Blues put in a dismal performance at Bloomfield Road and got exactly what they deserved - absolutely nothing.
Steve Bruce didn't make quite as many changes to the team as expected, with only Aliou Cisse, Stern John and Clinton Morrison coming into the line-up in place of Robbie Savage, Christophe Dugarry and Mikael Forssell respectively. For the three incoming players, it was a chance to stake a claim for a place in the first team. Unfortunately it seemed that only Cisse of the three realised this.
Blues went in to the game having kept clean sheets in every game that new captain Kenny Cunningham had played in this season - against the likes of Shearer, Beattie, Phillips, Viduka, Postiga, etc, etc. It took the likes of Sheron and Taylor just five minutes to rectify this, however. Mike Sheron and Scott Taylor played a neat one-two which left Cunningham and Matthew Upson stranded, and Scott Taylor finished well past his namesake Maik in the Blues goal. Given a slow start, perhaps this was the kick-start Blues needed.
However, Blues went on to be poor for the remaining 85 minutes. Blackpool got their tactics spot on after taking the lead, by defending deep, soaking up Blues' pressure and trying to hit on the break. Blues did create chances though; in the remainder of the first half the hopeless John blazed over (on one occasion some 50ft over) twice, whilst Morrison and Lazaridis were both denied when one-on-one with the Blackpool 'keeper (whose name evaded me all evening - though he played well) with Morrison sending a follow-up effort to Lazaridis' effort wide too. Morrison did hit the bar though, with a superb effort, which only just stayed out.
The second half was much the same as the first. Lazaridis was the only real threat to the home side, whilst the rest of the Blues side laboured. Forssell was sent on for John, and Morrison was moved out to wide on the right, which meant his limited impact on the game was limited further. Blues did get a breakthrough, however, halfway through the second period when they were awarded a fourth penalty in their first six games of the season, after Lazaridis was hacked down when running in at the far post to meet a Damien Johnson cross.
Now, I've played enough playground football in my time to know that a penalty always brings about an argument between the players with the biggest ego's as to who is going to take the spot kick. Blues, however, are a Premiership club, and such squabbles should be beyond them. Would it really be so difficult to devise a system so that before the players go out on the pitch, they know that if Savage/Forssell/Dunn/Woodhouse/whoever is on the pitch at the time of a penalty, then he takes it? Clearly not. Today's squabble, bringing an end to the Savage and Dunn debates was between Forssell and Stephen Clemence. Clemence won, proceeded to use his studs to create the biggest divot on the pitch, placed the ball in said divot, and consequently hit the ball about 2 yards over the bar.
In truth you could tell it wasn't going to be Blues' night after about 2 minutes of the game, but this confirmed it...
Blues continued to press as Luciano Figueroa and Jovan Kirovski were thrown on to try and conjure up an equaliser. Dunn and Jamie Clapham had long range efforts blocked, whilst Kirovski fired wide and Morrison headed straight at the 'keeper. Blues though couldn't find a way through, and Blackpool held on for an excellent and thoroughly deserved victory.
For Blues, this should hopefully work as a wake-up call. The football the team have been playing lately hasn't been great, but they've been getting results. However, here, against a resilient Blackpool side, they had no idea how to break them down, and resorted to lumping the high ball forward. They have to realise that if they keep playing like this, someone will give them a hammering in the Premiership soon - maybe even Portsmouth on saturday. Cisse was just about the only player to emerge with any credit given his all action (both defensively and offensively) performance, whilst Morrison and John were hopeless, Clapham maintained his poor form, and Upson had another worrying game. A bad result, and an embarrassing one, but maybe, just maybe, it could be a blessing in disguise if it gives a few players a kick up the backside.
PLAYER RATINGS:
Taylor - Ok
Johnson - Didn't have many defensive duties and adequate going forward
Clapham - Far from his best
Cunningham - Tried everything he could in a more advanced role late on
Upson - Defensively dodgy and woeful distribution
Dunn - In and out of the game - some great moments, other greedy ones
Lazaridis - The only real threat
Cisse - Very good
Clemence - Awful penalty capped off miserable night
John - Appalling
Morrison - Slightly better than appalling
SUBS:
Forssell - Tried his best but to no avail
Figueroa - Some good touches, but didn't get the service
Kirovski - Tried to get involved, but struggled late on against dogged defence
Steve Bruce didn't make quite as many changes to the team as expected, with only Aliou Cisse, Stern John and Clinton Morrison coming into the line-up in place of Robbie Savage, Christophe Dugarry and Mikael Forssell respectively. For the three incoming players, it was a chance to stake a claim for a place in the first team. Unfortunately it seemed that only Cisse of the three realised this.
Blues went in to the game having kept clean sheets in every game that new captain Kenny Cunningham had played in this season - against the likes of Shearer, Beattie, Phillips, Viduka, Postiga, etc, etc. It took the likes of Sheron and Taylor just five minutes to rectify this, however. Mike Sheron and Scott Taylor played a neat one-two which left Cunningham and Matthew Upson stranded, and Scott Taylor finished well past his namesake Maik in the Blues goal. Given a slow start, perhaps this was the kick-start Blues needed.
However, Blues went on to be poor for the remaining 85 minutes. Blackpool got their tactics spot on after taking the lead, by defending deep, soaking up Blues' pressure and trying to hit on the break. Blues did create chances though; in the remainder of the first half the hopeless John blazed over (on one occasion some 50ft over) twice, whilst Morrison and Lazaridis were both denied when one-on-one with the Blackpool 'keeper (whose name evaded me all evening - though he played well) with Morrison sending a follow-up effort to Lazaridis' effort wide too. Morrison did hit the bar though, with a superb effort, which only just stayed out.
The second half was much the same as the first. Lazaridis was the only real threat to the home side, whilst the rest of the Blues side laboured. Forssell was sent on for John, and Morrison was moved out to wide on the right, which meant his limited impact on the game was limited further. Blues did get a breakthrough, however, halfway through the second period when they were awarded a fourth penalty in their first six games of the season, after Lazaridis was hacked down when running in at the far post to meet a Damien Johnson cross.
Now, I've played enough playground football in my time to know that a penalty always brings about an argument between the players with the biggest ego's as to who is going to take the spot kick. Blues, however, are a Premiership club, and such squabbles should be beyond them. Would it really be so difficult to devise a system so that before the players go out on the pitch, they know that if Savage/Forssell/Dunn/Woodhouse/whoever is on the pitch at the time of a penalty, then he takes it? Clearly not. Today's squabble, bringing an end to the Savage and Dunn debates was between Forssell and Stephen Clemence. Clemence won, proceeded to use his studs to create the biggest divot on the pitch, placed the ball in said divot, and consequently hit the ball about 2 yards over the bar.
In truth you could tell it wasn't going to be Blues' night after about 2 minutes of the game, but this confirmed it...
Blues continued to press as Luciano Figueroa and Jovan Kirovski were thrown on to try and conjure up an equaliser. Dunn and Jamie Clapham had long range efforts blocked, whilst Kirovski fired wide and Morrison headed straight at the 'keeper. Blues though couldn't find a way through, and Blackpool held on for an excellent and thoroughly deserved victory.
For Blues, this should hopefully work as a wake-up call. The football the team have been playing lately hasn't been great, but they've been getting results. However, here, against a resilient Blackpool side, they had no idea how to break them down, and resorted to lumping the high ball forward. They have to realise that if they keep playing like this, someone will give them a hammering in the Premiership soon - maybe even Portsmouth on saturday. Cisse was just about the only player to emerge with any credit given his all action (both defensively and offensively) performance, whilst Morrison and John were hopeless, Clapham maintained his poor form, and Upson had another worrying game. A bad result, and an embarrassing one, but maybe, just maybe, it could be a blessing in disguise if it gives a few players a kick up the backside.
PLAYER RATINGS:
Taylor - Ok
Johnson - Didn't have many defensive duties and adequate going forward
Clapham - Far from his best
Cunningham - Tried everything he could in a more advanced role late on
Upson - Defensively dodgy and woeful distribution
Dunn - In and out of the game - some great moments, other greedy ones
Lazaridis - The only real threat
Cisse - Very good
Clemence - Awful penalty capped off miserable night
John - Appalling
Morrison - Slightly better than appalling
SUBS:
Forssell - Tried his best but to no avail
Figueroa - Some good touches, but didn't get the service
Kirovski - Tried to get involved, but struggled late on against dogged defence