Tony Mowbray has offered cautious optimism about Blackburn Rovers' fitness situation, but has tempered that with a candid admission that the club's move to sign free-agent midfielder Ryotaro Ito looks to have fallen through, leaving Rovers short of options as they search for their first win in five Championship games.

A squad stretched to its limits

The depth of Blackburn's injury problems was laid bare in Tuesday's 2-1 home defeat to Sheffield United, when Mowbray was forced to deploy winger Jayden Fevrier as a false nine because no recognised striker was available. Andri Gudjohnsen, who had started all five of Rovers' opening Championship fixtures and clocked 418 minutes in the process, was absent, as were Mathias Jorgensen and Yuki Ohashi. Both of the latter are expected to remain sidelined for at least a few more weeks.

The situation has been a persistent theme for Mowbray since the season began, and it is one that clearly frustrates him. Speaking to BBC Radio Lancashire, he said: "It would be nice to have some more senior players to try and change a game late on, as opposed to hoping a young boy comes on and does something quite special." That is not a criticism of the youth players themselves; it is an honest reckoning with what a depleted senior group costs you at crucial moments in tight Championship matches.

Gudjohnsen and Baradji offer a ray of light

There is, at least, some better news on the injury front heading into Saturday's home fixture against Millwall (15:00). Mowbray confirmed that Gudjohnsen returned to training on Thursday and could feature, while Moussa Baradji, who is yet to make his first appearance of the season, may be fit enough to be named among the substitutes at Ewood Park.

Those are incremental gains rather than a full recovery, and the caution in Mowbray's language is worth noting. He said the situation is "starting to improve and starting to get better" — two qualifications that suggest he is not about to see his best eleven suddenly restored. Still, even one or two extra bodies available off the bench would materially change his options in the final quarter of matches, which is precisely where Rovers have been losing ground.

The Ito pursuit appears over

On top of the fitness concerns, the club now appears to have missed out on bolstering the squad through a free transfer. Mowbray revealed that Rovers had been close to signing Ryotaro Ito, a 28-year-old Japan international midfielder who spent last season in Belgium, and that the player had actually been at the club as recently as Monday. Despite that, a deal has not materialised.

Mowbray was candid about his own confusion. "I genuinely don't know but, my experience would suggest to me that it's not going to happen now," he said. He added that he had asked the club for reinforcements several weeks ago and that efforts had been made to bring players in. Whether the Ito move collapsed over personal terms, agents' fees, or something else entirely, we do not have the information to say. What is clear is that a deal that looked imminent has stalled, and Mowbray is left working with what he has.

The table tells its own story

Rovers have collected just one point from their last four Championship outings and currently sit 10 places and four points below eighth-placed Millwall, who visit Ewood Park on Saturday. That gap, this early in the season, is not insurmountable, but it is a reminder of how quickly a poor injury run can drag a side into a mid-table rut before the campaign has properly found its rhythm.

Mowbray acknowledged the bind directly: "We know we need to find a result. We can't keep thinking the team is playing quite well but we're getting beat again or drawing again." His belief that the performances have merited more than the points tally reflects may or may not be borne out by the underlying numbers — we do not have those figures to hand — but the Championship is ultimately decided by results, and Rovers urgently need some.

If Gudjohnsen is fit and Baradji can contribute from the bench, Saturday represents a chance to arrest the slide. Lose again, and the questions around squad depth and recruitment will only grow louder.

Frequently asked

Is Andri Gudjohnsen fit for Blackburn's game against Millwall?
Mowbray said Gudjohnsen returned to training on Thursday and could feature in Saturday's home game against Millwall, though his involvement has not been confirmed.
Has Blackburn signed Ryotaro Ito?
No. Despite the Japanese midfielder visiting the club, Mowbray indicated the deal looks unlikely to happen, though he said he did not know exactly why it had broken down.
How many points have Blackburn taken from their last four Championship games?
Blackburn have taken just one point from their last four Championship matches, leaving them 10 places and four points below eighth-placed Millwall.