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Clark v Rowett – the Rematch: Blackpool Preview in Association with EZE Group
Birmingham City face Lee Clark’s Blackpool tonight as they look to firmly consolidate their place in midtable. The Tangerines however are in all kinds of trouble, fifteen points adrift of safety with fans up in arms about matters on and off the pitch.
Blackpool
Blackpool’s season does not make for good reading. Well adrift in 24th place, they have conceded at least eight goals more than any other team and the lowest scorers in the division. They haven’t won in six games since the 1-0 home win over Brighton and have conceded sixteen goals in their last four away games including a 4-0 tonking to Brentford and a 7-2 hammering at Watford.
The tangerines are without teenager Henry Cameron, who damaged ankle ligaments against Wigan but on loan defender Grant Hall should play against his former team.
Blues
Robert Tesche could make his debut for Blues in place of the suspended Stephen Gleeson following his loan move from Nottingham Forest. Blues could switch to a 4-4-2 as they know that they will need to break down a Blackpool side that is likely to shut up shop and try to nick a point or three meaning Wes Thomas could come in for Andrew Shinnie. Young midfielder Charlee Adams has been recalled from Lincoln City and following 64 minutes in the Development Squad yesterday could be named on the bench tonight.
This game is a different sort of test for Gary Rowett in that he needs to show that he can beat the poor teams too; too often teams who have not been very good have played to stifle Blues and with the nippy counter attack not working they have struggled to break down teams, often descending in playing quality to the visiting team’s level. Blackpool have no confidence, having not won in February and their players, fans and manager must know that they’re all but down – however Blues have to be professional and not expect them to roll over and die . David Cotterill was back to his best on Saturday and if he can provide the ammunition both Clayton Donaldson and Wes Thomas could be in the goals tonight. BetVictor offer 12/5 for more than 3.5 goals in the game and 11-1 for David Cotterill as first goalscorer.
It’s also going to be interesting seeing the reaction to Lee Clark. I won’t clap or boo Clark; I have enough respect for him as a person that I won’t boo him as I thought he tried hard at the club but equally I won’t clap him because he hung on for far too long – endangering our status as a Championship club.
Tags: Andrew Shinnie, Blackpool FC, Charlee Adams, Clayton Donaldson, Lee Clark, Robert Tesche, Wes Thomas
32 Responses to “Clark v Rowett – the Rematch: Blackpool Preview in Association with EZE Group”
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Ide like to see 4-4-2 also with Thomas & Donaldson and debut boy Tesche so looking forward to the game and I along with my family will show clark the respect that’s warranted…3-0 for me and doom and gloom for mr Clark and Blackpool ! Kro
I hope Clark gets a decent welcome-back tonight. As Dan said, we all know that he did his best for the club and showed genuine passion in his job – he just didn’t have the ability. The fact that he stayed on much too long when the writing was on the wall is something that people seem to do in all walks of life – not specific to Clark. So come on Bluenoses, give him a good welcome and then take the three points.
I agree with Roy. Given the limitations Clark brought in some decent players(plus one or two flops). Most of the team now were his players. Unfortunately he was a poor manager with bizarre selections and tactics. You can’t fault his passion tho’ and he tried his best for us. Deserves a decent welcome.
You can credit Clark for appointing Malcolm Crosby as head scout (he has done so again at Blackpool), but I think you then have to credit Crosby and his team for the players that were brought in. Whilst I agree that Clark was passionate about Blues, his management technique only seems to extend as far as “get Malcolm in.”
I agree with the Clark reception – no booing or clapping, but im hoping the blue faithful will be singing ‘Gary Rowetts blue armmyyyy’ just to show Clark there’s a bit of life around the place again! In terms of line up it will be interesting to see if Robbo comes back in the side after such a good performance from Kiernan on saturday, 4-4-2 with Thomas and Tesche coming in for Shinnie and Gleeson. Id like to see Gray start again but can see Dyer being brought in. Should be a good but difficult game in terms of changing our style of play to suit Blackpool but we should have enough quality to do um! KRO
I hope Clark gets a good reception tonight. As I have posted many times in the past, he tried his hardest to make Blues’ successful, but a combination of poor management and a lack of resources proved too much.
Nobody who was there or watched the tv pictures of his genuine emotion at the final whistle at Bolton will ever say he didn’t care.
I wish him luck in his career after tonight.
Spot on. I second your view. Hope he doesn’t get booed but he probably will,that’s football. He’s been round the block enough to know that,ask the Sunderland fans.
I wouldn’t say Clark hung on far too long, it was up to the club to sack him, not many will walk away form their job and join the Villa! He should get a polite welcome back tonight, after all he was desperate to do well for Blues and still has the club close at heart, just ask the Blackpool fans! I hope Rowett does go 442 with the new guy in the centre and a Thomas-Donaldson strike partnership.
He hung around almost two years too long, he should have gone after the Barnsley debacle, truly awful manager.
Clarke did his best he just wasn’t good enough but the effort was there. I’ll aplaud him tonight although I was glad he was sacked.
3 bill to blues this evening I think
It’s good that everyone so far is showing a bit of feeling and compassion for lee Clark because that’s the way it should be …. He wasent good enough and suffered due to circumstances just like Dave McKay when he was manager and he’s now not with us any more so lets treat Clark respectfully and then kick is ass!!! ….. Sorry I meant Mackay!!! .. Is there a minutes silence for our late manager tonight??? Lol&kro
Best be a victory tonight ,it’s bumpkin juniors first home Blues match under lights.3-1 and a happy car back to somerset!.
hope we dont adopt negative tactics. they are bottom for a reason. praying for 3 points. but we have dropped points against lower table teams too much
I hope we show a bit of class and don’t boo Clark. He tried his best and we’re passionate Brummies who should always recognise such effort.
Once kick off comes though, get behind Rowett and boys in blue and let’s get another 3 points!
Apart from the Rowett Revolution and fans expectancy, this time we are playing Blackpool at the Stans and on our own pitch (not the bog we visited), I have every confidence of the win, but on recent history I expect blackpool to slip at least one past us! 3-1 would be a good result. Kro.
Despite the thrashings they’ve received at the likes of Watford and Brentford, Blackpool have gained some credible away draws at the likes of Blackburn and Charlton recently so I would certainly not expect an easy victory (nice though that would be) and Clark will have his team fired up more than probably any other away match but hopefully will all be in vain.
Whatever else his faults, Lee Clark had passion which shone through on the last day of last season when we stayed up.
I think that we should show our own class tonight and give him a polite round of applause.
Oh come on! Who ever the manager is we have to focus on burying them with a lot of goals and exciting football. Then shake hands after.
Rowett revealed that in his dealings with Geordie he has found him extremely gracious about his time with the Blues.
“I have spoken to Lee a few times and had some good conversations with him in fairness, he has been quite helpful towards me and certainly not had anything bad to say about the club. He has always been really positive about his time here and said what a great club it is. We played the FA Youth Cup up there and I spoke to him for probably ten minutes. He spoke really highly of the club, he said it is a great club and that it didn’t work out there. What I would say is I respect any manager in this game. It’s a hard job, until someone walks in your shoes they never quite understand what you go through.”
Let’s hope the Blues fans show they’re as gracious tonight.
Let’s be hospitable, but professional and take the points. That will put us 14 above the relegartion zone in case the worst hapens with the FL. .KRO!
We all were expecting an easy win against Milwall but it didn’t happen. I fear the same tonight. Hope I’m wrong.
I think it depends if they attack us and leave themselves open to the counter-attack. I certainly hope they do, because I can see us running up a decent score if they go for 3 points.
Let’s give Clark a decent reception, then show him how to win at home.
He’ll get slaughtered if we don’t win. They can play well away from home so let’s hope we bring our A game. 3 points tonight and I reckon we’re safe from the R word.
I’m hoping at some point, Rowett will give the team their head (maybe 4-4-2.) This team is capable of doing a Norwich or Brentford on Blackpool… maybe even a Watford. We’ve only handed out one tonking all season… it’s time for another.
I should have known better.
I’ve said 3-0 all this week and when my misses decided to take a bet on vile last night beating the baggies 2-1 and “gaby your moms a hoar” scoring the first goal at 66/1 she took it because I thought that was very good odds , don’t get me wrong, I was not happy but she took the bet and we won over £330! on the bet… Trust me that at 1-1i was still hoping west brom scored but vile did and I will now spend a few of that quid on seeing us whack Blackpool .. But I’ve got this nasty feeling about a millwall!! .. Hope not! Kro
Great 3pts. Looks like we have a goal maker in Tesher? Possession stats still look worrying – what’s goind on there – anyone got a view on why we can’t keep the ball?
We’re 14 points above drop zone with 5 home games left. Looks like another end of season celebration at Bolton. Don’t know why we give possession away so easily. We need someone who is calm and confident enough to take his time, hold the ball and pass it. Maybe this new guy Tescher is the one who can become our new defensive king-pin and an example to others? Certainly a good defence splitting pass for the goal .KRO. Welcome Herr Tescher!
A ‘gobby stroppy midfielder’ perhaps?
11 more wins in a row and its playoffs time but seriously though it was a poor game won by a good Tesche pass and a good shinnie finish, lee Clark gracious in defeat it must be said… Now I can wish him well in league one next season .. If he still as a job!!! Kro
It was dreary but it’s results football – not unlike what we saw under Mcleish. I make it 34 points from 21 games under GR. If we could do that over a full season that’s play off form. Shame we only got 11 points from the first 14 games. Shinnie’s goal was possibly technically the best we have scored all season. Perfectly timed diagonal run, great ball from Tescher and deft header when he probably throught he was going to get clattered by the keeper. I bet Shinnie enjoyed that against Clarks team.