FM11: Blackpool - A New Era
- Thread starter hedger_14
- Start date
hedger_14
ICC Chairman
Well we're only 8th in the Premier League for number of yellow cards 
And yeah, I'll update the ladder after my next league match.
And yeah, I'll update the ladder after my next league match.
hedger_14
ICC Chairman
7th November - Blackpool v Dinamo Moscow - EURO Cup
This was a big match for both sides, with a win for Blackpool sealing their spot in the second round of the EURO Cup while Dinamo Moscow would need a win to keep their European hopes alive but would need to hope that Ventspils would be able to pull off an upset and beat or draw either Galatasaray or Blackpool, while Dinamo would need to win their final 2 matches against Galatasaray and Ventspils. So with Blackpool at home, they would be firm favourites and after 2 straight away games against Sunderland, they would be very happy to be back at Bloomfield Road where they've had much success this season. Kevin Kuranyi who was missing from Dinamo Moscow's last game against Blackpool would make a much anticipated return who was sorely missed last game and was one of the reason for Dinamo's defeat. They would however be without the suspended Denis Kolodin and the injured Tomislav Dujmovic and Tomas Horava, while Blackpool had no injury news to report of. Blackpool did make a number of changes though to their squad that played Sunderland on the weekend, Dorsin, Evatt, McFadden, Sylvestre, Grandin, Campbell and Wood dropped from the first XI.
Blackpool:
GK: David Ospina
DL: Tarik Brack
DC: Phil Jones
DC: Jonathan Woodgate
DR: Lee Hodson
ML: Israel
MC: Charlie Adam (C)
MC: Edu Bedia
MR: Jeffren
ST: David Goodwillie
ST: Giovani dos Santos
Subs: William Caballero, Neal Eardley, Craig Cathcart, Ludovic Sylvestre, Elliot Grandin, DJ Campbell, Chris Wood
Dinamo Moscow:
GK: Vladimir Gabulov
DL: Goran Popov
DC: Alexandr Boev
DC: Andrey Mishin
DR: Jhonny Palacios
DMC: Ildar Krasnikov
ML: Edgaras Cesnauskis
MC: Luke Wilkshere
MC: Luis Aguiar
MR: Dimitris Christophi
ST: Kevin Kuranyi
Subs: Alexandr Leonov, Umar Khokhlov, Mikhail Ivanov, Martin Fillo, Andriy Voronin, Igor Polukhin, Alexandr Malov
It was Blackpool who put the pressure on early with 3 consecutive corners in the 7th minute and Israel nearly had a chance to score in the 10th when he had a clear cut opportunity, only to be ruled offside and rightly so. It seemed to be all Blackpool as they made all the chances but somehow couldn't find the net, or the target for that matter. Charlie Adam nearly set up a great goal when he put Goodwillie onto a great ball who was in disbelief when his shot hit the post. The first half was brought to an end and somehow the scores were still level despite all the pressure that Blackpool had applied to Dinamo Moscow.
The second half was very boring as nothing really happened for the first 20 minutes and Craig Cathcart was brought on for Jonathan Woodgate after about 65 minutes. Blackpool would have been really kicking themselves though when Christophi ran through to head Popov's cross home and Blackpool couldn't believe it, while Wood came on for dos Santos. Nothing came from the last 20 minutes though and Dinamo would be celebrating through the night after defeating Blackpool 1-0 to put them one point behind Blackpool with 2 matches to go, both clubs having to face Galatasaray and Ventspils. Blackpool would be well and truly disappointed though with that result, with not one shot on target despite having 11 shots and a pretty dominant performance.
Dimitris Christophi took the MOTM award for a great performance, scoring a goal, completing 2 key passes, winning 4 tackles, 2 headers and making 2 interceptions. Popov was also great, setting up the only goal, completing 46 passes, winning 2 key headers and taking 2 intercepts. For Blackpool, it was the skipper Charlie Adam who made the biggest impact. He completed 40/47 passes, including 3 key passes, won 4 tackles, made 7 interceptions and made 3 attacking runs really putting in the effort for Blackpool. The vice captain, Phil Jones was also good at the back, completing 36 passes, 2 tackles, 3 headers and making 10 intercepts, not his best performance but still a solid one. Blackpool would need to regroup from that loss and come back for a tough match against Arsenal on the weekend.
treva
ICC Chairman
He did hit the woodwork though. Looks like it was a poor game, which always make it hard to lose.
hedger_14
ICC Chairman
Marcus Berg to Move to Blackpool?
Blackpool have been looking to expand their squad with the acquisition of HSV striker, Marcus Berg. The striker had been unsettled at the club on the transfer list and Blackpool manager has looked to make the most of this, and made a bid reported to be around ?1.8M. Hedger had this to say, "We have been lacking depth for the striker role, with DJ Campbell's advancing years and Giovani dos Santos being more adept in the right wing role and Jordi Alvarez out on loan so I had to do something about it. I can confirm that it is very likely Berg will be joining our club in the near future. We have recently concluded talks with his agent and we feel things went well." Whether Berg will move to Blackpool or not should be confirmed in the near future, and should the transfer go through, Berg will move at the start of the January transfer window.
11 shots
0 shots on target
It happens as I've gone through one in particular myself!
Nonetheless, I think Blackpool are still within a shout of qualifying anyway, that is if things go right in the last two games.
hedger_14
ICC Chairman
10th November - Blackpool v Arsenal - Premier Division
This was a huge match for both sides, sitting next to each other on the ladder in 5th and 6th respectively. A win for Blackpool would move them to 24 points and second place, tied on points with Chelsea while a win for Arsenal would move them above Blackpool but unless they win by more than 5 goals, that will be the only place gain. Arsenal started as even favourites to win the game despite being without star striker, Robin van Persie who has already scored 5 goals this season as well as Gael Clichy and Havard Nordveit, while Blackpool had no injury news to report of. These two teams have met 7 times since 2010 and Arsenal have had the best of these encounters with 5 wins and a draw, Blackpool only coming away with all 3 points on one occassion but they would fancy their chances to make it their second. Ludovic Sylvestre will play in his 100th league match for Blackpool, while Alexis Sanchez is taking part in his 275th career match and Nasri's 250th for his career.
Blackpool:
GK: William Caballero
DL: Michael Dorsin
DC: Phil Jones
DC: Ian Evatt
DR: Lee Hodson
ML: James McFadden
MC: Charlie Adam (C)
MC: Ludovic Sylvestre
MR: Giovani dos Santos
ST: David Goodwillie
ST: Chris Wood
Subs: David Ospina, Neal Eardley, Craig Cathcart, Edu Bedia, Elliot Grandin, Jeffren, DJ Campbell
Arsenal:
GK: Diego Benaglio
DL: Domenico Criscito
DC: Thomas Vermaelen
DC: Laurent Koscieiny
DR: Bakary Sagna
DMC: Marek Hamsik
DMC: Alex Song
MC: Cesc Fabregas (C)
AML: Samir Nasri
AMR: Alexis Sanchez
ST: Marouane Chamakh
Subs: Fraser Forster, John Arne Riise, Andrey Arshavin, Nicklas Bendtner, Johan Djourou, Jonathan Biabiany, Emmanuel Eboue
Arsenal couldn't have wished for a worse start when it took only 6 minutes for David Goodwillie to get his name on the scoresheet. Wood got above Vermaelen to head the ball on for the Scottish striker who played a sublime first touch to get around Benaglio before making the easy finish and Blackpool had the early lead. Both sides had good chances to score, Arsenal trying to take control but Blackpool holding on well and restricting the number of shots that Arsenal had taken and limited them to only 55% of possession after 30 minutes. Things didn't look good for the Blackpool skipped though a few minutes later and was forced to come off the field, Edu Bedia his replacement. The Blackpool fans couldn't believe it though as Nasri scored an unbelievable goal from the tighest of angles as he hammered it past Caballero. Edu Bedia must have taken some advice from Nasri in the short period after the goal when he scored a goal from long range, his first of the season and from 30 yards as he curled it around the defender and into the top corner leaving the keeper no chance and Blackpool had gone back up 2-1, and that was the score going into the half-time break.
Nothing was changed at the break and Arsenal took the first chance of the half but Chamakh just couldn't make the finish. Much of the first 20 minutes belonged to Arsenal but Blackpool were holding on well and nearly added to their lead after Goodwillie made a superb run before laying it back to dos Santos whose shot moved across the face of goal. Arsenal were trying to make something happen but the Blackpool defence was strong and forcing Arsenal to shoot from distance. Blackpool survived a real scare though with just over 5 minutes remaining but the Arsenal attack just couldn't find the target and were made to rue their missed chances as Blackpool came away with a miraculous 2-1 win over a strong Arsenal side.
Edu Bedia took the MOTM award, having to step up early after Charlie Adam's injury, which was not serious in the end. Edu Bedia scored the great long range goal, while completing 18/22 passes, won 2 tackles, 2 headers and make 1 intercept, a handy performance over 55 minutes. Chris Wood was solid as well setting up both goals, while making 2 key passes and winning 7 headers. It was a good all-round game though from Blackpool. For the Arsenal side, it was the skipper Cesc Fabregas who had a fantastic game. He set up Nasri's goal, completed a massive 57/66 passes, including 4 key passes, won 2 tackles and travelled over 11km, a great performance from the Spanish midfielder. Nasri had a very good game as well, scoring Arsenal's only goal, completing 20 passes, winning 2 tackles and 3 headers including 1 key header, a solid performance in a losing team. The win for Blackpool would now put them right up there challenging for the title going into the international break.
hedger_14
ICC Chairman
Berg Rejects Blackpool
After a long time waiting, Marcus Berg finally delivered the news that he would not be joining Blackpool in the near future, after wanting a key role in the squad which was not given to him. Blackpool's boss was fired up after all this, Hedger stating, "We are extremely disappointed that the transfer didn't go through and annoyed at Berg and his agent for the break down in talks. He put the offer on the table, after some quick negotiations we settled on a fair deal, not once was his future role at the club discussed after we offered him a spot as a first team player. I'm disappointed but we'll still be on the look out for another striker." Rumours are that Brondby's Martin Bernburg could make a move to Bloomfield Road while Ryan Noble, Martin Paterson and Jermain Defoe could be Premier League targets for the Seasiders. Only time will tell though what Blackpool would decide to do.
treva
ICC Chairman
It's what happens in real life though, so it's very realistic. I like how difficult some of them are. Adds something extra to signing players.
Similar threads
