PAUL Robinson insists ‘actions speak louder than words’ for Blackburn Rovers’ laid-back skipper Chris Samba.

The giant Congolese defender was a colossus as Rovers held big-spending Manchester City to a 1-1 draw on Saturday – with his goalkeeper describing Samba’s contribution as “immense”.

Samba’s last-gasp block from Jo epitomised his, and Rovers’ never-say-die approach, with Robinson likening his leadership to former Spurs and England team-mate Ledley King.

Robinson said: “We managed to keep the ball out between us at the end, but Chris Samba was immense.

“Especially losing Ryan Nelsen early, Gael Givet moved across and Martin Olsson slotted in at left back and it shows we have a few players on the bench, we are not just an 11-man team.

“As captain, Chris leads by example. He is very much like Ledley King the way he does that.

"He is not overly vocal but, at times, as you saw at the end, he is. It gets to everyone in the end.

“He is so laid back. At times around the training ground, he is so laid back he could fall over.

"But if keeps performing like that he can do what he likes during the week.”

Samba was just part of a heroic team effort at the City of Manchester Stadium on Saturday, with Robinson himself producing a string of saves to ensure the visitors emerged with a point.

Roberto Mancini’s men will look back on an afternoon of frustration, after seeing a host of chances come and go, but Robinson is adamant they got what they deserved.

“I think we definitely deserved a point,” he said. “Our performances this season have been good but we haven’t got the results.

“Last week against Arsenal we played well but as the gaffer said he is fed up of saying we played well without the result.

“I think we made a little bit of a statement on Saturday.

"We stuck to our game plan and we got a result, we had chances as well.

“We got the goal and were a bit backs to the wall at the end of the first half.

"The manager told us that is not the way he wanted us to play the second half.

“He didn’t want us to be stuck in our own half defending. Second half, at times we were like that, but we created chances and could maybe have won the game.

"From Niko on his own up front back to myself,we defended as a team.

"We hit them on the break, maybe fortuitously got the goal, but we did well and defended resolutely.”

Since retiring from international football this summer, after being continually ignored by England boss Fabio Capello, Robinson has continued to excel between the posts for Rovers.

“I feel really good and am pleased with how I am playing”, he said.

“I have been training hard, working hard and reaping the rewards by making saves at important times.”