Wizaard
Well-known member
Husband was ripped apart all day. Beaten for pace and directly responsible for two of the three goals.
Do we deserve to be where we are ?
- Thread starter TwelveAngryMen
- Start date
straightatthewall
Well-known member
But he's probably our best left back. Which sort of answers TAMs op.
No, I think the position is a fair reflection of the performance. Could things have been different? Yes, but this depends on so many decisions and it's easy with the benefit of hindsight to be critical. We did well under Critchley, but tactically he was very defensive, and it was all a bit dour. With Appleton, we were promised "aggressive and attacking" football, but this never materialised.
I think the position in the table illustrates the "stay-in-the-game-as-long-as-possible" approach to tactics which is adopted by many managers. But for me we never look like scoring, or even threatening to score, so how can we expect to win games and accumulate points.
Critchley was convincing defensively. He got the most out of Ekpiteta. We looked very good with Ballard. When we couldn't get Ballard, Critchley surprised us all by getting Keogh. I could not see what he did not like about Thornily (whom I like) but I have to concede that Critchley kept us up, and I think he did this by making us hard to beat. Was it good to watch?.... For me, only in patches.
So the team's position in the table is just deserts. We don't look like scoring, but we know we are going to concede one or two. I hope we might see some goal fests soon. Go out fighting! It's only a game.
Vince McLean
Well-known member
Too good to go down - gotta be kidding?
More like too bad to stay up.
There's an old saying 'you can't polish a turd'.
We scabbed it last year with NC - but need a few diamonds to compete at this level.
Too late, stable door, horse etc. Or is it?
More like too bad to stay up.
There's an old saying 'you can't polish a turd'.
We scabbed it last year with NC - but need a few diamonds to compete at this level.
Too late, stable door, horse etc. Or is it?
tangerine.com
Well-known member
Spot on
seasidelytham
Well-known member
100% no…….including the disastrous last 2 games of the 21/22 Season ( Derby & Peterborough) we have played 36 championship games and won only 7. With our current squad, injuries, Manager, style of play etc etc we are lucky to be where we are. Very very sad
Insider
Well-known member
Like others have said we have some decent players but we've never really had a team.
Without question injuries have been a major problem and getting to the bottom of the reasons for that is another of several questions that needs to be answered.
So we are where we are for many reasons but at the end of the day the main reason is the number of points we've won which isn't good enough.
So yes it's deserved.
Without question injuries have been a major problem and getting to the bottom of the reasons for that is another of several questions that needs to be answered.
So we are where we are for many reasons but at the end of the day the main reason is the number of points we've won which isn't good enough.
So yes it's deserved.
Henshman
Well-known member
I was delighted when Simon Sadler, a Blackpool fan, took over the ownership of BFC, because I hadn't been to home games for six and half years, and it was great to be back, and getting season tickets once again.
The Pool got promotion in Neil Critchley's first full season, the ground looked far better and everything seemed to be going forward. I was that convinced, I put a good few quid on us getting a successive promotion. I was hoping we would buy Dan Ballard and Ellis Simms, or at least one of them. The August transfer window disappointed me, because we missed out on a few of our targets. The January window seemed even worse, and I started wondering whether Simon Sadler had the money to singlehandedly run the club. Also, we received no specific details about the proposednew training ground or East Stand. I realised the Covid lockdowns were a massive factor though.
In May last year, I read about Segantii being discarded by American Banks, which set the alarm bells ringing. We'd stopped spending money on players and the two new infrastructures were still long term projects.
This seasons transfer windows have both been terrible. Michael Appleton missed out on almost all his targets in August and Mick McCarthy had less than two weeks in January to bring players in, plus half of the squad were injured. He plumped for height bringing in Charlie Goode, Centre Half and Tom Trybull, Defensive Midfield, to stabilise the defence. We had Huddersfield and Rotherham home matches, both in the bottom four. I presumed two wins, but Pool were lucky to draw both, and I would've been disappointed not to beat Blackpool had I supported either of them. After the two games, both new players were injured, potentially for the rest of the season. We lost at Swansea, then just about beat Stoke, lost at Blackburn and Reading, where both teams fans thought Pool's team were terrible.
If we go down now, with quite a few players contracts up in June, I fear a battle to avoid slipping straight down to League 2 next season.
Everthing seems to be going pear shaped, but I sincerely hope I'm wrong, and we manage to stay up.
Wherever we are though, next season, I'll be there, hoping for Pool to finish as high up the table as possible.
UTMP
The Pool got promotion in Neil Critchley's first full season, the ground looked far better and everything seemed to be going forward. I was that convinced, I put a good few quid on us getting a successive promotion. I was hoping we would buy Dan Ballard and Ellis Simms, or at least one of them. The August transfer window disappointed me, because we missed out on a few of our targets. The January window seemed even worse, and I started wondering whether Simon Sadler had the money to singlehandedly run the club. Also, we received no specific details about the proposednew training ground or East Stand. I realised the Covid lockdowns were a massive factor though.
In May last year, I read about Segantii being discarded by American Banks, which set the alarm bells ringing. We'd stopped spending money on players and the two new infrastructures were still long term projects.
This seasons transfer windows have both been terrible. Michael Appleton missed out on almost all his targets in August and Mick McCarthy had less than two weeks in January to bring players in, plus half of the squad were injured. He plumped for height bringing in Charlie Goode, Centre Half and Tom Trybull, Defensive Midfield, to stabilise the defence. We had Huddersfield and Rotherham home matches, both in the bottom four. I presumed two wins, but Pool were lucky to draw both, and I would've been disappointed not to beat Blackpool had I supported either of them. After the two games, both new players were injured, potentially for the rest of the season. We lost at Swansea, then just about beat Stoke, lost at Blackburn and Reading, where both teams fans thought Pool's team were terrible.
If we go down now, with quite a few players contracts up in June, I fear a battle to avoid slipping straight down to League 2 next season.
Everthing seems to be going pear shaped, but I sincerely hope I'm wrong, and we manage to stay up.
Wherever we are though, next season, I'll be there, hoping for Pool to finish as high up the table as possible.
UTMPTimperleyTangerine
Well-known member
I firmly believed that our squad was too good to go down. As the season has moved on I’ve lost more and more confidence, and I’m trying to think why we are down there. If you look at some of our results this season we do have the necessary quality, even allowing for injuries.
We can blame the managers, but ultimately it’s down to the players. Some fight for the cause and others go trough the motions. But perhaps the biggest factor for me is that some are only at the races when we are on top, and that’s not been often enough. When we are up against it, there’s not enough metal in the squad.
Over 40 years of watching I’ve seen some squads desperately short of quality, but then they’ve grafted to get results. What I saw at Blackburn, after a win, was shockingly bad. Just no fight, no heart and no care, because most won’t be here next season.
Sad to say that the Board is responsible for putting success and safety in the hands of loan players and / or players with a history of significant injuries.
We can blame the managers, but ultimately it’s down to the players. Some fight for the cause and others go trough the motions. But perhaps the biggest factor for me is that some are only at the races when we are on top, and that’s not been often enough. When we are up against it, there’s not enough metal in the squad.
Over 40 years of watching I’ve seen some squads desperately short of quality, but then they’ve grafted to get results. What I saw at Blackburn, after a win, was shockingly bad. Just no fight, no heart and no care, because most won’t be here next season.
Sad to say that the Board is responsible for putting success and safety in the hands of loan players and / or players with a history of significant injuries.
Seasidedaz
Well-known member
We’re exactly where we deserve to be because we are nowhere near good enough (in terms of quality/ability/coaching/preparation/style of play/ability to score goals) to be a Championship team. The summer recruitment (manager and players) was a total mess and must never be repeated. We need a complete reset in lg1 next season
thedevilsadvocate
Well-known member
That's a very good post by Henshman which I agree with. Sadler and Mansford are to blame for where we find ourselves.
Is that a joke because everyone I see at games accepts we're crap.
TommyHutch
Well-known member
Absolutely thisWe’ve deserved everything we’ve got so far this season.
The way last season ended was a worry, then when Critchley left, we had the chance to make an exciting appointment but instead went for Appleton. It was a shocker. The mood amongst the fanbase was totally deflated, coupled with an increase in match day ticket prices. No understanding of the fanbase or mood around the Club. Let’s not forget the lecture letters from the owner telling us it wasn’t as bad as when we didn’t have enough players registered at Forest away & we didn’t need a right back cos Connolly scored v Reading. Again, out of touch and not grasping the mood or ah understanding of football.
The fun really started with recruitment. Shambles. The Brannagan chase was totally embarrassing. 3 windows? How we hadn’t worked out or finalised that he wouldn’t come I don’t know?! Bishop’s medical thinking Simms was coming… I actually think this sent Appleton under. He’d done alright till that window closed, we lost Bowler, didn’t sign a striker and another holding midfielder and we ended up with Bridcutt and then Ward. Stupid bids for the Sheff Wed guy and Barlaser at Rotherham, £500,000. He moved for 1.5m a window later and less time remaining in his contract. Pathetic. Embarrassing stuff from well-paid people.
Wigan away the majority of fans are done with MA. It’s never going to work, needed fo be brave and go get Rob Edwards but we sat on it and wasted a 4 week break and another 6 games. It was never going to heal so wasted it.
We then sign players to fit MA’s system but sack him, again showing everything is on the back of a fag packet. We bring in a 1990’s manager trapped in 2023 who thinks he can play his style of play with players that can’t. The worst thing is, we only sign two players from Jan 19th to 31st. Two centre backs. Midfield (still) and centre forward (still) is completely lacking. Deadline day absolutely fook all happens. Said this on the day, would cause us issues. It has. Again, this is clueless football intelligence not buying players to fit 1990’s esque football.
So to sum up, yes we do. What annoys me is, we’re paying out some hefty wages for people at the Club to ensure we are prepped, organised and ready to roll. We’ve failedon this.
Did we really think Trybull was going to be fit for the rest of the season because we all knew he wouldn’t be. How can we know that but the people signing him think it’s going to be ok?
As well as this failure in planning, there’s a failure in understanding who and what we are. We don’t want cliche bollocks about the ‘Blackpool way’ about how the recruitment doesn’t change if the Manager does or about you e-mailing the head of referees like you hold any sense of importance. Who do you think you are.
It’s a shit league this season, I can’t believe we’ve won 1 in 15 or 16 or whatever it is & are only 4 points off safety.
We probably deserve to be further away.
TheTangerinewizard
Well-known member
Nobody has god given right for The Championship, thats what makes football so exciting. When you look at the teams playing in the division below us, are we REALLY any bigger than the likes of Charlton, Sheff Weds, Portsmouth or Bolton, then you have teams in our league like Hudds, Wigan and when you look at Stoke, Qpr and the like who have massively underachieved this season.
GEER
Well-known member
League table does not lie and what I've seen from on the pitch from block F and on occasional travels across the north it is about right. My comparison is against last season and we have gone from a 60 point championship team/ squad to if we are lucky a 40 point one. The main difference is the manager at the start of the season, he set the tone " overachieved last time, little Blackpool mentality etc". Downward slope from there.
midfield general
Well-known member
We need to be trying Lyons at left back.
Danny Ocean
Well-known member
We absolutely deserve to be in the current position. The managment/owners took a gamble with Appleton based on his interview and the promise by recruiting young player from premier league reserve teams we could with his coaching expetise perform better in the championship,and more importantly leverage the available funds for maximium value. Unfortunatly Appleton new recruits have all proven to be too lightweight, inexperienced and injury prone, and have lost confidience. Now the managment have recruited Mick Marthey to install confidience in the team in the hope that he they can start to win. But from the last few games since the injury to Trybull, he has changed the team so many times and in so many formations that the team do not know if they are coming or going. Its so very different to the previous season were Critchley had the team well drilled and coached, and players played in their best positions with two players for every position.
The only chance the team now has is if Stewart, Anderson, Ekipetta and Yates all return and we play our strongest team from last season and rely on the fact that their combined experience and playing together will make the team perform better than the other teams at the bottom of the league.
The only chance the team now has is if Stewart, Anderson, Ekipetta and Yates all return and we play our strongest team from last season and rely on the fact that their combined experience and playing together will make the team perform better than the other teams at the bottom of the league.
Hooleys
Well-known member
I did a while ago, but now I just think we are exactly where we deserve to be midfield isn’t strong enough and collectively we are too passive and short of what’s required
Roy Kent
Well-known member
BIG Edit: (aka I pressed post inadvertently 
)
who is we in this question?
Fans - absolutely not their doing. Best fans in the league.
Players - mixed bag of abilities and many not being played in their best positions
Coaching staff - which ones? wrong choices and timing of replacement
Senior Management - may not have the funds / appetite / ability for Championship.
Put all of that together and any objective view should be that our position in the table is about right.
)who is we in this question?
Fans - absolutely not their doing. Best fans in the league.
Players - mixed bag of abilities and many not being played in their best positions
Coaching staff - which ones? wrong choices and timing of replacement
Senior Management - may not have the funds / appetite / ability for Championship.
Put all of that together and any objective view should be that our position in the table is about right.
Last edited:
clappers
Well-known member
Exactly this. No one in the midfield who is a steadying influence … Barry Backpass knocking it around keeping it safe; David Vaughan bringing absolute quality in posesssion; a Charlie Adam dominating and being dangerous with long passing. We just don’t look right.
Poolfan2
Well-known member
Placed in terms of a club with a decent squad, a good manager, a plan and a structure - yes
Placed as in terms of league position - no - because the Championship is a tough league.
GazMadinesChickenCurry
Well-known member
Derby were a good side, yes they were relegated but only because of a points deduction. We played half a team against Peterborough as it was a dead rubber. People love to use this as the reason why Critch left, he got offered 5x wages at a premier league club, that is the reason why he left. People also forget we drew at high-flying Luton and put 6 past Birmingham in April too...