Blackpool THE MATCH

You don’t suddenly find the ball in your penalty area. It takes a fair bit of play to get there first.

The first one is a long punt down field so maybe nothing on that one.

But the second penalty no ones picks up the second ball and the third we had the ball gave it away, they win a throw in, no one picks up the man from the throw in who crosses it and a keeper mistake then costs us. We had plenty of opportunities before that however to stop the ball going into our box

Game management is awful from city and who knows with him on the pitch we might not have crumbled as easily.

 

I actually thought O’ Brian looked ok when he came on, but it was to replace Wright who was doing his hair somewhere so the fact he got stuck in was good

 

I am listening to radio Leeds and I can't believe what I'm hearing. Talking about how the players have changed since Hopkin arrived and how much better and more positive they are now. Were they watching a different game to me? The only positive for me was Ball. The only player to show any composure when he came on

 

It's football, teams are going to get the ball in your penalty area from time to time and it shouldn't automatically result in conceding 3 sloppy goals. We ultimately lost to 3 defensive errors. I'm not sure what difference Wright would have made as he was poor. In the first half in particular Blackpool were attacking us at will, so he clearly wasn't as influential as you think he was.

 

Once the second goal went in it had that feeling of inevitability that we would concede another. It was nothing more than Blackpool deserved, in truth we looked no different to the rubbish under Collins, a decent 5 to 10 minute spell cannot disguise the fact this is a really poor side. Defensively awful and little creativity for what would be a decent strike partnership in Doyle and Ball. Give us a bit of class in midfield like Blackpool had with Jake Spearing and we might have a chance of at least finishing somewhere around mid table. As it stands this squad is relegation material.

 

It is after Hopkin said Akpan has popped his shoulder and could be out for 6-12 weeks and Wright has injured his hamstring. He wasn't asked about Reeves.

Colville will never get a better chance to make it as a pro footballer.

 

Quite liked listening to Hopkin's interview.

Thought he said a lot of right things and certainly gave me hope he's going to get us better organised and not take any freeloaders in the side.

 

Its gonna be a long, tough season.

 

I think that is something we need to learn. Composure. All over the pitch we looked hurried and panicky. Launched it at every chance we got and just gave ball back. Blackpool were a poor side in my opinion and were there for taking

 

Well we have to find a way of putting a midfield together. It is like last year only earlier!!

 

We need to look in getting out of contract experience players.

 

I couldn't agree more. Jan is a VERY long way away.

 

In some ways losing at least allows hopkin to see what he needs to work on a win today would’ve papered over the cracks

 

Someone used the word 'brittle' to describe our last 10 minutes today and this currently sums us up. ER has spouted a load of pap (and in my opinion continued to do so last week in his gloating over his summer recruitment), I bet DH wishes he could just have one week of the window still open to address one or two fundamental areas in the team. However, no matter how negative I feel about ER one thing he did say last week which is true is we have no momentum about us which makes things that happened today all the more likely. But to be clear, the reason we have no momentum is mostly down to that big headed numpty! I am sure today will have been a massive eye opener for DH and he will realise the extent of the challenge he has taken on

 

Think we all would mate.

One thing for sure, listening to his interview, he won't be taking any slackers.

 

And yet today for most of the game Blackpool looked a level above us in passing and movement. I agree they didn’t look a particularly good team but they were very good value for their win. Our two goals disguises just how poor we are. Anyone know of any decent out of contract midfielders?

 

Wonder who's available because some experience is needed.

 

Is anyone else listening to Radio Leeds?. .....We now have an identity, a team that works hard and looks to attack at every opportunity. If Hopkin can do this much in only 5 days imagine what we could be like in 4-5 weeks.......
I have no doubt we will improve under Hopkin but today was still awful. Credit to him for stressing all the positives in his interview (although I saw it differently to him). At least he didn't slag his players in public. Perhaps he knows they tried but are just not good enough. The support was outstanding