Source: Team_Talk
Sam delighted by battling Blackburn
lackburn boss Sam Allardyce admits Monday's goalless draw with Sunderland felt like a win after his side played 45 minutes with 10 men.[LNB] Rovers captain Chris Samba saw red in first-half stoppage time at Ewood Park having brought down Danny Welbeck just as the Black Cats forward was about to burst into the area.[LNB]Allardyce accepted referee Lee Probert made the right decision, even though it threw his preparations for the second half into disarray.[LNB]But Blackburn put in a resolute display after the break which proved to be effective, if not exactly pretty to watch.[LNB]The manager was certainly prepared to sacrifice the match as a spectacle to ensure it was not lost and said that by the final whistle, with a 0-0 draw secured, it almost felt as if his side had won.[LNB]"We had a team-talk in mind which we were discussing, about whether we were happy with our shape and if we needed to make a substitution maybe at half-time or 10 minutes in," Allardyce said.[LNB]"Then, lo and behold, all that goes out of the window because Chris gets himself sent off and we come in at 0-0, but down to 10 men.[LNB]"We had to re-organise very quickly and had a five or six minute discussion about what we were going to do tactically, but we gave that to the players and I'm glad to say that every man, including the substitutes, went out there and delivered for us.[LNB]"We feel like it is almost a win, having gone the full 45 minutes and limited the opposition to half-chances rather than clear-cut ones.[LNB]"It is very pleasing to see the players commit themselves to that and then when they could, try and play out, keep the ball, get up the other end and cause a few problems. There were obviously not going to be too many, but we did.[LNB]"It loses its glitter as a spectacle because we have to be very rigid and solid in the way we play, and say 'come on, break us down.'[LNB]"That, in terms of entertainment, makes the game very difficult to watch, but from a professional and tactical point of view, it was outstanding from the players."
