Filed under: Blackburn Rovers, Sunderland, Premier League, Football, Match Reports
Steve Bruce might be the one making New Year's resolutions about shedding the pounds, but it was Darren Bent who lifted a weight off his shoulders to help Sunderland stroll to victory.While the Sunderland manager worries about his expanding waist, it's been the opposite story for his £10 million Bent, whose thin time in front of goal has been his worst in a red and white shirt.
The 26-year-old put the unwanted record straight, breaking a five-game goal drought to hit double figures for the season as he doubled the advantage Danny Welbeck's early strike had given the hosts.
He should have doubled his tally after the break when he somehow contrived to spoon a chance wide from less than five yards after good approach work from Steed Malbranque and Kieran Richardson had cut the visitors apart. Jordan Henderson hit the bar late on after neat link-up play with substitute Bolo Zenden, but the missed chances didn't prove costly.
Not only do they tend not to travel too well, but Backburn haven't earned so much as a point from losing positions this season, so they must have feared the worst when Welbeck's sixth goal in eight games gave Sunderland an 11th minute lead.
Ryan Nelsen could only get a partial headed clearance to Ahmed Elmohamady's cross from the right, and when the ball fell invitingly for Welbeck 18 yards out, the England Under-21 forward did the rest with a neat chest control and shot which found the bottom corner thanks to a hefty deflection off the unlucky Rovers skipper.
Things soon got worse for Rovers when on 19 minutes defender Grant Hanley was caught napping by Bent's perfectly timed run, the forward stealing in to glance home Elmohamady's cross from 12 yards past goalkeeper Mark Bunn to leave the visitors with a mountain to climb.
Rovers had chances to reduce the deficit, but their hopes were undone by some wayward finishing, none more so than former Sunderland midfielder El-Hadji Diouf, who volleyed over from two yards out to waste his side's clearest opening 10 minutes before the break.
Not even the second-half introduction of former Sunderland loan forward Benjani to support Mame Diouf could do the trick for the visitors as Sunderland comfortably held on for a much-needed victory to hand a belated present to Bruce, who turned 50 on New Year's Eve, and who has vowed to fight the battle of the bulge to mark his milestone birthday.
Asamoah Gyan, on as a late sub for Bent, provided the icing on the cake a minute from time as Blackburn, pushing forward, were caught short at the back to allow the Ghanaian to surge forward from halfway to curl the third past Bunn from the edge of the area.
REACTION:
Blackburn manager Kean felt Sunderand's three-goal wining margin was harsh on his side:
"It's tough to take because we feel as though there weren't there goals in it. It's all about fine margins."
On El-Hadji Diouf's glaring first-half miss:
"If we'd have got a goal with El-Hadji's chance we could have got back in the game and put the pressure on. He was thinking about heading it as the ball came in but he just hesitated and leaned back so he's disappointed. It's fine margins. Last week at West Brom we were clinical so this is disappointing."
On the club's new owners' long-term aim of qualifying for Europe:
"It's going to be a gradual process. The owners have been quoted as saying 'eventually'. When the window opens we'll try to get some numbers in and we're hopefully going to strengthen because we've got nine bodies out at present.
"Hopefully we can finish in the top half which is the first task and then in the summer make a few more singings and push for the top six, it's a gradual process. I don't think the owners expect us to challenge for Europe this season."
On the injured Christopher Samba:
"He trained yesterday and he trained very well but he felt a twinge in his ankle and he was really disappointed he wasn't available and that we couldn't get him out on the pitch. I had a long chat with him and he said he's never put in a verbal or written transfer request.
"He's excited about the business we're planning in January and he gave me assurances of his professionalism so there's no question of me not handing him the captain's armband when he comes back into the team."
Sunderland manager Bruce felt his side fully deserved their win:
"It's a result that just shows you what football is, with the first goal taking a deflection and finding its way in. The goal settled everyone down quickly."
On Bent's return to form:
"Darren's goal is one from the training ground and I'm pleased for him. Class is permanent and he's still in this calendar year the top English scorer in the Premier League but he'll always score a goal. He always has done, and always will. do. He might miss a few like they all do and he might have had a hat-trick.
"That's football and that's why it drives you mad and why it sends me to the fridge! I'm under pressure to lose a bit of weight now. You make a tongue in cheek remark and these b****s write it!"
On Jordan Henderson:
"He's a fantastic young player we've got on our hands, he's full of life and full of energy and he's a good kid who wants to play for us, he's a credit to himself the way he plays, We've got to keep him off the training ground he's that keen, he's got a huge future."
On losing skipper Lee Cattermole for a month to a back problem:
"The league starts to sort itself out now with the injuries and fatigue setting in. Can we maintain it? Cattermole's out for a month with a back injury, so he's been advised to rest.
"If the injuries stay okay we've got a chance of staying where we are with this good young squad. I'm not going to talk about Europe now, my aim was to establish us as a Premier League club.
"Blackburn have been in this division for 10 years and that's got to be our aim. We should have 33 points not 30 and it'd look even better then. We've got a lot of good young players I enjoy working with."
On dedicating the win to his friend, former Blackburn manager, Sam Allardyce:
"That's for Sam, with all the nonsense that went around with his sacking, I hope he has a drink where he is in Dubai.
"He'll find somewhere to drink to that. He's a pal but the ludicrous position they've put themselves in by sacking him and putting the coach in charge makes you wonder what the hell was going on. That result was for him."
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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/01/01/sunderland-3-blackburn-0-return-to-form-is-a-weight-off-darren/
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