The last time the Seasiders headed to Villa Park, it ended in one of the most talked about games of the Premier League season - for all the wrong reasons. Ian Holloway put out a Blackpool side that featured 10 changes from the team that drew 2-2 against Everton the previous weekend with six of those players, including skipper Jason Euell, making their first Premier League start. When fans look back to that season and wonder where we could have picked up those couple of points which would have ensured our top flight survival, this is one of those games that is regularly mentioned.
Four years on and one thing you can guarantee is that Lee Clark won't be using squad rotation for this FA Cup third round game. There again, he will have some enforced changes now that Jacob Murphy, Stuart O'Keefe, Donervon Daniels, John Lundstram and Kevin Foley have all returned to their parent clubs. However, only Murphy started in the 1-1 draw with Rotherham last Sunday. With Ishmael Miller back from suspension, Steven Davies now injury free, Dom Telford having impressed last weekend and Nathan Delfouenso looking to start against his former club, Lee Clark does have options ahead of this game although probably not as many as he'd like.
It will be interesting to see how the Blackpool manager plays this one as it'll be his first game in charge which isn't a 'must win'. Clark has been accused of being overly defensive, quite often just playing a lone striker, and this may be his opportunity to be a bit more adventurous. The other intriguing question may be if he'll call upon some of those out of favour players who have been told they can leave the club or if he'll go with the youth option to fill the bench again. The Oriol twins and Jeffrey Rentmeister are the obvious three players to bring back in to the fold. Andre Orlandi impressed when he came on for Perkins last Sunday and may get a start whilst the left back berth could again prove to be Blackpool's achilles heel with the choice between Dunne and Dielna hardly instilling confidence in the side.
The Villa job is a bit of a poisoned chalice as Paul Lambert is finding out with his side's scoring record under increasing scrutiny given they have managed a meagre 11 goals in 20 Premier League outings. Lambert has said: 'We have to be wary, they have nothing to lose. They will come out and give it a go and they won't sit in. It's a cup game and will be a breather from the league where they are having a difficult time. It's a tough game. You would think they would come and give it a game." But before you feel any sympathy, Lambert is able to call on the likes of Christian Benteke and Joe Cole to boost his sides hopes as he goes in to the game without the suspended England international Fabian Delph along with Ron Vlaar, Nathan Baker, Libor Kozak and Philippe Senderos who are all injured.
Some Blackpool fans have suggested that a victory at Villa Park would be a 'wasted win' but Charlton proved last season the confidence a good cup run can produce and let's face it there's little else to look forward to this season.