[Archived] Sam Allardyce

[Hughesy]

I blame Emerton, Salgado and Chimbonda - not Sam.

And Brown?!

[T4E]

Brown made mistakes, but without him we would have been 3-0 down before he let Pavlyuchenko's shot slip under his body. The two saves he made were top class stops.

[philipl]

I think we are all missing the point that there has been a massive turnaround in recent weeks.

Around Christmas we were playing the most desperately turgid stuff, not winning and frankly surrendering. Villa in the FA Cup and City in the League were utterly disgraceful "performances".

Now we are at least competing and the opposition know they've been in a game after Rovers have come calling. Against Liverpool and Spurs, we conceded two defensively poor goals but effectively lost to three horror shows which have absolutely no place in the Prem and for which Robo, Brown and Chimbonda respectively carry the blame personally. But defensive howlers aside, we would have taken draws from Anfield and WHL and been very good value for a point apiece on the merit of our play.

Nobody can take this improvement away from Sam.

[Exiled in Toronto]

I'm not sure Spurs players will be thinking they were lucky to get away with that one - Gomez made no saves whatsoever and they were 2 up for all but 5 mins of the 2nd half. They weren't exactly backs to the wall and punting it into row Z.

We have 3 home games against the proper top 3 plus away to Villa where we all expect to get beat, but how easily will be the question. The away games against Bumley, Pompey and Wolves, and 2 relative toughies at home to Brum and Everton will be the test as to how real this improvement is. 3 or 4 wins plus some good showings in the unwinnable games will constitute an improvement.

Personally, I think we'll be lucky to match last season's points total.

[cesus]

I have to agree with Hughesy we would have been murdered if we went 442 at 2-0. We probably have the slowest midfield and full backs in the league and I'm sure they would have had loads of fun hitting us on the break. People asking for Hoiletts pace have obviously not watched him play this season, as he is at the moment not strong enough for the first team.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I'm not sure Spurs players will be thinking they were lucky to get away with that one - Gomez made no saves whatsoever and they were 2 up for all but 5 mins of the 2nd half. They weren't exactly backs to the wall and punting it into row Z.

We have 3 home games against the proper top 3 plus away to Villa where we all expect to get beat, but how easily will be the question. The away games against Bumley, Pompey and Wolves, and 2 relative toughies at home to Brum and Everton will be the test as to how real this improvement is. 3 or 4 wins plus some good showings in the unwinnable games will constitute an improvement.

Personally, I think we'll be lucky to match last season's points total.

I am with Philipl on this one. At Christmas I looked at the fixture list and worried about our run in. I think you have to give credit where it is due - we have won all of the matches we needed to win to keep clear of the relegation zone. The performances have been generally far better against the "big" teams. We have some youngsters starting to show their worth - and for the first time since we all realised Ince wasn't up to it - we can look forward with a little optimism.

It is now down to the players - some good performances against the stronger teams coming to Ewood - maybe an unexpected win against one of the big three - coupled with a win down the road - and we will hopefully see the sense of optimism roll into next season. Must admit - I am ever the optimist

[patrickvalery]

I am with Philipl on this one. At Christmas I looked at the fixture list and worried about our run in. I think you have to give credit where it is due - we have won all of the matches we needed to win to keep clear of the relegation zone. The performances have been generally far better against the "big" teams. We have some youngsters starting to show their worth - and for the first time since we all realised Ince wasn't up to it - we can look forward with a little optimism.

It is now down to the players - some good performances against the stronger teams coming to Ewood - maybe an unexpected win against one of the big three - coupled with a win down the road - and we will hopefully see the sense of optimism roll into next season. Must admit - I am ever the optimist

I also agree with Philip in the most part. Sam has chalked up some very importnat wins in games which mattered. The future looks like it could be bright too. The boy Kalinic looks better and better each game he plays as an example.

The spurs game seems to have provoked more unhappiness than i think is merited. Aside from the poor defensive mistakes i didn't think we were too bad. But what was obvious to me was the lack of attacking ideas we have. This is surely an area Sam needs to address and not necessarily in terms of playing staff. When compared to the likes of West Ham we seem devoid of attacking nouse. This has to be down to the ethos of the coaching staff. We need to implement some more attack minded ideas. The 4-5-1, 4-4-1-1 formation is OK with me provided we have supporting players looking to make a difference in the final third. At the moment we don't have this. I'm hoping Hoilett will provide this and not be seen as a luxury player to Sam. As things stand we rarely get supporting numbers forward and when we do they are simply bodies, not confident or instructed personnel capable of unlocking even the most average defence. The prime example of this was Dunn's break away in the 1st half. We didn't go for the jugular and wasted the chance. Other sides know this and it enables them the opportunity to commit more players forward against us safe in the knowledge we have the least incisive attack in the league. We need to learn to attack better not only to score or create chances more often, but to relieve pressure on our back four. Make the likes of Bale think more about covering his fullback than tearing apart ours.

[The Harwood Yankee]

If 8 more points are going to be deemed enough to represent a successful season then Sam has done his job this time out. Because looking at our last 9 games I realistically can't see us picking up any more points than that (and I'm including 3 of those from the away game at Burnley, where to be honest a draw is very possible). We should pick up the other 5 points with an away win at Pompey and draws against Birmingham (home) and Wolves (away). And that's it! In times gone by I'd have held out hope of us sneaking a point in home games against the top teams but not under Sam, who seems to think our designated role is to shove Kalinic on his own up front and somehow hope we can defend in an unidentifiably solid way and nick a result through set pieces. We're all still waiting for Expert Sam's Plan A to work, cos 29 games into the season the stubborn git is showing no signs of unveiling a Plan B.

We'll finish 14th or 15th in my opinion. If that constitutes success then there it is. Yawn. What joy! Thanks, Sam. Hope you enjoy your summer hols, cos doing the bare minimum & pocketing the cash is all it's about really let's be honest.

[FourLaneBlue]

We'll finish 14th or 15th in my opinion. If that constitutes success then there it is. Yawn. What joy! Thanks, Sam. Hope you enjoy your summer hols, cos doing the bare minimum & pocketing the cash is all it's about really let's be honest

How is that the bare minimum when 17th stays up? How is that the bare minimum when the teams around us have spent more?

Why blame Sam for what is a problem of lack of money for transfer funds?

Who exactly is "pocketing the cash"? Does it all goes in to Sam's pocket?

Think you are placing your blame in the wrong place.

[gumboots]

I also agree with Philip in the most part. Sam has chalked up some very importnat wins in games which mattered. The future looks like it could be bright too. The boy Kalinic looks better and better each game he plays as an example.

The spurs game seems to have provoked more unhappiness than i think is merited. Aside from the poor defensive mistakes i didn't think we were too bad. But what was obvious to me was the lack of attacking ideas we have. This is surely an area Sam needs to address and not necessarily in terms of playing staff. When compared to the likes of West Ham we seem devoid of attacking nouse. This has to be down to the ethos of the coaching staff. We need to implement some more attack minded ideas. The 4-5-1, 4-4-1-1 formation is OK with me provided we have supporting players looking to make a difference in the final third. At the moment we don't have this. I'm hoping Hoilett will provide this and not be seen as a luxury player to Sam. As things stand we rarely get supporting numbers forward and when we do they are simply bodies, not confident or instructed personnel capable of unlocking even the most average defence. The prime example of this was Dunn's break away in the 1st half. We didn't go for the jugular and wasted the chance. Other sides know this and it enables them the opportunity to commit more players forward against us safe in the knowledge we have the least incisive attack in the league. We need to learn to attack better not only to score or create chances more often, but to relieve pressure on our back four. Make the likes of Bale think more about covering his fullback than tearing apart ours.

Going back to preseason, my daughter covered the Leeds game for Radio Lancs. In her summing up at the end she said that if any game showed that Rovers needed to sort out their attacking options this was it. 29 League games later we are still saying the same thing. That's not just strikers - it's everyone in midfield and attack.

[Nafe_rovers]

you lot are all so miserable....

Keep up the good work.... and keep working hard.... forever a blue!

[T4E]

No sh!t sherlock - but bringing on 1 goal Di Santo is unlikely to change that much.

Bringing the striker on when we did made it 2-1, unfortunatly we couldnt defend and it was 3-1 in a blink.

Yet you are still advocating Sams overly cautious approach? Despite having just proved it doesnt work with your own post?

[Hughesy]

Yet you are still advocating Sams overly cautious approach? Despite having just proved it doesnt work with your own post?

We conceded the 3rd when we had 2 strikers on the pitch! Our defence was so weak and Samba couldnt do it all on his own once they shifted Givet from in there!

[tcj_jones]

Hughesy, your blind stubborn support of Allardyce is really tiring. I don't think you've had a single criticism of the man since he came in. While he's done a very good job in my mind, he certainly isn't exempt from criticism. When you're 2-0 down and showing very little going forward, surely there is nothing to lose in making an attack-minded substitution? I don't mean going all out attack and throwing four up front, just making one or two changes to give something a bit different.

[Amo]

Hughesy, your blind stubborn support of Allardyce is really tiring. I don't think you've had a single criticism of the man since he came in. While he's done a very good job in my mind, he certainly isn't exempt from criticism. When you're 2-0 down and showing very little going forward, surely there is nothing to lose in making an attack-minded substitution? I don't mean going all out attack and throwing four up front, just making one or two changes to give something a bit different.

It's hardly anything new from Hughesy. He defended Ince to the hilt until it wasn't humanly possible.

[den]

You do realise you're talking about an expert here...

Is he not an expert? He's been managing football clubs for the last 19 years.

[gumboots]

Is he not an expert? He's been managing football clubs for the last 19 years.

Even if he is, which expert is infallible? I've never met one yet who was.

[Hughesy]

It's hardly anything new from Hughesy. He defended Ince to the hilt until it wasn't humanly possible.

No I stayed on side until the United away game in the cup...or perhaps even the pompey game prior to that when we threw away a goal near the end!

Best to give managers time (See Fergie) rather than jump up and down like some muppet at every single result!

[den]

Even if he is, which expert is infallible? I've never met one yet who was.

Not saying he is infallible Gumboots. Why do people pick up on him quoting himself as an expert though? In any interpretation, that's what he is. Like it or not.

[den]

He's done an amazing job at Rovers and I'm glad he's our manager. I just think he could have avoided saying it in the way he did at the time. That's all

I know E.T.

Plenty using it in more of a sarcastic way though. Get's a bit boring.

[ABBEY]

He's done an amazing job at Rovers and I'm glad he's our manager. I just think he could have avoided saying it in the way he did at the time. That's all

Its that amazing he hasn't won an away game and its mid march

[ABBEY]

Derr our only away win was when the messiah was in hospital.

[gbax]

Its that amazing he hasn't won an away game and its mid march

Bolton?

[ABBEY]

He wasn't there dog!

Bolton?

[imy9]

Derr our only away win was when the messiah was in hospital.

Its his team, there were his tactics, he called them before the match had even started, whatever next you will be saying that "Sam's team" did not beat Chelsea in the Carling Cup