Lady Luck which has shone so brightly over Bloomfield Road for many seasons has finally disappeared. These are dark days at the seaside and whilst no one is relegated in October, Tuesday night felt like the beginning of the end . Whilst the team huffed and puffed, in the same way that the end of Hurricane Gonzalo threw a final shower on the Fylde Coast, just like the weather front it soon died down and fizzled out by the end of the game.
There is something wrong with Jose Riga's side. It looks solid enough at the back, there's some decent names in midfield and there are goals from the players up front but it just doesn't gel. There's no width, little pace, no variation, no excitement and little fluidity. The players don't seem to be playing at 100% , there seems little cohesion between them and it all feels very flat. The starting point of course would be the bad summer, the uncertainty for Riga, the lack of backing for the manager, a side which is in a rut and a fan base which is quickly dwindling. However, little has been said about Jose Riga's tactics which on Tuesday just felt very negative.
Andre Orlandi came in to the side for Fermose Mendy and there was little surprise to see Rentmeister in for Dielna with Daniels going to be right back and McMahon to left back. Blackpool had most of the chances in the first half with Delfouenso missing an unbelievable chance firing high over the bar and McMahon firing straight at new keeper Buttland. Joe Lewis tipped Cyrus's shot over the bar before the break with Blackpool hanging on in until half time. Daniels could have put the 'Pool ahead at the start of the second but headed over before Derby started to insert their pressure and Riga's side withdrew in to their shell. Eventually a cumbersome tackle from McMahon gave a cheap penalty to Martin to convert.
We all know the Chairman is to blame for much that is wrong with the club, but only one man can sort out what is happening on the pitch. This was another game where a point wouldn't have been unworthy but we just didn't have the personnel to get us over the line. Riga keeps saying he needs extra quality and players but what is being done about it? How do we intend to get these players and who is looking for them? It just feels like we're walking in to relegation and no one seems that bothered. A bit like Hurricane Gonzalo it feels, at the moment, like the good times will never return.