OPINION: Blackpool’s transfer activity has plenty of room for improvement

Simon Grayson has said for some time now that Blackpool are in need of extra quality if they’re to launch a promotion challenge in the second half of the campaign.
Joe Nuttall has had a difficult start to life with Blackpool after joining the club last summerJoe Nuttall has had a difficult start to life with Blackpool after joining the club last summer
Joe Nuttall has had a difficult start to life with Blackpool after joining the club last summer

I certainly wouldn’t argue with that perspective, it’s been as clear as day going as far back as August.

Grayson identified it early on as well, but having returned to Bloomfield Road for his second spell at the end of July, that gave him precious little time to make the necessary additions before the campaign got underway.

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The ones that did arrive were probably hastily arranged and not the targets that would have been identified had Grayson been given ample time to scout around.

However, it does seem odd that 10 of the 11 players that started for the Seasiders in Tuesday night’s FA Cup third round defeat to Reading are individuals that were already with the club last season prior to Grayson’s return.

James Husband was the only player in the starting line-up who has been brought in by the current Pool boss.

If he’s replaced by the returning Marc Bola for tomorrow’s trip to Sincil Bank, which isn’t out of the question, we could see a peculiar scenario where all 11 of Blackpool’s starting line-up are players Grayson inherited from Terry McPhillips.

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If the ‘old’ players aren’t good enough to realise Blackpool’s ambitions, then how come Grayson is still relying on them so heavily?

Yes, the likes of Grant Ward and Jordan Thorniley have needed time to bed into their new surroundings and both have been a little short on fitness.

But surely Saturday’s league encounter against Lincoln City is the perfect time to throw them into the mix and see what they’re capable of?

Grayson has been responsible for 10 acquisitions since the summer with Sullay Kaikai and Ryan Hardie not among them, having already been arranged prior to his arrival.

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The likes of Jak Alnwick, Ben Heneghan and Husband have all worked out well, and one would expect Bola to be a hit once again now he’s returned to the Fylde coast from Middlesbrough.

But I think it’s fair to say, and Grayson would probably agree with this, that the rest have been a bit hit and miss.

Calum Macdonald originally did well, after biding his time, to make it into the first-team yet has recently found himself rooted to the bench despite doing very little wrong.

Elsewhere, Rocky Bushiri was a move that didn’t work out and the defender has since returned to parent club Norwich City prior to heading out to Belgium for a second loan spell.

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Sean Scannell, meanwhile, hasn’t quite hit the heights we would expect from a player with his experience – and the winger hasn’t even started a league game since mid-October.

Joe Nuttall, a big money signing from Blackburn Rovers during the summer, continues to struggle and his confidence levels appear to be at rock bottom.

The striker missed another gilt-edged opportunity on Tuesday night, heading over the bar from inside the six-yard box when the goal was at his mercy.

While Grayson leapt to his defence earlier in the week, despite the striker scoring just one league goal all season, do we really expect the 22-year-old to hit form when he’s being used so sparingly?

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Nuttall was introduced into the action in the 85th minute of Tuesday’s cup replay, when the Seasiders were already two goals down. It was far too late for the forward to make any sort of impact.

His displays have been well below-par but the only way he’s going to get up to speed is by playing regularly and getting into his stride.

Given the goalscoring exploits of Armand Gnanduillet, it doesn’t appear likely he’s going to get that at Bloomfield Road anytime soon.

Basically what I’m trying to say is that Grayson’s recruitment since returning has been surprisingly poor.

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I say ‘surprisingly’ because his transfer dealings in his original spell as manager were normally spot on.

If the Seasiders are to have any joy in the second half of the season, then Grayson and the club’s new recruitment and scouting team must get their transfer activity right.

Pool’s lack of goals and lack of creativity has been their main issue all season, yet it’s still not been rectified.

Resolve those problems and the men in tangerine might have a fighting chance.