Gaffer’s Gabber

‘It was a good result but also a good performance. I thought we played some good stuff at times, passed the ball around, created a lot of chances and on another day could have won by three or four. But when you concede in the last minute or so and then have to endure three minutes of added time you get a little bit nervous because after all that good work you don’t want it to be spoiled.’

A very fair evaluation by the gaffer, although Crewe’s tactics let them down – as pointed out by Toronto_Pool in his match report. Once again, however, poor finishing let ‘Pool down – in a sense – as they failed to put away at least 3 or 4 chances to put the game beyond all reach; Andy Morrell’s fluffed volley was one example and of course Keith Southern was unlucky to see his volley crack the base of the post when the game was 2-0. As it happened they grabbed a late consolation goal – which to be fair wasn’t really deserved as Paul Rachubka hardly had a thing to do all afternoon.

‘We try to get the ball down and play, we don’t want people to disappear from the ground, we want to keep them here until the end of the game! But from our point of view it’s disappointing because we wanted to keep a clean sheet because it could be a big thing come the end of the season.’

With all due respect to fans that have prior engagements at 4.45 on a Saturday afternoon, those who leave early really do make a mockery of the game in my honest opinion. The Kop practically empties even before the fourth official has put up his board for stoppage time!

Some, I understand, may have work commitments to get to, but surely applauding the players off the pitch at the end of the game is more important than hanging out outside with your mates – in the case of the younger generation – before wandering off to McDonalds for a Big Mac!

Anyway, I will leave that tangent there for another day and another article, but it is interesting that Larry would make a note of goal difference. At this moment in time, the goal difference for ‘Pool and their main rivals are as follows;

4. Oldham +23 67pts

5. Yeovil +14 67pts

6. Blackpool +15 65pts

7. Swansea +14 61pts

8. Tranmere +5 59pts

9. Carlisle 0 59pts

So as you can see, Oldham are far and away better ‘equipped’ so to speak, should goal difference become a factor at the end of the season. Tranmere and Carlisle appear to be out of the promotion race, but if the season comes down to the last couple of games – for ‘Pool that means Scunthorpe and Swansea back to back! – then a superior goal difference would certainly not go amiss!

Back to the game and Andy Morrell was sporting a very attractive bandage above his left eye which Larry was quick to put down to a freak accident in training.

‘Andy got caught above the eye in training by a wandering Latvian arm. It was a pure accident. He had to have four stitches. It ballooned up like a boxer’s wound but he came to me straight after training and said he will be fit to play.’

‘That just typifies Andy Morrell. His workrate and attitude are fantastic and that’s why we took him off – we didn’t want him to get another knock. When players have got cuts over their eyes you are wondering whether they are going to be the same player. Are they going to win the ball as if there is noting wrong?’

It’s fantastic to hear that a player so influential to Blackpool’s promotion push is happy to carry on and risk further aggravating the wound. Grayson is correct in saying that his workrate and attitude are fantastic, if we had a team of Andy Morrell’s, we’d be a force to be reckoned with – that is if we’re not already at the moment! Morrell is one of the front-runners for Blackpool’s Fan’s Player of the Season award, alongside ever-present Shaun Barker and whiz-kid, Wes Hoolahan.