BLACKPOOL - V -
DONCASTER ROVERS
I think its a sobering thought if you consider that the last time Rovers visited Bloomfield Road, had the result gone the otherway, it could have been Rovers who took sixth place and who knows, won the play-offs!
Going into the Easter program, Rovers were two points and one place behind the Tangerines. A good Easter, bearing in mind one fixture was against Blackpool, would have put Rovers in pole-position.
But the decent Easter didn't happen with Rovers losing both their games, first to struggling Plymouth and then 2:0 at Bloomfield Road. The rest is history as Blackpool proved that a small club can make it to the Premier League. And with a tad more luck on the last day, they could have stayed there too!
Its a great story that would have been greater still had it been Rovers who had made it. Only had we done so, I think we may just have been relegated before the last day!
The other meeting that season was a Halowe'en thriller at the Keepmoat with Jay Emmanuel-Thomas being instrumental in twice bringing Blackpool back from behind to lead only for last minute goal from Billy Sharp to give Rovers a share of the points. I think anyone on a cold, October evening on the Irish Sea front would take that kind of entertainment tomorrow.
BLACKPOOL
After becoming many football fans' second team, last season, Ollie and the Tange Army are back. Its sad in a way, but after having done the double over Liverpool and also taking the scalps of Spurs and Newcastle, they have given the fans some great memories. The War-Chest at the seaside should also be a little larger these days.
Good for Blackpool in making the eyes of every small club, including the Rovers, that little bit larger!
They don't play the football they used to play. He's changed it, he's got big John Parkin. It will be a very similar game to Saturday I would imagine - Ian Holloway
Ollie spent much of his pre-match interview be-moaning the capitulation of his side at the weekend. We know the feeling Ollie!
Looking at the highlights of their 4:0 defeat at Upton Park, and it was clear the Tange defence did have a 'mare. It was also clear how they struggled all afternoon with a big-man / little-man forward line comprising of John Carew and Sam Baldock. John Parkin and Billy Sharp anybody?
Without getting too much into assassination mode, two goals were conceded due to an offside trap that would not have featured in "The Full Monty" and another went in due to Carew getting in front of his man. Not a good day at the back.
Contrast is obviously the name of the game for this preview, and the next set of highlights came from Blackpool's 5:0 victory over Bristol City. The name that kept popping up in this one was Jonjo Shelvey, a loanee from Liverpool who had a dream debut. He was linking up well with Gary Taylor-Fletcher; being unafraid to have a dig from midfield and capped it all off with a 40-yard free-kick for Blackpool's second. Not a bad first day at work!
Obviously, there was a lot going on going forward for Blackpool in this one and I couldn't help feeling jealous at the number of forwards they have at their disposal. Gary Taylor-Fletcher, Daniel Bogdanovic and Brett Ormerod, all scored against Bristol and all, along with Kevin Phillips and Lomana LuaLua seem to have been around forever!
There was still some glimpses of frailty at the back though. That offside-trap worked during this match, just, so I'd like to see Bennett, Coppinger or Sharp running off defenders shoulders. There could certainly be mileage in that!
DONCASTER ROVERS
Having dreamt about the premier league at the start of this article, I can't help wishing I'd woken up when the final whistle blew on Friday night. I was concerned that Dean, according to the headlines, blamed the defeat only on catastrophic defending. In fairness, the interview was better than the headline. Aside from a reasonable opening he was also rightly critical of how we were giving the ball away in midfield. Unsubtle hints were made on changes and more players being brought in. After a performance like that, its difficult not to agree with Dean's thinly veiled warnings. I just hope he maintains a balance and only upsets the players who frankly need upsetting.
I remember them playing Chelsea last season and both Full-Backs were crossing to each other so they don't fear anybody. The manager just goes for it and if they lose like they did on Saturday, then they lose. - Dean Saunders
Dean also mentioned how he was going through the game with the team, especially those three goals. Well, if they can't see what was wrong on the first replay of them, then we have really got problems! I hope he takes the time to show them some of that Blackpool defending that I saw. They should see that they can get goals against the Tangerines and that will help in the lifting of the team for their trip to the seaside.
It was interesting to read a couple of Tweets from the Rovers players on Friday's game. An obviously pissed off John Oster admitted struggling due to being played out of position on the left. Simon Gillett also expressed his disappointment but was obviously intent on puting it behind him quickly to get ready for this one.
And that's where I am now. Watching Blackpool's defence cheered me up but with their attack also looking non to shabby, maybe that 3:3 could be on the cards?
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