[Archived] Sam Allardyce

[philipl]

Would it be fair to say that Big Sam has no idea what his first choice line up & formation is?

I would say that is both unfair and wouldn't involve as many as six of the players who started yesterday...

That said, I saw my first truly bad game of the season yesterday and I am ashamed it was a Rovers game. The standard of entertainment seems to have improved appreciably so far this season. We desperately need to get points on the board so Sam feels OK to play 4-4-2.

As things stand, the teams Sam will put out in October will resemble a pile of hardboard stacked on the goal line.

[The Prof.]

Sam should show some affection for the club - there wasn't a queue for his services was there and he's on a great wack here.

Also he's still a relatively young manager and if he has ANY ambition left he should be making the best of it even if he thinks it's a bad job.

NO premiership club - including Utd - have spent all their sales money as far as I can see this year (and Utd look like they need to if they are to keep the title).

[ABBEY]

i havent been online since yesterdays snoozzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzefest.I havent read any comments.Alls i can say well done sam you certainly cured my insomnia i slept like a baby last night.As for slagging the fans off alls i can say is sam you are not bigger than blackburn rovers and we will still be here a lot longer than you will be. We have had a long run of attacking football going back over the years and yesterdays formation and tactics was a big fat two fingered salute...wtf was it all about we set up like we were playing brazil away in a cup game. I nearly left early ,which i never do, because it was that dire .my wife watched 60 minute makeover on the sky plus today and it was a billion times more entertaining than that pathetic excuse of a game yesterday. I know our finances are shagged , i know strikers were injured,i know he gets big poundnotes for picking the team ..AND I ALSO KNOW THE BOLTON WAY OF DEFENCE 1ST FOOTBALL IS NOT THE WAY OF BLACKBURN ROVERS,if it carries on then there will be a lot more sat with waggy in the wam!

[Alan75]

Quote BBC attributed to Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce:

"We're building well, but the results are not reflecting that.

"We're creating chances but not taking them. At least we have got the defensive side sorted and we got stronger as the game went on and could have won it.

"We played the way we did because of the players we had available - and we played it very well. All you punters and supporters out there, leave it to me. I'm the expert, not you."

Im not an expert brewer or cheff.

Im not an expert mechanic

In fact I doubt Im an expert in many things. However I still have my opinion on things

If I continually have a bad pint or meal or bad service at a garage or other establishment I tend to spend my money elsewhere.

John Williams needs to remind Sam Allardyce that he is in a service industry - once an unhappy or upset customer leaves the store its not easy to get them back.

[American]

Alan, I think you summed it up perfectly. Especially as we were using the 3 for 30 to try to get the local people back, but I'm sure they would have preferred paying more to see Bolton/Liverpool right down the road.

[spencey7]

If I was BFS I'd have them training night and day for the next 2 weeks until even the ball boy can hit the back of the net at every touch. I have the feeling things are way too lenient in the locker room and BFS is telling them "no luck lads, next time we'll get 'em". The players need to be absolutely terrified of repeating what they did in the first 3 games. They get paid massive sums, so let's see them try to earn them a bit.

To be fair to the players, it's very difficult for them to have any real impact on games when they're being throttled by such undynamic, stifled "tactics" (if the Allardyce approach is worthy of the name). Football is supposed to be predicated on special players doing special things (a Pedersen volley, a bit of skill from...someone, a killer pass from....em....), but under Allardyce the stall will only ever be set out like it was yesterday. Get used to it, or get him out.

If you're not setting up to beat West Ham at home, which games are we going to try to win? Here are our league fixtures up to the start of November:

Saturday 12 September

Blackburn v Wolverhampton

Saturday 19 September

Everton v Blackburn

Saturday 26 September

Blackburn v Aston Villa

Sunday 4 October

Arsenal v Blackburn

Sunday 18 October

Blackburn v Burnley

Saturday 24 October

Chelsea v Blackburn

Saturday 31 October

Man Utd v Blackburn

I can only see us picking up points against Wolves and Burnley.

And even those be dependent on actually trying to beat the opposition.

[tashor]

....................................................................................................

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[spencey7]

(I would have preferred to have sent this as a PM as it is a very 1-to-1 discussion, but moderators have decreed that the only way I can communicate is via the message boards, so here goes.)

ooohh my gooossshh. I've numbered the idotic replies you've made up so you can stay with me

Hello there ebenrocks! Apologies for the delay in replying to your post. To be honest it's been difficult to muster the enthusiasm to type a reply to someone who misspells the word "idiotic", but I let this one slide on the basis of irony. Thank you for numbering your "idotic" replies.

1. I never said that Allardyce had anything to do with the Roque fee, i simply said that given the circumstances of him being a crock, it was bloody good business. Givet was brought in and slotted into.. yes you guessed it kids LEFT BACK! Do you rememeber what happened with Warnock when Givet went into left back? He was moved up to help out in midfield, therefore, he REPLACED warnock as our first choice left back. boom bada ching.

Roque was indeed "good business", but it had nothing to do with Sam Allardyce - which is what this thread is all about. The clue's in the title. Givet and Warnock were at the club at the same time, so the former was most certainly NOT a "replacement" for the latter. "Boom bada ching."

2. I do think we need reinforcements on the left side of midfield, but Allardyce knows better than me, i trust him to know what he\'s doing. Im sure if they were good enough he would have brought them in, but they werent so he didnt. Would you rather he bought blind or actually looked at players before spending our limited cash on fees and/or wages?

So let me get this straight - You agree with Allardyce that apparently we need strengthening down the left-hand side, but are at ease with the fact that (having spent the summer bringing in trialists) absolutely nothing has been to sort this alleged "priority position"? Sam Allardyce's transfer policy makes no sense. The more the weeks go on the more obvious it seems to be that it's been a ramshackle string of grabbing opportunities, rushed deals and ill-thought-out gambles. There's no logic to Allardyce's signings. None.

3.hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! read my post back. i think you\'ll find i said Kalinic and Hoillet, and then went on to say brought in/ given first team contacts. I think its pretty obvious to anyone with a basic understanding of english that the BROUGHT IN refered to kalinic, and the GIVEN FIRST TEAM CONTRACTS refered to Hoillett. That is the power of the \'/\' my friend.

Read your original post. You say that Kalinic and Hoilett were "both brought/given first team contracts after looking at ellington". They were actually both brought in before Nathan Ellington had his trial. So does Allardyce want that 5th striker...? Or not...? The transfer policy makes no sense.

4. Where have you seen enough of Van Heerden? coz noone else has, or are you lucky enough to have special games put on for your entertainment in order for you to see players. Noone is able to judge Van Heerden\'s abillity until we have seen him play against premier league opposition. Once we have, you can come back to me on that.

I've seen Van Heerden a few times with South Africa, and have heard enough from close friends in Bruges to hear that there couldn't be a player less-suited to the Premier League. He became available, and true to form Allardyce pounced without really thinking of where he would play or when he'd be ready.

5. As i told you, he brought in N\'Zonzi, Van Heerden and to a lesser extent Salgado. Also we have Dunn coming back from injury and hopefully Emerton as well. Therefore, Allardyce, given the resources he has to work with has done very well. Yes, i feel we are lacking, but that will always be the case, we dont have the money to give ourselves a perfect Real Madrid Midfield, but with what we have to work with, Sam has done very well.

I don't know why I keep trying to explain this simple concept, as it's clear you won't ever be able to grasp it. But - THERE IS A MIDDLE GROUND BETWEEN BLACKBURN ROVERS AND REAL MADRID. Strengthening the midfield should have been a priority since Bentley left and, despite the hideous footballing approach we knew we were doomed to endure, I honestly expected Allardyce would bring in at least two experienced central-midfield players during the summer. It should certainly have been a more pressing concern than another right-back. And N'zonzi isn't ready - he wouldn't get into one other midfield in the Premier League.

6. I dont know why im replying to this, but i will. Allardyce is being realistic. Would you rather he came out and said \'Guys... dont worry, i\'ve just found £700 million in Morrisons and we\'re spending it all on world class players... yno what, i think we\'re going to win the league again this year\'. No, coz its ######. If he got our hopes up unrealistically, and then was unable to live up to what he\'s said, we\'d all feel far more let down than if he just told us the truth. Noone has ever said that supporting Blackburn Rovers is an attractive choice, you gotta take what you get, and unfortunatly not expect too muchat the moment.

Again, there's middle ground. Of course Allardyce shouldn't talk us up like we're going to win the league - but he at least has to appear confident and bullish of our chances against any opposition as opposed to miserable and defeatist. Confident management bleeds through to the players - remember Mark Hughes? Even during the "bully boys" era he was always talking up our chances, even in the biggest of games. I can't imagine what it must be like in the Rovers dressing room at the moment.

7. Gallagher is 25... he;s been distinctly average for his entire playing career. Never premier league quality, but yno what. if in the next 6 or 7 years he turns into the next Ronaldo, i\'ll offer you a full apology.

Once again you revent to hyperbolic statements which bear no reality to what I was saying. Paul Gallagher is not a superb football player - he's not even a very good one. But he was without question the most creative player we had in our squad. As things stand, I expect he's more likely to be in the Premier League next season with his new club that if he'd stayed with us.

8. So was Samba, but that worked out pretty well didnt it. yes N\'Zonzi was unproven, but he\'s proving himself very quickly, and with any luck Van Heerden will do the same, but we cant know unless we give him time and support. We need an midfielder, but you seem to think we can just piece together whatever team we like. I think sam has done very well on what he has to work with, and i\'d like to see you do a better job.

Deal. Where do I sign?

[spencey7]

9. Yes, it's very unfortunate that Nelsen got injured during preseason, but it happens to all teams, players get injured, its a fact of the game. You have to play first team players in preseason, and if they're playing there is a risk they could get injured. Unless of course you think we should have protected our first team and just played our reserves during preseason making the first team totally un-match fit for the new premier league season. Its up to you really.

Our team was unfit for the start of the new season. Both fitness-wise and with regards to tactics our pre-season was an utter farce. The total absence of a fluid system is a truly staggering thing to witness for a team at this level.

10. again, you'd rather we played the paul ince style that nearly got us relegated? Or would you prefer the Allardyce approach that kept us in the premiership? The club is at a stage now where relegation would be unbelievebly destructive to our future. We cant risk it. Allardyces approach, although unattractive will keep us in the premiership. If you would rather watch attractive football then go and support Arsenal. I care more about the future of the club and staying in the premiership than watching attractive football.

I would suggest that Allardyce's approach is the very thing that WILL see us relegated. It's basic, negative lowest-common-denominator percentages football, and teams can defend against it. Allardyce's approach will only get less effective as the season goes on.

11. This is the stupidest answer of the lot, you really think Allardyce would get fired if we lost to Burnley? hahahaha. The only reason i care about us beating Burnley is to get 3 points. I can almost guarentee both Sam and John Williams feel the same. Rivalries very rarely genuinely mean anything to people who run clubs.

Time will tell. Given our upcoming run of fixtures and the results/performances so far, I believe Allardyce's position would be very precarious should Burnley win on October 18th.

That is all, goodnight. I dont mean to come across as rude to you in this reply, its just very hard not to. You obviously dont really care about this club if you're only concerned about us playing 'attractive football', i really think you should consider switching clubs if thats what you want, coz it aint happening here.

I'm not "only concerned about us playing attractive football", but I believe that at least attempting to do so is pivotal to our hopes of survival. I'm convinced that an attempt to play football yesterday - or the inclusion of a proper creative midfielder with a licence to play - would have resulted in three points rather than one.

Your final sentence honestly makes my heart sink. You've just totally written off the chances of seeing anything like football at Ewood Park - and you don't seem to mind.

That's sad.

[bob fleming]

More to follow...

Deep joy.

Good post Alan75. It wasn't much fun that yesterday was it? Now I'm no expert of course but surely you've go to go with two up front against the likes of West Ham and not play an 8,0,1,1 formation?

Yet again on another day we could have nicked it a the death. We could also have done Sunderland on another day and if you recall we could have got something against Man City. As it is, as we all know, we didn't, we're on 1 point. Let's take a look after 10 games and see where we are in the league, get the injured players back and take it from there.

[mellison24]

It's not sad. He is being realistic. We are a small club in the big leagues. We shouldn't be there, but we thank our lucky stars (and uncle Jack) that we are there. For a club like us, results must come before style. HOWEVER, I agree that a playmaker would make a difference to our chances. Being able to afford one is another matter. I do see your point though, now that it has some coherence (unlike waggy).

[imy9]

Roque was indeed "good business", but it had nothing to do with Sam Allardyce - which is what this thread is all about. The clue's in the title. Givet and Warnock were at the club at the same time, so the former was most certainly NOT a "replacement" for the latter. "Boom bada ching."

IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH SAM, HE WAS THE MANAGER IN JANUARY WHEN HE STUCK TO HIS GUNS AND REFUSED TO SELL HIM BECAUSE HE DID NOT HAVE AN ADEQUATE STRIKER LINED UP- CHECK BACK IF YOU NEED TO. GIVET WAS BOUGHT IN TO REPLACE WARNOCK, AT THE TIME RSC WAS UNLIKELY TO BE SOLD AND AS NICKO ALLUDED TO AT THE TIME WARNOCK WAS LIKELY TO BE SOLD AND GIVET TO SLOT INTO AT LEFT BACK.

So let me get this straight - You agree with Allardyce that apparently we need strengthening down the left-hand side, but are at ease with the fact that (having spent the summer bringing in trialists) absolutely nothing has been to sort this alleged "priority position"? Sam Allardyce's transfer policy makes no sense. The more the weeks go on the more obvious it seems to be that it's been a ramshackle string of grabbing opportunities, rushed deals and ill-thought-out gambles. There's no logic to Allardyce's signings. None.

1. HE BOUGHT IN A SPECIALIST RIGHT BACK

2. HE CUT DOWN THE AVERAGE AGE OF THE SQUAD

3. HE PURCHASED/BROUGHT BACK INTO THE CLUB A NUMBER OF PLAYERS WITH PACE.

4. HE PURCHASED A YOUNG CENTRAL MIDFIELD PLAYER

4. SOLD A CROCK FOR £18 MILLION

5. BOUGHT A MARQUE PLAYER TO LIFT THE PLAYERS

WHICH OF THE ABOVE MAKES NO SENSE?

Read your original post. You say that Kalinic and Hoilett were "both brought/given first team contracts after looking at ellington". They were actually both brought in before Nathan Ellington had his trial. So does Allardyce want that 5th striker...? Or not...? The transfer policy makes no sense.

A PLAYER BECAME AVAILABLE WHO POTENTIALLY COULD BE GOOD, BETTER TO INVITE IN FOR TRIAL TO REJECT OR PURCHASE? I AM CONFUSED.

I've seen Van Heerden a few times with South Africa, and have heard enough from close friends in Bruges to hear that there couldn't be a player less-suited to the Premier League. He became available, and true to form Allardyce pounced without really thinking of where he would play or when he'd be ready.

AN INTERNATIONAL PLAYER IS AVAILABLE ON A FREE, HE HAS PACE AND CAN DELIVER A GOOD CROSS (ACCORDING TO ICEMAN AND OTHERS), HE HAS NOT PLAYED A MINUTE OF PL FOOTBALL THUS FAR AS SAM SAID THAT HE WOULD NOT BE READY UNTIL THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON, GIVE HIM A CHANCE?

I don't know why I keep trying to explain this simple concept, as it's clear you won't ever be able to grasp it. But - THERE IS A MIDDLE GROUND BETWEEN BLACKBURN ROVERS AND REAL MADRID. Strengthening the midfield should have been a priority since Bentley left and, despite the hideous footballing approach we knew we were doomed to endure, I honestly expected Allardyce would bring in at least two experienced central-midfield players during the summer. It should certainly have been a more pressing concern than another right-back. And N'zonzi isn't ready - he wouldn't get into one other midfield in the Premier League.

AGREE TO A POINT, THERE IS A MIDDLE GROUND AND WE HAVE SEEN IT AT SUNDERLAND AWAY AND MAN CITY AT HOME. WE HAVE DUNN, GRELLA, REID, EMERTON THATS FOUR EXPERIENCED PLAYERS COMING BACK FROM INJURY, ALL ON WAGES OVER £25K A WEEK AND YOU WANT ANOTHER!!!

Again, there's middle ground. Of course Allardyce shouldn't talk us up like we're going to win the league - but he at least has to appear confident and bullish of our chances against any opposition as opposed to miserable and defeatist. Confident management bleeds through to the players - remember Mark Hughes? Even during the "bully boys" era he was always talking up our chances, even in the biggest of games. I can't imagine what it must be like in the Rovers dressing room at the moment.

EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE HAD SO FAR SUGGESTS THE DRESSING ROOM IS VERY PLEASED WITH SAM, A NUMBER OF POSTERS HAVE COMMENTED ON THIS ALREADY.

Once again you revent to hyperbolic statements which bear no reality to what I was saying. Paul Gallagher is not a superb football player - he's not even a very good one. But he was without question the most creative player we had in our squad. As things stand, I expect he's more likely to be in the Premier League next season with his new club that if he'd stayed with us.

MORE CREATIVE THAN DAVID DUNN? A PLAYER WHO HAS FAILED TO MAKE AN IMPACT AT FOUR CHAMPIONSHIP CLUBS?

Deal. Where do I sign?

Our team was unfit for the start of the new season. Both fitness-wise and with regards to tactics our pre-season was an utter farce. The total absence of a fluid system is a truly staggering thing to witness for a team at this level.

WHAT A BREATHTAKINGLY STUPID COMMENT, HAVE YOU GOT ANY INSIDER INFO ON THIS AS THIS IS NOT WHAT IS COMING OUT OF EWOOD.

I would suggest that Allardyce's approach is the very thing that WILL see us relegated. It's basic, negative lowest-common-denominator percentages football, and teams can defend against it. Allardyce's approach will only get less effective as the season goes on.

OUT OF INTEREST CAN YOU SHOW ME ANY CLUBS WHERE SAM HAS GOT THEM RELEGATED PLAYING WITH HIS "APPROACH" THIS IS THE SAME SAM WHO SAVED US FROM RELEGATION PLAYING WITH A CENTRE HALF UP FRONT! YOU MAY HATE HIM BUT IT IS WIDELY RECOGNISED THAT SAM IS A PIONEER IN THE GAME, WORLD STARS LIKE HIERRO, CAMPO, ANELKA, JAY JAY, YOURI D RAVE ABOUT HIM. YOU MAY NOT KNOW THIS BUT GIVET SIGNED FOR US AFTER A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT SAM FROM ANELKA, SALGADO SIGNED AFTER HIERRO RAVED ABOUT SAM AND HIS MANAGEMENT, WEIRD THAT, ANY EXPLANATION?

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

Big Sam's boring army....

Saturday's game against West Ham was drab. It was bleak, but I'm afraid it's looking likely to be a long hard season until next May. Negative tactics, lots of men behind the ball and grinding out drab draws at home with an unadventurous approach.

But Mr Allardyce insists that he's the expert and we the supporters should keep our mouths shut. Perhaps Sam thinks that this website should close down. We're not allowed to have opinions anymore unless it's to hail the Messiah Samuel and say what a fantastic job he's doing.

We are just football peasants who don't know anything at all about the game. We have to get down on our hands and bended knees and give thanks to Sam the expert.

In terms of points on the table it's clear that one win and two defeats is worth more (3 points) than two draws and one defeat (2 points). I fear that Big Sam doesn't fully appreciate this and he doesn't like to gamble to gain 3 points. Sam seems happier with a safety-first cautious approach. But woe betide anybody who questions his tactics - he's the expert.

Sam has an unattractive percentage-based approach to the game, grinding out results irrespective of style or whether it's pleasing to the eye. If Rovers can nick a 1-0 win through a set-piece without having played well in the game, then Sam is a happy man. The trouble is that sometimes things don't go according to plan, the percentages don't work and it ends up being a dreadful spectacle. The aim at the start - to grind out a 1-0 win - becomes in the end a scrap for a 0-0 draw.

Sam insists that we're playing well and creating lots of chances. Well I'm sorry to disagree with the Messiah but I didn't see that many chances being created on Saturday.

Sam had sent out a team to make a statement to the clubs board that I NEED A CENTRAL MIDFIELD PLAYMAKER

Allardyce has been busy signing three full-backs - Jacobsen, Salgado and Chimbonda - but there's no sign of him recognising the desperate need for a playmaker in midfield. Sam doesn't seem to feel that a fluent approach which creates chances through open play by incisive passes from midfield is a priority for the team. Sam is happier with the percentage-based approach of nicking a goal at a set-piece and grinding out results.

I wonder if Big Sam is also the "expert" when it comes to facing top four opposition. Last season Rovers had the worst record in the Premiership against the 'Big Four' of Man United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal. A pitiful 0 points out of a possible 24. Big Sam seemed to raise the white flag before his team stepped out on the pitch and made excuses afterwards.

Whatever words of wisdom Sam the expert said before the matches against Arsenal and Liverpool last season, we conceded after just 2 minutes against Arsenal in a 4-0 thrashing, and conceded after just 5 minutes against Liverpool also in a 4-0 thrashing.

The sad and depressing reality is that Burnley have gained more points against the 'Big Four' in just one single game than Rovers managed in an entire season last year.

If our first home match at Ewood this season had been against Man United, how many people think we would have won the match? Not myself. I don't think Sam would have been bold enough to go for a win against United. He would have tried grinding out a 0-0 draw and then made excuses afterwards about not being able to compete against United.

In Sam's last season in charge with Bolton, in the 2006/07 season, the aggregate scoreline over two matches against Man United was Bolton 1 Man United 8, with Sam losing 4-0 at home at the Reebok and 4-1 at Old Trafford. Perhaps over a bottle of wine after the matches in which his team had been thrashed, Sam told his buddy Alex Ferguson: "I'm the expert".

In the 2004 Carling Cup final, Big Sam the expert found his Bolton team 2-0 down after just 7 minutes against Steve McClaren's Middlesbrough. Tactically outfought and outplayed by a team managed by McClaren. That's quite an indictment.

I know that I run the risk of one or two people telling me that I'm an ungrateful barsteward and that I should be down on my hands and knees thanking Sam for keeping us up last season. Well I am grateful for staying up, because clearly relegation would have been a complete disaster. I'm sure we would have been relegated if Ince had remained in charge, but that still doesn't mean that Sam should forever be immune from any criticism.

If we are near the bottom of the table by Christmas, do we still give Sam pats on the back for last season or do we try to look at the current situation and suggest ways of improvement. Sam seems to think that he should be immune from criticism, that supporters shouldn't voice their concerns, because he knows best.

I'm not suggesting that Sam should be sacked, but I do think there are clearly areas for improvement and Allardyce shouldn't be so stubborn to think that he is always right and the supporters are always wrong.

John Williams is fond of telling us that football has to be run like a business. Well as Alan75 has indicated in his post, in any other business if you receive bad service then you are entitled to complain.

Sam doesn't see it that way. He's like a stern matron in a hospital ward telling people: "You'll have this medicine whether you like it or not."

Ultimately Sam's medicine has at times left me with an unpleasant taste.

[mark1875]

Quote BBC attributed to Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce:

"We're building well, but the results are not reflecting that.

"We're creating chances but not taking them. At least we have got the defensive side sorted and we got stronger as the game went on and could have won it.

"We played the way we did because of the players we had available - and we played it very well. All you punters and supporters out there, leave it to me. I'm the expert, not you."

whilst i completely understand his frustration at the crowds response, this reply is shocking, it is one sure way of turning people further against him

If he goes to war with the blackburn end - he will lose

[ebenrocks]

Cheers imy9... spencey7, those answers above are pretty much the exact same ones i would have given you. You can blindly fumble your way towards a coherent arguement using them.

sam

[CaliRoverNYC]

If we win and play boring football you cannot complain, however this season that is not yet the case, I thought we were unlucky against citah and Sunderland, and I thought we played a style of football that you can't really gripe about either, Sam is a results based manager and he needs to get results. He has his work cut out for him given our upcoming fixtures but I won't turn on him yet. In fact the only thing I can be mad at him about is his attitude while being interviewed.

In his defense we had more chances than Sunderland and more than Hammers, we were pretty close to equal to Citah. Sam can't put the ball in the net they players must do it for him. These things tend to even themselves out and maybe when Sam has two strikers he feels can play the majority of the game, then we will play with two up front.

[ebenrocks]

Dear everyone... WE'RE THREE GAMES IN!

[RovertheHill]

Given the way one drab performance has been leapt on by the Anti-Allardyce brigade as proof that he is rubbish/tactically inept/trying to censor the internet, I fully expect that when we play well and win one match (which we will do) that they will instantly insist he is brilliant/tactically genius/a bastion of free speech? Of course not because that would be foolish after a single game.

These same people are the ones continually saying he's stubborn and doesn't listen to the supporters? Well from what I can see on here a good percentage of them actually agree with what he's doing, so how is it possible to listen to some and not to others? The answer is that it isn't. You can't make everyone happy. What they actually mean is that he isn't listening to them.

Fact is, a lot of people on here have already made their minds up about the manager. Doesn't matter what happens. Doesn't matter how we do. And if you actually like him, or believe he shouldn't be judged just yet, you are accused of being blinded by him, or called Allardyce's minion.

Well I haven't made my mind up yet. I'm thankful he kept us up last year. I think that buys him some time. I (perhaps unreasonably) expect slightly more than just survival from Rovers. So I'll judge him over the next few months. If that makes me a minion in your eyes so be it - but I think that says more about you than me.

[mellison24]

Given the way one drab performance has been leapt on by the Anti-Allardyce brigade as proof that he is rubbish/tactically inept/trying to censor the internet, I fully expect that when we play well and win one match (which we will do) that they will instantly insist he is brilliant/tactically genius/a bastion of free speech? Of course not because that would be foolish after a single game.

These same people are the ones continually saying he's stubborn and doesn't listen to the supporters? Well from what I can see on here a good percentage of them actually agree with what he's doing, so how is it possible to listen to some and not to others? The answer is that it isn't. You can't make everyone happy. What they actually mean is that he isn't listening to them.

Fact is, a lot of people on here have already made their minds up about the manager. Doesn't matter what happens. Doesn't matter how we do. And if you actually like him, or believe he shouldn't be judged just yet, you are accused of being blinded by him, or called Allardyce's minion.

Well I haven't made my mind up yet. I'm thankful he kept us up last year. I think that buys him some time. I (perhaps unreasonably) expect slightly more than just survival from Rovers. So I'll judge him over the next few months. If that makes me a minion in your eyes so be it - but I think that says more about you than me.

well said sir!! I am a fan of allardyce admittedly, BUT i'm going to judge how we'll fair this year when we get to the end of october (all those horrid away days out the way).

[Amo]

Although it isn't a barometer for assessing Sam's tenure at Rovers, I will be thoroughly disappointed if he essentially capitulates games against the Big Four. Last season Liverpool away was depressing. We went 4-5-1 I recall, with Samba the solitary figure up front. If we're gonna get tonked 4-0 away from home, let's at least have a good go at them. We have nothing to lose against the bigger clubs.

[Tris]

we're on 1 point. Let's take a look after 10 games and see where we are in the league, get the injured players back and take it from there.

Well I haven't made my mind up yet. I'm thankful he kept us up last year. I think that buys him some time. I (perhaps unreasonably) expect slightly more than just survival from Rovers. So I'll judge him over the next few months. If that makes me a minion in your eyes so be it - but I think that says more about you than me.

Both correct, and although I have criticised the approach to the West Ham game I will stick by my stance at the beginning of summer, and give him 10 league games before losing the plot.

Well, almost. Because the Fulham game was moved, PL game 10 is away at Old Trafford and game 9 is away at Stamford Bridge. Game 8 is at Ewood against Burnley.

We have already failed in games 1, 2 and 3. So before we play Burnley, the manager absolutely has to make things happen in the next 4 games - Wolves (H), Everton (A), Aston Villa (H) and Arsenal (A).

If we don't take 6 points out of that lot, we'll be playing Burnley as the lower team, with Chelsea and MU to follow. Which is not a happy scenario.

So the period of grace is now 8 games for me. And heaven help Allardyce if he f****s up number 8 like he f****d up against West Ham.

[Ninjathunder]

Given the way one drab performance has been leapt on by the Anti-Allardyce brigade as proof that he is rubbish/tactically inept/trying to censor the internet, I fully expect that when we play well and win one match (which we will do) that they will instantly insist he is brilliant/tactically genius/a bastion of free speech? Of course not because that would be foolish after a single game.

These same people are the ones continually saying he's stubborn and doesn't listen to the supporters? Well from what I can see on here a good percentage of them actually agree with what he's doing, so how is it possible to listen to some and not to others? The answer is that it isn't. You can't make everyone happy. What they actually mean is that he isn't listening to them.

Fact is, a lot of people on here have already made their minds up about the manager. Doesn't matter what happens. Doesn't matter how we do. And if you actually like him, or believe he shouldn't be judged just yet, you are accused of being blinded by him, or called Allardyce's minion.

Well I haven't made my mind up yet. I'm thankful he kept us up last year. I think that buys him some time. I (perhaps unreasonably) expect slightly more than just survival from Rovers. So I'll judge him over the next few months. If that makes me a minion in your eyes so be it - but I think that says more about you than me.

You said it.

[Silencio]

Both correct, and although I have criticised the approach to the West Ham game I will stick by my stance at the beginning of summer, and give him 10 league games before losing the plot.

Well, almost. Because the Fulham game was moved, PL game 10 is away at Old Trafford and game 9 is away at Stamford Bridge. Game 8 is at Ewood against Burnley.

We have already failed in games 1, 2 and 3. So before we play Burnley, the manager absolutely has to make things happen in the next 4 games - Wolves (H), Everton (A), Aston Villa (H) and Arsenal (A).

If we don't take 6 points out of that lot, we'll be playing Burnley as the lower team, with Chelsea and MU to follow. Which is not a happy scenario.

So the period of grace is now 8 games for me. And heaven help Allardyce if he f****s up number 8 like he f****d up against West Ham.

Tris, I might be mistaken but I seem to remember you being one of the ones who was all for keeping Ince even after 10 games last season...

[CaliRoverNYC]

Tris, I might be mistaken but I seem to remember you being one of the ones who was all for keeping Ince even after 10 games last season...

well of course because Big Sam was the logical replacement.

[Iceman]

This is all just getting silly now. If we get hammered, then we will all blame Sam for his tactics. If we get a boring win, we still not happy. On Saturday, it might have been boring, but a point and a clean sheet was okay with me. Me personally, il be happy with boring football every season if it keeps us in this league. Again, our midfield have been a problem area for some time now. As a manager, you can only play a certain way, if the players at your disposal are capable of playing that way. Unfortunately, apart from Dunny(who is forever injured) there is no creativity in there. Gamst has lost the ability to score goals, which in his good years pushed us into the European places. Our strikers have also lost the ability to score goals, and now the pressure is firmly, but unfairly on Sam. Players need to take responsibility, and make things happen, not wait for something to happen. At the end of the day though, its Sam who is held accountable and the players who are responsible for the results. However, it seems Sam is both accountable and responsible for results. If we think we can play quick attacking football, with the players we have, then we seriously mistaken. 1 point or 3 points, is what we want, how we get them is irrelavant. playing attacking football just to make the fans happy, and not getting any points is worrying.