Source: SKY_Sports
Allardyce sets Dunn target
Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce admits he is hoping to get '25-30' games out of David Dunn this season.
The creative midfielder has struggled with injuries in recent times and managed just 17 appearances during the 2008/09 campaign.
He has, however, enjoyed a positive start to the new season and came through his first 90 minutes in over 18 months during a recent clash against West Ham.
Allardyce is hoping the 29-year-old can now steer clear of the treatment table for the foreseeable future and play an integral role in his plans at Ewood Park.
"You have to try to get Dunn fit for 25-30 games," said the Rovers boss.
"That has been the unfortunate situation for David over the last couple of years.
"I didn't expect I would leave him on for 90 minutes against West Ham with him having played 60 minutes at Gillingham (in a Carling Cup tie four days previously).
"But I was glad to say I thought David got better as the game went on. He was popping up with the ball more and more."
Dunn will help to provide a goal threat much lacking in Rovers' endeavours so far this term.
They have found the target just once in their three Premier League fixtures to date, accruing only one point in the process.
Allardyce has been forced to contend with a number of injuries, while integrating new signings, and the Blackburn chief admits he is hoping things will have settled down by the time domestic action resumes after the international break.
"The people who are injured won't be travelling with their international teams so it gives us two weeks to get them up to speed," he said.
"(Steven) Reid and (Brett) Emerton are very experienced players for Blackburn and we have to get them back as soon as we can, hopefully by the time the international break is over.
"That will add to the squad, Michel (Salgado) will be ready to go by then, Pascal Chimbonda will have settled in even more and we may have Franco (Di Santo) back.
"Hopefully when we come back we have got everyone fit and ready to go again.
"Then we can look at the squad as a whole and be a much better force from the end of the international break in terms of what we have got to select from at the moment."
