Tough Night, Another Comeback

Portsmouth visited Bloomfield Road looking to complete the double over the Seasiders after Erik Huseklepp's last ditch wonder-strike at Fratton Park earned them three points back in September.

Line-ups:

Blackpool made five changes to the side that won at Sheffield Wednesday in midweek. Alex Baptiste returned to his more familiar right back slot due to Craig Cathcart coming back in, with Stephen Crainey completing the back four. Barry Ferguson and Chris Basham both came into the side in midfield, while Roman Bednar made his first start in place of Kevin Phillips. The formation that impressed so many at Hillsborough, with LuaLua playing just off the striker was retained, in the hope that some of the magnificent attacking football displayed in Sheffield could be replicated.

Due to several departures in the last two transfer windows, Portsmouth are down to the bare bones with regards to selection for Michael Appleton. Currently in possession of the smallest squad in the Championship, and the second smallest in the entire football league, it came as no surprise when Appleton named the same eleven that lost out late on against Birmingham. Boasting a remarkable bench, which included Benjani and Dave Kitson, there was plenty for Blackpool to be careful of in an experienced Portsmouth line-up.

Key Battles:


Matt Phillips Vs Tal Ben Haim


With the remarkable run of comeback victories that Blackpool were enjoying before the game came, perhaps unsurprisingly, Matt Phillips' best run of form in a Tangerine shirt. 10 goals in 10 games before the start of play suggested that Phillips could be a match winner, but he found a worthy opponent in experienced centre half turned full back Ben Haim. The former Chelsea and Manchester City defender, capped 62 times by his native Israel, kept Phillips quiet for long periods, and even ventured forwards to launch attacks for the visitors, putting Phillips on the back foot, this was certainly a head to head that went in the visitors favour.

Craig Cathcart Vs Marko Futacs


The Northern Irish centre back has a troubled past when it comes to powerful, old fashioned strikers. Certainly, forwards such as Charlie Austin, Jay Rodrigues, and Nikola Zigic have caused him problems this season, so when the 6 ft 3 Hungarian Futacs rocked up beside him, one could be forgiven for thinking he could be in for a long night. Quite the contrary, Cathcart put in a very impressive display, winning most of his aerial battles, covering well for Danny Wilson who was clearly struggling with the pace and invention of Huseklepp, and put in his fair share of crunching tackles. The one time Futacs did find some space, his 20 yard fizzing effort clipped the post.

Chris Basham Vs Liam Lawrence

In recent weeks, Chris Basham's inclusion has brought a drive and intent to the Blackpool midfield that is sorely lacking when it is packed with creative talent. His willingness to put his body on the line, and bust a gut to get involved at both ends at the pitch serve as a constant threat for the opposition and a momentum generator for the Seasiders. This time, however, Lawrence had a march on the former Bolton man. Clever in possession, and with good movement without the ball, the ex-Stoke man showed all of his Premiership experience to marshall the Portsmouth midfield. The fact that Basham was replaced with nearly half an hour to go was a testament to how well Lawrence had dealt with him.

Those who impressed...


Both full backs in Tangerine can take enormous heart in their performances, with both looking dangerous in attack and comfortable in defence against potentially dangerous Portsmouth wide men. Crainey in particular, who some believe has a problem with pacey wingers, gave Kelvin Etuhu very little to work with whenever in possession, and his glorious free kick to draw Blackpool level was just reward for a good night's work. Barry Ferguson in the heart of the midfield gave Blackpool impetus going forward with some smart runs, and kept the ball moving on a difficult playing surface as he put in a display that served as a timely reminder to those questioning whether he is worth his place in the side.

and those who didn't.


None of the front four can be too pleased with their performances on a difficult night for footballing purists at Bloomfield Road. The standard of the pitch can take part of the blame for the likes of LuaLua and Ince failing to make their mark on the game, as they struggled to cope with regular bobbles and inconsistent bounces. Roman Bednar looked ready to work with very little end product to show for it. Holloway was right to remove LuaLua and Ince with only ten second half minutes gone, with the former proving that, while he is capable of providing a moment of magic, he is also just as likely to frustrate.

The Gaffers:


After a display of such dominance on Tuesday night, it seemed only natural that the formation that worked so well be used again in the league. With hindsight, however, it may have been a mistake. The additional quality of Lawrence and Mullins with their Premiership experience quickly snuffed out the threat of the deeper LuaLua, before setting on Basham and Ferguson in their defensive roles to cause Blackpool problems. Ian Holloway's substitutions were spot on, and not for the first time in recent weeks. Gary Taylor-Fletcher provided the spark that LuaLua failed to muster, and Kevin Phillips' reputation alone caused the Portsmouth defence to drop deeper and deeper as the second half wore on.

Michael Appleton can return to the South Coast a relatively happy man. If offered a point at the start of play, he would surely have taken it, but there will be a tinge of disappointment that his side couldn't hold onto the points. Chances came and went for Huseklepp, who could have won the game by himself had he been more clinical, and it was only a moment of magic from an unlikely source that stopped the visitors returning home with all the points. With the threat of administration and the dreaded ten point deduction hanging over the club, the point will be gratefully added to the total.

Next Up:


The games come thick and fast for Blackpool, with a Valentine's Day trip to the Keepmoat Stadium one to cause the fans to wrap up warm. Doncaster Rovers will be keen to avenge the devastating late show they suffered at Bloomfield Road in October, when Tom Ince came off the bench to score two excellent goals, including a 25 yard thunderbolt deep into stoppage time, to claim the points after the now departed Billy Sharp continued his fine record against Blackpool with a first half strike.

A difficult game is in store, but if Blackpool can get the ball down and pass the ball as we all know they are capable of doing then the three points are definitely there for the taking against Dean Saunders' struggling Rovers team. Having had the weekend off when their clash with Crystal Palace fell foul of the weather, the divisions second bottom team will be fresh and keen to move closer to safety.

FA Cup, Same league troubles

Blackpool welcomed Sheffield Wednesday to Bloomfield Road in the FA Cup 4th Round, looking to advance to the 5th Round for the first time since 1990. It was only a second late show in 7 days that kept Blackpool in the hat for the next round, and hopes of a trip to Goodison Park in the 5th round will hinge on a return game at Hillsborough next Tuesday. Kevin Phillips converted a debatable penalty in the 92nd minute after Gary Taylor-Fletcher was felled, cancelling out Clinton Morrison's deft chip after a mistake from Billy Clarke.

Line-ups:

Blackpool recalled Kevin Phillips to the side to try and combat the slightly deeper central midfield pair of Sheffield Wednesday. With Phillips likely to play off the back four, instead of dropping deeper to influence play like Gary Taylor-Fletcher, he was likely to find more space than Taylor-Fletcher. Danny Wilson returned to the back four in place of Ian Evatt, while Alex Baptiste and Stephen Crainey were also rested ahead of the visit of Coventry City on Tuesday night. Keith Southern also made his long awaited return after recovering from a cancerous tumour.

Player Ratings:

Gilks: 8-Made 2 top class saves in the first half, first to deny Lowe's volley before a Peter Schmeichel-esque stop to keep Clinton Morrison out after a mistake by Keith Southern. No chance with the goal, with the only possible complaint being that he failed to push the ball clear, instead only palming it straight to Morrison.

Eardley: 6-Eardley's main attribute is his added quality in delivery into the penalty from wide areas, but when he managed to get forward, his final ball was relatively poor. Sheffield Wednesday never really managed to maintain a spell of pressure, so his defensive frailties were not exposed too dramatically.

Cathcart: 7-At his best with a reliable partner so he can concentrate on his own game, with Wilson still adapting, Cathcart had to remain careful to cover him, something he has done regularly and well alongside Ian Evatt. Another good display, Ryan Lowe rarely found any space to maneuver. 

Wilson: 6-Clearly young and lacking in match practice, two clever strikers highlighted his shortage of experience. No doubt a talented player, he will have better days.

Harris: 7-The left back understudy proved once again that he is capable of stepping up to replace Stephen Crainey should disaster strike. If he were to add a bit more quality going forward, he could be a fantastic find by Ian Holloway.

Southern: 8-The way he was playing, had he lasted the ninety minutes he would have swept the Man of the Match awards, and not just sentimentally. As it is, he only scrapes it. His defensive knowledge is superb, with excellent positioning and anticipation. No surprise whatsoever that the struggles in midfield to generate any forward momentum started when Southern was forced to be withdrawn.

Basham: 7-Questions can be asked as to whether or not Basham and Southern can co-exist in the same 3 man midfield. Both similar players, Basham has done enough in recent weeks to hold Southern at bay for the time being. A classic Basham display. Tough tackling, comfortable in possession, not at his best, but still maintaining a high standard.

Ángel: 7-Looking more and more the part with every game he plays. Excellent passing ability, never afraid of a tackle, Ángel plays the David Vaughan role as well as anyone who could have been considered as a replacement. A similar player to Barry Ferguson, it is unlikely the midfield is big enough for both of them, but certainly capable of stepping in for the club captain.

Matt Phillips: 6-After a first half that promised plenty, in which he caused a fairly slow left back in Mark Beevers, Phillips failed to deliver in the second half, remaining fairly anonymous. His final delivery is cause for optimism, delivering dangerous crosses from the right, but due to Billy Clarke's unwillingness to leave the left wing, was unable to rotate across the front three to cause the threat he has in recent weeks.

Clarke: 5-In what is likely to be his last chance to impress, Clarke failed to perform. Hesitant, unwilling to experiment. A bright start faded swiftly, seemingly bereft of confidence after a magnificent save from Bywater denied him his first Blackpool goal in over 2 years. He definitely has the attributes to play at this level, but he shouldn't be getting anywhere near likes of Ince, Taylor-Fletcher and Matt Phillips for a place in the first eleven.

Kevin Phillips: 7-Games where teams put men behind the ball and try and grind out results, Kevin Phillips is going to struggle when he starts. In congested areas, he is unlikely to get the space he needs to create problems, though he showed his ability to generate room when in possession to get his shots away. An unstoppable penalty earned a replay.

Subs:

Taylor-Fletcher: 8-In a game where a substitute was needed to change the game, Taylor-Fletcher was the man on this occasion who brought Pool back into the game. Tireless running, invention in difficult situations, and dropping into interesting spaces, it was a classic GTF run that earned the penalty, around the back of the full back, getting into a dangerous area, Beevers couldn't help himself and brought him down. An excellent display from a man close to returning to his best.

Dicko: 6-Seems to be pure pace, he needs to learn the dirty side of the game. Throwing himself on the floor at one stage was not approved by the Blackpool fans that he was so keen to impress, but his pace will definitely cause problems for teams and gives Pool another option in the run-in.

Ince: N/A-Given 10 minutes at the end of the game, looked like the Ince we have come to expect. Tricky in possession, never giving up on lost causes, but didn't make the impact to take Pool over the line. Was almost lost in the ruck of bodies that populated the final third late in the game.

Opposition:

For a team that is supposedly on such a good run of form and beating all before them in League 1, one could be forgiven for expecting Sheffield Wednesday to play a slightly more expansive style. Gary Megson made his tactics known early on, keeping a solid two banks of four behind the ball, leaving Lowe and Morrison to fend for themselves up front. Stephen Bywater is most likely the best keeper at that level, giving them a solid base to build from, and with four physical defenders, the inclusion of Clarke, a smaller, touch player, was probably the wrong decision. David Prutton rolled back the years to marshal the midfield, winning every second ball and putting in tackle after tackle to stop Blackpool settling.

Next Up:

Coventry City's visit to Bloomfield Road on Tuesday night is an opportunity to gain ground on those above us in the playoff chase. The division's bottom side has lost their main goal threat in Lukas Jutkiewicz who has completed his move to Middlesborough, but the recent home thrashing of the Teesiders shows Coventry are a dangerous prospect if taken lightly. Alex Nimely has arrived on loan to replace the departing Polish striker, while Gary Deegan has caused Blackpool problems in the past, and in Joe Murphy they have a consistent performer between the sticks.

Weight In Numbers

Blackpool laboured to a late show against a spirited, yet under strength Crystal Palace side at Bloomfield Road. The visitors clearly had their Carling Cup Semi-Final second leg on their minds with regards to team selection, as their noted good performers Nathaniel Clyne, Darren Ambrose, Wilfried Zaha and Julian Speroni all stayed at home, with Dougie Freedman putting his faith in youth. Blackpool were without the injured Lomano LuaLua to a hamstring injury, and made a total of 6 changes, with Gary Taylor-Fletcher returning to the front three, John Fleck earning a debut in midfield alongside captain Barry Ferguson, back after suspension. Ian Evatt and Craig Cathcart returned to the heart of the defence, with Matt Gilks replacing Mark Howard in goal.

Defence:

In general, a more familiar back four from last season performed well, with a few scares in the second half. Throughout the game, the Palace threat was on the break, with a front three loaded with pace in the shape of Andrew, Cadogan and Sekajja. In Blackpool's desire to gain some forward momentum, Ian Evatt regularly carried the ball out of defence, leaving huge gaps in the back line, and better finishing would have put Palace out of sight, with Calvin Andrew guilty of poor control on a number of occasions when well placed, and wasteful finishing eventually costing the visitors.

Gilks was rarely troubled due to Palace looking to sit on their lead almost as soon as the Owen Garvan penalty was converted, rarely committing more than their front three beyond the half way line, which allowed Baptiste and Crainey to get involved going forward, but despite the increase in numbers going forward, Blackpool didn't take advantage until late in the day. Aerially Ian Evatt had Calvin Andrew in his back pocket as one might expect, but along the ground his lack of pace was seriously exposed, as the striker's tricky interplay with his wide men opened Blackpool up on more than one occasion in the second half.

Midfield:

Chris Basham must be the unluckiest man at the football club with regards to consistent selection. After his excellent performance at Southampton he was unceremoniously dropped for the next game against Watford, which coincided with a frustrating draw. A similar story looked to be unfolding, as Basham was demoted to the bench in favour of John Fleck, and Blackpool lacked the necessary energy and drive in midfield that Basham brings. Fleck starting was most likely the correct decision, but in my opinion, Ludovic Sylvestre should have been the man to make way. After an impressive start in the Blackpool midfield, Sylvestre has been some way short of his best in recent weeks, looking sluggish and unwilling to pick a creative pass.

Fleck was unfortunate to be withdrawn for Basham with half an hour remaining, his lack of football this season a likely reason. When in possession he looked composed, ready to drive forward, and was unlucky not to see his first half strike find the top corner. His final ball was superb, as he laid on two chances for Tom Ince early on that the winger couldn't convert, and he looks an excellent addition for the rest of the season.

Ferguson put in the kind of display expected from him. Gritty, playing the safest pass possible, looking to distribute. His passing ability is sadly wasted by his slightly more defensive outlook, and when he does try to move forward, he has the ability to unlock defences. Basham's introduction breathed new life into a stuttering midfield, as did Elliot Grandin, who may have played for the last time in Tangerine, and if so, gave a fantastic goodbye with a brilliantly taken goal.

Attack:

The return of Taylor-Fletcher added an air of physicality to the front line. LuaLua's pace and invention was missed in the centre, but there was a clear improvement from Taylor-Fletcher in comparison to his performances before being demoted to the bench. The work rate and desire returned, he linked up well with the wide men, but he is still well short of his best. The quality he showed to create the equaliser for Grandin showed that the player who terrorised Premiership defences last season is still there, and that he is well on the way back to form.

For their good form recently, Matt Phillips and Tom Ince were relatively quiet. Neither Palace full back was loaded with pace, so it was a surprise that the two wingers did not try to isolate them and run at them more often. It came as no shock when the goals both came from wide positions.

Opposition:

Crystal Palace have good cause to be optimistic. The likes of Parsons, Cadogan, O'Keefe and Sekajja all look like excellent prospects when given the change to flourish, and the fact that a team missing so many of their key players took Blackpool, albeit a misfiring one, all the way will no doubt please Dougie Freedman. They defended stoutly for most of the game, only making two mistakes. One was to allow Elliot Grandin time and space to finish from 6 yards to level the game, and the other giving Kevin Phillips room to head towards goal after doubling up on the full back with Taylor-Fletcher at the back post that led to Chris Basham's winner.

Man of the Match:

A tough decision considering what was, in all honesty, a very frustrating and overall poor performance until the last few minutes, but Craig Cathcart proved once again that he is becoming one of the best central defenders outside the Premiership. Composed in possession, with excellent distribution either through the middle or to the wide men, he is one who Blackpool will do well to hold on to should they fail to return to the top flight. Calvin Andrew certainly targetted Ian Evatt when he received no change from Cathcart, and the Northern Irishman covered impeccably when Evatt was out of position.

A Great Start To 2012

The point made on Radio Lancashire after they went through Burnley’s disastrous late show at Leeds was that they need to be capable of bouncing back from disappointments. If they need an example of how to do this, they need only look to the other side of Lancashire, where Blackpool have now twice come back from a big defeat and poor performance. After the humiliation at Turf Moor, Blackpool came back and put 5 past Leeds at Elland Road, and a similar response was needed against Middlesbrough, and they didn’t disappoint.

One look at the teams and it was plain to see that Middlesbrough had set up to stop Blackpool playing their natural game. A crucial part of Blackpool's success this season, particularly due to the departure of Charlie Adam, has been the intricate passing between the midfield three. The loss of Nicky Bailey with injury will have severely harmed Middlesbrough's hopes of stifling the threat from the trio of Angel, Sylvestre and Basham with the ball at their feet, and while Robson is undoubtedly a fantastic player going forward, one can certainly doubt his credentials as a ball winner.

The addition of Tom Ince to the front three was a very aggressive and bold move by Holloway. Ince is undoubtedly a special talent, but he and Matt Phillips are very similar players, and while Ince has done nothing wrong in a Blackpool shirt, at the moment, Phillips is the first name on the teamsheet. Callum McManaman, however, was the unlucky man, and paid for being one of many anonymous figures at Birmingham, as did Gary Taylor-Fletcher. By bringing in LuaLua and Ince, it guaranteed express pace across the front line, which was obviously not expected by Tony Mowbray, as the two wingbacks were caught out regularly in the first half hour, which forced Mowbray to return to a 4-4-2, with McMahon moved to an orthodox right back position, with Hoyte on the right of midfield, and Robson on the left.

The change in Middlesbrough formation then allowed for the part of Blackpool's play that they were trying to prevent to flourish. Against a physically inferior duo of Smallwood and Haroun, Chris Basham had a field day as the enforcer of the midfield trio. His strength in the tackle, excellent reading of the game, and eye for a pass make him the natural successor to Keith Southern in the middle for Blackpool, although do not write off the Blackpool legend just yet. Basham put in what was probably his best display in Blackpool colours so far, even finding the time and energy to play as a central striker when the ball was worked wide, coming close to converting a number of crosses throughout the 90 minutes.

Ángel Martinez certainly started to prove his worth, playing in the centre of the three, and dropping back between the central defenders when Mark Howard was in possession. This allowed him far more room to distribute the ball around the pitch, as he filled a role not too dissimilar to the one played by David Vaughan. Defensively his positioning was superb, whether in front of the back four when Middlesbrough attacked through the middle, and when they moved the ball wide, he placed himself on the edge of the penalty area, ready to receive possession and start a counter attack. The only member of the midfield three that relatively struggled was Sylvestre.

Sylvestre is a fantastic football player. His main problem, however, is that he remains very square to the ball when he receives possession. This stops Sylvestre from rotating or pivoting with his first touch, to allow him the momentum to move forward. His first touch always goes in the direction he is facing, whereas last season, the speed that Blackpool moved forward was down to the fact that when either Adam or Vaughan received possession, they were able to immediately face the goal, and start an attacking move. With so many teams operating a high pressing game to stop Blackpool moving the ball with comfort, Sylvestre's first touch needs to be inch perfect so that he has time to turn with his second touch and pick out a pass, and with the Bloomfield Road pitch not currently conducive to passing football, more often than not, Sylvestre lost possession.

In the back four, Ian Evatt returned to form in spectacular fashion, in part due to Middlesbrough not attempting to run in behind him, and also possibly down to the fact that his place is now under threat with the addition of Danny Wilson. Cathcart was once again brilliant, as he kept Scott McDonald in his back pocket, and dealt with the physical threat of Ogbeche and later Emnes comfortably and efficiently. Baptiste and Crainey were never threatened due to the lack of a natural wide man in the Middlesbrough side, and were able to cause problems going forward, and Mark Howard only had one save of note to make, making a fantastic reflex save to touch Robson's shot onto the post with the score still at 0-0.

Overall, a fantastic start to the new year, and with the likely additions to the squad to come over the next 4 weeks, Blackpool are very well placed to mount a serious charge on the playoffs.

A bad day at the office

Those with knowledge of Blackpool’s recent record at St Andrews will have rocked up in Birmingham without too much optimism. The Seasiders’ win under Simon Grayson thanks to Gary Taylor-Fletcher’s goal in September 2008 was their first win since 1969, when they won 3-2 on Boxing Day. Since then, Blackpool have been on the end of some serious beatings, none more so than the 7-1 drubbing received, ironically, on New Year’s Eve in 1994. On the last occasion we made the trip to the Blues, we were sent home having been taught a lesson about the Premier League, as Alex McLeish completely outsmarted Holloway, with a certain Barry Ferguson orchestrating a comfortable win for the hosts.

There was, however, genuine good feeling about the possibilities of getting a result. Blackpool had visited one of their other bogey grounds just days previously, with Matt Phillips earning a second win in 3 visits to Oakwell after so long without ever troubling the points tally. Elliot Grandin was back in the starting eleven, finally having the chance to play in midfield with his friend Ludo Sylvestre from the start, with LuaLua mysteriously missing from the whole 16. Such an omission suggests either injury or a fallout with the management, with both an equal possibility given LuaLua’s track record.

Unfortunately however, this visit to St. Andrews was much more of the same. From the early moments of the game, Blackpool were second to every ball, out muscled whenever they tried to go forward, and outthought when put on the back foot. The addition of Danny Wilson on loan from Liverpool is a vital and excellent move by Holloway. Wilson will add the pace and strength to the back four that is desperately needed, with Ian Evatt very much out of form. Once again, Craig Cathcart stood tall as the solitary beacon in a struggling back four, with both Crainey and Baptiste caused no end of problems by their respective wingers, and their full backs on the overlap.

The main point where the game was won and lost was through the middle of the pitch, however. Grandin and Sylvestre, for all of their pretty build-up play which will have led to a superb pass completion success rate, created very little of note, with only Grandin’s tricky feet and cross-cum-shot forcing Myhill into action in the first half as he needed to palm the ball away from the onrushing Taylor-Fletcher, and Birmingham’s powerful unit in the game to hold them up, Guirane N’Daw, putting in a performance that earned him the Man of the Match from the sponsors. For Grandin and Sylvestre to flourish in this formation, it is likely they need to have added steel in there with them, a Basham or Southern type player who will get his feet dirty to make sure they have enough possession and time on the ball to unlock a defence.

It was exactly the type of game that the aforementioned Southern has performed magnificently in for Blackpool in the last 10 years. Birmingham’s high pressing game caused problems for Blackpool, who continually tried to pass their way out of trouble, and on a pitch that wasn’t necessarily conducive to keeping the ball on the deck at all times, that then led to mistakes either with the receiving player’s first touch, or misplacement of the original pass. This is what Southern adds to Blackpool. His critics will say he runs aimlessly, offering very little, when in fact, he has a fantastic football brain, which, while it does not add a great deal to the technical side of his game, he has developed a great anticipation of ensuing play, which allows him to be in the right position to close down or intercept, before starting an attacking move. Despite Blackpool’s recent form, they have missed Southern greatly, with only Chris Basham coming close to offering what he does, and he is likely to be given a chance to impress in the coming games.

The reason for Basham’s likely involvement is that Barry Ferguson will no doubt be missing for the Middlesbrough home game, as well as the visits to Fleetwood and Ipswich. Ian Holloway has said he plans to appeal, but I’m afraid he doesn’t have a leg to stand on. As soon as the incident in question occurred, Ferguson’s 3 match ban was penned in. All through the game, both sides had a target in their ranks who the opposition were trying to wind up. For the Blues, Marlon King for his troubles with the law, and Ferguson was the man in Tangerine as he had swapped St Andrews for Bloomfield Road in the summer. Ferguson was the one who snapped. After an earlier confrontation with Zigic, he proceeded to swing his right arm into the face of N’Daw, leaving the referee with no choice but to dismiss the Blackpool captain.

King, however, was not exactly innocent throughout the game, and if the referee applied the letter of the law to the game, King should have been given his marching orders in the first half for a deliberate elbow on Ian Evatt. A long ball played forward, there was no earthly way that King would beat Evatt to the ball, and he will have known that, as he led with the elbow and connected squarely with Evatt, who still managed to clear. Only a booking was administered, and that is the gripe that the led the Blackpool arguments.

The main positive to come out of the game for Blackpool was another fantastic performance from Mark Howard in goal. He kept Blackpool in the game by himself in the first half, making one incredible double save from a set piece, before palming round a low effort just before half time. Sadly, it was from the following corner that he was beaten, as Blackpool switched off, allowing a free header for Curtis Davies. Howard was powerless with both that and King’s goal in the second half, as once again Evatt made the same mistake he made at Bloomfield Road, trying to step up to pressure the midfield, allowing King to walk through and place the killer second goal beyond Howard.

The only black spot on Howard’s excellent performance, which continued into the second half, was the third goal. The golden rule of goalkeeping is not to be beaten at your near post, and Nathan Redmond’s strike, while powerful, should have been stopped. Before that, however, Howard was superb, and Matt Gilks certainly won’t be an automatic pick when he recovers from injury.

Considering we started the year in 8^th place in the Premiership, to finish it in 9^th in the Championship is a bit disappointing, but anyone who expected another year like 2010 was very misguided. Here is to a great year supporting Blackpool FC, and hopefully a return to the big time.

Oh, the frustration.

If, doubtful as it is, Chris Basham stumbles across this and gives it a read, then Chris, you have my sympathy. On his 2^nd start of the season at Southampton, he put in a fantastic, battling display, was arguably Blackpool’s Man of the Match, and the game started to slip away from Pool when he was withdrawn. None of that helped him, however, when it came to team selection for Watford, as he was dropped back to the bench in favour of LuaLua, as Ollie chose to go with the supposedly more attacking line-up.

As a long term supporter of Gary Taylor-Fletcher, defending him when out of form, smug when he plays to the peak of his undoubtedly massive ability, I was as surprised as any when I found myself leaving Bloomfield Road highlighting Taylor-Fletcher’s performance as a key in why Blackpool failed to break down what, in fairness, was a fantastic defensive display in the second half from the visitors.

The most disheartening thing about Taylor-Fletcher’s poor display was his, and in fairness, a number of other Blackpool player’s failure to put their body on the line to help the team’s cause. Far too often, when the ball dropped into an area between a Watford player and a Blackpool player, it was the man in white who was ready to put themselves into harm’s way to make sure they won the ball. Taylor-Fletcher was not the only one, and it would not be fair to point the finger solely at him, and those who did should apologise on Monday morning to those who did give everything they had at all times.

Two men on the pitch who both showed exactly what it means to put their bodies on the line were in either side’s back four. In Tangerine, Craig Cathcart showed that he is maturing into one of the best central defenders outside the Premier League. Strong, to hold off the physical presence of Troy Deeney, and pace to keep up with the rapid Marvin Sordell, Cathcart covered for the worryingly out of form Ian Evatt countless times, looked composed in possession, and displayed magnificent presence of mind to allow for superb distribution.

In the Watford back line, Nyron Nosworthy put in the type of display that Ian Evatt should watch back in his attempts to regain his form. He used his physical presence to bully Lomana LuaLua out of the game, showed deceptive speed across short distances to snuff out any worrying runs by Matt Phillips and Callum McManaman, and just when it looked as though Blackpool would overrun the visitors in the second half, Nosworthy covered his defensive teammates’ shortcomings to stand tall against the Blackpool steamroller.

Pool created all sorts of chances, ones that you would normally expect to be put away by those whom they fell to. Kevin Phillips was his usual anonymous self until the ball moved into the penalty area, where he came alive, only to head over from 6 yards, having been set up brilliantly by Matty Phillips, who put in his best performance of the season by far. Through the middle, he was lethal, as he played in the role that he occupied to great effect at Sheffield United, gathering the ball behind the main striker, and causing havoc in the Watford defence by running at pace, moving the ball between his feet, creating panic. It led to him hitting the post once, just as he had against Southampton, while his general link-up play between both himself and Eardley, and between him and the strikers, was massively improved.

A clean sheet at home, however, against a Watford side who, for all of their time wasting and delaying, which is understandable considering they are a side who are not far off the relegation places, visiting a side who are challenging for the playoffs, caused plenty of problems for Blackpool, is not something to be too disappointed about. Sordell’s pace caused problems when he moved the ball wide, giving Crainey a tough time, with Kightly on the overlap, who is a fantastic player at this level. Yeates on the other wing exposed Eardley’s slight naivety, who impressed going forward rather than backward as usual, and in the battle of two of the best goalkeepers in the division, it is perhaps unsurprising that neither side managed to find a way through.

It will no doubt go down as two points dropped for Blackpool, who missed two open goals, hit the post twice, and had one blocked from 6 yards, and Holloway will again have to face questions about his team selection and substitutions. Taking off midfielders and replacing them with strikers does not guarantee more chances. Loss of possession, which occurred when Sylvestre was withdrawn, who needs to cut out his back heels that put Blackpool into trouble more often than their opponents, means that the strikers that were brought on became ineffective. Tom Ince must wonder why on earth he has been dropped after two man of the match displays against Doncaster Rovers and Nottingham Forest, when the likes of Taylor-Fletcher and LuaLua continue to flatter to deceive, certainly the latter living off his fantastic display at Leeds. There are 9 days before the Seasiders make their Boxing Day trip to Barnsley, not a place famed as one where Blackpool gain three points, and while things look good, Blackpool’s need for a genuine central striker was shown once again.

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.