Source: Team_Talk
Allardyce targets unbeaten finish
The 1-0 defeat at Stoke on Saturday leaves Rovers just three points above third-bottom Middlesbrough with a month to save themselves.
But with 34 points already secured Allardyce believes five draws against Wigan, Manchester City, Portsmouth, Chelsea and West Brom would be enough escape the drop.
"It is a difficult situation to be in but we are outside of the bottom three and are in the best position we have been since I took over," he said.
"When I took over we had 13 points from 17 games and we have had a long, hard battle to get where we have got now and we are still three very valuable points off that bottom three.
"Making sure we don't lose another game is key to us now. With five games left, if we don't lose I think we will be okay.
"But we have to try to get a win as early as we can and if we can't win make sure we don't lose.
"There is only Chelsea that is difficult for us, all the other games I think we can get something out of.
"We have three very important home games, Wigan, Portsmouth and West Brom (on the final day of the season) but we don't want to go to the last game, we want to secure our Premier League status as soon as possible."
With the relegation battle being so tight and such little time remaining in the season Allardyce admits the pressure is growing on all teams currently under threat.
However, he is hopeful his experience of previous relegation battles with Bolton will help as he tries to get the best from his injury-hit squad which is still missing strikers Roque Santa Cruz and Jason Roberts.
"It was a disappointing day for us at Stoke but one we have to put behind us and get ready for Wigan next week," Allardyce added.
"You have to deal with the pressure it brings and as a manager you have to take the pressure off the players as much as you can.
"I hope the players are ready for it. I can guide them in the right way but they have got to be the ones that withstand the pressure when it comes, absorb it and use it in a positive way to produce the best performances.
"If you cast your mind back a few weeks ago to the points we have thrown away which we should have secured - we should have been well up the table with more points than we have now.
"That has now left us with our nerve ends jangling and we have to accept that because that is our fault and make sure it does not happen next week.
"We are all obviously disappointed with the position we are in. It brings a bit more pressure that you don't really want but it is something we have to deal with it."
Blackburn struggled to create anything against Stoke as the hosts dominated throughout and made all of the chances.
Danny Higginbotham and Matthew Etherington both headed good opportunities wide with Liam Lawrence forcing goalkeeper Paul Robinson to tip over his second-half strike.
Lawrence eventually broke the deadlock 15 minutes from time when James Beattie flicked on Higginbotham's deep cross from the left and the midfielder coolly turned inside Gael Givet before blasting past Robinson.
Incredibly the win lifted Stoke up to 11th with 39 points, and although Tony Pulis will not yet accept they are safe it now seems inconceivable Stoke's maiden Premier League season will not be a flash in the pan.
"There are thin lines between success and failure, especially at this level, and we have learned a lot as a football club, I've learned as a manager and the players have," said Pulis.
"We have done smashing at the right time and we have to keep that going.
"We have five games to go so it is important we concentrate on the games that are left and approach them in the right manner.
"Results are what really count."
