Fylde under big week
Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2024 10:05 am
My 3rd in person game of the season, decent weather for Blackpool given it was the middle of Feb and I am always bewildered by Blackpool, it's such a strange place - feels like a big city of run-down small shops and b&b's. Football wise, a more promising performance against a side you'd expect (and are) challenging for the play-offs. The pitch was not great which limited the game somewhat, making it more direct than either team would like. Very uneven surface meaning the time taken to get the ball under control often slowed things down, or made it preferable to just lump the ball forward.
Blackpool had more of the game really, particularly 2nd half, but in a game of maybe 7 chances, we had 4 of them and 2 of those we really should have scored. In the end a draw felt about right. Undoubtedly the most encouraging thing for me was that in the 2nd half Blackpool were on top and it was starting to feel somewhat inevitable that they'd create chances and score but Buckingham was able to change the game in a positive way. Firstly by bringing on Goodwin, who is a big unit but mobile - something we've not had at the club for years and he made a difference by being awkward and allowing us to get out of our half. Then Matete came on who offered something else we've not had for a few years - a bit of aggression, speed and the ability to win the ball in midfield more often, which meant we started being able to attack again. I sense they'll want to get him playing gradually, but if we could get Matete on the pitch a lot over the last 15 games the play-offs and promotion are not out of reach. I'd have him instead of either McGuane or Rodrigues, who have both dipped in form (possibly tired, but either way). Brannagan also needs stop shooting every time he has the ball within 30 yards of the goal. Some additional options in midfield have been long overdue.
Listened to wasn't at the game afterwards and there was some discussion about how the fans and the team connected much better, which wasn't my perception. I was surprised by how much negativity and anger there was in the away end - plus half the crowd disappeared before the players came over for the traditional post-game love in. Possibly I was more sensitive to it because I was watching with my children, but there was a sense of entitlement I thought to some comments (criticism of Goodwin after 2 minutes of coming on, "we deserve better than this" mid way through the 2nd half, or "absolute sh1t, Oxford" comments at the end of the game). It's a strange phenomenon, I wonder if it's because of the top 30 club chat, or the good start to the season but a lot of the fans don't seem to actually enjoying any part of the game or experience.
Anyway, the next 4 games seem very important, all against mid-table teams (Orient might have an outside chance of the play-offs) and given our injury crisis has improved, it should tell us where the team will end up this season. 7/8 points and I'd be optimistic of the play-offs.
Blackpool had more of the game really, particularly 2nd half, but in a game of maybe 7 chances, we had 4 of them and 2 of those we really should have scored. In the end a draw felt about right. Undoubtedly the most encouraging thing for me was that in the 2nd half Blackpool were on top and it was starting to feel somewhat inevitable that they'd create chances and score but Buckingham was able to change the game in a positive way. Firstly by bringing on Goodwin, who is a big unit but mobile - something we've not had at the club for years and he made a difference by being awkward and allowing us to get out of our half. Then Matete came on who offered something else we've not had for a few years - a bit of aggression, speed and the ability to win the ball in midfield more often, which meant we started being able to attack again. I sense they'll want to get him playing gradually, but if we could get Matete on the pitch a lot over the last 15 games the play-offs and promotion are not out of reach. I'd have him instead of either McGuane or Rodrigues, who have both dipped in form (possibly tired, but either way). Brannagan also needs stop shooting every time he has the ball within 30 yards of the goal. Some additional options in midfield have been long overdue.
Listened to wasn't at the game afterwards and there was some discussion about how the fans and the team connected much better, which wasn't my perception. I was surprised by how much negativity and anger there was in the away end - plus half the crowd disappeared before the players came over for the traditional post-game love in. Possibly I was more sensitive to it because I was watching with my children, but there was a sense of entitlement I thought to some comments (criticism of Goodwin after 2 minutes of coming on, "we deserve better than this" mid way through the 2nd half, or "absolute sh1t, Oxford" comments at the end of the game). It's a strange phenomenon, I wonder if it's because of the top 30 club chat, or the good start to the season but a lot of the fans don't seem to actually enjoying any part of the game or experience.
Anyway, the next 4 games seem very important, all against mid-table teams (Orient might have an outside chance of the play-offs) and given our injury crisis has improved, it should tell us where the team will end up this season. 7/8 points and I'd be optimistic of the play-offs.