Hughes: Handball Decisions Cost Us

Blackburn Rovers manager Mark Hughes believes that the decision to award Aston Villa a penalty but not Rovers for something similar cost us on Sunday.

Andre Ooijer was harshly adjudged to have handled from a Chris Sutton cross shortly before half time for the Villa penalty, from which Gareth Barry opened the scoring at a time when we were getting close to making it through to the break so crucially on level terms.

Things got worse as in the second half Morten Gamst Pedersen's goal bound free kick was blocked by the arm of Villa's Stilian Petrov but no penalty was awarded this time!

After the game Mark Hughes said:

"The penalty decision was a poor one from our point of view.

"I don't think the referee and his assistant have got the decision right, it was a big decision at an important time of the game as well. So for us to concede under those circumstances we felt aggrieved.

"The second goal was another situation where we should have dealt with it better so from a position of 2-0 down it was always going to be difficult.

"I think we played into Villa's hands to a certain extent, the guys at the back did really well for them, we played too many high balls into the front men and it was difficult for them to have any influence on the game.

"In the first half I felt we were quite comfortable in the game but in the second half when we had to chase it maybe some of our play wasn't as intelligent as it needed to be."

It was a poor Rovers performance this can`t be doubted but can someone tell me WHEN will the luck start swaying in Rovers` favour!

Meanwhile latest rumour has it that Liverpool left-back Stephen Warnock could be a possible target for Rovers in January?

Hughes wanted Warnock as part of the deal that could have taken Lucas Neill to Anfield in August but Rafael Benitez was having none of it. With Warnock featuring little or not at all since then and despite his claims he was happy at Anfield he may well welcome the move in January.

Personally I feel that even if Neill leaves in January, meaning a left-back will be needed I don't think that we need to buy in to replace him as we have enough already at the club to fill in, not to mention the fact other areas surely need strengthening more?

What are your views on the luck still going against Rovers, what Hughes had to say and the Warnock link?

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