Blackburn Rovers have had very little luck with injuries over the course of this season.
During the campaign, it is hard to remember a time where the head coach at Ewood Park, either Jon Dahl Tomasson or John Eustace, has had a fully fit squad to choose from.
Those fitness problems will surely not have helped the club amid their struggles in the Championship this season.
A run of just two wins in 20 league games, means Blackburn Rovers are currently 17th in the table, just three points clear of the relegation zone.
Now, those injury issues will evidently not be easing up for the Lancashire outfit between now and the end of the season.
Major Arnor Sigurdsson injury blow
One Blackburn Rovers player called up by his national team over the international break, was Arnor Sigurdsson.
The winger was named in Iceland’s starting lineup for their Euro 2024 qualifier against Israel.
However, Sigurdsson was forced off due to injury in that match. It has since been revealed that the 24-year-old is expected to miss the rest of the season due to that blow.
Eustace has described that setback as a ‘big loss’ for Blackburn Rovers. Indeed, so far this season, the Icelandic international has scored seven goals and provided four assists in 34 appearances in all competitions.
That attacking threat will undoubtedly be a miss for the club, as they look to secure their Championship status.
There is though, also an argument that fans at Ewood Park, may now have a better chance of seeing something they have wanted for some time now.
Zak Gilsenan could now get his Blackburn Rovers chance
This season has seen a number of young prospects get their chance in the first-team at Ewood Park in the cup competitions.
One of those who stood out in those matches, was Zak Gilsenan. Operating in the same left wing role as Sigurdsson, the 20-year-old was a articularly bright spark, and even netted an excellent free kick in the 8-0 thumping of Harrogate Town.
The Ireland youth international has also been in excellent form for Blackburn Rovers at academy level recently.
This season, he has scored ten goals in 12 appearances in all competitions for the club’s Under 21s. But despite that leading to calls from many fans for him to get a chance in the first-team, he has so far made just two brief substitute appearances in the Championship.
Sigurdsson’s injury though, could now change that. With the Iceland man now unavailable, Eustace is going to have find another option to fill that void on the wing.
That in turn, could make Gilsenan’s recent form, and clamour for his inclusion in the Blackburn Rovers first-team harder to ignore, given he is a natural option in that role.
Indeed, at his age and with his lack of experience, the pressure would arguably be off him in this situation, given he will not be the one under scrutiny if things do not work out.
Should that be the case, it may allow Gilsenan to play with freedom that unlocks his potential, and makes him more of a threat going forward.
Of course, other options such as Tyrhys Dolan and Ryan Hedges are there as well for Blackburn Rovers.
They though, may be needed on the right of the attack too, while Hedges’ own workload needs to be managed given his injury issues this season.
Of course, Blackburn Rovers fans will not have wanted to see this news on Sigurdsson. It could however, now give them something they have wanted to get a look at for some time, in the form of more first-team chances for Gilsenan.