Blackpool FC 2010 revisited: Arsenal away day is memorable despite Seasiders' heavy defeat

After that 4-0 win at Wigan on the opening day, the next game saw them up against one of the country’s top clubs in Arsenal.

Our weekly rerun of STEVE CANAVAN’S match reports continues with a game where the Seasiders performed with credit despite a 6-0 defeat....

For Blackpool, this was a little like being asked to stand beneath Niagara Falls and collect all the water in a paper cup without spilling a drop.

Arsenal were superb; a work of art, even better in person than on TV. Why, in the flesh, even Theo Walcott had an end product.

Despite all this, all the giddy brilliance and panache of a Gunners side that is one of the best in Europe, not just on these shores, Blackpool were doing pretty well until a crucial refereeing decision, a penalty and an early bath for Ian Evatt.

Though given the luxurious surrounds of the Emirates, what a lovely bath it would have been – probably goldplated, with sauna and steam room attached.

That moment swung the game decisively in the home side’s favour. It had been tough when it was 11 v 11.

With the Seasiders a man down, it was a case of how many Arsenal would score. In the end six was actually a pretty good effort by those in tangerine.

Throughout it all the fans were magnificent. According to my stopwatch they sang the signature tune ‘this is the best trip I’ve ever been on’ for 12 minutes solid towards the end.

Several fans I met afterwards had lost their voice. Imagine the throat complaints if Pool had won by six…

And this wasn’t some kind of pretend happiness in the face of a thumping – this was real, unequivocal joy at simply being at the Emirates in a league match.

Arsenal v Blackpool ... in the Premier League. Let’s be honest, it didn’t really matter what the score was – the very fact that the fixture was taking place was reason for celebration.

But not according to some of the national papers yesterday. A few gave Blackpool a vicious kicking, one article even questioning their right to be in the top division.

Why do a handful of these condescending hacks feel the need to put the boot in quite so hard?

I understand what they mean. Yes, it was a bit of a mismatch on Saturday. That’s not Blackpool’s fault, more a damning indictment of the structure of English football, with a top division so unbalanced that there are three leagues within a league.

The Seasiders should be lauded, not hung out to dry, for getting to the promised land.

Of course they will take some hammerings. Arsenal’s starting line-up was worth more than £80m, Blackpool’s just a shade over £1m, so what did everyone expect the score to be?

But does it mean the Seasiders aren’t allowed to face such a team of aristocrats? Do me a favour.

Pool are in the top league on merit and perhaps some of the big-name journos – not to mention Mr Alan Hansen – should wait until they face the likes of West Ham, Blackburn, Wolves, Bolton, Sunderland and so on before gleefully rushing to make their judgments.

Results against Arsene Wenger’s lot (and the other top six or so clubs) don’t matter. It’s the rest that count.

What the national media don’t understand is that games like Arsenal away are simply a bonus for the fans and great days out whatever the score.

It’s payback time for all those miserable Tuesday nights at Mansfield. And boy, was it easy for the fans to enjoy the Emirates.

It is probably the best football stadium in the country, more like a small town than a football ground.

The press room alone is the size of Ansdell. There were 63 journalists in the press box, from the likes of the Qatar Times, Kyodo News and Turkish sports daily Fanatik.

Blimey, at Bloomfield Road it’s the Lytham St Annes Express and Lancashire Life.

The years in which the Gunners won the league and/or the cup are printed large on the stands. How intimidating is that for a visiting team to see?

The seats in the dugout for management staff and substitutes are on a par with first class on British Airways.

There was also a separate area for the ground staff to sit, with room for 13 of them.

At Blackpool it’s one groundsman, Stan Raby, and a pitchfork from B&Q.

But all of that is what Ian Holloway is striving to change. He doesn’t just want to improve the club on the pitch, he wants every inch of it to be better by the time his work is done.

He’s such a thorough bloke that it will happen – it just takes time to get all the elements in place.

Arsenal are in a different league (figure of speech, obviously), but then again Wenger has had since 1996 to get his club in shape. Holloway’s been in situ for one season.

He’s made remarkable strides so far, though no doubt seeing these 90 minutes will make him realise – as if he didn’t know already – just how big the divide is between the top flight’s big-hitters and the rest.

Despite that, Holloway will probably enjoy the game on DVD. He’s the type of fella who loves good football, and good football doesn’t come much better than the type Arsenal play.

They were one up when Andrey Arshavin’s pass was slotted in after 13 minutes by Walcott, who has given many a left-back, not just Stephen Crainey, a torrid afternoon.

Then a crucial moment. Crainey’s superb cross was met by Gary Taylor-Fletcher six yards out.

It seemed a certain goal but Fletch nodded the ball wide. “I should have scored,” he admitted later.

Matt Gilks had already been forced to make a string of stops by the time the game ended as a contest on 32 minutes, when Evatt brought down Marouane Chamakh.

Penalty (even though it was a fraction outside the area) and a red card for Evatt.

Arshavin despatched the spot-kick and suddenly Pool were staring into the abyss.

Indeed, when Walcott turned and fired through the legs of debutant Dekel Keinan – on as a substitute after Ludovic Sylvestre had been sacrificed – and past Gilks six minutes before the break, some hacks began mentioning the Premier League’s record defeat (Manchester United 9 Ipswich 0 back in 1995).

Credit to Holloway and his players, then, for re-organising at the break and working hard thereafter to keep the score down.

They limited the home side to three more goals: Diaby fired in from 12 yards; Walcott completed his hat-trick with a run into the penalty area; and Chamakh got the goal he deserved when he headed in a corner.

Pool, meanwhile, battled away though their mood couldn’t have been much improved by the sight of Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie coming off the bench. As strength in depth goes, that’s not too bad.

The Seasiders brought on Ishmel Demontagnac – his previous away game had been at Accrington, on loan at Chesterfield last season.

That’s not, by the way, a slight on Demontagnac, who has potential, but it just demonstrates the gulf.

A footballing masterclass from Arsenal, while Pool – in the end – can be fairly happy at limiting what could have been more substantial damage.

Saturday’s first home match against Fulham is one the Seasiders can approach with confidence and a genuine belief they can get a point or three.

The Emirates was great despite the score – now it’s back to the serious business.