Analysis: The Curse of the Back Three

Blackpool’s form has tailed off recently, dropping to 17th in the Championship. We’ve analysed our performances over the last few games compared to those in our previous good run and found that the number of defenders is a key issue. A bad run We look like a cursed side at the moment, having played seven

Analysis: Cats and Dogs living Harmony? Examining Blackpool’s centre-backs

This is the third article in a series looking at Blackpool’s set-up across the pitch. The previous pieces looked at how Blackpool replicate the world’s elite by attacking with five players and use an effective “double pivot” in midfield. In this article, we’ll look at Blackpool’s centre-back partnership through the analogy of household pets. Are

Analysis: Blackpool’s pivotal midfield

This is the second in a series looking at Blackpool’s tactics in all aspects of the game. The previous piece, published in September, looked at how Blackpool replicate the world’s elite by attacking with five players. In this article, we’ll look at Blackpool’s midfield – and how we use a double pivot to get the

Analysis: The Tactical Tools that beat Fulham

Fulham came into Bloomfield Road as runaway favourites to win the Championship. They were freshly relegated from the Premier League, had spent more than every other team combined and have a young, exciting manager in Marco Silva. Blackpool, newly-promoted, were yet to win a game and sitting within the relegation zone. But Fulham left with

Analysis: “High Five” – how Blackpool attack like the world’s best teams

Blackpool are sitting in the Championship relegation zone, are winless in the league and have crashed out of the Carabao Cup. Neil Critchley’s squad has not started 2020/21 as an elite side – although they are playing like it. In their performances this season, the Seasiders have consistently attacked goal with a structure shared by

Opinion: The Case for Optimism

Blackpool sit just above the relegation zone, having only one point from nine and having lost two consecutive home games. Isaac Selley discusses why the start of the season been so underwhelming and why we should feel positive moving forward. As I stood in the North stand after the final whistle blew on our defeat

Opinion: What we can learn from our start to the season

When you think back to the first few games of the season, many a Blackpool fan will shudder and think of the comments they made on social media – and rightly so. This season was unique in that nobody could voice their opinions in the stand and therefore opinions were amplified online. Back in October,

Transfer News: Kevin Stewart

Out of nowhere on a Saturday night, immediately after our elimination from the FA Cup at Brighton, our second signing of the January Transfer Window was announced. Midfielder Kevin Stewart signs for Blackpool on an 18-month contract, having been released in the summer by Hull City upon their relegation from the Championship. Background Enfield-born Stewart

Review – Hull 1-1 Blackpool

Blackpool were left wondering what might have been after a frustrating 1-1 draw against second-placed Hull City. The Tigers took the lead early in the second half but, after Hull went down to 10 men when Reece Burke brought down Ben Woodburn on the edge of the box, the Seasiders equalised through Jerry Yates and had chances to come away with all three points.

Analysis – Gretarsson vs Ballard

So lets look into one of the key trends which is the upturn in chance concession in the last few games when Ballard is in the side compared to Gretarsson. I want to see whether this has been a consistent theme for the entire season since both players joined the club.