Post-Match Thread and Ratings Blackpool 1-1 Southend United

Ricey said:

How did Dawson get on? :facepalm:

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My thoughts exactly !!!!

Siberia

I once saw a game in Austria in sub zero temperatures. My phone was telling me the "feels like" was minus seven at half time. And it felt like minus seven too. That was the coldest I've ever been in a football ground. As a consequence, my mind was more on keeping myself from freezing to death than anything else....

Firstly, there were 399 of us there today. A great turnout. Despite an official crowd of just over 3000, it was far lower than that. A sad sight.

Blackpool started brightly, smashing the bar in the first minute after carving apart our defence. Should have scored and it might have made for a different afternoon. We were ok after that shocker of a start. Wordsworth sticking a terrific free kick against a post that was bundled in by Fortune. 1-0 up and all was well. And it should have stayed well. Blackpool offered little whereas we looked bright going forward. Some nice play set Macca up for a header but he couldn't hit the target. Unfortuntely, Blackpool did. In first half injury time, Oxley making a couple of decent stops but a rebound was hammered into the bottom corner.

Cox, possibly lucky to still be on the pitch was swapped for Robinson at the break.

Second half was a completely different kettle of fish. For the first 20 minutes we barely got into their half. To be honest, Blackpool weren't much better. Maybe the frigid conditions got to the players as well -we had a couple of blizzards and that can't be east to play in. Oxley made a great double stop that kept us in it when Blackpool were looking to get on top. We made a strange sub, bringing off Fortune (who was having a decent game) and replacing with Manton. Essentially, having five in midfield, four of whom were central players. It gave the impression that with 20 minutes to go, we were settling for a 1-1 draw. I am fairly sure if Phil Brown had done that, there would be significant criticism. Even so, we had one decent move in the second half that saw Dimi played through, sadly, he found the inside of the post and Blackpool survived. But frankly, a draw was a fair result all round.


Positives....

Oxley back to his best with a couple of good stops
Turner and White, a solid partnership that didn't look worried by anything Blackpool had to offer
Robinson, yes Robinson, came on as a sub and chased lost causes all afternoon - so those worried about his attitude may be doing so unduly.
Managing to get onto the coach without having my toes drop off with frostbite

Thanks for that informative report, Lord Football. Your description of the discomfort of getting frozen stiff at a football match evoked memories of many similar cold winter matches I have attended over the years. When you say that Cox was lucky still to be on the pitch by the end of the first half, I presume that, having already been booked, he was still 'putting himself about' a bit, or did you mean that the yellow card offence itself could well have been a red?

After reading Lord Football’s report I’d like to criticise CP for bringing a 5th player into midfield :smile:

Excellent summary. Mamma from heaven for us exiles

Sleaford Shrimper said:

Thanks for that informative report, Lord Football. Your description of the discomfort of getting frozen stiff at a football match evoked memories of many similar cold winter matches I have attended over the years. When you say that Cox was lucky still to be on the pitch by the end of the first half, I presume that, having already been booked, he was still 'putting himself about' a bit, or did you mean that the yellow card offence itself could well have been a red?

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I would think he means for the yellow card which they were desperate to make it into a red. It was a fair way up the pitch from us lot freezing in the away end. I didn't see it as that bad and the obvious clue was the 5 or 6 death rolls that took the Blackpool player a good 10 feet from the offense

rigsby said:

I would think he means for the yellow card which they were desperate to make it into a red. It was a fair way up the pitch from us lot freezing in the away end. I didn't see it as that bad and the obvious clue was the 5 or 6 death rolls that took the Blackpool player a good 10 feet from the offense

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Cox had been booked for dissent earlier.

The death rolls failed to elicit another booking, which was what upset the locals (what there were of them).

mfurok said:

Cox had been booked for dissent earlier.

The death rolls failed to elicit another booking, which was what upset the locals (what there were of them).

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To be fair to the ref, he waited until the death rolls had finished, had a quick word with Coxy complete with a smile and then on the game went.

I really wanted to go to this game but unfortunately couldn’t make it.
Well done all that did make it given the cold weather and some of the snow reports we were getting.
The coldest match I have been to was MK Dons a few seasons back when they played at the old hockey ground and we had the open end.

A point is a point and I am hoping that SCP is just trying to get this season out of the way now so that his main focus will be for the next season.

Rootshallbloke said:

To be fair to the ref, he waited until the death rolls had finished, had a quick word with Coxy complete with a smile and then on the game went.

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In his post match interview SCP said that Cox had pulled out of the challenge to ensure that he wasn't booked. Hmm..........

mfurok said:

In his post match interview SCP said that Cox had pulled out of the challenge to ensure that he wasn't booked. Hmm..........

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Which, I think, confirms what I thought I saw.

A fair result in very difficult conditions. No one played badly. We just did'nt create a lot but defended well, again. Oxley 7/10, Wordsworh 8/10 ( he now tracks back, marks opponents at set peices, tries to defend and holds his ground as well as the undoubted attacking skill) the rest 6-6.5. What would we achieve if we did'nt keep giving the ball away so cheaply ?

Bolton Shrimper said:

A fair result in very difficult conditions. No one played badly. We just did'nt create a lot but defended well, again. Oxley 7/10, Wordsworh 8/10 ( he now tracks back, marks opponents at set peices, tries to defend and holds his ground as well as the undoubted attacking skill) the rest 6-6.5. What would we achieve if we did'nt keep giving the ball away so cheaply ?

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My MoM yesterday, although his performance had nothing whatsoever to do with he realisation that he needs to earn a new contract.

Blues held to a third successive draw

THE conditions may have been quite unpredictable at Blackpool on Saturday but the game itself went the way many would have expected.

More...

I'm convinced that our goal was actually an own goal.
Anyone else think the same having seen the highlights?

Lincoln Shrimp said:

I'm convinced that our goal was actually an own goal.
Anyone else think the same having seen the highlights?

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Looks close but was definitely MAF's right foot that gets there first.

mfurok said:

Cox had been booked for dissent earlier.

The death rolls failed to elicit another booking, which was what upset the locals (what there were of them).

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Yes there were no more than 1200 but I was referring to the choreographed surrounding of the ref by the players on the pitch.

A really poor-quality game between two mid-table sides. Draw was a fair result - I'd say we slightly edged the first half but Blackpool had more of the second half although Demetriou had a great chance to win it near the end. Conditions didn't help (we lost a glove and a parking ticket to the wind) but you'd think that the wind might encourage the players to keep the ball on the ground rather than playing it long. On the rare occasions that we did string some passes together we looked dangerous. Man of the match probably Oxley for a few good saves but White also deserves credit for his performance considering he was rushed back from injury. Him and Turner dealt pretty well with Vassell who was by far their most dangerous player. Fortune had been holding the ball up very well before he came off. Powell is clearly still figuring out his best team and system.

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We were up for the weekend and stayed in the Blackpool FC hotel, which I would thoroughly recommend. For one its a chance to see what we may have at FF and secondly most of the accommodation in Blackpool is unfit for human habitation. If you have ever had to bang on the door of total strangers, to ask to borrow 10p bit with just a towel around you and soap in your eyes because the pay meter ran out on your electric shower. Then you will know what I'm talking about.

About 40 miles from Blackpool the signs on the motorway warned us to slow to 50mph due to high winds. They could have added 'warning match will be ruined'. As others have pointed out the wind in the stadium acted like a vortex and we froze for 90mins. If you look on the highlights the far stand, which was closed, has no back to it only mesh. So whilst at least at RH we are nice and cosy on a windy day up there we had the same snowflakes and rubbish swirling all around us as nothing settled, including both teams.

As for the game there is little I can add. It was a 0-0 that ended up 1-1. Dru looked more restricted in that midfield line up. MAF and Cox are to similar to worry a back 4.

I'm sure plenty of you have played at the back....So what worries you about a forward. Pace for one. MAF and Cox both play with their backs to goal and come toward the ball, so no worries with pace.....Someone who is handful in the air...Again that won't be Cox or MAF. Watch Fortune defending the corner for their goal.....At least get up and make it difficult rather than allow someone to win a free header. Yes both players can hold and shield a ball but thats all the 2 CB's have to worry about and in L1 you need a better combination than that.

For what its worth I thought bringing on Robinson was tactically the right decision. He plays of the last man and made the defenders work a bit harder I watched him carefully from behind the goal and he made some real well timed runs. Our passing in those conditions was never good enough to play him in but they were forced to lunge in to block a few through balls which lead to throws etc and kept the pressure up their end. Yes he ran one out but can't fault his work rate.

Credit to Demi and Woody for the free-kick. Unlike on previous occasions Demi gave a convincing performance to make the keeper think it would be a right foot over the wall into his right post. That made him move more central, which gave Woody the confidence and the room to swing the ball over the wall but back to the left post. Well done MAF to react and get there first. We had a recent thread on whether a shot that hits the post is on target. To me you can only get a rebound if the shot is on target.

The best pass was late on from Dru and as you have probably seen Demi hit the post but this time the rebound came out the wrong side of out lads following up.

No complaints about a draw or the ref. Shame they have fallen so far and seeing their empty sad and cold stadium lets hope the future isn't orange.

By midnight I was the last man standing out 10 and done Essex proud until 02:00 on the dance floor in a club called The Soul Suite....Plenty of characters, Northern soul, fight on the dance floor and I even ducked the flying bottle that hit the head doorman. Bearing in mind we had left Southend at 05:45 that morning I decided that was the time to call it a day.

Edit just seen post 73 on the match thread great view of the free-kick. Watch Demi and watch the keeper take a step to his right.

Just a quick Q, what did the hotel cost?