Analysis of the goals conceded against Blackpool (22/2)

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Better late than never…

A bizarre game in which our lack of top-class (or at least in-form) striker seemed to be the difference, although all of the Blackpool goals were frustratingly avoidable.

Blackpool goals

Adam’s goal.

Eardley receives the ball, and has time to take a touch before Pienaar closes him down.

He swings in a cross before Pienaar can get to him; Bassong is marking Campbell in the penalty area.

Kornilenko cleverly holds off Dawson, and chests the ball to Campbell, who has made a run off Bassong.

As Campbell takes a touch, it looks as though he’s going to strike first time, with Bassong not in touching distance.

Bassong actually does quite well to get back to him, but then stupidly attempts to swing a right boot at the ball, and his momentum takes him into the back of Campbell, who goes down for a penalty.

Adam takes the penalty – a good height for the goalkeeper, as they say, but far enough into the corner to make sure that Gomes can’t get to it.

Campbell’s goal.

Blackpool look to launch a counter from deep in their own half, with the majority of our players caught up field.

Quick, slick, one-touch passing means that Campbell receives the ball beyond two Spurs players.

It’s now effectively two on two, as Assou-Ekotto tries to catch Campbell, who has Dawson (out of shot) to beat, and Kornilenko is on the half-way line, with Bassong (out of shot) beyond him.

Dawson commits himself, and it seems that Assou-Ekotto has a chance to clear the loose ball. Difficult to tell from this shot whether that is the case or not, but either way, Campbell keeps hold of the ball and goes beyond both defenders.

Campbell finds Kornilenko, who faces Bassong up.

He comes inside, and Beattie (disappointingly untracked) makes an excellent overlapping run. Assou-Ekotto is in a reasonable position to deal with Campbell.

Kornilenko finds Beattie with a clever back-heel, totally taking Bassong out of the game. Campbell has pulled off to the back post, and Assou-Ekotto’s position is now not good enough.

That said, it’s a good ball from Beattie, but Campbell is clearly offside.

So when he tucks the ball in at the back post, the flag should go up. Still, an excellent break from Blackpool (although we made it easy for them with some poor defending).

Ormerod’s goal.

Southern has the ball in a relatively “safe” area of the pitch, but Campbell’s dart away from Gallas, followed by his first time pass opens things up.

Campbell receives the ball and finds Phillips in one motion, totally beating Gallas is the process.

Phillips is up against Assou-Ekotto, who uses his strength to manouevre the winger off the ball.

He passes up the chance to clear with his right foot, and instead tries to turn on to his left – clearly suicide, as Ormerod has taken a gamble.

As Assou-Ekotto flounders, Ormerod pounces.

And he slips the ball past Gomes.

It seems our defenders only know extremes right now – the sublime, as in the Milan game, or the ridiculous, as in the Fulham game and now this. It was a risky strategy from Redknapp to make two changes, with only one enforced; by moving Gallas out of the centre he unsettled the entire defence. I would personally have started with Palacios at right back in order to minimise the changes.

Our back four should have a more familiar feel to it for the Wolves game – let’s hope that they put in a better performance.