Source: Daily_Mail
Blackburn 2 Aston Villa 1: It's Samba football, insists Rovers boss Allardyce
Blackburn Rovers boss Sam Allardyce shares a joke with his Aston Villa counterpart Martin O'Neill[LNB]You know what you're going to get with Sam Allardyce. You know what you're going to get with Blackburn Rovers. You know what you're going to get at Ewood Park. It doesn't make it any easier, though, does it? As Aston Villa discovered, you can be fully briefed on Blackburn's set-piece orientation, totally aware of the physicality of their challenge, mentally prepared for the high balls and the sheer awkwardness of the occasion - you can be all these and still lose.[LNB]'Knowing how a team play and doing something about it are, naturally, two different things,' said frustrated Villa boss Martin O'Neill. 'Playing here for a couple of years, I realised it was tough for teams,' added returning Stephen Warnock, 'but only now do I know how tough.'[LNB] 'It wasn't really a football match,' said James Milner, 'it was just a battle.'[LNB]You could understand these sentiments. But then it was never going tobe samba football, unless the Samba in question is Christopher, the 6ft4in Blackburn defender who causes mayhem when he strides up front.David Dunn took many accolades after this 10-man victory yet therecannot be a more Allardyce-Blackburn player than Samba.[LNB] [LNB] When Mark Hughes paid Hertha Berlin £400,000 for Samba almost three years ago few can have anticipated that the then 23-year-old would become Rovers' totem. He struggled in Berlin, which is one reason he wanted to leave.[LNB] Balckburn's Christopher Samba challenges Brad Friedel for the ball at Ewood Park[LNB] But Samba was, according to Allardyce, a 'turningpoint' player last season. Samba was transformed into an emergency centre forward then, and against Villa he was the focal point. After Gabriel Agbonlahor had given the visitors an early lead, it felt as though Villa would monopolise the ball and tire Rovers out.[LNB] But Blackburn ploughed on. In the 24th minute Ryan Nelsen lobbed what Allardyce might describe as a third-phase pass into the Villa area and Richard Dunne and James Collins began back-pedalling nervously. Franco Di Santo was up with Samba and the chase was on. That Samba won it, steering a volley into the corner, was not a shock. Referee Mark Clattenburg then became too prominent and, in the 69th minute, showed Vince Grella a second yellow card for a nothing foul.[LNB] Vince Grella trudges off after being shown a controversial second yellow card[LNB] But Rovers were galvanised by the dismissal. With a minute left, from a long throw, Di Santo struck an overhead kick that hit Dunne's raised arm. Clattenburg said penalty and Dunn put the ball away expertly. It was no way to lose, but Villa had not done enough to win.[LNB] BLACKBURN ROVERS (4-4-1-1): Robinson 7; Jacobsen 6, Samba 8 (Salgado 88min), Nelsen 6, Chimbonda 7; Diouf 4 (Andrews 71, 5), Nzonzi 6, Grella 4, Pedersen 4 (Emerton 56, 6); Dunn 7; Di Santo 6. Booked: Dunn. Sent off: Grella.[LNB]ASTON VILLA (4-4-2): Friedel 7; Cuellar 5, Collins 6, Dunne 6, Warnock 6; Milner 7, Petrov 5, Delph 6 (Heskey 57, 6), Young 5; Carew 4, Agbonlahor 6. Booked: Delph, Petrov. Man of the match: Christopher Samba.[LNB]Referee: Mark Clattenburg. Stephen Warnock keeps fingers crossed Blackburn fans will forgive his Aston Villa move on return to Ewood ParkAndy Townsend's Boot Room: Martin O'Neill is making plans for Nigel Reo-Coker Real Madrid? I made my name on the beach at Margate, says Blackburn Rovers' new boy Michel SalgadoBLACKBURN ROVERS FC
