Kean: Rochina can make a difference

Blackburn Rovers manager Steve Kean believes midfielder Ruben Rochina could be a key factor in the club's revival.

However, he has stressed the Spaniard will still have to fit in with the way the team plays and not the other way around.

Rochina, a product of Barcelona's much-lauded youth system, has hit a rich vein of form with his goal in Tuesday night's 3-2 Carling Cup win over Leyton Orient his fourth in as many matches.The 20-year-old looked a cut above everyone else as he dictated most of the play at Ewood Park.

Having been given a nominal left-sided starting slot Rochina, a £1.5m signing from the Catalan giants in January, he roamed freely in the final third of the pitch against the League One strugglers.

But Kean admits the player will rarely be given a similar licence to roam or afforded as much time on the ball.

KEEP HAMMERING

"Ruben is still young. I think we have to ensure there is stability behind his tricks to make sure there is shape to the team," said the Rovers boss.

"He still must learn that because it does not matter where you are playing, if you lose the ball in the wrong areas then you are putting your team in danger.

"That is something we will keep hammering into him and he will get it because that is the only part of the game he has to improve on.

"He doesn't look like a player who doesn't have the ball under control at any time.

"He always has his head up and if you had a freeze frame you would see he is always looking at what is going on.

"If he can learn about when to bounce it off then I think he can go to a very high level.

"He is a difference-maker but he has to adapt to how we want to play.

"He can see a pass or score a goal but he still has to fit into the team and I don't think we have to accept he could lose it."