[Archived] Sam Allardyce

[RevidgeBlue]

Or was your entire post tongue in cheek? I hope so. If he thinks we can "out-set-piece" the top 4 but not out pass them therefore have to play hump ball, we're done for.

No, it's one thing knowing the theory, it's another having the players out there good enough to execute it successfully.

Our corners/free kicks have been abysmal for years. I wouldn't plant that at Sam's doorstep.

As someone on here said a few seasons back: "When we get a corner I go for a pint."

For the record, I don't like playing humpball either, I don't think it's getting us particularly successful results, especially at home but we'll have to see where we are at the end of the season.

[JAL]

My over-riding impression of Sam from last night was that he is a very clever man who will analyse the smallest detail to try and gain any sort of competitive advantage over his rivals.

For example he stated that one third of goals in the Prem come from free kicks or corners. In his view this therefore meant (presumably as a result of much research) that if you could become the most dangerous team in the League from set pieces AND be the most effective at keeping them out, that would automatically put you eleventh or twelth in the League straight off without doing anything else!

Again I don't think a strategy like that would be too pretty to watch but if it could be successfully implemented and it worked you could only really applaud such original thinking.

Big Sam seeemed strongly influenced by this, and obviously hes strongly focused on this part of the game, maybe the enormous amount of time he his coaching staff and players spend on this aspect of the game its natural that it extends to other parts of the game.

For me this goes along way to explaining a lot of things that Rover6 and others dont like at the moment about Rovers play under big Sam.

[No Nay Never]

Fairly obvious that Sam was discussing the occassions when the player stays on his feet and dosen't have control of the ball?

Den, whilst I agree that Sam was probably discussing the occasions that a player stays on his feet and doesn't have control of the ball, which I reckon happens very rarely. Sam and other managers need to realise that it is not a foul for a player to be stronger/taller/better jumper than an opponent. Tim Cahill is a good example of this, the lad simply gets up higher than defenders and is a fantastic header of the ball, because he is taller he appears to be pushing the defender down... absolute nonsense he is just a better jumper.

[broadsword]

As someone on here said a few seasons back: "When we get a corner I go for a pint."

:laugh:

Many a true word spoken in jest.

[rovgers]

As someone on here said a few seasons back: "When we get a corner I go for a pint."

I know what they mean, I sit in the blackburn end and our corners are so bad I don't even bother to stand up to watch them!

[Tris]

Our corners/free kicks have been abysmal for years. I wouldn't plant that at Sam's doorstep.

As someone on here said a few seasons back: "When we get a corner I go for a pint."

It'll be fair and square at his doorstep if he continues to think that his bizarre theory is going to save our season. If it hasn't worked for 10 years, why's it suddenly going to work in the next 10 weeks?

[thenodrog]

He's had 4 months to see (and improve) Rovers corner takers. It's not getting any better - if anything Diouf is catching Pedersen's disease of nearly always failing to clear the near post defender.

Our best taker of free kicks is Carlos Villanueva who apparently isn't good enough for the league we play in. How the hell are we going to get close to the stat of 1/3 goals coming from attacking set pieces if the people we are putting on the pitch can't execute them?!

Or was your entire post tongue in cheek? I hope so. If he thinks we can "out-set-piece" the top 4 but not out pass them therefore have to play hump ball, we're done for.

Tris you are doing it all much better and more eloquently by far than waggy and eddie would ever know how, but the emphasis and intent is still the same. On the one hand I know where you are coming from but on the other I know that you really cannot wait for Allardyce to fail. I'm right aren't I? No doubt 'I told you so' will one day become your sig. As for my opinion I really am at a loss as to how you bummed up Ince for so long in the face of his obvious inadequacies. Your inability to see the damage caused and lack of any managerial ability still amazes me. It really really does!

btw that JW 'situation' has certainly gone very quiet.

[Tris]

Tris you are doing it much better and more eloquently by far than waggy and eddie but the emphasis and intent is the same. On the one hand I know where you are coming from but on the other I know that you really cannot wait for Allardyce to fail. I'm right aren't I? No doubt 'I told you so' will one day become your sig.

Surely you beat me to any such accolade by several months? As it happens, I cannot wait for the manager to keep Rovers safe this season, that's what we all want.

However, if these tactics survive into the 2009-10 season, we have real problems. The league has evolved since his Bolton days, and his dire brand of percentage football will deliver nothing but obscurity / constant relegation struggle over a 38 game season.

[thenodrog]

Surely you beat me to any such accolade by several months? As it happens, I cannot wait for the manager to keep Rovers safe this season, that's what we all want.

However, if these tactics survive into the 2009-10 season, we have real problems. The league has evolved since his Bolton days, and his dire brand of percentage football will deliver nothing but obscurity / constant relegation struggle over a 38 game season.

With our support and situation do we have a choice......... or am I missing something?

[AggyBlue]

However, if these tactics survive into the 2009-10 season, we have real problems. The league has evolved since his Bolton days, and his dire brand of percentage football will deliver nothing but obscurity / constant relegation struggle over a 38 game season.

I'd settle for performances like the one against West Ham next season.

We couldn't dominate a game so much again without scoring a hat full.

[thenodrog]

We couldn't dominate a game so much again without scoring a hat full.

That might be our epitaph Aggy.

[47er]

He's had 4 months to see (and improve) Rovers corner takers. It's not getting any better - if anything Diouf is catching Pedersen's disease of nearly always failing to clear the near post defender.

Our best taker of free kicks is Carlos Villanueva who apparently isn't good enough for the league we play in. How the hell are we going to get close to the stat of 1/3 goals coming from attacking set pieces if the people we are putting on the pitch can't execute them?!

Or was your entire post tongue in cheek? I hope so. If he thinks we can "out-set-piece" the top 4 but not out pass them therefore have to play hump ball, we're done for.

Carlos Villanueva "apparently" isn't good enough for the Premier League? Is that tongue in cheek? Its bloody obvious he isn't and Allardyce's comments the other night are bang on. Another great Ince signing. I'd bring him on for the last 10 minutes against West Brom if we are 1-0 down.

[patrickvalery]

Living so far away from Blackburn its extremely difficult for me to attend events like Thursday night. Whilst i'm at work i trawl through each and every piece of Rovers information i can find online and when i'm at home i'm forever flicking up teletext (to the annoyance of my wife) to check for any breaking news. As i'm sure many of you appreciate, breaking news is a rarity for a Rovers fan. So i'd like to offer my thanks for all the many posts which have summarised Allardyce's comments. It sounds as if it was a thoroughly insightful evening. I've attended a few such events with my dad at Southampton and even as a neutral they are extremely worthwhile and interesting. If nothing else it humanises the faces behind the club in question.

Anyway, from what i can gather from the information posted here, coupled with my own perception of the man, it seems like we have exactly the right man at the helm. Firstly, John Williams should be congratulated for his swift and decisive appointment of Allardyce. He and the board made a huge error of judgement with the Ince debacle. But all is forgiven in my eyes.

Allardyce has a huge presence about him. His sheer size makes him a daunting figure. But add to that his intelligent and well delivered values and you have a manager who people fear, respect and admire in equal measures. He has a knack of never undermining the seriousness of our league position whilst assuring the majority that he has it under control. A sense of trust that our beloved club is safe in his hands. My head tells me we are far from safe, but my heart, gut instinct, call it what you will, says we will be just fine. A feeling i didn't have when we went down under Brian Kidd and a feeling i certainly didn't have under Ince. I think the man should be applauded for trying to endear himself to us fans who so vehemently called for him not to be appointed last summer.

His opinions on Derbyshire interested me greatly. I think aside from financial restraints he would be happy for him to remain at the club. Probably using him sporadically in the last ten minutes of matches when a goal poacher could win or save you points. However, it sounds as if he recognises the lads desire to play first team football and he clearly feels his all round attributes are not enough to guarantee him a starting place here. It will be a shame for Derbs to go because he was the only youngster we've had who could have made the grade for along time. He also has a great affinity with the club. But football is no place for sentiment. Regrettablyi think for this reason we might not see David Dunn next season.

[thenodrog]

... Firstly, John Williams should be congratulated for his swift and decisive appointment of Allardyce. He and the board made a huge error of judgement with the Ince debacle. But all is forgiven in my eyes.

Rubbish patrick! In fact absolute rubbish. John Williams must carry the can if we are relegated. He could have appointed SA as soon as Hughes left. He didn't, instead he appointed an intellectual pygmy from the 4th division and even then when it was obvious that Ince was a complete dud and everybody was screaming for him to be sacked JW wanted to give the goon more time!

JW must be shifting rather uncomfortably in his boardroom chair at the moment.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Rubbish patrick! In fact absolute rubbish. John Williams must carry the can if we are relegated. He could have appointed SA as soon as Hughes left. He didn't, instead he appointed an intellectual pygmy from the 4th division and even then when it was obvious that Ince was a complete dud and everybody was screaming for him to be sacked JW wanted to give the goon more time!

JW must be shifting rather uncomfortably in his boardroom chair at the moment.

It is not just Willaims to blame....both managers this season must take some responsibility at differing degrees as well as the board and trustees for not releasing more funds but it is too early for inquests.

Everybody with anything to do with Rovers are sitting uncomfortably at present.

Rubbish patrick! In fact absolute rubbish. John Williams must carry the can if we are relegated. He could have appointed SA as soon as Hughes left. He didn't, instead he appointed an intellectual pygmy from the 4th division and even then when it was obvious that Ince was a complete dud and everybody was screaming for him to be sacked JW wanted to give the goon more time!

JW must be shifting rather uncomfortably in his boardroom chair at the moment.

It is not just Willaims to blame....both managers this season must take some responsibility at differing degrees as well as the board and trustees for not releasing more funds but it is too early for inquests.

Everybody with anything to do with Rovers are sitting uncomfortably at present.

[patrickvalery]

Rubbish patrick! In fact absolute rubbish. John Williams must carry the can if we are relegated. He could have appointed SA as soon as Hughes left. He didn't, instead he appointed an intellectual pygmy from the 4th division and even then when it was obvious that Ince was a complete dud and everybody was screaming for him to be sacked JW wanted to give the goon more time!

JW must be shifting rather uncomfortably in his boardroom chair at the moment.

I think you and i have differed about this subject before. There is little point either of us trying to persuade the other to change his mind as they are both made up. I'm quite happy to disagree on this one.

Anyway, enjoy your Saturday. Heres hoping we'll both be happy with 3 more points on the board.

[Eddie]

Agree with the post two above. Williams will carry a large amount of the blame as he made a very poor decision in the summer (along with the other board members), but he won't be alone in being responsible for what has happened. Ince will also take a large amount of the responsibility, as would Allardyce. Both managers had ample time to turn things around, a squad capable of doing it and a league packed with teams who seem to want to help us out. If we are relegated it will be the result of a season full of errors, not simply one huge one that settled things as soon as it was made. If we were relegated already then the entire blame could be placed on Williams and the Ince era, but seeing as we are actually not even in the relegation zone at the moment and have a relatively favourable run-in compared to many of our rivals goes to show that the reason for our poor season has not been that simple.

[BRFC1995]

Agree with the post two above. Williams will carry a large amount of the blame as he made a very poor decision in the summer (along with the other board members), but he won't be alone in being responsible for what has happened. Ince will also take a large amount of the responsibility, as would Allardyce. Both managers had ample time to turn things around, a squad capable of doing it and a league packed with teams who seem to want to help us out. If we are relegated it will be the result of a season full of errors, not simply one huge one that settled things as soon as it was made. If we were relegated already then the entire blame could be placed on Williams and the Ince era, but seeing as we are actually not even in the relegation zone at the moment and have a relatively favourable run-in compared to many of our rivals goes to show that the reason for our poor season has not been that simple.

if we do go down..........all the blame is totally on ince and how stupidly long the length of rope was he was given to hang himself. Sam has done nothing but improve every aspect of a completely dire situation to walk into since day 1, what exactly has sam done that has you readying yourself to slag him off.........answer absolutely nothing, really not his fault strikers can't finish gift wrapped chances.

[Eddie]

Ince suffered from underperforming individuals just as much as Allardyce and stupid errors cost us just the same. I'm not "waiting to slag him off", I simply don't think a manager who takes charge of a side about halfway through the season with a decent squad a good run-in and an entirely salvageable position should be devoid of criticism should the side then go down. There have certainly been improvements under Allardyce and had the side been performing like this for the entire season it is unlikely that we would be in the position that we now are in,but that doesn't mean that he has performed some miracle and took charge of a team that was already relegated and our simply being contenders for survival is an achievement in itself. I think we'll stay up and that means that Allardyce did his job for this season, if we are relegated then he didn't and he will have to carry some of the blame. I'd put most of the blame on Williams for having made a moronic decision, then Ince for making a mess of our summer signings and not getting the side properly organised and then finally a smaller portion of the blame, but still sizeable, on Allardyce for not getting this team to get enough points when it really is capable of doing it.

I don't see why anyone would think that Allardyce shouldn't be at least somewhat responsible should the side be relegated, he had more than enough time to turn things around. If Shearer doesn't turn things around at Newcastle he can't be blamed, their run and the short amount of time he has means that really anything he does is very impressive, but Allardyce wasn't put in that sort of position.

[John]

Too right Sam: Allardyce Thinks Chris Samba Can Play Attacking Role For Blackburn Rovers

[JAL]

Too right Sam: Allardyce Thinks Chris Samba Can Play Attacking Role For Blackburn Rovers

Seems silly when we've got a couple of International centre halfs on the bench, and a couple of puddings up front, dont see why Chrissy Samba cant go and have a bit of fun till the end of the season.

Well done big Sam.

[Hughesy]

2 assists today so cant complain with his contribution - he was class both in defence & attack.

[Gav]

Sam was forced into playing several players out of position today because of injury, but with limited resources the team picked itself.

I can recall the same situation under Hodgson, but he wouldn't play people out of position and ultimately it cost him his job.

It’s certainly a fine line between failure and success, thankfully we've won today and Sam is vindicated in his team selection.

[Tris]

I can recall the same situation under Hodgson, but he wouldn't play people out of position and ultimately it cost him his job.

I'm sure he played a front two of Jason Wilcox and Tiny Taylor - against Lyon??

As for today, when Dunn and Warnock were put into their more logical positions, things started to happen. Why we started the second half with 4/10 outfield players in the wrong place (and even then with Ooijer making his first appearance at Centre Back for months) I'm not sure.

[Gav]

I'm sure he played a front two of Jason Wilcox and Tiny Taylor - against Lyon??

As for today, when Dunn and Warnock were put into their more logical positions, things started to happen. Why we started the second half with 4/10 outfield players in the wrong place (and even then with Ooijer making his first appearance at Centre Back for months) I'm not sure.

Lyon = No idea what went on