Blackburn Rovers hero Olsson is impressed with squad

4:10pm Friday 26th September 2008

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ROVERS’ Carling Cup match-winner Martin Olsson believes it is a case of ‘quality over quantity’ at Ewood Park.

The Swedish under 21 international burst onto the 2008/09 first-team scene with a clinical Wednesday night winner against Everton, sealing a man of the match display on his first appearance of the campaign.

Having already hit three goals in three reserve outings this season, since recovering from a dislocated shoulder, the 20-year-old admits even he has been surprised by his prolificacy.

But the left-back believes the fierce competition for places should be what fans are really getting excited about – insisting a high calibre squad more than makes up for a lack of numbers.

Olsson and his fellow squad players grasped a rare opportunity with both hands on Wednesday night, with seven changes made from Saturday’s win over Fulham, proving Paul Ince’s squad can cope with the rigours of modern-day football.

An ever-growing injury list threatened to dismantle Rovers’ season but, after comfortably easing aside a strong Everton outfit, Olsson is confident the current crop of youngsters can make up for limited resources ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Newcastle.

He said: “We do not have a big squad but we have some great players and we work very well together. We are good as a team and as a squad.

“Everyone has the confidence to do it and the first team FROM BACK PAGE players are giving the young lads good confidence and we just work off that.

“I know some clubs in this squad have very big squads but the good thing about here is every player can play in the first-team here.”

Olsson arrived at Ewood from Hogaborgs BK in January 2006 and made his Blackburn debut in the UEFA Cup qualifier last season as a late substitute for Stephen Warnock.

He went on to make his Premier League debut against Derby in December 2007 and was voted Rovers’ young player of the year, culminating in him signing a four-year deal to stay at the club until 2012.

He said: “It was pre-season when I injured my shoulder and I just worked my way back. I knew it would be hard because the gaffer had never seen me play before. I am just grateful he gave me the chance.

“I hope this can be my break-through season. It would be good for me to get that experience and if he plays me I will do my best and do as well as I can.

“I can’t promise any goals but I will work hard.

“That was the first game for me but hopefully I get more and if I do I will just do my best. If things get hard for me I will learn from that because it is all good experience.”

Olsson’s first goal for the first-team in Wednesday’s third-round victory suggested he was no stranger to hitting the back of the net, but Olsson admits he does not expect it to become a habit.

He said:”I very much enjoyed it. I was surprised I scored but I saw Robbie Fowler and he saw me and I just got it back and, maybe I was lucky, but I thought I would finish it.

“I have scored three goals in three games for the reserves and I told some of the reserve players I would score again.

"They didn’t believe me because I never score and I don’t expect it to continue.”