Who'd be a goalkeeper?

Who would be a goalkeeper? You put in hours of training, preparation, dedication, all in the knowledge that you are competing for just one spot in the team with any other goalkeeper at the club. If you don’t get it, you’ll be consigned to the bench, only ever getting fleeting appearances against lower league opposition in the cup competitions that your manager isn’t taking seriously.

For these reasons, it is crucial that when you get your chance on the big stage, in front of the cameras, in an important league game due to an injury to the regular number 1, you take it. Bartosz Bialkowski made his first league appearance for Southampton this season when Blackpool were in town for the lunchtime kick off, so the game was his first opportunity to impress the Southampton fans and management in a pressured situation.

The biggest problem for all goalkeepers is that any mistake that is made is massively highlighted, as more often than not, it results in a goal for the opposition. Anywhere else on the pitch, a mistake can be covered by another of the 10 players, but as the last line of defence, the performance has to be flawless, or the chance you have been given will be taken away before you can blink.

Blackpool have been the beneficiaries of goalkeeping mistakes before this season, with Paul Rachubka’s 45 minute nightmare for Leeds helping them to their 5-0 win at Elland Road. They weren’t able to take advantage of every Bialkowski error, with Matt Phillips’ low cross eventually fumbled around the near post by the Polish keeper despite pressure from Chris Basham, and no-one was able to get on the end of his ridiculous block with the chest from Ludo Sylvestre’s 25 yard piledriver.

Indeed, was defensively where Blackpool were most impressive. Since the final whistle, Ian Holloway has admitted that Chris Basham’s inclusion was to combat Southampton’s playmaker-in-chief Adam Lallana, a job which the man making only his 4^th start for Blackpool since his million pound move from Bolton last summer did magnificently. Lallana was stifled to good effect, only getting any kind of time on the ball when dropping deep, as Blackpool kept their shape with Basham’s fellow midfielders Sylvestre and Barry Ferguson sitting deeper than accustomed to.

The slightly more defensive outlook from those two allowed Basham to roam forward more, which he showed he has an aptitude for, regularly causing problems as the extra man when Blackpool managed to work the ball into wide areas, which led to both goals. The first, a dynamic run from the ever improving Matty Phillips, feeding the ball wide to Callum McManaman, whose trickery and pinpoint cross picked out Basham at the back post, who beat the offside trap to nod in what was then the equaliser.

It was the goal that cancelled out the worst moment of the match as far as Blackpool were concerned. Poor communication between Gilks and Eardley, who received the ball facing his own goal, led to the right back losing possession. As soon as the pressing from the high line of Southampton arrived, Eardley had nowhere to go. Lallana poached it, as Guly cut off the return ball to Gilks, and Southampton showed patience as they worked it across the area, as Cork declined the chance to score, instead teeing up Lambert, who darted back inside the retreating Crainey, before his shot took a huge deflection off Cathcart and into the net, completely wrong footing Gilks.

It looked set to get worse before it got better for Blackpool, as they stood off Guly, allowing him to play a delicious chipped through ball between the static Evatt and Eardley, picking out Lambert, who was about to celebrate his second, only for Gilks to pull out a fantastic reaction save to tip it over. This passage of play where Blackpool on the verge of being swept away by the wave of Southampton attacks eventually ended with Basham’s equaliser, the midfielder himself looking as surprised as anyone.

The ten minutes between the Blackpool goal and half time was some of the most impressive football that Blackpool have played all season. The so called impenetrable Southampton midfield and defence were being breached regularly, as Blackpool’s one touch football and neat triangles found space for the wingers, as Matt Phillips nearly sent Pool in at half time level after his surging run led to a low 20 yard shot with smashed against the base of the post with Bialkowski beaten.

The message at the break had to be “More of the same.” Pool had dominated the last 10 minutes of the first half, and set up in the second half to do the same, and the wide areas led to their second, although there was a major slice of luck. McManaman cut inside, at pace, scaring the back four, and his run into the penalty area deserved better than the tame shot that it ended with. Thankfully, Bialkowski obliged by pulling off what can only be described as a “Taibi”.

The first hour was clear proof that Southampton are not untouchable at home. Blackpool pressed high up the pitch, caused problems in possession, strangled the play in midfield and gave the home side no time on the ball. They silenced the crowd, who were surprisingly quiet for a team that have won their last 20 at home, and only got interested when they could get angry at the referee.

The substitution that changed it, however, was the removal of Basham, who clearly lacked match fitness. He began to tire, Lallana began to find more space, and Basham had just been booked for a rash challenge, caused by being just behind play, most likely due to fatigue. The replacement, instead of the expected Martinez, who could continue where Basham left off to a lesser extent, was LuaLua. There was a sense of do or die about the change, Holloway saying that Blackpool will either get the third goal to clinch it, or concede the equaliser, and the latter is exactly what they did.

The manner of the goal that eventually arrived in the 93rd minute was very similar to a chance that Southampton had spurned moments before. An angled cross from the right, drifting away from Gilks, which Guly had headed over, this time floated over the back four to Lambert at the back post, where he had dropped off Eardley, who, along with Crainey, had been caught inside far too often throughout the game, for the big number 7 to nod past Gilks. Barry Ferguson, however, was the guilty man, failing to move out of the defensive position quickly enough, playing Lambert and Guly onside.

Despite late worries, including a magnificent Crainey challenge on De Ridder when the winger was away on the right with options square, Pool held on for the first away point taken from St Mary’s all season. It was, overall, a very pleasing performance. Basham showed there is life in the Blackpool midfield without Southern, who will have to work hard to regain his place upon his recovery. The back four needs strengthening. Even with Baptiste’s return soon, the way forward is for him to partner Cathcart in the centre, with a new right back. Eardley is dynamic going forward, but struggles defensively, and for the formation to work, it needs a full back on both sides who is strong going towards his own goal. We have been blessed with one in Crainey, we need another to partner him. Midfield looks strong, if not a little short on cover with the loss of Shelvey, and the addition of a striker to rotate the options up front will give Pool a strong squad to challenge.