Source: Team_Talk
McDonald hoping for home comforts
Rovers have lost only twice in front of their own fans since Allardyce replaced Paul Ince as manager last December.[LNB]Allardyce's reign got under way with a 3-0 victory at Ewood Park over Stoke, who Blackburn host again on Saturday in the Premier League.[LNB]The manager will be absent from the dugout on this occasion after undergoing scheduled heart surgery on Friday, but his assistant McDonald - who will take over first-team affairs for the third match in succession - is hoping for the same outcome.[LNB]"We are really looking forward to the game," McDonald said.[LNB]"Our home form is excellent and we are going to try and continue that as much as we possibly can.[LNB]"Sam's first game was against Stoke so we are hoping to have the same performance and the same result on Saturday.[LNB]"They have lots of strengths, but they have lots of weaknesses as well. I think it is two defeats in 15 (at home) since the manager came to the football club. It is excellent and long may it continue."[LNB]McDonald has overseen a 2-0 victory at Bolton last Sunday, followed by a disappointing 3-0 defeat at Fulham three days later, results that are in keeping with what has been a hit-and-miss season so far for Blackburn.[LNB]However, victory on Saturday will bring Rovers level on points with Stoke, whose campaign has been deemed a relative success, and McDonald is in positive mood about the way things are progressing.[LNB]"We already have three points on the board from two games and we will be looking for those three points to make it six out of nine, which will be a great return," McDonald said of his time in charge.[LNB]"If we can beat Stoke, they have had a good season and it means we must be doing okay.[LNB]"We'll hopefully be in the top half and it will give the players even more confidence to go on and try and get more victories, and more points away from home.[LNB]"But certainly the base for our season so far has been the home form, and we are going to try and keep that going."[LNB]Blackburn's form man is David Dunn, who scored in the Bolton match and has been touted for a possible England call-up.[LNB]McDonald admitted it would be difficult for the midfielder to break into Fabio Capello's squad, but said the club could only benefit from the hype.[LNB]"He has still got a lot to do and England have some fantastic midfield players, but he's doing everything right," McDonald said.[LNB]"If people keep on mentioning his name for England, it means it has got to play well for us and that is fantastic."[LNB]McDonald confirmed that Allardyce had continued to have an input in team selection and decision-making whilst absent.[LNB]"He is a manager who likes to pick the team and have the information off his staff," McDonald said.[LNB]"I have been giving him the information on how the players have been training and playing. It has been good for him to watch the games afterwards so he can analyse them himself and have his opinions from there.[LNB]"He said I want to do this, I want to do that, what do you think, what do the rest of the staff think, and hat is exactly what we have done since he has been away."[LNB][LNB]
