Everything 'cept our just desserts.

That was one game that got away. How we didn’t grab all three points against Brighton I’ll never know, but how many times do you see a side dominate a game and yet not get what they deserved. This was a better all-round performance by the Pool, with everyone playing their part. What a pity a silly defensive mix-up nearly cost us the game. I thought Broadfoot had a good game and perhaps was unlucky his backward header lacked the power to get back to Gilks. But even so, I thought Gilks should have taken more responsibility and grabbed the ball quicker because he was in a better position to deal with it. Watching the ball trickle over the line was sickening, so it doesn’t matter what a manager does he has no control over situations like this. The crowd played their part because they could see the effort the players were putting in and when Grandin score a deserved equaliser you could feel the tension in the ground lift. But despite all our dominance we still couldn’t put the game away. Shame really, but at least we’re starting to put some good football together again, which is encouraging. The next two games against Derby Co and Sheff. Wed are both away, should make interesting viewing. Both opponents will prove whether or not our current improvement will continue. Just wish we had Kevin Phillips back to his old scoring ways, because I don't think Nathan Delfouneso is the answer to our goal drought.

Where to from here?

Have you noticed the similarities in the way Pool and the current England side play? Both teams lack the ability to move the ball forward quickly and rely on passing sideways and backwards too many times without getting anywhere. Both have shaky defences and are suspect at set pieces, unable to mark properly and win headers. Players are getting picked, even though you know they are not good enough because there are no others coming through to take their place. I didn’t think I’d ever say this under Ian Holloway, but like Roy Hodgson’s side we are boring to watch and too predictable. Blackpool are carrying too many players who are well past their sell-by date. You would think after playing together for so long they would have an understanding with each other, but you’d be wrong. Yes, we have some talented young players, which is encouraging, but some of them lack consistency.

I realised our start to the season was a false dawn. Yes, we were getting the results, but apart from a couple of games I felt the scores flattered mediocre performances. Yet again today, against a managerless Burnley, we never looked like winning the game. Burnley are a typical mid-table championship side who have been leaking more goals than they have been scoring and yet they managed to prise open our defence time and time again and eke out 1-0 win. A score line made to look a lot closer than it was mainly thanks to a much improved performance by Matt Gilks.  We only looked half decent in last 20 minutes following the substitutions, but our efforts quickly dried up as the game petered out.

Ollie for me is a legend, but I am now for the first time wondering if his reign at Blackpool has run its course. The way we played, which excited everyone is fading fast. We have failed to strengthen a defence, which frankly has struggled since the premiership. The goals have dried up too. Where once we were scoring for fun, now we can’t even find the net. I just think we look like a side that’s lost its way and our slipping down the division will not help our confidence.