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Well that was dire, from the moment we started the team looked like they didn't want to be there. I can't think of one player that had a good game. Special mention must go to Howard who was utterly dire and I can't remember one pass or tackle he managed to make yet still avoided getting subbed. The team as a whole seem unable to pass the ball, tackle, or shoot. We had to wait until injury time for the first shot on target and close to the end for any attempt on goal at all. Their keeper can't of had an easier game.
OK we'd played on Wednesday and it was a long trip, but we just had no appetite at all to get anything from this game. You could moan about the pitch but Blackpool managed to know it around. The two goals came from the only bit of quality play in the game, for the first it was a couple of good passes and a good touch to deflect the ball into the goal past Feb. Maybe Mills went to sleep and should of made it harder but it was a quality delivery. For the second Bertand just stood off Baptiste until he managed to spot the unmarked Adams who picked his spot in the corner, ironically after the only spell of pressure we managed to produce.
The only claim for injustice was the homer ref not sending off the guy who did a two footed jump tackle on Gunnar (who then had to go off), IMHO a definite red and despite the protestations he got away with a yellow. Had he gone there would have been a different result.
Strange substitutions from McD, he should have taken off Howard and put on Tabb after going 4-4-2.
What worried me was that we looked either dead beat or complacent after beating Palace, and now we have another Wednesday game coming up before a 6 pointer v Sheffield Wednesday next Saturday.
Pie Eater
It was rubbish.
Positives first, Mills was very good and we'd have probably lost by more without him!
Negatives: It was plainly an off day as we were second to every ball, consistently gave the ball away, didn't cross, didn't shoot & didn;t seem to have any idea of something creative to break down a Blackpool side that were poor but very much up for the game. Missed opportunity on our part.
Oh and as per PieEaters comments, Keith Southern's tackle was a clear 2 footed lunge and deserved a red card, you could see he was scared and thought it was going to be red then ref gave the yellow!
Slinky
Both sides were poor, and so was the pitch. We were scuppered when Gunnarsson went off. He was the only player prepared to stand up to Charlie Adam. Adam ran the game, and had free reign once Bryn had gone. It was no coincidence that Blackpool scored the first goal ten minutes after he left the field. I felt a bit sorry for the back four, they were given no protection by the midfielders in front of them whatsoever. Mills and Khizanishvili both played ok. Griffin was the best of the bunch. His experience enabled him to deal with Bouazza, and others, on a number of occasions. Jem, Jobi and Jimmy didn't seem interested. Kebe was back to his 'bambi on ice' performances of earlier in the season. I was sure he had the beating of the Blackpool full back for pace, but he simply didn't try. Howard seemed to mis-hit every pass, and was generally very poor. He is so frustrating, against Palace he was picking out some really good passes. Yesterday anything over ten yards was a waste of time. Thorvaldsson didn't look particularly good, but the service he got was not great. He looked slightly more comfortable when Rasiak came on and he had a partner.
The time has come to rest a few players against WBA, in preparation for our game with Sheff. Wed. In the last few games Karacan and Bertrand have looked a bit off the pace. I would like to see Tabb and Sigurdsson given a few games together. The work rate and creativity they have between them just might be what we need.
Blue Biscuit
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