Squad was never good enough

Shiggy

Shiggy

Well-known member
Manager will get a lot of the stick and rightly so. Ultimately this season was a failure and the bulk of the responsibility lies with him. I backed him all season but he never really proved me right.

However, that squad is really poor. Best players were loans and 2 of them came in January. Rhodes being out for half the season was a bad stroke of luck but we shouldn’t have been so reliant on him for goals.

Yes we had a real star in Dembele but every squad in this division had their standouts. We were far too reliant on ours due to the lack of attacking quality around him.

The majority of the squad have been given chance after chance and ultimately failed to deliver. Big changes needed in summer.
 
Shiggy said:
Manager will get a lot of the stick and rightly so. Ultimately this season was a failure and the bulk of the responsibility lies with him. I backed him all season but he never really proved me right.

However, that squad is really poor. Best players were loans and 2 of them came in January. Rhodes being out for half the season was a bad stroke of luck but we shouldn’t have been so reliant on him for goals.

Yes we had a real star in Dembele but every squad in this division had their standouts. We were far too reliant on ours due to the lack of attacking quality around him.

The majority of the squad have been given chance after chance and ultimately failed to deliver. Big changes needed in summer.
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The squad showed last weekend that it IS good enough. Not for top 2, but 4th/5th easily.

Yes, it could be better, we know that, but it's how it's been used that has led to underachieving. Down to one bloke at the end of the day.

And that bloke needs to leave. Won't get sacked, but I smell a mutual consent in the air.
 
This squad is probably one of the best we've had, there were decent players all over the pitch, and one or two exceptional ones. The problem is Critchley, hes too conservative in general, he plays to a rigid formula, which is overly dependent on keeping defensive shape even when we are attacking. He has little tactical awareness, and his in game awareness / tactics / strategy is both completely random and completely dictated by the rigid formula he sticks to. This division was there for the taking and he blew it.
 
TangerineEggCup said:
Absolute rubbish. This squad had the potential to go up automatically. It was mismanaged from day 1. The fact we finished 8th with an incompetent manager and assistants shows that. A big opportunity missed. You'll see a much weaker team next season. That I'm certain.
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Halifax71 said:
Ridiculous to suggest the squad wasn't good enough.

The tactics, primarily away from home were the issue - that is one person's fault,
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Where is the evidence it was any better than 8th, where it sat all pretty much all season? You can’t just pick out individual performances. Every team picked up good results. You’ve got to have the quality and character to sustain it for long periods. The squad didn’t do that.

It can’t just all be on the manager. they had 46 games to prove they were as good as a lot of our fans seem to think they were. They didnt do that
 
It's difficult to judge the players when they play like they don't know what the offside rule is. There is too much chaos and disorganisation to properly judge the players.
 
fcblackpool said:
The squad showed last weekend that it IS good enough. Not for top 2, but 4th/5th easily.

Yes, it could be better, we know that, but it's how it's been used that has led to underachieving. Down to one bloke at the end of the day.

And that bloke needs to leave. Won't get sacked, but I smell a mutual consent in the air.
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There’s not a chance on this planet critchley will walk. Or even get sacked.
 
Shiggy said:
Where is the evidence it was any better than 8th, where it sat all pretty much all season? You can’t just pick out individual performances. Every team picked up good results. You’ve got to have the quality and character to sustain it for long periods. The squad didn’t do that.

It can’t just all be on the manager. they had 46 games to prove they were as good as a lot of our fans seem to think they were. They didnt do that
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His away tactics have been shite 90% of he time. Evidence - 48 points at home, 25 points away.
 
no9 said:
Lyons or Gabriel right back
Choice of Ekpiteta, Casey, Pennington for 2 centre backs
Husband or Lyons left back

Any combination would be a solid back four.

Plenty of options for 4 or 5 in midfield.

Up front a bit of an issue but still had Rhodes.

Down to Critchley for me.
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Exactly
 
Halifax71 said:
His away tactics have been shite 90% of he time. Evidence - 48 points at home, 25 points away.
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Exactly. Only 2 more away wins would have seen us comfortably 5th. It was the same formula and outcome time after time away. If he couldn't change it over a season what hope do we have for the next 🤔.
 
fcblackpool said:
The squad showed last weekend that it IS good enough. Not for top 2, but 4th/5th easily.

Yes, it could be better, we know that, but it's how it's been used that has led to underachieving. Down to one bloke at the end of the day.

And that bloke needs to leave. Won't get sacked, but I smell a mutual consent in the air.
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Exactly. The squad was easily good enough to make the top 6 in this division with other teams suffering points deductions. All it needed was a manager with a bit of ambition…not one obsessed with “the environment” and how stiff a test the opposition will pose
 
TangerineEggCup said:
Exactly. Only 2 more away wins would have seen us comfortably 5th. It was the same formula and outcome time after time away. If he couldn't change it over a season what hope do we have for the next 🤔.
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This is always my point. Why expect a sudden change on how he does things? Next season could be identical- good at home, scared poopless away.
 
Shiggy said:
Manager will get a lot of the stick and rightly so. Ultimately this season was a failure and the bulk of the responsibility lies with him. I backed him all season but he never really proved me right.

However, that squad is really poor. Best players were loans and 2 of them came in January. Rhodes being out for half the season was a bad stroke of luck but we shouldn’t have been so reliant on him for goals.

Yes we had a real star in Dembele but every squad in this division had their standouts. We were far too reliant on ours due to the lack of attacking quality around him.

The majority of the squad have been given chance after chance and ultimately failed to deliver. Big changes needed in summer.
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Bollocks the squad was absolutely good enough, we were shit all year and were only 3 points off top 6!

We finished where we did in spite of the manager!
 
Shiggy said:
Manager will get a lot of the stick and rightly so. Ultimately this season was a failure and the bulk of the responsibility lies with him. I backed him all season but he never really proved me right.

However, that squad is really poor. Best players were loans and 2 of them came in January. Rhodes being out for half the season was a bad stroke of luck but we shouldn’t have been so reliant on him for goals.

Yes we had a real star in Dembele but every squad in this division had their standouts. We were far too reliant on ours due to the lack of attacking quality around him.

The majority of the squad have been given chance after chance and ultimately failed to deliver. Big changes needed in summer.
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This just doesn't make any sense. We finished 8th, so EITHER the squad isn't good enough and the manager is doing a great job, or the manager isn't doing well enough and the squad is good enough. It can't be both or we'd be down the bottom somewhere!
 
fcblackpool said:
The squad showed last weekend that it IS good enough. Not for top 2, but 4th/5th easily.

Yes, it could be better, we know that, but it's how it's been used that has led to underachieving. Down to one bloke at the end of the day.

And that bloke needs to leave. Won't get sacked, but I smell a mutual consent in the air.
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Hope you're right, but fear not.
 
Shiggy said:
Manager will get a lot of the stick and rightly so. Ultimately this season was a failure and the bulk of the responsibility lies with him. I backed him all season but he never really proved me right.

However, that squad is really poor. Best players were loans and 2 of them came in January. Rhodes being out for half the season was a bad stroke of luck but we shouldn’t have been so reliant on him for goals.

Yes we had a real star in Dembele but every squad in this division had their standouts. We were far too reliant on ours due to the lack of attacking quality around him.

The majority of the squad have been given chance after chance and ultimately failed to deliver. Big changes needed in summer.
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Nonsense the squad was more than strong enough to be competing for automatic. We also had more strength in depth. Massive failure by the management team and also the players who are on big big salaries for league 1.
 
hills98 said:
This just doesn't make any sense. We finished 8th, so EITHER the squad isn't good enough and the manager is doing a great job, or the manager isn't doing well enough and the squad is good enough. It can't be both or we'd be down the bottom somewhere!
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Not really. It’s possible that we finished exactly where we should’ve based on the quality of our squad. Just a completely average season.
 
A lot of the replies here are just the same. People saying the squad was good enough without really explaining how they’ve come to that conclusion.

How many players apart from Dembele and Grimshaw can you say performed well consistently over the entire season?

I’m not negating the responsibility of the manager.

I just think people’s deep dislike of the manager has resulted in them massively overestimating the ability of current squad.

Manager failed to get the best out of them for prolonged spells.

players couldn’t show that they were good enough to get out of this league.

Simple as
 
Shiggy said:
Not really. It’s possible that we finished exactly where we should’ve based on the quality of our squad. Just a completely average season.
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If we finished exactly where we should have based on the quality of the squad, then what did Critchley do wrong exactly?
 
Shiggy said:
Where’s the evidence for that? They didn’t show it consistently at any point.
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Correct it was the tactics and especially the dogged formation that did for us, no flexibility and no imagination. That's on the manager end of.
 
Shiggy said:
Manager will get a lot of the stick and rightly so. Ultimately this season was a failure and the bulk of the responsibility lies with him. I backed him all season but he never really proved me right.

However, that squad is really poor. Best players were loans and 2 of them came in January. Rhodes being out for half the season was a bad stroke of luck but we shouldn’t have been so reliant on him for goals.

Yes we had a real star in Dembele but every squad in this division had their standouts. We were far too reliant on ours due to the lack of attacking quality around him.

The majority of the squad have been given chance after chance and ultimately failed to deliver. Big changes needed in summer.
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Well I agree with you 100%…unlike many with their tangerine tinted glasses. Yes on occasions we have been good enough…but the season is played over 46 games and as you say this squad is not good enough, never has been to bring any consistency in performances. It’s all well and good raising your game for the so called bigger teams, but as we know you have to deliver week in and week out. Good teams do that and we cannot class ourselves as a good team.
Depending upon what Sadler wants for the club ( one can only assume that as a fan, he wants to see attractive football challenging for promotion ) then he has a big summer ahead. He, together with the recruitment team and Manager ( Critchley won’t be sacked yet) need to orchestrate a massive overhaul of the playing staff.
Its easy to forget the state the club was in when he took over, and all the stuff off the field that he inherited has cost millions which otherwise could have been directed to improving the playing side of things. From his perspective, until the east stand is developed and the training ground built, I believe if we can stay in Div 1 ( comfortably) with the occasional foray into the play offs, he will be delighted.
Just my thoughts but constant changing the manager rarely achieves the desired outcome. Stability is crucial for a club like Blackpool.
 
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Again I repeat that squad is nothing like the squad that went up a couple of years ago. No Ballard, Dougall and Stewart much better than what we have, Yates and Simms would not be changed for any of our forwards including Rhodes. Yet they were not good enough to go up automatic. The sign of a good side is consistency. Yes the manager is too dogmatic but new manager same players next season and it will still be failure.
 
I agree. The squad isn't great at all. Time and time again this season they've needed to perform and they've let everyone and themselves down. I have no affinity with this squad at all which is wierd. I like Grimmy, Gabriel, Dembele (who ain't ours) and Morgan and Hubby. Apart from that the rest can fcuk off for all I care
 
The squad was never good enough IMO. The balance of the squad did'nt cover any options for change. More quality up front Beesley and Lavery not good enough. We also needed another big experienced defender.
 
Memphisboy said:
Nonsense the squad was more than strong enough to be competing for automatic. We also had more strength in depth. Massive failure by the management team and also the players who are on big big salaries for league 1.
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Who in that team/ squad was good enough. Dougall, Rhodes, Dembele sometimes. But week after week just not good enough. That squad needs dismantling and recruiting players who may be good enough and may make us profit if sold needs to stop. One thing this manager is not good at is developing young players, basically because to do that you have to play them. In all his seasons who has come through the ranks and improved us. None. Apter has improved elsewhere.
 
Shiggy said:
A lot of the replies here are just the same. People saying the squad was good enough without really explaining how they’ve come to that conclusion.

How many players apart from Dembele and Grimshaw can you say performed well consistently over the entire season?

I’m not negating the responsibility of the manager.

I just think people’s deep dislike of the manager has resulted in them massively overestimating the ability of current squad.

Manager failed to get the best out of them for prolonged spells.

players couldn’t show that they were good enough to get out of this league.

Simple as
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I think you can’t judge player ability on player performances in that system which was wholly unsuited to the players he had bar Rhodes.

It’s exactly why under Dobbie we looked like we could suddenly play attacking football when all season we hadn’t looked capable of it. Same players different system, mentality, motivation and players who are allowed to do well
 
Archibald Knox said:
To summarise this season, out of the 24 clubs...

Only 3 clubs scored more than our 43 goals at home.
Only 6 clubs scored fewer than our 22 goals in away matches.

Says it all really.
www.soccerstats.com

League One - home and away tables

Home and away tables in League One and relative home/away performance overview for each team.
www.soccerstats.com www.soccerstats.com
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Thats quite an interesting set of stats. we had the second worst record for comparative points away from home. it seems systemic rather than the vagaries of an odd bad performance
 
In Critchley’s promotion season he ended up playing 4 4 2 or 4 4 1 1 , mainly because he knew his 2 central midfielders had legs and ability to dominate. I would like to know his reason for never playing that formation, ever, this season. He either thought we didn’t have the players or he was not pragmatic enough to change. If it works you don’t change but away from home we were that bad it was crying out for innovation. His biggest failing in my eyes was that he never addressed our away form, where we always looked negative. First 2 seasons we played a high pressure game , winning the ball back quickly, why did that go out of the window. He needs to tell the fans why he did what he did, then we might understand.
 
Burnnazzer said:
In Critchley’s promotion season he ended up playing 4 4 2 or 4 4 1 1 , mainly because he knew his 2 central midfielders had legs and ability to dominate. I would like to know his reason for never playing that formation, ever, this season. He either thought we didn’t have the players or he was not pragmatic enough to change. If it works you don’t change but away from home we were that bad it was crying out for innovation. His biggest failing in my eyes was that he never addressed our away form, where we always looked negative. First 2 seasons we played a high pressure game , winning the ball back quickly, why did that go out of the window. He needs to tell the fans why he did what he did, then we might understand.
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His biggest failing is his stubborn inflexibility. He has one plan and that's it and he's unable to respond when his plan isn't working. It's the old adage of repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results. Rinse and repeat. While disappointed today I did have the feeling we got what we deserved this season. I only wish Northampton hadn't equalised today but that is because it rubbed it in just how near yet so far we were.
Most of all there's been the dismal lack of quality for most of the season even when we've been winning it has at times been a painful watch.
 
Lytham_fy8 said:
I bet you all a tenner that had it been Dobbie managing this squad to three points off the play offs people would be a lot harsher on the players and demanding that Sadler back the manager next season.

There's literally fuck all evidence that the squad was anything special.
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Genuine question,

Do you think Dobbie or Holloway would have all 11 players in our box chasing play offs when 3-1 down with 20 minutes to go knowing we need to win?

He's fundamentally getting things wrong consistently and refuses to change when it goes wrong.

If anyone has to learn any lessons this summer, it's Neil Critchley because he cannot come out the first 10 games and play the same way.
 
SeasideKurt said:
Genuine question,

Do you think Dobbie or Holloway would have all 11 players in our box chasing play offs when 3-1 down with 20 minutes to go knowing we need to win?

He's fundamentally getting things wrong consistently and refuses to change when it goes wrong.

If anyone has to learn any lessons this summer, it's Neil Critchley because he cannot come out the first 10 games and play the same way.
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It's pretty much what we did at Newcastle away in 2010 from memory, although it wasn't a must win it was very much a need a win. 4-1 wasn't it?

No idea about Dobbie, no one has.
 
Lytham_fy8 said:
It's pretty much what we did at Newcastle away in 2010 from memory, although it wasn't a must win.

No idea about Dobbie, no one has.
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But can you not see where he's fundamentally flawed as a manager?

The structure stays the same when losing. Yet when we're winning, he's happy to take strikers off and bring midfielders on to shut up shop. Of which he did a few times to our detriment. Charlton away.

The main problems have stemmed from the manager this season. There's a reason there are constant rumours of discontent in camp.
 
SeasideKurt said:
But can you not see where he's fundamentally flawed as a manager?

The structure stays the same when losing. Yet when we're winning, he's happy to take strikers off and bring midfielders on to shut up shop. Of which he did a few times to our detriment. Charlton away.

The main problems have stemmed from the manager this season. There's a reason there are constant rumours of discontent in camp.
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There's always rumours of discontent, it's always bollocks.

I've already said that if we have someone with pedigree lined up he should go, but what do you think the chances of that are?

I think Critchley has lost something this season, his confidence is a bit shot, but I've also got my doubts about this squad and the 5879 backroom staff. We miss targets, we have a lot of weird job titles and no one is coming through youth.
 
Burnnazzer said:
How would you have played? Give me your 11 in formation that would have made us a promotion team. Don’t include Rhodes.
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Pretty much today's team though I'd have played Lavery ( if fit) with Joseph. My point is that we never played the same team on a consistent basis. The players list confidence through not playing together regularly
 
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