 Tuesday, 21st Oct 2008 09:24 A game that many Rams fans were looking forward to and the Football League want it played on a Tuesday night in October! Oh well - at least the lights will be on. Blackpool v Derby County Blackpool have started the season better than the pundits predicted. They are proving hard to beat though they are finding it difficult to win games as well. Since their ‘shock’ victory over Birmingham they’ve drawn their last four. Saturday’s game at Doncaster finished 0-0 and Doncaster manager Sean O'Driscoll thinks he knows why; “They've got four or five (who are) 6ft plus and dangerous at set-pieces.” Most Blackpool fans thought they should have come away from Doncaster with all three points when Ben Burgess was hauled down in the penalty area; “The only person in the ground who didn't think it was a penalty was the referee,“ said Blackpool boss Simon Grayson; “Our player is not going to go down for no reason when he's six yards out with a free header.” Blackpool have struggled to score at home with only 4 in the plus column. That won’t be helped by injuries to Gary Taylor-Fletcher (groin), Stephen McPhee and Danny Mitchley definitely out with a foot problem. Ben Burgess is also struggling. Mo Camara will not feature however ex Ram Ian Evatt is likely to feature. Tangerine statistics
The Rams According to the Derby Evening Telegraph, Paul Jewell is considering rotating his squad. Don't do it Paul! It never works ever. Even Chelsea and Manchester United play better when they play the same players week in and week out. Squad rotation just ends up with a lot of confused players. You can see why he's considering it however. On Saturday we probably had the youngest midfield on the park that any Rams fan can remember. Nacer Barazite is 19, Miles Addison 20, and Steve Davis 20 were joined by old timers Kris Commons and Paul Green who are only 25. In defence we also have 20 year old Lewin Nyatanga. Jewell said; "These lads are not used to playing Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday at this level, and it can take an awful lot out of them mentally and physically. If I think one or two are starting to get tired and a bit stale it might be time to give them a breather. I will only do that if I think it is right. If they look as if they are fine, they will continue." Roy Carroll and Dean Leacock are available for selection tonight and should resume their first team places however Paul Jewell said enigmatically; "I have made my decisions, and they were very tough decisions, but I've made them." Maybe Bywater will retain his place? Saturday wasn't one of our better games but it's satisfying to get all three points even on a below par performance. Plymouth have been playing well but we held out well - even though we rode our luck at times. Martin Albrechtson and Dean Leacock have been our stalwart centre half partnership but Lewin Nyatanga and Claude Davis did fairly well. Hat's off to Claude Davis for having the gumption to get stuck in. Okay he made mistakes and a couple of his headers and challenges were alarming to say the leas - but at £3m, he must have some ability and if his confidence returns then so might his skills. Lewin Nyatanga had an excellent game and didn't put a foot wrong. I would retain him alongside Dean Leacock but I suspect that it's Lewin that Jewell is referring to when he talks about players being tired. Mick's team: Carroll, Stewart, Leacock, Nyatanga, Connolly, Commons, Green, Addison, Barazite, Ellington, Hulse What the bookies think Blackpool are slight favourites at 7/5 while the Rams are at 8/5. The draw is 21/10. Rob Hulse is 6/1 to be the first scorer wile Paul Green is at 12/1. Blackpool striker Ben Burgess is 6/1. Information for traveling fans Its 120 miles to Bloomfield Rd and the route is relatively straightforward. Take the A50 to Stoke and join the M6 at J16. Head north on the M6 past Manchester to J32 and then join the M55 to Blackpool. Follow the Motorway into Blackpool until it changes into an A road and you will see the ground on the right. It’s half term in the North-West so you should be okay for traffic but allow at least 3 hours as the traffic is slow past Manchester and at the M55 junction and with all those United fans coming up from the south for the Celtic game … Parking: Loads of pay and display car parks but note - they aren’t free after six like most places. There’s one straight opposite the ground but getting out after will be slow. Drinking: Blackpool is full of pubs for those who turn up early enough to wander into the town. Footballgroundguide.co.uk recommends the 'No 1 Bar, which is a Working Mans Club, near the away supporter’s entrance to the ground on Bloomfield Road. Another recommendation is the Waterloo on Waterloo Rd. Note on the ground: It’s still a temporary stand and exposed to the elements so as the weather forecast is for showers, bring a hat! It’s also pay on the gate for any late waverers. Mick's Prediction Plymouth were physical and knocked our players around a bit. I expect Blackpool to be more so. They are hard to beat as their results show but with the right attitude and a bit of fight, we can claim a result here.
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