BLACKBURN Rovers boss Owen Coyle has accepted responsibility for what is the club’s worst start to a league season in 20 years.

However, ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Rotherham United, Coyle is adamant his side are playing better than their position suggests.

Rock-bottom Rovers lost 2-1 at fellow strugglers Leeds United on Tuesday to stretch their winless opening to the Championship campaign to seven games.

The Ewood Park outfit also failed to win any of their first seven matches in 2015-16 but at this stage last year they had two more points on the board.

That means Rovers are experiencing their poorest start since the 1996-97 season when Ray Harford’s team also took just two points from their first 21 on offer.

And Coyle said: “It’s all about winning games and winning points and we’ve not got enough at the moment and as many as we would like to have. Nobody’s hiding behind that. 

“What I would suggest is we are a far better team than what we were at the outset of the season in terms of how we’re competing better in these games. 

“We should be sitting here with a few wins under our belt. We’re not and we’ll have to make sure we’re ready to do that on Saturday. 

“It’s frustrating, it’s annoying, and when all is said and done, I’ve got the ultimate responsibility to win games and win points and we’ve not done that well enough to this point. That’s something we need to address quickly.

“But talk is cheap. I understand that. We need to start delivering on that, which we’re capable of doing.”

Coyle came in for criticism at Elland Road from the 327 travelling supporters who saw their side equalise through Marvin Emnes before Leeds scored the 86th-minute winner.

And when asked whether he had a message for the fans Coyle said: “When we were went one goal behind we certainly picked ourselves up and probably did enough to go in front or even win the game. 

“There’ll always be, particularly as a manager, criticism. I knew that from day one. But the bottom line is I think we’re certainly not getting our just deserts at the moment. 

“But that can change quite quickly. Those tight games when you’re drawing, all of a sudden when things are going your way they become wins. 

“We’re capable of getting a number of them together and by doing that it will move us up to where we want to be.”

Emnes’ dynamic appearance off the bench was a bright for spot Rovers who remain the only club in the Championship yet to win this season.

The on-loan Swansea City striker blasted in his first goal for the club before going close to putting his side in front before Leeds’ late sucker-punch.

And Coyle said: “It was touch and go whether he started the game and it certainly showed he is ready to start the games and that he is fully fit and up and running. 

“He scored a wonderful goal, he is different to what we’ve got, he’s got a bit of trickery about him, he can play up there on his own, and he can beat a couple of men and score a goal. 

“It gives us another potent threat in the forward area.”