midfield unit convalescing, the players at his disposal ought to be good enough for mid-table security at least. Instead, bad result follows another, and they have just one win in their last nine games in the Premiership.

"We need a rocket boost to get out of this," Hodgson said. "This was the game that could have turned it round for us but it didn't. Another chance goes but there's 26 left and in those we have got to get the necessary points. There's no magical solution, we have to do what Coventry did to us, close down very quickly, work very hard, give people no time on the ball, defend very doggedly and then take your chances. We need to start winning yesterday."

Which is all well and good if the players respond, but they failed to do so on Saturday. Blackburn's saving grace this season has been that results have not mirrored performance but there was no mitigation this time. Most of their play was brainless, the team's abilities diminished by a general lack of confidence and an over-eagerness to please. The combination was not a happy one and Coventry thoroughly deserved the points they took from only their third Premiership win this season.

The visitors' superiority was apparent from the start. Noel Whelan, Darren Huckerby, Stephen Froggatt and Gary McAllister might all have scored in the opening quarter before Nathan Blake - a rare Blackburn success - stretched to alter this pattern, heading against the post.

Somehow, Rovers reached half-time unscathed but that lasted for only seven minutes, when Philippe Clement utilised Huckerby's scorching pace with a pass though the gaping hole in the centre of the home back four. Coventry's manager describes Huckerby as immature in terms of football education, but there was wisdom as well as speed about the way he pushed the ball past Tim Flowers.

Blackburn, briefly, threatened a comeback when Tim Sherwood headed in after 72 minutes, but that glimpse of salvation was closed as Whelan cut in from the left a minute later and thumped a vicious shot past Flowers from the edge of the area.

As Whelan also struck the bar twice it was a command performance from a player who will have extra responsibility now that Dion Dublin has left for Villa Park. Whether he can take it is anyone's guess but Coventry are hopeful.

"Whelan was absolutely outstanding," Strachan said. "There's no limit to what he can do but it's up to him. There's a silly wee boy inside him and hopefully he's growing up. Noel's problem is that he hurts himself more than anybody else but at least he makes life interesting."

It is also interesting at Blackburn in a morbid sort of way, and it could become more so as November brings matches at Newcastle, Manchester United and Liverpool. The portents are not promising.

"You never know what a match is going to bring," Hodgson said, seeking the positive. "According to people in this part of the world this was not a daunting fixture but it turned out to be one. Maybe the games coming up that look daunting won't be as bad as we think. In this league there are no matches where you can say this a game we can't win or this is one we can't lose."

Sadly for Blackburn, they are losing plenty.

Goals: Huckerby (52) 0-1; Sherwood (72) 1-1; Whelan (73) 1-2.

Blackburn Rovers (4-4-2): Flowers; Kenna, Henchoz, Peacock (Marcolin, h-t), Davidson; Johnson, Dailly, Sherwood, Duff; Sutton (Davies, h-t), Blake. Substitutes not used: Croft, Dunn, Filan (gk).

Coventry City (4-4-2): Hedman; Nilsson, Shaw, Breen (Williams, 52), Edworthy; Telfer, McAllister (Boateng, 89), Clement, Froggatt; Whelan, Huckerby. Substitutes not used: Soltvedt, Hall, Ogrizovic (gk).

Bookings: Blackburn: Sutton, Johnson; Coventry: McAllister, Clement.

Referee: P Durkin (Portland).

Man of the match: Whelan.

Attendance: 23,779.