CHRIS Samba has not disgraced himself as a striker in Blackburn Rovers’ last two games, but the time for a return to normality may have come.

As far as forwards go, it is clear the Congolese international will never be Ronaldinho or Pele.

Samba by name but not by nature, it would be fair to suggest.

Then again, though, a lack of finesse and indeed goals has not stopped Emile Heskey winning more than 50 caps for England.

Samba has proved to some effect that he can be a useful weapon up front when required.

Indeed, Sam Allardyce was right to point out that the blame for the tame 4-0 defeat at Liverpool on Saturday could not be laid at the former Hertha Berlin defender’s door.

There are many reasons why Rovers failed to even gain a foothold at Anfield, one of them being the lack of natural attacking instinct among those selected to support Samba.

Injuries, in part, restricted the options in that respect.

The weekend trip to Stoke City will provide a very different proposition, and changes may be needed up front.

But the biggest change could be enforced by the fact that Samba might be required in defence.

Such is Stoke’s dominance from set plays and crosses – particularly on home territory – that this is one match Rovers cannot afford to face without their own man mountain at the back.

Attempting to stop James Beattie and his supporting cast with Samba stood helplessly at the other end of the field would be akin to deciding to scale Mont Blanc wearing flip flops or attempting to win a major golf tournament on one leg. On second thoughts, scrap that last one.

Selecting Samba up front would most likely consign him to countless treks back to his own box to deal with every long throw Stoke can summon, and it would also declare a perilous intention to take on the hosts at their own game.

Stoke’s league position - 13th despite a dearth of genuine quality amid their squad - is evidence that few teams can play the ‘direct’ game, shall we say, quite like the Potters.

With victory worth chasing, a more subtle approach may be the way forward.

Rovers have shown their ability to mix up their tactics in recent times, but they still possess the talent to undo Stoke with their passing should they have the inclination and the patience.

Allardyce is obviously hesitant to play Benni McCarthy up front on his own so, with the fitness of Roque Santa Cruz and Jason Roberts still uncertain, a pairing with El-Hadji Diouf in a 4-4-2 might offer a solution.

Illness meant Diouf missed his usual hero’s return to Anfield on Saturday, such is the esteem in which he is held in Liverpool – and indeed most other parts of the country.

But this is a man who was once keen to point out that he was a striker not a winger, even if he has accepted a wider role in the years that followed.

And Diouf and McCarthy might just be Rovers’ best option, because the risk of defending without Samba may be too great.