Hughes: Why Roberts Started

Blackburn Rovers manager Mark Hughes has explained why Jason Roberts was handed a start against Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Roberts, who hadn't previously started a Premier League match since the opening day of the season (also against Middlesbrough) was selected ahead of Benni McCarthy, who had to take a place on the bench. Hughes explained that McCarthy has found goals hard to come by recently so Roberts was selected to tie in with the game plan, which sadly didn't quite go as planned. However, he still feels the 90 minutes will have done Roberts good (and he did play his part in Matt Derbyshire's equaliser)

Hughes told the Lancashire Telegraph: "Jason has been patient and obviously Benni has been struggling for goals of late."

"I just felt it was worth picking Jason but unfortunately, because we went behind in the game, that played into their hands rather than ours, in so much as Jason wants big, wide-open spaces to use his power and pace in behind but, because they were protecting their lead, it was very difficult for him and Roque to get any space behind them.

"He'll be better for that game, though, because he's had 90 minutes now."


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