"A bit of a challenge" - Blackburn Rovers fan pundit pinpoints hurdle facing player after Brighton agreement | OneFootball

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Andrew Moran completed a loan move to Blackburn Rovers from Brighton late in the summer transfer window.

Since joining the Championship side, the Ireland underage international has made two league appearances for Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side.

He came off the bench for his debut against Watford, with the team going on to win 1-0 after his arrival into the game.

The 19-year-old started the EFL Cup win over Harrogate Town, contributing one assist from an 8-0 thrashing of the League Two opposition.

Moran also started in the 3-0 loss to Plymouth Argyle before the international break, playing on the left flank of the Rovers lineup.

Is Andrew Moran a guaranteed starter for Blackburn Rovers?

FLW’s Blackburn fan pundit Toby Wilding does not expect Moran to be a guaranteed starter until he proves he has earned the role.

He has claimed that Tomasson will only use players based on merit, and the stiff competition for places in the Blackburn attack means that Moran may be in and out of the team.

“I don’t think he is [a guaranteed starter],” Wilding told Football League World.

“If you look at the amount of options Blackburn seem to have out wide at the minute, there’s going to be a lot of competition for him.

“Certainly look at Arnor Sigurdsson, who has yet to play this season, a really exciting signing on paper, but injuries held him back.

“It looks like he could be back in the fold after the international break, there’s a lot expected from him.

“And obviously competition from elsewhere too.

“I do think it’s going to be a bit of a challenge for Moran to nail down a starting spot, especially with Tomasson, who is certainly a manager who will play a player on merit.

“So if he goes in and doesn’t earn his spot or, equally, someone else does, then it will be hard for him to get back in ahead of them.

“But, nevertheless, I do think he’ll get a decent amount of game time here and that’s probably one of the expectations of the loan.

“As I said, I would expect to see him on the pitch regularly, but I don’t think he’s a nailed on starter because of the competition and the other options that we have out wide, which is where it looks as though he’ll be playing most of the time he’s at the club.”

Up next for Blackburn is a clash at home to bottom of the table Middlesbrough on 16 September.

How important can Andrew Moran be for Blackburn Rovers this season?

Moran is a highly rated prospect coming out of Brighton, who have earned a reputation for producing impressive young talent in recent years.

The 19-year-old also performed well during the international break, scoring a crucial goal for the Ireland U21 side in their bid to qualify for the underage European Championship in 2025.

Moran can play on the left flank or centrally behind the striker, which is the kind of versatility that can make him a huge asset to the team.

While he is still young, and Blackburn have a lot of promising options, Moran has the chance to cement himself as a regular starter if he can hit the ground running and perform well.