Matt Scrafton column: A Blackpool victory tomorrow would be a welcome boost

Neil Critchley’s side moved up to sixth place in the Championship after that 1-0 victory at Bramall Lane.

Whether those three points were deserved or not is up for debate, but the speed of Blackpool’s slide down the table has been alarming since then.

Seven winless games and just three points later, Blackpool are now having to prepare for a tricky and awkward encounter.

Describing Saturday’s game against Peterborough United as a six-pointer might be a tad melodramatic, but there’s no doubting it takes on more significance than expected a few weeks ago.

We all knew Blackpool would have to endure a sticky patch at some point this season.

The step up from League One is a sizeable one and, budget-wise, the Seasiders are having to punch above their weight just to remain competitive.

Perhaps we were all guilty of getting a little carried away following that impressive run between the start of September and the end of October, where Critchley’s men won seven in 10.

I include myself in that and I’m sure a large number of fans will hold their hands up too – but even the players were openly discussing the possibility of challenging for the top six.

The gap to Peterborough and the bottom three now stands at eight points, having been 15 after the aforementioned victory against the Blades.

Lose to Posh tomorrow and the Seasiders will be nervously looking over their shoulders ahead of the upcoming festive schedule.

Perspective is required though.

Blackpool are still sitting relatively safely in mid-table, eight points adrift of the play-offs and eight points ahead of the relegation zone.

While the seven-game run without a win is clearly a cause for concern, performances had largely remained good up until last weekend’s dismal defeat to Derby County.

In a results-driven business, supporters and neutral onlookers will look at the slump, which includes a 3-0 home defeat to Luton Town, and inevitably draw their own conclusions.

As I’ve repeatedly written in this weekly column and elsewhere, the Seasiders have been in every game and are just finding themselves on the wrong end of the fine margins at the minute.

That said, there’s simply no excusing Blackpool’s troubles in front of goal.

No goals in four and just two in seven is a worrying trend, especially when Critchley’s side weren’t exactly the most free-scoring of teams prior to that anyway.

On just five occasions this season Blackpool have scored two or more goals in a league game. That cannot be allowed to continue.

It would be far too simplistic to point the finger at the strikers, but are they getting the service?

Judging on recent displays, the answer to that is an emphatic no.

There’s a clear problem on Blackpool’s right-wing, because neither Josh Bowler or Demetri Mitchell have been able to nail down a regular starting berth this season.

In recent weeks, it’s been a case of swapping between the two and hoping they take their chance, but neither has.

It was no surprise then that both were left out of the starting line-up at Pride Park last Saturday, with Mitchell not making the Blackpool squad at all.

Neither has been able to consistently provide an end product this season, too often their quality has been found wanting in the final third.

This is not a sole criticism of Bowler and Mitchell, by the way. This applies across the board.

The right-winger’s role has been a cause for concern this season, while Keshi Anderson on the other flank has been far more productive, scoring four times compared to Bowler’s one and Mitchell’s zero.

If Blackpool are going to persist with one up front, then they need to get a lot more out of their wide men.

Owen Dale was given his opportunity last week but failed to take it, while Sonny Carey was largely anonymous playing in a more central role just off Shayne Lavery.

It was only a few weeks back Critchley was spoiled for choice in terms of options for his team selection, now he’s got an entirely different headache because his players aren’t producing when they’re being given a chance.

The players have simply got to step up on Saturday against a Peterborough side who aren’t exactly in great shape themselves, despite beating Millwall last weekend.

Darren Ferguson’s players have conceded an average of almost two goals a game this season.

If the Seasiders don’t find the back of the net on Saturday, and with games against Hull City and Barnsley not too far away on the horizon, the alarm bells might begin to ring.

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