Deciding what to take a closer look at this week was no easy task. My first instinct was to analyse Charlie Adam's masterful performance, which signalled his arrival as a player of true Premier League ability. Adam has rightly drawn plaudits from all quarters, with Sky's Jamie Redknapp perhaps most vocal in his praise for the former Rangers man. The aim of this blog was always to try and view all things BFC from a different angle, so I'll refrain from lavishing yet more attention on the 'Pool skipper.
I was then tempted to pay tribute to the contribution of Adam's partner in crime, David Vaughan. Vaughan has been exceptional this season and perhaps the stand out player to date. Adam was deservedly man of the match, but Vaughan ran him a close second. His workrate has been key to the way the Seasiders play, starting a large proportion of Blackpool's attacking moves while also helping out the back four. Once again though, all 'Pool fans know how well Vaughan is playing, even if the national media aren't giving the Welshman the praise he deserves.
From a team perspective, the chalkboards show how 'Pool dominated the game with 349 successful passes to Man City's 262. Yet, in spite of all the positives Ian Holloway can take from an impressive performance, the cynic would say that there's only one statistic that really matters. For all the problems the Seasiders caused City, it was a failure in front of goal that was ultimately the difference between the two sides.
Whereas Mancini's side were ruthless with their chances, 'Pool's wastefulness in front of goal meant a third consecutive home game where the performance merited a better result. Of 16 shots only four were on target including the two goals. City also restricted 'Pool to mainly long-distance shots - 10 of the 16 attempts occurring outside the box. By contrast eight of City's 13 shots took place inside 'Pool's area, with the other five only just outside.
Just to be testing a Man City side assembled on a budget the Seasiders could only dream of is a feat more than anyone could have realistically expected. However, as a manager who is always seeking improvement from his side, it is the final third where Holloway will surely be focusing on in the weeks ahead.
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