1) We need a new defence
2) Our away record is woeful
3) Blackpool is the land that time left behind
Another defeat away from home and our season has well and truly burnt out, unrecognisable from the roaring flame that lit up the premier league in the lead up to December, the fire is now dwindling and in need of fresh timber to spark the blaze once again... of course, in this metaphor the "timber" is 'a fresh squad'. There's no doubt that the injury to Stuart Holden ended our season prematurely (thank you very much, Jonny Evans), and the bare bones squad that we have been fielding for the last month or so just hasn't looked good enough.
So it was always going to be a difficult game against a talented Blackpool team, who needed the win to keep their chances of survival alive. We've seen all season that with their philosophy of 'attack, attack, attack' they have caused problems for teams with even the strongest of defences, so our best chance at taking anything from the game was to try and match them, which proved to be an entertaining, although ultimately fruitless afternoon at the seaside.
We started well enough, looking positive and dominant we nicked the first goal with a rare opportunistic strike from the Captain. But on a day that Jaaskelainen may wish to forget, Blackpool quickly levelled the score, DJ Campbell lobbing the keeper who should have dealt with the threat better. Maybe this is being unnecessarily harsh on the goalkeeper who was less at fault than the right back, Steinsson didn't look particularly fit in my opinion and was run ragged by the Blackpool front line all afternoon.
The game continued in this 'back and forth' motion and we did well to equalise twice after Blackpool stepped up the pressure, knowing that a victory on home soil was vital. Taylor played well again, as did surprise package Ricardo Gardner, a man intent on getting his hands on another contract with the club. After recent injury troubles, most thought they had seen the last of the Jamaican, but these last couple of games have shown just how versatile he really is, spreading the ball around from the centre of midfield like he'd been running the show for years. I really hope that he gets that new contract, he has been a player of immense value to us over his long career as a Wanderer and to see him go would be a real shame.
The point I made to open with was that the main lingering aspects from the trip to the seaside was just what a dump Blackpool is. It's an assault on all the senses with it's intrusive tat and harsh sea wind forcing the its innumerable stenches into the nose. The town might have been abandoned in the fifties, and it's policing attitude toward the away fans reflects this. I'd never been at a game before with such an imposing and threatening police presence, it's not even as though there's any particular rivalry between the two clubs, very strange.
Anyway, final game of the season at the weekend. A Manchester City team who still need to secure that 3rd place to make sure they have an easy route to the Champions League and the recent euphoria of the FA Cup win... and us, trying to stop the rot after four consecutive defeats.
Man of the match against Blackpool? Probably give it to Kevin Davies, heard some fans coming out of the ground winging and moaning that "the big lump" up front hasn't been dropped yet. But I'm really not sure how much more he could have done against Blackpool to show he still posses a threat, a well taken goal and clever link up play with Lee and Sturridge for most of the game meant that he probably had one of his best games for a while. There might be calls over summer for a new captain to be appointed at the helm, but I think Davies can still do a job in our team.
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