Blackpool v Gillingham Official Matchday Thread 05.04.21

Simms MOTM today. Not because any others weren't as good but because we're not his team and he put in a massive effort. He holds up well, he lays-off well. Where nothing's on he drives himself with the ball into space. I wish he'd got his goal.

For a big player he gets pushed off the ball too easily sometimes but I prefer his mobility to Madine's strength. Fits in well with Jerry. We need both players for different games though. Agree he did well today.
 
I feel like getting in my TARDIS and going back to early season to give myself a slap round the chops.
Yeah I thought we should improve as the season goes but it wasn't looking promising with results, we looked like a team who didn't know each other and thats exactly what we were. You can only react to what we saw and at that time it wasn't right, critch still assessing the players and putting his stamp on it, a few key players now hadn't joined yet like Dougall and Embleton. Many reasons.
 
Don't think we should underestimate the influence Embleton has had in the last few matches. Hope we don't miss him too much in the matches against Sunderland.
I reckon that's why Robson is getting that practice in his position at the moment in the last 15 mins or so of each match. He'll be gagging to show he's better than Embleton, and to show Sunderland they're missing out. It's the perfect replacement for him in those matches IMO.
 
We need to do everything we can to sign him.
Would be a quality signing for us. That spin off and drive at goal is what he is all about and without seeing loads of him I am convinced he has a natural eye for goal. Can you imagine how good he is going to be in a year or two with football league experience behind him.
 
Might have said this before Wizzer so apols if I have. You could pay your tenner, keep away from the results (England F) and watch it through after your shift.
Don't know how old you are but did you ever watch the likely lads where they were trying to evade the England result so they could watch it on telly?
It's an impossible task.

Today, Jerry's 2nd text off eldest lad, yessssssssssss👍🏻
Kaikais goal, text off the youngest, oh my word what a finish.

I'll have to make do with Colin Murray and Quest this evening 😁👍🏻
 
Don't know how old you are but did you ever watch the likely lads where they were trying to evade the England result so they could watch it on telly?
It's an impossible task.

Today, Jerry's 2nd text off eldest lad, yessssssssssss👍🏻
Kaikais goal, text off the youngest, oh my word what a finish.

I'll have to make do with Colin Murray and Quest this evening 😁👍🏻
Hence my reference to England F, which might have been the title of that episode
 
That performance really was the bollocks ! No mean feat hammering Gillingham by any stretch of the imagination. MOTM goes to Critchley again for me. As regards Madine, if it is a sulk, he'll be back before the season ends, he won't want to miss out on what we've got in the locker !
 
Today was everything we were missing a couple of months ago, all with the same bunch of players really. That’s quality coaching.

Kai Kai was fantastic today, his best moments coming centrally and just inside the box, something he’s been crying out for. He seems to thrive on confidence and suffer during his lulls. I hope he can now string 2 or 3 performances together.

Everyone was outstanding though hard to single anyone out.
 
Fantastic team goal, was Maxwell the only player not to touch the ball in that brilliant move?
Thinking again, he probably started the move.😃
 
I said a game or two ago. Critch has told the players a certain standard and they've got to it every game since.

Gillingham have been causing issues for all sorts of teams so for us to give them a pasting, shows how invested the players are.

Beat Lincoln and Sunderland and it'll be interesting to see how far off the top two we are.
 
Hull & Peterborough aren t good teams the standard of football in the division is poor
that is why they are occupying the 2 automatic places we need to beat what is put in front of
us and hope that either of those 2 teams have a run of bad results.
 
If we are in the play-offs, they will be tough games. Peterborough or Sunderland, plus Pompey and Blackpool, with probably Charlton, maybe Ipswich. Pompey have really picked up since the change of manager, and so have Charlton by the look of it. Ipswich seem to have the voodoo on us. Promotion won't come easily.
 
Hull & Peterborough aren t good teams the standard of football in the division is poor
that is why they are occupying the 2 automatic places we need to beat what is put in front of
us and hope that either of those 2 teams have a run of bad results.

Can I ask you, when was this division a high standard because every year all I hear is the same cliche "the standard of football in this division is poor". We're a good team but recently had to settle for five draws at home to mid table and teams lower. That suggest its a difficult division this season. Most of those draws were were well deserved by our opponents. For example Crewe looked a great side and I thought Wimbledon and Burton were both decent.
 
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Remember in the back of every Sunderland player's head is 'If we don't go up, this is going to be another really depressing year for the Netflix series'. I would absolutely relish them in the playoff semis, and the thought of getting to watch them cry about losing in ultra HD next year. Mmmm.
 
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Can I ask you, when was this division a high standard because every year all I hear the same cliche "the standard of football in this division is poor". We're a good team but had to settle for five draws at home to mid table and teams lower recently. That suggest its a difficult division this season. Most of those draws were were well deserved by our opponents. For example Crewe looked a great side and I thought Wimbledon and Burton were both decent.

I agree and the big clubs are gathering in the automatic and play off places. Hull, Peterborough, Sunderland, Portsmouth, Blackpool, Charlton and Ipswich have all got reasons to believe they should be in a higher league and are busting a gut to get there. It's 3 from 7 or 8, but the teams below are capable of beating them. Does that make it poor? Crewe and Burton didn't look poor to me. Has anyone actually looked poor? I wouldn't say so.
 
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I agree and the big clubs are gathering in the automatic and play off places. Hull, Peterborough, Sunderland, Portsmouth, Blackpool, Charlton and Ipswich have all got reasons to believe they should be in a higher league and are busting a gut to get there. It's 3 from 7 or 8, but the teams below are capable of beating them. Does that make it poor? Crewe and Burton didn't look poor to me. Has anyone actually looked poor? I wouldn't say so.
Swindon, Plymouth twice, Peterborough twice, MKDons, Wimbledon and that's without even thinking about it. The quality has been far better in seasons gone by than this year. Hull were extremely average when we played them. Only team's I've been impressed with were Burton, Crewe and Ipswich.
 
Swindon, Plymouth twice, Peterborough twice, MKDons, Wimbledon and that's without even thinking about it. The quality has been far better in seasons gone by than this year. Hull were extremely average when we played them. Only team's I've been impressed with were Burton, Crewe and Ipswich.
Yet again Kurt, I disagree! Swindon maybe. That's it. Plymouth 4 points off us. Posh are second and have a strong attack at this level, but are inconsistent. Like most Prem teams at the minute. MK Dons and Wimbledon have played some good football against us.
 
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I imagine a number of teams we have beaten recently will say we have looked average. It’s always difficult to judge other teams.

We are certainly effective over the last 30 games though and that’s what counts. We’ve conceded a few more recently but that’s allowed us to score way more than we had been doing. I hope we can keep looking average and that teams think they can beat us with their own game plans, and we keep picking them off.
 
I imagine a number of teams we have beaten recently will say we have looked average. It’s always difficult to judge other teams.

We are certainly effective over the last 30 games though and that’s what counts. We’ve conceded a few more recently but that’s allowed us to score way more than we had been doing. I hope we can keep looking average and that teams think they can beat us with their own game plans, and we keep picking them off.
We've been without Marv, Ballard and Gretarsson for recent games, remember. But still held up pretty well. Should be a lot stronger at the back for the run in.
 
Can I ask you, when was this division a high standard because every year all I hear is the same cliche "the standard of football in this division is poor". We're a good team but recently had to settle for five draws at home to mid table and teams lower. That suggest its a difficult division this season. Most of those draws were were well deserved by our opponents. For example Crewe looked a great side and I thought Wimbledon and Burton were both decent.

Usually trotted out by people who want to talk us down. They are frightened to death we might prove them wrong and want to downplay everything.
 
Hull & Peterborough aren t good teams the standard of football in the division is poor
that is why they are occupying the 2 automatic places we need to beat what is put in front of
us and hope that either of those 2 teams have a run of bad results.
Ironically I'd say half of this statement is true but the other half isn't.

I don't think Posh or Hull are anything special however as another poster has said some of the sides that aren't in the running this season like Burton, Crewe and Plymouth have impressed me this season. It does feel a very 'on it's day' season but a bit like 2006/07, there is no doubt that in the second half of the season, we are probably the best side in this league.
 
My big gripe all season is that we were horrible to watch, well thats been put to bed, it seems since Burton at home second half, the team has clicked. Now were beating teams and entertaining. Well done Critch and Calderwood 👍👍👍
Since Calderwood came to help Critchley, the lads have become defensively solid. Recently, we are playing good forceful attacking football too, despite all the injuries.
I DON'T THINK AUTOMATIC PROMOTION IS OUT OF THE QUESTION YET, but I would love to see the table if we could get nine points from Lincoln A, Accrington H, and Sunderland H, dare I say throw Rochdale A, in for twelve points from the four games because I'm greedy like that.
The Mighty Pool's 4-1 win on Saturday was brilliant and the only icing on the cake would have been a goal for Simms and Yates completing his hat-trick.
 
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