The reality is that Blackpool is always likely to be a club with limited resources. Compared to most Championship Clubs, we are always going to be ‘making do’ when it comes to our squad.
So whoever the manager might be (and Critchley was in exactly the same situation) they are going to need to get the maximum out of the squad they have available.
433, 343, 541, 442 …. It’s all bullshit…
As a manager you have two options…
1. You go down the Holloway route and drill your side so well to play the specific system that you choose to play, so that all your squad can do it standing on their heads.
2. You adopt a more pragmatic approach and try to play a system that gets the maximum out of the players that you do have at your disposal.
At the minute, we don’t seem to be doing either and we look disorganised and uncomfortable with the system and every time we are in possession.
We seem to lack a coherent plan and leadership on the field.
We’re not just short in Midfield/Attacking options either… We need a proper centre half with some experience… we’re all at sea defensively.
I’m hoping that it’s just a case of this being a transitional phase and hopefully things will start to click when we settle down and become more familiar with the system(s) that Applegoose wants to play…
Resources are what they are though and I have no doubt in my mind, that Critchley would find a way to win with this squad.
I'd agree with a lot of that in principle, but I don't think we are that badly resourced in comparison with most Championship clubs. Those clubs that have been in the PL recently are operating on a different financial level, but they can only do that for two years safely or three if they really want to put the club at risk (if they don't get back up - and a below par coach and unmotivated players will see that happen or not happen depending on how you look at it). I remember posting something pre-season where I did a comparison to the other clubs in this division, and I think we are middling. whether we are utilising our resources well might be another question and i have my opinions on that.
with regard to centre halves, Marv last year was considered PL quality, he needed to work on his distribution but it wasn't any worse than the majority of CH's in this division and was better than most. He was garnering so much praise that we as supporters were genuinely concerned that he might get poached. he seems to have had all of his confidence just drained away. He's not making loads of mistakes, but defences at every level do make errors, but there is obviously something that has turned a well drilled defence into one that just all over the place. We let Keogh go who i didnt think was ever that good as a player - championship quality without doubt - but i personally think we were better when he didn't play - notwithstanding a few outstanding backs to the wall performances last year (my personal opinion others will disagree). he has I think been a big loss to the dressing room, he was a big personality and bought a certain something to the spirit of the squad. I've said this before that the unbridled joy he seemed to have in playing and being involved with football and the club was infectious to those around him.
And this is where i get to Appleton - he doesn't look happy - he seems troubled and disconnected, and recently somewhat ambivalent. and I think that is reflected in the way we are playing, passive, indifferent, with a lack of real purpose, and i don't think it helps that we are completely disorganised from front to back, and that has to be a training ground thing.
Although we are no worse off this season than last, last season we had some of the fancied teams early on this year we haven't (nobody really thinks QPR or Stoke are going to do anything beyond upper level mid table with an occasional flirtation with the play-offs and Huddersfield have somewhat imploded), but, and this is a personal view which others can justifiably argue with, I think the points we have picked this year have been despite Appleton, players finding some internal fight.
this squad is easily a mid championship squad, and good coaching and organisation and motivation should be able to push us beyond, and i will leave that hanging there because i have no idea what goes on in training, but . . . . . .
id also say that i don't think that the Holloway team was drilled in lets say the way the Critchley drilled players in routines bringing the ball out of defence (and created an easy tactical decision for opposing managers occasionally) but Holloway exploited the talents and capabilities of the players he had, and let them play with a certain exuberance. We were always a bit leaky at the back, but we couldn't half score goals.
When Appleton was appointed i was underwhelmed but I came round to think that because he wasn't the typical FA graduate of dull possession at all costs football which is often rather ineffective (re: England), that he might be the choice because the club had a long term vision and he would slot in to that and tweak as necessary. but e has literally ripped the heart and soul out of the team and seemingly headed off in a completely new direction that even MA doesn't quite know what it is.
