Half Time Oranges

I can’t tell you too much positive stuff about Blackpool I’m afraid – I know bugger all about tomorrow’s opposition, but if they’re anywhere near as bad as the town it should be a walkover.

Luckilly this is a home game, as Blackpool actually ranked lower than Cardiff on my ‘away-trip-ometer’ when I looked at the fixtures list – nothing against Cardiff as a city, it’s just that I prefer to come back from an away game without resembling a pin-cushion. ;)

My last visit to Blackpool was a few years ago to meet a mate for the weekend, and what a time I had. Anyone with a romanticised view of this seaside town in recent years must be either bordering on insanity, or posses the honesty levels of a dodgy MP on donation day.

The seafront is littered with more tacky wares than a closing down sale in a pound shop, and the visitors are equally as cultured. I can’t recall ever seeing as many stag and hen parties in one place – you couldn’t move for drunken tossers staggering out of pubs at noon, and this wasn’t even a match day.

It’s a shame for the locals as the town could be so much nicer, and I do blame the influx of boozed-up cretins. Residents must be continually frustrated to the point of suicide by the weekly arrival of some of the shallowest swimmers in the gene pool.

Anyway, now I’ve managed to make myself welcome on the North West coast, on to the home side…

I hope Pardew intends to stick with the same side from the West Brom game, partly from a purely selfish viewpoint as I want to see what I missed out on last week. I’ve been calling for a serious look at 4-4-2 for ages, and a run out against a team unbeaten over the Christmas period will be another good test.

I expect Blackpool to turn up looking for a point, so a switch back to 4-5-1 would be a negative step suiting an away side hoping to snatch something on the break. Sticking with the shape from last week with the support of Viewtoakill and Youga on the wings should hopefully keep Blackpool pressed in their own half, something we’ve been crying out to do as a home team for so long.

I’m going for a home win on this one, and anything that can raise the morale further before a tough trip to West Brom on Tuesday will be a bonus.