For a change to recent visits, it was a lovely warm sunny day in Blackpool on Saturday, not blowing a hoolie or the heavens having opened and it lashing down.
The travelling Bristol City fans created a brilliant atmosphere and the players duly responded. It was an entertaining 3-3 draw with City playing some exciting front foot football but also looking a little suspect at the back.
Of course, the late concession, which cost us two points, left us all disappointed but there were a lot more positives than negatives and this was the type of game that we would have lost in previous seasons.
Bloomfield Road is an intimidating away ground to visit, Blackpool are a physical side who play a direct brand of football, utilizing the power and guile of Gary Madine at the top of the pitch. Madine is an old-fashioned style striker who wins the majority of his aerial challenges and holds the ball up well bringing the other attacking players Josh Bowler, Jerry Yates and Shayne Lavery into the game.
We struggled to handle Madine but this wasn’t a case of us being bullied all over the pitch as has often been the case when playing the Tangerines away from home.
It was no surprise to see the side that started against Cardiff City take to the field with the only slight question mark being Andi Weimann who had suffered a knock in last weekends game. Anyone who reads this column regularly knows my views on Alex Scott playing at right wing-back but as I say I didn’t expect any changes, and neither would I have made any.
Within the first 30 seconds, Nahki Wells so nearly gave us the dream start, curling an effort agonisingly against the post. On first viewing, from my angle on the side of the pitch, slight obscured by one of the posts that support the stand, I thought it was a bit of a hopeful effort but watching the replays back, it was a measured effort and Nakhi was unlucky not to score.
Not long after Tommy Conway looked to have got in, but Blackpool snuffed out the opening and not long after, against the run of play Bowler gave the home side the lead. Blackpool wing-back Dominic Thompson curled a right footed shot in from the left-hand side and Madine backed in to Atkinson before controlling the ball and laying it off to Bowler, whose deflected shot found the far corner of the net.
Rob Atkinson will be disappointed with his challenge and Han-Noah Massengo had followed the flight of the ball but was foxed by Madine's touch and Bowler had enough room to get his shot away.
Blackpool had a couple of decent opportunities which they wasted but whilst we were looking suspect at the back, we always looked a threat going forward with the pace of Wells, Conway and Weimann. As the game was heading for the interval it was man of the moment Conway who gave City parity with a fine finish after a quick move involving Kal Naismith, Weimann and Scott.
Scott played a ball from the edge of the box to the near post, Conway making the run and firing high into the net. A near post run and finish highlighting his natural striking instincts.
Pearson made a change at the break withdrawing Massengo for Matty James. I was disappointed that the journalists after the game (from what I have listened to and read) did not ask the manager why he opted to make that change.
Massengo wasn’t playing to the levels that he has done in recent weeks, but it hadn’t been a poor half and certainly not one that warranted him being hooked off at the break. I wonder if one moment, when the youngster needlessly played a back-heel pass in the centre of the pitch, contributed to the decision. Certainly, Pearson didn’t appreciate that attempted piece of skill.
On 55 minutes we were behind again with Yates scoring from a corner after a knock down. It was poor defending again and we just appeared to be nervous every time the ball came into the box. Within minutes, Pearson opted to make a change, bringing on Antoine Semenyo for Scott. Conway initially appeared to move to the 10 role with Weimann moving to right wing back, but Wells soon moved to the 10 not long after.
Sometimes I do feel with the manager that he wants to have certain players on the pitch irrespective of the position. Of course, he wanted to get Semenyo on and Wells and Conway had played well to warrant staying on but surely it made more sense to bring Wilson on at right wing-back and withdraw Weimann, especially when you consider his knock from last weekend.
You have two right wing-backs in Wilson and Tanner on the bench and yet he prefers to play Scott and then Weimann there. I was also surprised that there was no Timm Klose or Cameron Pring on the bench, questions again that I would have liked answered.
The manager looked a tactical genius when within seconds Semenyo got City level. The opportunity looked lost when Conway’s pass seemed to hit the sub on his heel but he quickly recovered, shifted the ball with quick feet and fired the goal across the keeper.
I’d like Bristol Live to redact this part of the column as I don’t want other clubs being made more aware of Antoine’s ability. It’s great to have him back but maybe I would have preferred his return to fitness taking a week or two longer.
With the transfer window closing on Thursday, I really hope that we can rebuff any offers that we get for any of our current first-team squad. Even a big bid late in the window would mean that we have to find a replacement and how easy would that be?
Fans on the away side of the pitch were in full voice and things went crazy when from a clever free kick from Naismith we took the lead.
Naismith had played two or three lovely dead balls into the corridor of uncertainty for goalkeeper and defence and this time the Scot went for goal and Daniel Grimshaw was caught out. He made the save but could only balloon the ball up, Wells had reacted but could only find the bar with his header but thankfully it dropped down and Blackpool captain Marvin Ekpiteta couldn’t get out of the way and the ball bounced off him into the net. I called the free kick at the time.
With 20 minutes to go could we hold on? Unfortunately, the answer was no. Andy King was now on the pitch and as we entered injury time, King, James and Atkinson were playing keep ball on the left-hand side. We had opportunities to open out, switch the play or go long but instead King played a ball back to Naismith who was immediately pressed and under pressure.
Naismith had a few options but inexplicably played a ball with the outside of his foot across the box to Zak Vyner who couldn’t clear the ball or take a foul for the team. Dan Bentley had raced out and Theo Corbeanu beat him and found the corner of the net.
It was a devastating blow with Naismith holding his hand up for his part in it. It had cost us two points but as I say there were more positives than negatives. We are starting to see a style of play; we are playing with pace and energy and it is an exciting watch.
Our 3 Peaps In A Podcast Bonus show ratings were: Daniel Bentley 5, Alex Scott 5, Zak Vyner 5, Kal Naismith 5, Rob Atkinson 4, Jay Dasilva 5, Joe Williams 6, Han Noah Massengo 5, Matty James 5, Andreas Weimann 6, Nahki Wells 7 and Tommy Conway 8. A game average of 5.50 and a season average of 6.51.
For Nigel, it’s a 6. I think we could have made more positive subs, but I understand the thinking behind the changes made. We should consider making all five subs even if it is to slow the game down.
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