Two undefeated teams go head-to-head tonight with much to prove. Blackpool will want to prove they have what it takes to bounce back to the top flight and Derby want to build on their best start to a season for 38 years!
8:00pm - 17th August 2011Blackpool - The Seasider’s or Tangerines
What happened to Blackpool? One minute they looked like they were holding their own in the Premier League - the next, they were being relegated.
It's been all change at Bloomfield Rd with almost a new team coming in. Despite Ian Holloway saying that Luke Varney was theirs for £250k and "Derby was unable to do anything about it because of a clause in his contract", Varney isn't one of them.
I used to like Holloway but he became a bit of a pillock in the Premier League. There's no doubting the fact that he's good at his job, as his new signings have taken no time at all to bed in and look to be aiming to get back to the promised land.
They've started well, having a 100% record the same as the Rams. Kevin Phillips, perpetually linked with the Rams over the last few years is their leading scorer - and the money gained from the sale of Charlie Adams looks to have been wisely used.
This will be a tough game.
BLACKPOOL 11/12 - Ins & Outs
Out:
Jason Euell, DJ Campbell, David Vaughan, Charlie Adam, Richard Kingson , Marlon Harewood & Andy Reid
In:
Barry Ferguson, Kevin Phillips, Miguel Llera, Tom Ince, Angel Martinez, Craig Sutherland & Bob Harris
Current Form:
P 2 W 2 D 0 L 0 F 3 A 1
Leading Scorer: Phillips
Past games:
Historical at Bloomfield Road:
P 31 W 5 D 10 L 16 F 32 A 53
We seem to play Blackpool for a season or two and then our relative fortunes seem to take us in opposite directions.
I can't remember ever going to Blackpool for a Saturday game though the history books tell me we won 1-0 at Bloomfield Road on a Saturday in February 1985 - perhaps that's why I don't recall it.
That was also our last victory there. The last game there finished in a 0-0 draw. That was our first away point of the season.
Tue 18 Aug 2009 - Blackpool 0 - 0 Derby County
Team: Bywater, Connolly, Buxton, Addison, Moxey, Croft (Green 67), Savage, Pearson, Teale, Commons (McEveley 89), Hulse (Varney 80)
Current Tangerine Squad
No. Position. Player
1 Keeper Matt Gilks
2 Defender Paul Bignot
3 Defender Stephen Crainey
4 Midfield Keith Southern
5 Defender Neal Eardley
6 Defender Ian Evatt
7 Striker Billy Clarke
8 Midfield Elliot Grandin
9 Striker Kevin Phillips
10 Striker Brett Ormerod
11 Midfield Gerardo Bruna
12 Midfield Gary Taylor-Fletcher
14 Midfield Ludovic Sylvestre
15 Defender Alex Baptiste
16 Midfield Barry Ferguson (captain)
17 Defender Chris Basham
18 Defender Matt Hill
19 Midfield Stephen Husband
20 Defender Craig Cathcart
21 Keeper Mark Halstead
22 Defender Ashley Eastham
23 Midfield Matt Phillips
24 Striker Craig Sutherland
25 Defender Miguel Llera
26 Midfield Liam Tomsett
27 Striker Thomas Barkhuizen
28 Midfield Adam Dodd
29 Striker Josh Egan
31 Midfield Angel Martinez
32 Midfield Bojan Djordjic
33 Defender Bob Harris
34 Keeper Chris Kettings
36 Midfield Tom Ince
Injuries or Suspensions
Matt Gilks is the only injury worry (ankle) though Ian Holloway expects him to start.
How To Get There
Straightforward journey though often troubled by traffic jams. Leave early. Take the A50 to Stoke then head north on the M6 to J32.
Take the M55 towards Blackpool (spotters badge to the first one to spot the tower) and continue into Blackpool. You should see the ground on the right.
Parking
There's a pay and display very near the ground but last time I went, there was ample street parking and you won't die of old age waiting to get out of the car park. Note that because it's Blackpool, pay & display are 24hrs and don't shut down at six.
Where To Drink?
The No 1 Bar near the away end is highly recommended, though I couldn't find it last time I went. There's also the Waterloo near by.
The town itself is not far away and being Blackpool, everyone is welcome just about everywhere. I think it's unfair of the league to pander to Blackpool by ensuring that only the minimum number of away fans can make these midweek trips.
It also gives Blackpool an unfair advantage in my opinion.
Mick’s Prediction
We've not played well and yet have made our best start to the season for nearly 40 years. We've got lots of injured players and yet the young players bought in as cover have done well and in many peoples eyes have done better than the players they are replacing.
Is Clough being lucky, or wily?
I was 11 back when we last won our opening two fixtures, I wasn't born when we last won three - 1948.
I'd like to see the two victories as a sign of progress but here's the thing; I listened to the first half on BBC Radio Derby and it sounded like many of the games we played last season. The opposition with most of the ball, us giving the ball away in silly positions, and generally just hoofing it to a 'target' man who was easily dominated by the centre half.
Against Shrewsbury we were bereft of midfield and capitulated all too easily. I'm worried that the same could happen in a league fixture.
People keep saying that we will play better than we have and lose. I'd rather take the positive and say that a win is a win and like Billy Davies's team, how you get it doesn’t matter.
If we can get some players fit, we might be able to compete in this league - but it's too early to tell. Tonight might give us some more pointers.
Blackpool 1-1 Rams