please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Blackpool vs Leeds United Bloomfield Road - Sat 21st Mar 2015 - 15:00 Relegation Towers over the Seasiders As the season continues to wind to a close, this weekend sees a return of the Damned Match Thread (thanks again for Elland for taking over while I was crazily busy), and a trip to the beach for a Leeds team who are enjoying fine form at the minute. After a convincing 3-0 win over Fulham midweek, Leeds are full of confidence and are expected to pile on the misery for Lee Clarks Tangerine's as they struggle to find points from anywhere. 14 Blackpool Wins 12 Draws 17 Leeds Wins Historically this fixture has been close, but Leeds just edge the league meetings. Looking at the form books of both sides, you'd have to be a brave man to bet on that changing here. Blackpool have lost their last 6 in a row and have gone 10 games since picking up their last win against Brighton. Leeds on the other hand continue their impressive 2015 improvement, undefeated in 4, climbing into the top half of the table after the midweek result. With Blackpool 18 points adrift of safety, and 10 points adrift at the bottom, this game could be in danger of falling flat. Leeds can still mathematically make the playoffs, but the run of events which would lead to that is unrealistic at best. Blackpool Stats please log in to view this image 24th (W4 D10 L24) -48 Goals 22pts Recent Form LCharlton 0 - 3LBournemouth 4 - 0LSheff Wed 0 - 1LBirmingham 1 - 0LWigan 1 - 3 Tony McMahon, Miles Addison and Jamie O'Hara could all be missing for Blackpool. Nathan Delfouneso could start in attack. Top Scorers 5Steve Davies 3Nathan Delfouneso 2Ishmael Miller Leeds Stats please log in to view this image 12th (W14 D9 L15) -4 Goals 51pts Recent Form WFulham 0 - 3DNottm Forest 0 - 0WWigan 0 - 1WIpswich 2 - 1LWatford 2 - 3 Leeds could be unchanged from the team that won midweek, with the strong young core once again. Top Scorers 9Mirco Antenucci 8Alex Mowatt 5Billy Sharp Predictions Latest Odds Match Facts Leeds Win Evens (Correct on 20/3/15) Blackpool have lost their last 6 matches in Championship. . Blackpool have failed to score in their last 4 matches in Championship. . Blackpool have been losing at both half time and full time in 5 of their last 6 matches in Championship. . Leeds have kept a clean sheet in their last 3 matches in Championship. . Leeds have won 5 of their last 6 away matches in Championship. . The Damned Prediction 2-0 Leeds Win please log in to view this image Leeds are in good form, and will be on a high after the midweek win, while Blackpool have are struggling to find a goal, never mind a point. It's difficult to see how this could be any other result than a comfortable win for Leeds, but the Championship has a way of throwing up surprises at the most unexpected times. Team wise, I've gone essentially for the line up who beat Fulham, though I think there's an interesting discussion to be had on whether we should be giving some of the younger players a rest to avoid the Byram-effect next season. Sharp leads the line with Antenucci or Morison ready to step in from the bench, and Bamba continues inspiring our defence to hopefully a 4th straight clean sheet. Who can remember the last time we did that?!
Great match thread, I am reading everywhere that Blackpool fans are set to boycott the match in protest of their owners.
Forgot Nathan Delfouneso was still playing football. He was supposed to be England's next big thing five or six years ago! Think this is the game we should switch things up a little. Nothing major, but I'd give Cook a rest in favour of Sloth, put Antenucci back in up front and maybe places on the bench for Montenegro, Adryan and some of the academy lads.
Evening all. We need to get this game won as quickly as possible so that Redders can give some squad players as much of a game as possible. On the subject of which, I'd quite like to see N'Goyi start and give Cook a break
It would be interesting to see some of the 'fringe' players (for lack of a better word) get a look in, with a view to seeing whether any of the loanees are going to be retained (guessing no), and whether any of the others will be moved on. There are so many players on the books that we haven't had a chance to get a proper look at, this game might be a sensible one to try something else?
I am also concerned about some of those we have on loan to buy deals. Even if they are good enough how do we secure their services without a main man running the club? Having said that the "new Kaka" can **** right off, lazy, unfit show pony. £3mill? Not worth £30k.
Same old problem for us at the minute, we loyal fans see the attraction of Leeds as a club, but to outsiders looking in we are still the same unattractive proposal we have been for the much of the last decade really The summer after we won promotion from League 1 was probably the last time people saw us as ambitious in terms of whether they'd want to come play here, the years before and after have been 'steady' if you want to put a positive spin on it
Think we need to give Adryan more of an even break. The championship is a markedly harder & more physical than he would have come from. We also wasted a few months with Hockmadoodlegandi & Milanic. He has quality, & when he gets another opportunity, I fully expect him to show what he can do. Chill out guys. He's worth a 2 year contract, as he has the capacity to ooze class if given time
Redders is already rumbling about the pitch being unsuitable for N'Goyi's debut & Austin's return. Guess it's the same old again. Why try someone out when you can burn out a kid instead? *shakes head slowly in despair*
With the greatest of respect, how many times have you seen him play? He is a luxury we can't afford to carry. If we have £3 mill kicking about it would be better spend on getting a decent head coach and a hard tackling midfielder.
Fair point all round Jock. But Cook will have to adapt his game to take account of the state of the pitch. He's a young lad, & could do with a break so as not to burn himself out. But N'Goyi & Austin could do themselves serious damage as they return from injury. Close call. But in Redders I trust
Yes, we can afford him Chippy because his close control is at a level better than anyone else. We have a decent Head coach as witnessed by the fact that we are moving up the table. Had we not pi**ed about with Hock & Milanic, we could already be in the play offs. On your more legitimate point about a tough tackling midfielder, we have Austin. But we don't yet know what N'Goyi will give us. If N'Goyi gets games & doesn't show himself to be Brownesque in his DM approach, I agree that Cellino should splash the cash in the TW.
So given everything in your garden is soooooo Rosey what will constitute failure next season? To hear you talk we are near enough promotion certainties. I humbly disagree and that's before one or two of our Crown Jewels feck off to the promised land. If you don't think that two or three will be leaving then cut down on the meds.
We definitely need to be concerned with holding onto the 2015 core who have been responsible for us jumping up the table recently. If we have wholesale changes again, then next season is going to be more of the same. At the start of the season I said top 10 would be a good season for us, and after our start and mid-season run I'm frankly amazed we are anywhere near there. Redders has done enough to warrant being given a chance next year for me.
Still not sold on Redders why persist with Morison shows lack of judgement to me as it clearly gives the side an unbalanced formation
