Source: Team_Talk
Big Sam sets win target for Rovers
Rovers remain nervously looking over their shoulders towards the bottom of the table after a 3-1 defeat at Eastlands on Saturday, and Allardyce has now targeted a victory over Pompey next weekend.
An 18-minute scoring burst from City just before the break was enough to complete a hat-trick of league triumphs for the first time this season and keep Mark Hughes' men in the hunt for a place in next season's Europa League, but his former club are still just six points above the drop zone.
"We need to control our own destiny by winning, not rushing to the TV hoping the other teams have slipped up, as we have done," said Allardyce.
"We want to make sure we get three points next week. If we do that it will be in the bag and we won't have to rely on what other people do."
Allardyce was critical of his side's defending, which allowed first Felipe Caicedo, then Robinho to profit.
Elano added a third from the penalty spot, ensuring Keith Andrews' second-half effort was nothing more than minimal consolation.
"We were comfortable for most of the game but we lost two stupid goals," reflected Allardyce.
"The penalty just rubbed salt in the wound and made it an almost impossible task to come back.
"You have to master the simple basics of marking right and clear the ball correctly. Unfortunately we did neither."
Despite Allardyce's downbeat assessment, the prospect of Middlesbrough and Newcastle both making up the deficit, and Hull clawing back another three points seems pretty remote.
Still Allardyce feels some pretty harsh lessons will have been learned at Ewood Park if Rovers do eventually survive.
"It has been a shock to the system," he said.
"The club has done very well on limited resources for a few years now but it shows what can happen if you don't start right."
It is difficult to believe now but City spent Christmas in the bottom three.
Finally though, their big spending is having an effect and, for all his critics, £32.5million British record signing Robinho is ending his first Premier League season with a flourish.
In scoring for the third game on the trot, Robinho has taken his seasonal tally to 15, all but one of which have come in league combat, a total bettered only by Cristiano Ronaldo and Nicolas Anelka.
"Robinho is an easy target," said Hughes.
"He is a high-profile player with a large price tag that people will highlight.
"He has been disappointing on occasion this season, he will admit that himself. But he is not the only one in that position.
"He is an outstanding talent and we are delighted he is here and if we can bring in more players of a similar standard that will enable us to grow as a club."
City head to Old Trafford next week chasing a victory that means more to them than just increasing interest in the title race.
With Tottenham and Bolton to follow, a win for the Blues would bring a return to Europe within touching distance although, as Hughes acknowledges, City need to become more consistent on their travels if they are to have an impact next term.
"We have produced some very good football in this stadium," he said.
"We have got a lot of points, scored a lot of goals and entertained the people who watch us.
"Maybe next season we will try to not entertain quite so much away from home."
