Johnnyrotten

Yes I saw some Blackpool fans walking into thousands of us leaving, towards the club shop. 30 years ago I would have been singing into their faces (embarrassingly), I must be getting old because I just thought "hope they get through that lot safely, without incident".

Every passing week makes those results/performances look worse. I did think Carlisle were the worst side we'd played on the day, and that the defeat was totally down to us, but then we played Northampton and they were as bad. Yet both teams worked our keeper far more than Blackpool did. I think that means we've improved.

Taylor will go to Exeter, Warne will end up at Rotherham once Derby pot him, Ainsworth bound to be back at Wycombe once Bloomfield has gone!

Just looked at league tables on BBC where it shows the last 5 results, and the only 2 teams out of the 92 to have won their last 5 is us and Stockport. Our next opponents Exeter have got 1 point from last 8 games as well as losing 3 cup ties all at home. Gary Caldwell must be on borrowed time.

Palmer looks quality, and clearly has the temperament judging by his 4 pens out of 4 already. Impresses me more than Grealish, just think Palmer has more to his game and if I was a City fan I'd wish he'd stayed. I'll be happy for Palmer to be in the England squad but I expect Southgate will leave it for about 5 years like with Maddison, and the way he uses Foden sparingly.

There's some irony that we are winning games with Vic starting, so there's an argument to continue picking him. So when JDB comes on as sub, or even Jerome at Wycombe, if they don't make an impact and we only draw the games v Wycombe, Shrewsbury & Blackpool, we are no longer winning and we're on a poor run of 3 draws. So then there would be an argument to change the starting line up. The better JDB plays as a sub, the more likely Vic is to start the next game 😀

FWIW I thought Sheehan's was a yellow all day long, clear attempt to stop the player breaking without trying to win the ball (looked unnecessary as there was cover). But agreed, they should have had more yellows compared to our very cheap ones for Maghoma and Baxter in particular - it was Wigan all over again in that respect, but unlike that game it didn't indirectly result in conceding early.

Agree re MOM, happy for any of them to get it. Bod controlling a football and running with it intelligently, or rising high enough to win a header, is nothing to do with tiring defenders, its just about having footballing ability.

Absolutely. And no need to over analyse, happy to enjoy the win, its going to be in the top half dozen games/results of the season.

Fair enough. So Lincoln, Cheltenham and Fleetwood. I suppose today just felt better for me because the opposition was a step up.

I disagree. Didn't dominate the 1st half, lucky to be 1-1 for me. Incorrect sending off changed the game and like Peterboro meant the game couldn't be judged properly. Never looked like scoring v 10 men but got an OG to win it. We did what we had to, but a win v 10 men where the goals are a pen and OG surely can't be our best performance of season?

I always thought they had gone early on the Ange love in, although I do like the bloke as a character and he has a good back story. The fixtures had been kind, they'd had some luck (Liverpool red cards, 2 late goals v Sheff U etc), had the advantage of not being in Europe, and looked unconvincing, if you're talking top 4 material. Yes they'll be top 6 or so, but that's what Spurs do. Conte's dire season is making Ange look amazing when in reality he just looks like another Spurs manager playing nice football with not a lot of substance.

Just playing devil's advocate, but which was our best performance this season? For me that was our best at home, and possibly home or away. Baxter untroubled and deserved to both win and keep a clean sheet.

I thought Sheehan bossed midfield for large parts of the game, especially 1st half when he was running it for us (and Dembele was running it for them). I hardly saw him give the ball away at all.

Good stuff, well pleased for you knowing how much you wanted that. If others just see that as the same 3 points as Northampton that's upto them, but today's game, goal and atmosphere (2nd half) is a memory that will last a while, we could finish 1st or 10th but surely enjoying a game and occasion has to be part of any season.

We all see it different but Sheehan and Santos were outstanding 1st half, Maghoma decent but lacked their consistency, a few things didn't come off and passing was hit and miss unlike the other 2 who refused to cough up possession.

Agreed. In fact replace 10 with 1.

Very enjoyable game today, well played for the most part. Best I've seen from Tomo, certainly his 2nd half. Sheehan again a class above on the ball, he's really improved this season to be 1st pick midfielder by a mile. Maghoma great in patches. JDB the game changer, we weren't winning that till he came on. Santos imperious as usual. Is it me or has he deliberately stopped with the 30 yard diagonals, its all pass to feet now, is this tactical from IE or has he changed his game? Blackpool had plenty of possession and their right winger had the beating of Williams but I can't recall an easier game for Baxter unless I've forgotten a save or 2? Dacres Cogley another mediocre performance, safety first at every opportunity and no spark. Credit to Blackpool fans for the atmosphere they created, it was strangely subdued in our end till the 2nd half.

I assume you're having a laugh? If you mean lulled them into a false sense of security I'll agree. Vic very poor, JDB very good is how I see it, whether he starts games like in the cup last week or comes on like the last 2 league games. And nobody has to handle a full 90, not one striker ever does.

Agree totally. I don't care if its "just 3 points", its not to me, it means more than beating Northampton, Shrewsbury or Stevenage.

That was my impression, a woman I know through work lives near Carlisle, she's only been to a couple of home games ever but came here with her husband, he had to explain to her after the game to "keep her head down and walk", she didn't have a clue why, then came across a mob of Bolton being rather unfriendly. She was puzzled why they couldn't just congratulate them on their win! It was just a day out for many of them.

Isn't the achilles heal how many away fans there are? Over 20k v Lincoln but a comfortable day - small away following. There are probably others that I can't recall, but its the away fans that make it uncomfortable for the team more than a big home crowd. Unless its Sunderland.

I remember going to Blackpool on Boxing Day 1985, I'm sure it was 11am KO, could be wrong but recall setting off stupidly early and it being too early to bother with a pub stop. Then New Years Day Wigan home, after playing them Boxing Day both 83 and 84. Zero chance of those festive fixtures getting repeated.

He's only started 9 games but has 2 goals and 2 assists off top of my head, 1 of them a fantastic pass for Sheehan. Other than Charles and Vic, he's created/scored as many as anyone I would think. And delivers some great long passes. But yes, Williams has improved recently offensively, still leaves us short defensively from what I've seen though.

I agree its annoying that we've picked up a couple of injuries while they had a free midweek, but I'm not sure when the game could have been played in the near future. Stockport next Tuesday, international break the week after and Oxford on 28th. So it would have to be at least December and that's without rearranging the other postponed games, and EFL next round. I was going to add that we might have a replay v Harrogate on 12th Dec but its Pompey on the 11th so god knows when any replay is pencilled in for!