Blackpool ... Donkeys or Towering ?

[Martin_Cruise]

Sam Allardyce just missed out in his first season so I think Dougie deserves another one.

We were better managed under Sam that season than Freedman this. League Cup semi final, FA Cup semi final, play off semi final.It was bad luck, bad refereeing that cost us more than managerial cock ups.Freeman cocked that up today.And we didn't have a massive payroll under Sam compared to the teams above us.
Imagine Allardyce cocking up like Freedman did with Hall today in a massive match? Not a chance.

[ChrisC]

Sam Allardyce just missed out in his first season so I think Dougie deserves another one.

Managers aren't magicians. Dougie has had nothing to spend and hauled us up by the shoe-laces when Division Two was lomming as a reality. You get some tough luck and we had it today. Won't ever stop me from saying COME ON YOU WHITES....ever.

Spot on Tango.

Most of these people slagging Dougie and moaning are part of a small group who think we are big time and should be walking the league. You only need to look at the table. Around 12 points between relegated Peterborough and the playoffs. This is a hard league to get out of.

[thebish]

Sam Allardyce just missed out in his first season so I think Dougie deserves another one.

Managers aren't magicians. Dougie has had nothing to spend and hauled us up by the shoe-laces when Division Two was lomming as a reality. You get some tough luck and we had it today. Won't ever stop me from saying COME ON YOU WHITES....ever.

Spot on Tango.

Most of these people slagging Dougie and moaning are part of a small group who think we are big time and should be walking the league. You only need to look at the table. Around 12 points between relegated Peterborough and the playoffs. This is a hard league to get out of.

how many are we talking about? I'd suggest just ignoring the WUMS...

[TANGODANCER]

Be nice if one of the lads that went did a tell-it-like-it was match report with player ratings...please...

[Far East Trotter]

Gutted by the result today.
But still happy bout the fact that Dougie made us this far (we could've been wolves)
Next season under dougie like this we will be far better off..
Come on you whites

[LeverEnd]

I've been a big fan of Dougie and still am. But it can't be ignored that today he MASSIVELY fecked up with his selection. Blackpool were there for the taking as we proved with a spirited 2nd half. We desperately need a goalscorer but we'd be in the playoffs if he'd started with the right team. Like djblu said at least he realised and did the right thing but so frustrating that it's been thrown away so cheaply and unnecessarily. Anyone branding him a failure though is a nob. Looking forward to next season.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

I said we'd fail on goal difference. I'm not happy I was right. I am desperately pissed off.

[plymouth wanderer]

Sam Allardyce just missed out in his first season so I think Dougie deserves another one.

We were better managed under Sam that season than Freedman this. League Cup semi final, FA Cup semi final, play off semi final.It was bad luck, bad refereeing that cost us more than managerial cock ups.Freeman cocked that up today.And we didn't have a massive payroll under Sam compared to the teams above us.
Imagine Allardyce cocking up like Freedman did with Hall today in a massive match? Not a chance.

That i agree with

But to have even a chance of making the play offs is incredible

Hats off to Dougie, I'm very optimistic for next season

[Annoyed Grunt]

Bank Holiday Monday in the Trafford Centre now, bollocks!

Think he fecked up with his selection today....

[BWFC90]

That bloody hope again.

[LeverEnd]

Be nice if one of the lads that went did a tell-it-like-it was match report with player ratings...please...

Will do when I get back. Chungy was fantastic 2nd half, mom for me. Midfield 2 excellent also.

[BWFC_Insane]

I just had a bad feeling about this from the off this morning.

The start was nothing to do with selections/systems but we were far far far too frenetic. The atomosphere didn't help. People screaming at the players to launch it. But none of the players stood up to be counted. The occasion got to them. Blackpool on the other hand were relaxed and played brilliantly for half an hour. Ince and Phillips were unplayable for that period. Especially against our fullbacks who struggled.

It was a strange team but I could see what the plan is. But nobody stood up. It was Wembley all again.

Lets face it the madness before half time covers up for a lack of genuine talent in areas of our team.

Eagles is our only creative force. The back four very suspect and Pratley had a pig of a game. Lots of effort but not much end product.

But we got in at half time 2-2 and I honestly thought we'd go on and do it. But it never really looked like happening second half. Our midfield rarely had control of the game and though we had periods of pressure it returned to the frantic and scrambling football as the players couldn't find the clarity they needed. Best chance fell to LCY who blasted it into the side netting when he should have shot across the keeper.

We struggled to create clear cut chances but put a hell of an effort in. We've been scraping through in the last few weeks but our injuries have proven too big a hurdle to cross.

The only creative player in that side is Eagles. The rest are workmanlike. We missed NGog today for a bit of extra guile on the ball.

Work to do in the summer to improve the back four and increase our attacking options.

Things are so much better than they were in September and October. In a way coming so close and missing out shows that we've put in a monumental effort and leaves us all gutted. But I don't think we had enough in this side to win the play-offs as it stands. And we are certainly miles off doing anything in the premiership.

A lot of work to do to use what will be limited resources far more effectively than the last bloke did and make sure we get the balance in the team right.

Dougie is ace. But anyone who thinks we will walk it next season is in for a big surprise. We hit some form that almost got us there. But a lot of repair work to do in order to challenge next season.

[BWFC90]

How many times was Davies offside today? Felt like he had about 10 against him

[Seamus' good leg]

Just back. Couldn't face the lap/walk of honour/thanks, as was emotionally wasted.
Blackpool - both fans & players up for it, was naive to assume otherwise - we were very nervous at the outset & paid the price.
Grew into the game though and of course by 1/2 time all good - a shame the whistle had to go.
Agree about Chungyt ho' his attempt towards the end was almost a re-run of Holdsworth @ Wembley v. Aston Villa.
Still onwards & upwards - I suspect it'll be quite a different team that graces the Reebok next season.

[boltonboris]

Fvckin gutted

[Tals-biggest-fan]

We went out today because of the fact we don't have goal scorers in this team.. I hope the management and the owners see this and give us a little bit of money to get one.. because at the end of the day that has been the difference this season, we're not had someone who is going to score a goal consistently.

Most will shoot me down but, I'd go and get Ebanks-Blake from Wolves now they are down. Will cost next to nothing and scores plenty in this league. Got 14 this season for a relegated side. Only 27 aswell.

Would prefer us to take a risk on a player coming in from outside the UK Ebanks-Blake does well at championship level but hit 15 in 3 seasons at premier league level...

[SmokinFrazier]

I've been a big fan of Dougie and still am. But it can't be ignored that today he MASSIVELY fecked up with his selection. Blackpool were there for the taking as we proved with a spirited 2nd half. We desperately need a goalscorer but we'd be in the playoffs if he'd started with the right team. Like djblu said at least he realised and did the right thing but so frustrating that it's been thrown away so cheaply and unnecessarily. Anyone branding him a failure though is a nob. Looking forward to next season.

Agreed entirely.

When I saw the team sheet today, I thought "why is he playing 4-5-1?!" and I was sadly proved to be right. If you look at the success of each formation, we lost 0-2 whilst playing 4-5-1 and won 2-0 playing 4-4-2. To me, it was a no-brainer and I've said this point many times in the past. I can't understand why Freedman thought we'd be better off playing one up-front. Regardless of his ideas, he was simply wrong. Hall shouldn't have started and instead, we should have had Sordell and Davies up front from the first minute. Had that happened, I have very little that we would have won.

That said, I give Freedman credit for turning our season around. He has done a good job for the majority of the season but I feel he got it wrong against Leicester and today, both times by starting with the wrong formation. Overall though, he's been a success for us and whilst I'm disappointed at the league table today I am quite optimistic about next year. I hope we can build on the second half of the season and make sure we make up for narrowly missing out today.

[BWFC_Insane]

We didn't play 4-5-1 at all today. Eagles started playing off Craig Davies and rarely dropped into midfield, in effect it was 4-4-2 more than a 5. I'm not really sure though why Vela didn't play in midfield and why Hall came in though. Strange to throw a young lad in today. Though Hall had a cracking shot and put a great cross in just before going off, but it did seem a strange one.

The problem with starting with Lee and Eagles wide in a 4 is that they come inside so much and leave the full backs exposed. Ince and Phillips needed looking after. It didn't work but I think that was down to players panicking in the situation rather than the system itself.

[Leyther_Matt]

Can't fault Doogie in the slightest for the way he has turned the reason around. We looked like rabbit in the headlights for the first 44 minutes today but there's not much he can do in situations like that other than sub the entire back four. Although I didn't fancy us getting promoted one bit and doing a Derby next season, I'm gutted we didn't at least get a crack at the play-offs.

[officer_dibble]

Unlucky that.

We need more mettle, less of the bottling. Majority of players just looked uncomfortable out there today. Dougie will sort this.