Kean defends Rovers' tactics

Published May. 14, 2011 9:15 p.m. ET

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Once Wayne Rooney had equalised Brett Emerton's first-half striker 17 minutes from time, Blackburn hardly advanced into the United half. Although the point is helpful in the battle to avoid the drop, with Blackpool and Wolves both winning, they will head into the final round of fixtures just one point clear of the drop zone, knowing defeat at Molineux would put their top flight survival in extreme danger. However, Kean felt his team had little option given United were not only playing keep-ball through Paul Scholes, but had left four men in attack just in case an opportunity to attack arose. "I can understand the fans' frustration because they want us to go and press and get the ball back," said Kean. "We are left with a scenario at the end of the game when Paul Scholes is on the pitch and Manchester United are running down the clock. But when you look at the other end, they have left four players up with no intention of dropping back again. "It gives us a dilemma. Do we go and push and try and get a goal, whilst also leaving ourselves wide open to having four on their own up at the other end. "If someone had told the fans we were going to get a point against Manchester United, I am sure they would have been happy with that." As Kean correctly observed, apart from their own, results affecting the relegation battle are not in Blackburn's control. And the Scot remains confident Rovers will claim a point against Wolves that will almost certainly guarantee survival. "We can't control what happens in other grounds," he said. "All we can do is pick up points. "I am confident if the lads do exactly what they have done over the last couple of months with their willingness, having a solid base and working their socks off, we will get what is required next week." Kean refused to be critical of referee Phil Dowd over the penalty decision that cost his side victory, acknowledging that if Martin Olsson had finished off a decent opportunity when Blackburn were already in front, the spot-kick for Paul Robinson's foul on Javier Hernandez would not have mattered. "It looked as though he was going down before the challenge," reflected Kean. "I asked Phil Dowd whether he gave the decision and he said yes. He was quite sure. It could have gone either way. It is a tough call. "It is just one of those things you have to take. "We should have had the game wrapped up before then."