Blackburn had the ball and the chances, and still lost to Stoke

Blackburn had most of the possession and the better chances at Ewood Park, but Stoke's two goals were enough to take the points.

Blackburn had most of the ball and most of the chances at Ewood Park, and still left empty-handed. Stoke City won 2-1, scoring in the 43rd minute through Jack McGlynn and again in the 68th, when Moussa Baradji turned a cross into his own net. Andri Guðjohnsen pulled one back in the 87th minute, but it was far too late to change the outcome.

Start with the ball. Blackburn had 58 per cent of possession, well above the 46.2 per cent they usually keep at home. Stoke had 42 per cent, a little under their away norm of 48.4. A side that normally has less than half the ball ended the afternoon with clearly more of it.

The chances tell the same story. Blackburn took 14 shots, against a home average of 11.3 and a league norm of 13.3 for each side. Expected goals, a rough measure of how good each chance was, came to 1.88, where their home average is 0.85. That means the openings were both more numerous and better than usual, yet only three of those efforts were on target and just one found the net.

Stoke's figures were quieter but more efficient. They managed 11 shots, a touch below their away average of 12, and three of them were on target. Their expected goals of 1.3 sat above their away average of 0.82, so the chances they made were of better quality than they usually create on the road. McGlynn's goal earned him an 8.1 rating, the strongest mark in the match.

The second goal was the one that changed the feel of the game. Blackburn made three substitutions in the 67th minute, and the own goal arrived a minute later. Stoke took yellow cards at a rate that kept referee and players busy, but nobody was sent off, so the score was settled by the finishing and the one mistake rather than by any dismissal. Blackburn conceded two, above their home average of 1.7, while Stoke's one goal conceded was below their away norm of 1.3.

Guðjohnsen's goal deserves its place. It came in the 87th minute, rated 7.4, and it was the only one Blackburn managed from a shot total that was more than they usually produce. The sum is that a team with the ball and the better openings walked off beaten, because their finishing lagged behind the quality of what they were creating.

The result leaves Blackburn fourteenth in the table on 18 points, with a home record of five wins, three draws and six defeats. Stoke have 26 points from their away games, a total that is already more than Blackburn have collected at Ewood Park.

Player of the matchJ. McGlynn1 goal8.1

A. Guðjohnsen1 goal7.4

Sam Morsy1 shot on target6.9

T. Cantwell4 chances created6.8