Blackburn new boy Bradley Orr has no doubt Rovers' squad is up to the task of avoiding relegation from the Barclays Premier League this season.
The full-back joined Steve Kean's side on transfer deadline day after a frustrating lack of opportunities with QPR this season and could make his debut in Saturday's trip to Arsenal.
Orr watched his new team lose 2-0 to Newcastle at Ewood Park on Wednesday, a result that left them two points from safety, but the defender saw more than enough to be encouraged about their chances of survival.
He said: "It's really exciting. It's a very good opportunity for me to come to such a great club like Blackburn.
"After watching the lads perform it's even more exciting because I thought they played really well and were really unfortunate not to get a win, never mind a result. It's a great new chapter for me and something I want to grab with both hands.
"When I look around the dressing room I see some excellent talent, experience blended with youth, and I'm very optimistic about the remainder of the season. Hopefully I can add to that."
Orr, 29, was a key figure for QPR in their promotion season but has been limited to only two league starts this term, something he is hoping will change at Ewood Park.
He said: "You train all week for your reward at the end of it, which is 3pm on a Saturday or Sunday, and I still get that excitement, and that's what I've really missed the last few months is not starting as many games as I would have liked. Hopefully I'll get the opportunity to do that at Blackburn."
Orr was one of three signings made by Kean last month, with Marcus Olsson, twin brother of Rover Martin, joining from Halmstads BK in Sweden and Anthony Modeste making the move from Bordeaux on loan until the end of the season.
Rovers' fans might have hoped for more high-profile signings, particularly given the recruitment made by fellow strugglers QPR, but Kean insisted it was not for the want of trying.
"We tried," he said. "I found it a frustrating window because when you go to clubs and ask for their better players, they don't want to let them go, just like we resisted.
"We tried a number of times to get Premier League experience, we spoke to a lot of clubs and we just couldn't manage to get people in."
Modeste made his full debut against Newcastle and is likely to keep his place with top scorer Ayegbeni Yakubu serving the last of a three-game ban and David Goodwillie still struggling with flu.
Captain Christopher Samba will definitely miss a third successive game, with Kean saying yesterday the defender, who had a transfer request turned down, was fit and available but would not be in the squad.
The Scot is confident Blackburn can make it four away league matches without defeat after draws with Liverpool and Everton and victory over Manchester United, while last season they managed a goalless draw at the Emirates and also beat Arsenal at home earlier this term.
Kean said: "We saw enough in Anthony on his debut to suggest he's going to be a good loan signing and we've still got a couple to add to the next squad in Marcus Olsson and Bradley Orr. I think we can look forward to going to Arsenal because on the road we've been good.
"We're going to the Emirates to try to get a result. If we can build on what we've been doing over the last three away games and what we did down there last year, when we managed to get a clean sheet, that's what we'll be working towards."
Kean will not be the only manager under pressure on Saturday, with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger looking to end a run of only one point from four Premier League matches.
Critics have suggested this is the worst Arsenal side since before Wenger took over in 1996, but Kean was quick to defend the Frenchman, saying: "I would disagree with that. Over the years you can never question the amount of players that he's developed.
"He's got a philosophy of how he likes to play and that he likes to develop players and I'm sure these players he's brought in and pushed through will go on to play at a very high level for the club. I think the job he's done has been fantastic."
Post Comment
