Four Thoughts on... Blackpool 2-1 Peterborough United

For the first time in 20 years Blackpool opened their season with back-to-back wins by taking three points off Peterborough in a 2-1 victory. Here are some observations on the game:

Four Thoughts on... Hull City 0-1 Blackpool

It was a winning start for Blackpool last night at the KC Stadium and a decent game to boot, if not quite at the same standard we had become accustomed to during our one year stay in the Premier League. The quality of the winning goal cannot be disputed however and Gary Taylor-Fletcher's strike indicated 'Pool do still possess some top class ability.

With the loss of the statistics and chalkboards that go with top flight status, my 'Seaside Strategy' series of posts will be taking a back seat this season. Instead I'll be analysing the Hull game, and many other games this campaign, by picking out four key themes. I'll still be looking at tactics, but they might not always be the primary focus. As ever, your feedback is always appreciated.

2011/12 Season Visualiser

"If Blackpool's fixture list was a patchwork of colours, what would it look like?"

The above question probably isn't one you've spent the summer pondering, but indulge me here...if the fixtures were colour-coded by difficulty, what would we be presented with? The answer is the season visualiser, devised by the brains over at Experimental 3-6-1. The theory is simple: each game is illustrated by a colour - anywhere between a strong green and a deep red, with every shade of yellow in between. This means a quick scan of the fixture list can identify potential tricky spells, as well as periods where the team can aim to capitalise on supposedly easier matches.

Closedown

It's Their Fault: Ian Holloway

In the penultimate post in this series, we looked at Charlie Adam's contribution in Blackpool's relegation. In this final article of post-season analysis, manager Ian Holloway is in the line of fire. Was the man at the helm ultimately responsible for his side going down in their debut Premier League season?

It's Their Fault: Charlie Adam

The previous post in this series looked at the reasons why Karl Oyston could be responsible for relegation. Charlie Adam won a PFA Player of the Year nomination for his efforts this past season, but could he also have contributed to Blackpool's eventual downfall? Let's weigh up the cases for and against.

It's Their Fault: Karl Oyston

Last time out we examined the influence Blackpool's defence might have had on relegation. Now it's the turn of Karl Oyston to take some of the flak. How did 'Pool's Chairman / Acting Chairman / Chief Executive (delete as applicable) contribute to a season that promised so much, yet ultimately ended in disappointment?

It's Their Fault: The Defence

Before we begin, I'd like to explain the slightly mischievous title of this post - the first of series which will be published in the coming days. Think of the heading as merely the hypothesis to be debated, and in this series I'll be looking at a few areas which the most critical fan could point to as being the reason for our eventual relegation. Do not assume that I will proceed to point the finger solely at our defenders for example. I'll be looking for balance, but of course some of the subjects coming under the spotlight will be more deserving of criticism.

To kick things off, let's take a look at the role Blackpool's defence may have played in dropping back into the Championship after only one season at the top table.