Pressure growing on Valerien Ismael at Blackburn Rovers after Portsmouth defeat | OneFootball

Rovers fans haven't been holding back in their reflections of Ismael's first five Championship games in charge.

The wait for Valerien Ismael's first win as Blackburn Rovers manager goes on after his side were beaten 1-0 by Portsmouth on Saturday, and Rovers supporters are far from impressed with life under their new boss so far.

The sudden and shock departure of John Eustace in mid-February was always going to have an impact on Blackburn's squad, and indeed, their season.

However, the Ewood Park faithful hoped it would act as a catalyst for defiance, and as such, many were prepared to get behind Ismael and his players as they attempted to soldier on towards the play-offs.

Unfortunately, this dugout drama has lit a flame for Blackburn, but not under them. Instead, their season is now rapidly going down in flames, with defeat to Portsmouth leaving them winless in six league games, and five points adrift of sixth-placed West Brom ahead of their Friday night meeting with Middlesbrough.

Blackburn supporters voice frustrations with manager Valerien Ismael

As is customary, Ismael spoke with Blackburn's club website following Saturday's dismal display at Fratton Park via X, and Rovers supporters didn't hold back from letting their feelings be known to their manager in the comments.

Indeed, the trip to Portsmouth was a long one for those passionate Blackburn fans, with the trip being comfortably over a 500-mile round journey for those travelling down from Lancashire.

Ismael must find winning Blackburn recipe before end of season or surely risk Ewood Park axe in the summer

Since taking charge of his first match as Blackburn boss in the 1-1 home draw with Norwich City on 1 March, that remains Ismael's best result in charge of the club as March turns into April.

All of the last four games have come against relegation-threatened sides in the shape of Derby, Stoke, Cardiff and Portsmouth respectively, and yet not a single point has been collected from any of those outings.

With play-off chasing Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday up next for Rovers, and with the likes of Sunderland, Watford and Sheffield United still to come, the path to the three points doesn't appear to be getting any easier.

But, if Ismael is to surely stand any realistic chance of retaining his position as Blackburn boss beyond the summer, and at the very least regain the trust of the fanbase, then he and his side must find a way to start playing winning football between now and the end of the season.