[Archived] Sam Allardyce

[Tris]

If anything, the way Sam's been able to change games at half time (and against Fulham) suggests he's got a pretty good plan B if things aren't going the way he wants.

Lump it forward to more potential recipients is plan B from what I've seen ...

Tris your slip is showing for the second time in two days. {..} I have as yet noticed NO DIFFERENCE whatsoever in the variation employed in our build up play to that of this time last year.

In all honesty and with hand on heart can you say that you have?

As a proper football bloke, I'm amazed that you posted this. Tactics under Mark Huges were sometimes direct for sure, but what we are watching right now is nothing close. We are watching percentage percentage percentage soccer. I can't even call it football. Samba is becoming a centre forward - it's nothing like under Hughes.

Playing the percentage game gives you percentage results, perfectly illustrated by the last three games - WLD.

Today in the second half we must have put between 40 and 50 balls into the box by whatever method but we didn't get a win. Against Arsenal we picked 7 defenders and never troubled their keeper, but the percentages worked out for Arsenal because - man for man - they were %%% better than us.

Against Fulham we banked the win because it was Jason Roberts' turn to get the percentages in his favour and he produced a brilliant winner.

That euphoric win at Craven Cottage masked a lot of problems - in my view the main one being tactics. David Dunn had a chance to make the score 3-1 himself, or play in a midfield runner with 5 mins to go. He had the ball in space cutting in from the right on the edge of the 6 yard box. He turned away, played the ball into the corner and we lost posession.

That's not the Dunny I know. That's tactics, and they are crap tactics. The last action of that game was Robinson saving 2 points with a 1-on-1 stop.

The manager should have us safe by now but he's doing it the hard way - it's hard on the viewers, the fans and the players. Things have moved on since he did well with Bolton - there's more cash around, other clubs have better players, and percentage football won't work like it used to do in his Bolton days.

I'll give him the time of day for now, but if we start next season playing these prehistoric tactics we are doomed in the longer term.

[Commondore]

As a proper football bloke, I'm amazed that you posted this. Tactics under Mark Huges were sometimes direct for sure, but what we are watching right now is nothing close. We are watching percentage percentage percentage soccer. I can't even call it football. Samba is becoming a centre forward - it's nothing like under Hughes.

Playing the percentage game gives you percentage results, perfectly illustrated by the last three games - WLD.

Today in the second half we must have put between 40 and 50 balls into the box by whatever method but we didn't get a win. Against Arsenal we picked 7 defenders and never troubled their keeper, but the percentages worked out for Arsenal because - man for man - they were %%% better than us.

Against Fulham we banked the win because it was Jason Roberts' turn to get the percentages in his favour and he produced a brilliant winner.

That euphoric win at Craven Cottage masked a lot of problems - in my view the main one being tactics. David Dunn had a chance to make the score 3-1 himself, or play in a midfield runner with 5 mins to go. He had the ball in space cutting in from the right on the edge of the 6 yard box. He turned away, played the ball into the corner and we lost posession.

That's not the Dunny I know. That's tactics, and they are crap tactics. The last action of that game was Robinson saving 2 points with a 1-on-1 stop.

The manager should have us safe by now but he's doing it the hard way - it's hard on the viewers, the fans and the players. Things have moved on since he did well with Bolton - there's more cash around, other clubs have better players, and percentage football won't work like it used to do in his Bolton days.

I'll give him the time of day for now, but if we start next season playing these prehistoric tactics we are doomed in the longer term.

Surely not. Allardyce is the Messiah who's approach is never to be critisied when wer'e using it...

[Hughesy]

Surely not. Allardyce is the Messiah who's approach is never to be critisied when wer'e using it...

Thats not possible with people like you around though.

[thenodrog]

As a proper football bloke, I'm amazed that you posted this. Tactics under Mark Huges were sometimes direct for sure, but what we are watching right now is nothing close. We are watching percentage percentage percentage soccer. I can't even call it football. Samba is becoming a centre forward - it's nothing like under Hughes.

Playing the percentage game gives you percentage results, perfectly illustrated by the last three games - WLD.

Today in the second half we must have put between 40 and 50 balls into the box by whatever method but we didn't get a win. Against Arsenal we picked 7 defenders and never troubled their keeper, but the percentages worked out for Arsenal because - man for man - they were %%% better than us.

Against Fulham we banked the win because it was Jason Roberts' turn to get the percentages in his favour and he produced a brilliant winner.

That euphoric win at Craven Cottage masked a lot of problems - in my view the main one being tactics. David Dunn had a chance to make the score 3-1 himself, or play in a midfield runner with 5 mins to go. He had the ball in space cutting in from the right on the edge of the 6 yard box. He turned away, played the ball into the corner and we lost posession.

That's not the Dunny I know. That's tactics, and they are crap tactics. The last action of that game was Robinson saving 2 points with a 1-on-1 stop.

The manager should have us safe by now but he's doing it the hard way - it's hard on the viewers, the fans and the players. Things have moved on since he did well with Bolton - there's more cash around, other clubs have better players, and percentage football won't work like it used to do in his Bolton days.

I'll give him the time of day for now, but if we start next season playing these prehistoric tactics we are doomed in the longer term.

1. Comparing our current football to that we played in Hughes's 1st season might make a fairer comparison.

2. Comparing our current football to that played when Bentley was suspended or injured might also make sense.

3. A sobering thought is that we are now all aware surely that any team that attempts to play passing football in the prem with virtually no financial backing goes down as a rule. Sweeping, passing, school of science type football is for the top 4 unfortunately.

[Commondore]

Thats not possible with people like you around though.

In my country, we call ourselves ravens of misfortune... Every organisation needs at least one!

[Billy Castell]

In my country they are sometimes called miserable ____s! And we seem to have thousands.

You set yourself up for that one so I had to go for it. Yet another person who wants to paint a distorted picture of reality in order to suit their monochrome views. Some people here would make good Cold War Senators with their stance on our recent managers. Or it is as if George W. Bush is a football fan-"you either hate our manager and say the same as me, or you are an apologist for terrorism."

Anyway, a few pages ago, Waggy suggested that Sven would have been a better choice than BFS. Maybe so, maybe not. Firstly I am not sure how he would cope with no money at all, his wages and the Mexican compensation would be high, and I am not sure he would even think about thinking of joining a club that was in as much poo as we were in when Ince left. Sven may, just may have been tempted in the summer though, but who knows?

[AggyBlue]

Today in the second half we must have put between 40 and 50 balls into the box by whatever method but we didn't get a win.

That probably had something to do with WHam putting nine men in the box when we attacked.

It wasn't just long balls into the box either, we got to the bye line and crossed more in this game than any for quite a while.

They offered nothing up front. They were given a goal by a bad lino. They tried to hang on.

We couldn't break then down. Wasn't the first time and won't be the last. It happens.

The attitude by the players was first class though, excellent even. We just lacked a touch of class when it mattered.

[Tris]

1. Comparing our current football to that we played in Hughes's 1st season might make a fairer comparison.

2. Comparing our current football to that played when Bentley was suspended or injured might also make sense.

3. A sobering thought is that we are now all aware surely that any team that attempts to play passing football in the prem with virtually no financial backing goes down as a rule. Sweeping, passing, school of science type football is for the top 4 unfortunately.

Hmm. I remember the football in Hughes' first season, it was in-yer-face and tough, but it wasn't what we're seeing just now.

Fulham played their way out of trouble last season under Hodgson - that didn't involve major investment in the squad or hitting the ball high into the sky towards the box at every single opportunity. They stand 9th today after being good enough to pass their way around Manchester United this weekend.

Wigan have been stripped of their best players twice in two transfer windows but are 7th, and play football rather than %%%ball.

I don't accept that our players are less suited to playing a passing game than the players at either of those clubs. The evidence at the moment suggests that most of them are not suited to playing bombardment football (WH) or containment football (Arsenal). I dread to think what might happen when we go to Anfield if Liverpool keep up their current form - it could be double figures.

[thenodrog]

Hmm. I remember the football in Hughes' first season, it was in-yer-face and tough, but it wasn't what we're seeing just now.

Fulham played their way out of trouble last season under Hodgson - that didn't involve major investment in the squad or hitting the ball high into the sky towards the box at every single opportunity. They stand 9th today after being good enough to pass their way around Manchester United this weekend.

Wigan have been stripped of their best players twice in two transfer windows but are 7th, and play football rather than %%%ball.

1. Dickov virtually on his own up front simply battling away on his own to get free kicks in dangerous areas? R U sure Tris?

2. Now c'mon Tris .............. Wigan and Fulham did not have Ince for nigh on half the season did they?

Even ignoring the awful and inexplicable misses by Roberts v Sland and Benny's pen v Bolton could you please extrapolate our record under Sam from the beginning of the season please. When you do I think you'll find that relegation would be an issue for others to be bothering about right now.

[Veevs]

Personaly I think Sam is doing a good job given his resources.. what sort of central midfield do we have at the moment?

Dunn - Often injured

Grella - Often injured

The axe - Enough said

Andrews - Trying his best and getting a few key goals

Tugay - Old

Reid - Injured

Emerton (not really central mid) - Injured

Warnock (not really central mid - Needed elsewhere

Vogel - ??

Given the remaining fixtures in the league I am not in panic mode, but the results of the other teams in the next three games will be massive as many of them are playing each other with most of them then playing quiet a few of the top 5 clubs..

Sure the football is not that pretty at times but at least we have improved.. and given the run in we have I can see us grabbing 2 wins and 3 draws putting us above Midd, Sund, Hull, Newc, WBA.. and in the mix with Soke and Ports

I guess like most of us we just want the summer to arrive.. lets back Sam and see if he can pull off some decent transfers in the Summer.. they will be needed with Vogel, Tugay and the axe all probably out... leaving us with a near perm crocked midfield.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

That probably had something to do with WHam putting nine men in the box when we attacked.

It wasn't just long balls into the box either, we got to the bye line and crossed more in this game than any for quite a while.

They offered nothing up front. They were given a goal by a bad lino. They tried to hang on.

We couldn't break then down. Wasn't the first time and won't be the last. It happens.

The attitude by the players was first class though, excellent even. We just lacked a touch of class when it mattered.

What we lacked was a bit of variety. Long balls, throws etc are fine but if that is your only weapon it becomes easy to defend as West Ham proved on Saturday. The only decent crosses we put in were by a forward who is paid to be on the other end of the crosses. Many of the balls into the box on Saturday were percentage ball aimed at a spot where forwards should be not where forwards actually where. Again defenders can be trained to defend against that quite easily. We made Lucas Neill look outstanding. If we'd tried to do something different he would have got frustrated and made mistakes, usually resulting in a foul.

Unless Rovers are losing Sam will not change things as Saturday proved. We looked in little danger but we never really looked like scoring either. He has three players on the bench who could possibly have changed things a little. Why not use them? Answer is he does not want to lose, one point is better than none. I fear that the chances that Rovers have had to change one point into three may just return to haunt us come Judgement Day in May.

[joey_big_nose]

Unless Rovers are losing Sam will not change things as Saturday proved. We looked in little danger but we never really looked like scoring either. He has three players on the bench who could possibly have changed things a little. Why not use them? Answer is he does not want to lose, one point is better than none. I fear that the chances that Rovers have had to change one point into three may just return to haunt us come Judgement Day in May.

I think thats patently unfair. We looked like scoring all game, more than in any game I can recently remember! We just didn't unfortunately.

I have generally been critical of the style under Allardyce, but I can't see how anyone thought the game was not entertaining on Sat. It was edge of the seat stuff as we battered them.

[thenodrog]

Grella - Often injured

From what I have seen I've feeling that if Grella had not been injured on Sat WHU would not have been allowed to carry the ball unchecked for 40 yards that led directly to the goal on Sat. He'd have tackled / delayed / fouled in order to stop the run.

Then again if my auntie had ######..........

[Tris]

Well it's not about to get any prettier ... from the LET

Samba is Rovers key

“Chris Samba is one of our major assets. Not only as a defender but in getting us opportunities to score goals. This player will strike fear throughout the Premier League with his aerial power and I am going to use it to its absolute maximum because it’s something that we will be renowned for.

“I’ll still use him up front even when we get Roque back, absolutely. He’s a tremendous force.”

Has he only just noticed that Samba is 6'5??

[Flopsy]

Ah give it a rest you massive great bender.

that was going to be my lunches for a week, git face

[joey_big_nose]

I'll give him the time of day for now, but if we start next season playing these prehistoric tactics we are doomed in the longer term.

His long history at Bolton proves this incorrect. His tactics do have draw backs but no one could accuse them (well apart from you here) of not making the team competitive in the Prem.

I guess how we play next year will be determined by who we sign, which in turn depends on how much we get for Roque and in our budget. If we do get Janko then I would strap yourself in for more high balls...

[Hughesy]

Well it's not about to get any prettier

Has he only just noticed that Samba is 6'5??

No he had to stabalise our defence first by getting a settled unit. He has done that now, so he can now think abit more attack minded.

As for prettier, id rather we dont lose games than play nice attractive football - how do you think Everton got to 6th? They play far more up in the air and long ball stuff that us.

As for Fulham not changing things - didnt Hodgson sign about 9 players in 1 window alone?

[Blueheart]

Long ball stuff or what ! Blackburn may need to chage their shirts to white with reebok badges on !

I am convinced the only reason pederson is in the team is because he can throw in a ball like Rory Delap.

It needed someone with skill and speed on Saturday, someone like Matty Derbyshire.With Santa Cruz looking like he will not play for us again, I am amazed that we continue to let Derbyshire be away on loan. Get him back and in the team I say .

[Hughesy]

He got chances earlier in the season and didnt take them. He cost us 2 valuable points against City at home with his lack of experience by giving the ball away.

We dont have ANYBODY with skill & speed. Derbyshire isnt fast and he certainly isnt skillful either.

[waggy]

why does the axe get picked :!:

[LeChuck]

It needed someone with skill and speed on Saturday, someone like Matty Derbyshire.With Santa Cruz looking like he will not play for us again, I am amazed that we continue to let Derbyshire be away on loan. Get him back and in the team I say .

You can't just recall someone like that, I'm pretty sure Olympiakos will have paid for the deal and therefore we don't have that option. You only tend to have the recall option when you let players go to the lower leagues to gain experience.

[Parsonblue]

why does the axe get picked :!:

Because on Saturday he did a decent job as the holding player in midfield. He might not be the greatest footballer to wear the shirt but he always gives one hundred per cent to the cause of Blackburn Rovers.

[MarkBRFC71]

why does the axe get picked :!:

That's the million dollar question. Without doubt the worst player I've seen at Rovers since I started going in 1982. And there's been some real sh*te in that period. How can he possibly be picked when Andrews, Dunn and Tugay are on the bench?

He can't pass, run, tackle, or head and every time he gets the ball the only thing he does is to get rid of it ASAP.

We all know he shouldn't have started, but for Christ's sake why wasn't he subbed? If we'd brought Tugay or Dunny on with 20 minutes left I can't help but think we may well have won.

[waggy]

Because on Saturday he did a decent job as the holding player in midfield. He might not be the greatest footballer to wear the shirt but he always gives one hundred per cent to the cause of Blackburn Rovers.

at half time i was certian dunn or tugay would enter the fray,they offer far more than the axe,but then again skill is not the most important footballing quality in any lardarse team

[den]

at half time i was certian dunn or tugay would enter the fray,they offer far more than the axe,but then again skill is not the most important footballing quality in any lardarse team

Or any managers team Waggy.