Rochdale v Blackpool Official Matchnight Thread 20.04.21

I can see the argument actually that we're running out of steam and injuries and the congestion are catching up with us. I pointed this out on another thread but if we get 6 points from our next 5 games we will most likely put ourselves out of reach of Oxford and Pompey in 7th/8th.

We do that, we secure a play-off spot - we then have a 9/10 day break between the final day and the first leg of the play-offs. Batteries recharged, possible injuries returning, win the play-offs in typical Blackpool fashion!
 
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First of all let's all say well done to Rochdale. They worked extremely hard, played some good football and just about deserved the 3 points. A proper football club who have tried to play football the right way unlike some other teams that we have struggled against. I'd like them to stay up for those reasons but they still have a lot to do and that seems highly unlikely.

As for ourselves, yes it was disappointing to lose last night but with Pompey and Oxford getting beat it could have been a lot worse. 3 points last night would have almost sealed a play-off place - puts more pressure on us to win Saturday's game. It looked a little last night that we were running on fumes at times but the decision making left a lot to be desired. If you are going to play 2 up top against Rochdale's set-up last night you need to get the ball forward quickly when their attacks break down into the space left by their wing backs. We just didn't do that enough, with only Maxwell seem to be onto that. If we weren't going to do that we would have been better leaving Simms on the bench and playing an extra body in midfielder. Pretty sure Critchley wouldn't have been happy. You couldn't fault the effort but the decision making and lack of extra ounce of energy was missing.
 
The Saturday-Tuesday run and the injuries we've suffered caught up with us last night. It's true Critch should've changed it earlier though.

However, we have lost ONE game in the last 17, are 5th in the league, and only need 6 points from 5 games to secure a play-off place, imo.

If you can't trust us and back us now, then I don't know what to tell you.
 
Take a chance and put Holmes, Apter and Bange on, give some of the others a break. The Shrews are a bogey team anyway.
 
Take a chance and put Holmes, Apter and Bange on, give some of the others a break. The Shrews are a bogey team anyway.
I would have liked Holmes to have been given 15 minutes at the end, rather than 5 minutes, but to put all three of the youngsters on would be unfair to them, and could impair their development if it went wrong. It's too big a risk.

It wasn't so much of a risk to bring Gabriel and Mitchell on a lot earlier, or even started them, as the game was crying out for their pace.
 
In which net? He only plays the ball backwards.
I really don't understand this type of remark or why he seems to be a regular target for some on here. The bloke has been putting good, solid performances, week in & week out for a few months. Last night he was up & down the pitch trying to create space for others, always available for a pass and never hiding. It's not a crime to pass back and keep possession. My opinion is that we didn't mix it up enough; we could have gone longer earlier a bit more often. That isn't down to one player. Then I expect people would have been complaining about 'hoof ball'. It wasn't a great team performance last night and, as plenty have noted, we looked a bit jaded. It is still in our own hands with a few games to go. At Christmas most people would have settled for that.
 
Take a chance and put Holmes, Apter and Bange on, give some of the others a break. The Shrews are a bogey team anyway.
The business end of the season is not the time to blood youngsters, we went 16 games unbeaten till the other night, just let Critch do what he thinks best.
 
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