[Archived] Sam Allardyce

[Manc Rover]

For a moment, I thought that was gonna link to Sam's fake twitter page.

He's getting carried away there. It was a very respectable achievement, but it makes us look small-time comparing it to a league title.

To be honest you get more sense from Sam's fake Twitter page at times!

[RibbleValleyRover]

Uh oh

Allardyce plays numbers game with Blackburn Rovers formation

"The Rovers boss has been experimenting with a 3-5-2 formation for the majority of pre-season so far and admits he believes there could be a future for the system at Ewood Park."

"With the emerging Phil Jones and Grant Hanley putting fierce pressure on senior centre backs Chris Samba, Ryan Nelsen and Gael Givet, Allardyce will have his work cut out keeping all his defenders happy this season.

He believes reverting from two central defenders to three could ease his problems as he looks to build on Rovers’ impressive defensive performances last time round."

Rovers open their Sydney Festival of Football campaign with a game against Scottish Premier League champions Rangers tomorrow, with three at the back expected to again figure prominently.

He said: “I am looking at the strength of the central defenders we have got.

"We have got Givet, Nelsen, Samba, Jones and Hanley.

"So if we are only playing with two centre halves, that is only going to give two out of five a game.

“I think somewhere along the line, in some cases, playing three along the back might be a good idea to get some players who are looking very good a game.

====

Expect some heavy defeats this season if we are going to play a 3-5-2, nobody plays it in this league for a reason (due to the quality wingers and fullbacks some sides have).

[The Rover of Finland]

Basicly he wants best 11 players on pitch no matter formation. I actually liked when we used 3-5-2 at Wolves last season. Salgado can be wing back. I still think we should play 4-5-1 or 4-4-2. Maybe we will see Samba playing target man role?

[Majiball]

Basicly he wants best 11 players on pitch no matter formation. I actually liked when we used 3-5-2 at Wolves last season. Salgado can be wing back. I still think we should play 4-5-1 or 4-4-2. Maybe we will see Samba playing target man role?

It was fine at first as wolves were not prepared for it and set up wrong to counter it. Once they changed things round though they started putting us on the back foot a lot more.

Teams in this league play a lot of the time with 1 up top, this means that they have 2 extra players most of the time when they have the ball. Push the wingers on and you can use 3 men to occupy our back 5 whilst at the same time destroying any width we would have had. Our poor midfield three and front 2 are then left trying to occupy anything up to 7 players.

Stick with the 4231 play hoillet and olsson out wide and work on getting the ball to the front man in a manner that he is comfortable with, as opposed to constantly going down the road of forcing styles on our players that they do not have the attributes to play.

We have to have 5 in the middle, we will not cope with just the two unless its two sitter and we use pace down the flanks. But then Dunn doesn't play and we desperately need his creativity and goal scoring on the pitch.

[MarkBRFC71]

It was fine at first as wolves were not prepared for it and set up wrong to counter it. Once they changed things round though they started putting us on the back foot a lot more.

Teams in this league play a lot of the time with 1 up top, this means that they have 2 extra players most of the time when they have the ball. Push the wingers on and you can use 3 men to occupy our back 5 whilst at the same time destroying any width we would have had. Our poor midfield three and front 2 are then left trying to occupy anything up to 7 players.

Stick with the 4231 play hoillet and olsson out wide and work on getting the ball to the front man in a manner that he is comfortable with, as opposed to constantly going down the road of forcing styles on our players that they do not have the attributes to play.

We have to have 5 in the middle, we will not cope with just the two unless its two sitter and we use pace down the flanks. But then Dunn doesn't play and we desperately need his creativity and goal scoring on the pitch.

Well, given that we've at least started every pre-season game with 3-5-2, you'd better get used to it. I think we'll use it at home more often than not this season, and if gets us playing less hoof-ball then I'm all for it.

[Steve Moss]

“I think somewhere along the line, in some cases, playing three along the back might be a good idea to get some players who are looking very good a game.

He's not saying its our go to formation. 3-5-2 is a possibility, sometimes. Which is fine.

[Majiball]

Well, given that we've at least started every pre-season game with 3-5-2, you'd better get used to it. I think we'll use it at home more often than not this season, and if gets us playing less hoof-ball then I'm all for it.

Its plan B, there's no way it will be our main formation (fingers crossed). The worst thing of all is it will most likely result in far more direct play.

You play 352, and I will push my wingers onto your full backs, my striker will occupy at least 2 of your CB's. My hole player can push on to give the third something to think about. My full backs can tuck in a little and pressurize your whole midfield 3, leaving your only outs the 2 strikers you have up field. I place my center backs on them with my sitter have the dual role of your midfield and being the third man at the back.

You will be forced to launch it a lot, as Rovers don't have any guile in the middle or mobility. When you do launch it, my center backs will win 60% of the ball, straight out to my full backs who drop out wide the second we win it back and your on the back foot every time. Even in the 40% of the time its highly likey my sitter will be back before Dunn along with my full backs and also my midfielders, giving me the numbers advantage. You also cannot really push one your wing backs as if you do your CB's must come across to cover my wingers and you leave yourself open to a 3 v 3 at the back when we regain posession.

451 is the best formation to play against the 352, it can surely only be plan B. I assume the reason we are deploying it in pre-season is to get the players used to it and for Sam to see where the faults are with our players playing this way. He is surely confident that the players know and understand the 451, but given that these games don't really matter its the perfect oppurtunity to work on plan B and get it right. its very alien to our current players they will make loads of mistakes as they must think about what theya re doing all the time, pre-season allows for these to be made without penalty to our league/cup progress.

[USABlue]

Wonder if the Fulham job might be interesting to Sam now?

I am sure it is but I can't see Sam being the kind of manager Fulham want, I mean from what I have seen of Fulham they like to try to play decent football, can't see em wanting Sams idea of football.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Until we buy a proper left back then Givet will be playing there which means we'll have 2 experienced defenders playing and two youngsters learning and getting called up when necessary. Wouldn't mind seeing Hanley go out on loan to get more experience. If Jones hadn't have made such an impact last season then I'd have said the same about him.

[philipl]

Sam's ambitions

[RevidgeBlue]

Sam's ambitions

Not exactly in it for the long term is he?

[67splitscreen]

Hardly a surprise he likes to keep himself in the shop window, Can't say I blame him, I'd be me more concerned with what his wife wants this season.

[Steve Moss]

Not exactly in it for the long term is he?

In fairness, if Sam sticks with the Rovers for another 2-3 years, that should put him at around the 4 year mark as manager for the club. That's actually a pretty good run for modern managers. The days of Robert Middleton who would manage the Rovers for 22 years, or Jack Marshal who managed for 7 years, are long gone (and likely never existed as they both appear to be anamolies).

[Amo]

Not exactly in it for the long term is he?

What sane manager would be?

[GiddyGoat]

Not exactly in it for the long term is he?

Average tenure for a premiership manager is 1.38 years, he's already on borrowed time. If he sees out another 3 seasons he'll be bucking the trend.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Good old Mr Bolton Wanderers Phd has got his excuses lined up with the takeover farce should this season go pear-shaped, but when was the last time a summer signing really transformed the season for us? I'm much more concerned to see how his last season signings perform.

Nico - 2 league goals in a season is pitiful so this season has to be make or break for our 3rd most expensive signing ever. 10 goals seems a reasonable benchmark to me. Benni delivered 9 in his last full season when he was 16 stone overweight.

Salgado - 10 decent games for a 2 million salary was a poor return for me, I would expect 30 decent games this year. But he's a year older and the opposition are a lot wiser as to what he's about. Could go either way.

N'Zonzi - Needs to avoid the second season syndrome, so fingers crossed

Chimbonda/Jacobsen/Diouf - I'll be surprised if we get anything useful out of this lot

The only banker out of his signings is Givet.

As to the others: MGP was his priority re-signing so I think we all expect to see a lot more than the typical fare of the last 3 years. Dunny - same old story. The only thing I am looking forwards to is seeing a lot more of Jones and Olssen.

[tony gale's mic]

Good old Mr Bolton Wanderers Phd has got his excuses lined up with the takeover farce should this season go pear-shaped, but when was the last time a summer signing really transformed the season for us? I'm much more concerned to see how his last season signings perform.

Nico - 2 league goals in a season is pitiful so this season has to be make or break for our 3rd most expensive signing ever. 10 goals seems a reasonable benchmark to me. Benni delivered 9 in his last full season when he was 16 stone overweight.

Salgado - 10 decent games for a 2 million salary was a poor return for me, I would expect 30 decent games this year. But he's a year older and the opposition are a lot wiser as to what he's about. Could go either way.

N'Zonzi - Needs to avoid the second season syndrome, so fingers crossed

Chimbonda/Jacobsen/Diouf - I'll be surprised if we get anything useful out of this lot

The only banker out of his signings is Givet.

As to the others: MGP was his priority re-signing so I think we all expect to see a lot more than the typical fare of the last 3 years. Dunny - same old story. The only thing I am looking forwards to is seeing a lot more of Jones and Olssen.

Wow. That post is so full of inaccuracies I don't know where to start.

When was the last time a summer signing transformed our season? How about Bellamy, RSC and McCarthy? All bought for more money than Sam has got to spend - but all bought for money that our rivals can afford. Surely that perfectly illustrates Sam's point.

Kalinic is still only 22 years old - yes he didn't score very many league goals but literally hit the woodwork by far the most times I've ever seen in a season and was often one of our best performers in each game - not to mention his decent record in the cups. To say that any season is "make or break" for a 22 year old striker playing his second season in a tough league with very little creative service is not at all fair. And £6m is by no way guaranteed to buy you a striker that will bang in the goals; even at that price you're always taking a gamble. I'd wager that there's at least as many Premier League strikers bought for that price who've failed as who've succeeded.

Salgado - yes his wages are £2 million. Every player gets a wage. Most in that sort of ballpark. But he still didn't cost a transfer fee which made him a relatively affordable option. Has done okay.

Jacobsen was good whenever we called on him, Diouf was poor last season but good in the half season when Sam initially bought him and arguably helped to keep us up.

Considering the only one that got any substantial transfer fee was Kalinic you'd expect signings where he's scraping the barrell to be hit and miss, but he's brought in some good players and really brought through our younger talents more than any manager since Souness.

[Tom]

I like Sam, he won me over but one thing that grates is how he refers to Rovers as they, I know in football everyone is a mercenary but he just doesn't seem to like Rovers somehow.

[JAL]

Not exactly in it for the long term is he?

Come on Rev, big Sam aint no spring chicken is he ?

Sounds good to me, surely if managing England drives him on then that can only be good thing for Blackburn Rovers. I'm pretty sure Jack Wwalker would have welcomed the fact that one of his managers went onto manage England.

At this moment in time though, big Sam looks like he could be starting the season a goal down, unless that is, he unearths some quality players from somewhere who have the ability to thrust his team into the national spotlight yet once again to the displeasure of many.

Bring it on Sam !

[Exiled in Toronto]

My point was not looking back at what they have done - quite a long way back in Diouf's case - but what are they likely to do? He spent over 12 million last close season, not counting Salgado's wages, and I for one expect a decent return from this this coming season. They've all bedded in; all had time to adapt to his system; all been trained to his standards. No excuses.

We can't keep judging Nico by how often he hit the post. How often did Ashley Ward hit the post? I don't know either because it doesn't matter. When Nico did well in Jan/Feb, everyone was saying well done Sam for easing him in, but, to my mind he went backwards for the rest of the season as was as poor at the end as he had been at the beginning. Which is the real Nico?

Managers get judged by the signings they made more than the one's they didn't have the budget for. Whether or not he's had 2 million to spend this time around is surely inconsequential if 6 million a year ago doesn't buy you much.

[ABBEY]

If he's after away then he can get the f out of here..ROVERS AINT A TOY FOR HIM TO PLAY WITH AND ABUSE...england manager ..MY ARSE

[John]

My point was not looking back at what they have done - quite a long way back in Diouf's case - but what are they likely to do? He spent over 12 million last close season, not counting Salgado's wages, and I for one expect a decent return from this this coming season. They've all bedded in; all had time to adapt to his system; all been trained to his standards. No excuses

We finished 10th last season, what more do you want?

Wow, we spent a mighty £12 million which is low in Premiership terms. Granted it is a lot for Rovers, but how much quality did we sell? Sparky moaned a lot too near the end of his reign - why do you think that was? It was beacause, in his opinion, he could only keep pulling rabbits out of the hat for so long (his words).

Reality check needed I think.

[chaddyrovers]

We finished 10th last season, what more do you want?

Wow, we spent a mighty £12 million which is low in Premiership terms. Granted it is a lot for Rovers, but how much quality did we sell? Sparky moaned a lot too near the end of his reign - why do you think that was? It was beacause, in his opinion, he could only keep pulling rabbits out of the hat for so long (his words).

Reality check needed I think.

Fans always want more. I think Big Sam did a Great Job last season, 10th place and a semi final place. Big Sam can only do the best job he can with the money available. But the board and trust should try to provide more money if possible.

Sparky did say that because he couldn't progress the club further without more money to buy better players. And Big Sam is the same.

[LeChuck]

He spent over 12 million last close season

That's such a misleading figure.

£6 million on Kalinic and £2 million on Chimbonda, but that was to replace £25 million worth of talent, so despite spending money we can only expect to be a weaker in those areas.

The only figure that gives an idea of what happened to our squad last summer is difference between incomings and outgoings... £-15 million was it?

[alexanders]

What about Nzonzi (Small fee) and Givet (2-3m)

I agree that it was to replace important players though.