A GREATER feeling of unity and identity has been evident around Ewood Park since the arrival of Tony Mowbray as head coach a month ago.

Immediately the toxic atmosphere and dark clouds were removed, replaced by a sense of freedom as the players’ shackles were removed.

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Mowbray has been in charge for just 15 per cent of the season, but in that time he has collected 27.5 per cent of their points tally.

As the Rovers boss conceded, five draws in seven games is too many.

But like a striker looking to end a goal drought, they keep getting themselves in the right position to suggest wins might not be far away.

It would be hard, even as the most staunch glass half empty merchant, to not have a greater sense of optimism under the new head coach.

There is also plenty to admire about this Rovers side. They have shown plenty of guts and determination to remain unbeaten under Mowbray having conceded first in four consecutive games, scoring late equalisers against Cardiff and Fulham to preserve their unbeaten run.

There are still areas to improve, Mowbray is all too aware of that.

A failure to regularly test the opposition goalkeeper, an inability to kill games off when in the ascendancy and improving game management top that list.

But it must be remembered this is a side still in the early stages of development under their new head coach.

They have made great strides and progress, but no-one would claim the job is anywhere near done.

Mowbray is a manager of repetition and habit, keen to reinforce good practice with analytical work in the video room – a place the Rovers players have spent just as much time as the training pitches since he took over.

And there have been plenty of good practices to focus on.

But despite all this Rovers remain in a perilous position with eight games remaining, still in the bottom three.

Rovers’ fixture list hasn’t been kind, and they must remain in touch with their rivals during tough trips to Brighton and Reading, before games against Barnsley, Nottingham Forest Bristol City and Wolves which could well dictate which division they will be playing in next season.

“We’ve got Tony Mowbray” goes the song, and how happy the Rovers fans are to have him after a positive start to life at the Ewood helm.