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Blackpool vs Newcastle United Pre-Match thread - 16/09/09 - 19:45 KO


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The worrying thing is that West Brom and Boro are having no trouble putting these sorts of teams away. We're not the only team gratefully picking up points left, right and centre.

 

With only two spots up for grabs and the dreaded playoffs, we have got to stay with the leading pack and you can already see those two being our main rivals.

 

West Brom and Boro square up at the weekend, which gives us a chance to surge ahead of them if we can pick up two wins. A draw here would certainly not be "a good result".

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Why do some people get nervous about playing some of these teams, we have only dropped 2 points and conceeded 1 goal and played some of the so called "better" clubs this league has to offer there should be no game we go into this season not thinking we can win, we palyed WBA probably the hardest game we are gonna have and drew.

 

I've been burned too many times by feeling overconfident.. I remember going into loads of games last season and thinking "it's only Hull" etc only to see us fall to pieces. It's going to take a lot more games before I really feel we can win each match we go into.

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Exactly, there was a time where home games against Pompey, Hull, Wigan, Stoke and West Ham was basically a guaranteed 15 points...last season it was worth 4 points. It'll take even longer for me to feel that way about away games, I know we should win but we've looked fairly toothless the last few games and our luck may well run out eventually.

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The run will end at some point, its not going to be easy tonight, Smith out is a massive blow Butt is nowhere near as mobile and we will be a lot less covered at the back with no Captain Al doing his job infront of the back four.

 

What a difference a few matches makes, most on this forum classed Smith as a liability and most were calling for him to be sold, now we feel lost without him playing. Myself included.

 

More to do with the class of his replacement. Smith still isn't a very good player.

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To be fair to Smith, he was actually decent for quite a few games where he played DM for us in the prem as well. He was mostly used as a CM or striker though, but I think he could still do a job in a three man midfield in the premiership should we get promoted.

He'll no doubt be missed today, but as has been said, a midfield of Butt, Guthrie, Barton and Taylor should be plenty good enough to beat Blackpool.

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Interested to see how Blackpool approach this. Never seen them play tbh, but they took Wigan apart in the CC, and they will see us as an opportunity for another giant-killing. Not sure if they will come all out, or be more defensive. Either way, i can see this being our most difficult match so far this season.

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Interested to see how Blackpool approach this. Never seen them play tbh, but they took Wigan apart in the CC, and they will see us as an opportunity for another giant-killing. Not sure if they will come all out, or be more defensive.

my guess is not all out attack but lots of 100mph style pressure,closing down very quick and all over.

(based purely on the managers usual style)

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Blackpool have made themselves difficult to beat, losing only one of their opening games, having said that they've drawn four. Unless we do something drastically wrong they shouldn't have too many goal scoring threats it should be a case of whether we can break them down or not.

 

Losing Smith is a worry but given his technical ability it shouldn't be too much of blow, we'll miss his energy more than anything. Think I'd go with the five man midfield again due to our lack of forwards though.

 

Although a lead at the top of the table would be nice it's only early days, a draw wouldn't be an absolute disaster. We're inevitably going to drop points at some stage as are West Brom and Boro. I'm going to go with another narrow win tonight due to our extra quality in midfield.

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Blackpool have made themselves difficult to beat, losing only one of their opening games, having said that they've drawn four. Unless we do something drastically wrong they shouldn't have too many goal scoring threats it should be a case of whether we can break them down or not.

 

Losing Smith is a worry but given his technical ability it shouldn't be too much of blow, we'll miss his energy more than anything. Think I'd go with the five man midfield again due to our lack of forwards though.

 

Although a lead at the top of the table would be nice it's only early days, a draw wouldn't be an absolute disaster. We're inevitably going to drop points at some stage as are West Brom and Boro. I'm going to go with another narrow win tonight due to our extra quality in midfield.

 

I think a 5-man midfield will play right into their hands. They'll be happy with a point from this and will set their midfield up likewise. It'll just create congestion in midfield. That combined with a static one-man attack and no natural width at all and we could end up just punting it long while they double up on Nile Ranger.

 

As others have said we've been a bit fortunate at times and blagged a goal with a toothless attack but I really think we should be putting two up front against Blackpool and take the game to them. We've got the likes of Nolan, Lovenkrands, Ranger and possibly Carroll, there really is no excuse for a 5-man midfield.

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Blackpool have made themselves difficult to beat, losing only one of their opening games, having said that they've drawn four. Unless we do something drastically wrong they shouldn't have too many goal scoring threats it should be a case of whether we can break them down or not.

 

Losing Smith is a worry but given his technical ability it shouldn't be too much of blow, we'll miss his energy more than anything. Think I'd go with the five man midfield again due to our lack of forwards though.

 

Although a lead at the top of the table would be nice it's only early days, a draw wouldn't be an absolute disaster. We're inevitably going to drop points at some stage as are West Brom and Boro. I'm going to go with another narrow win tonight due to our extra quality in midfield.

 

I think a 5-man midfield will play right into their hands. They'll be happy with a point from this and will set their midfield up likewise. It'll just create congestion in midfield. That combined with a static one-man attack and no natural width at all and we could end up just punting it long while they double up on Nile Ranger.

 

As others have said we've been a bit fortunate at times and blagged a goal with a toothless attack but I really think we should be putting two up front against Blackpool and take the game to them. We've got the likes of Nolan, Lovenkrands, Ranger and possibly Carroll, there really is no excuse for a 5-man midfield.

 

I wouldn't include Nolan as a 2nd striker, he had one half decent game up front but against Cardiff he was invisible until he dropped back into midfield. Lovenkrands and Ranger should start, I'm with you, even though we have been winning, the 5 man midfield doesn't look like providing many goals and we aren't going to keep a clean sheet every week.

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Guest BlacknWhiteArmy

Hughton will undoubtedly play this team

 

                                    Harper

 

            Simpson  Taylor      Coloccini        Enrique

 

 

            R.Taylor    Guthrie        Butt          Barton

 

                                      Nolan

 

                                      Ranger

 

Carroll won't start and Lovenkrands won't start either

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