Another excellent preview BT. I have had many a happy trip to Bloomfield Road in years gone by.
Clarets Mad - Clarets v Seasiders Match Preview.
Venue: Bloomfield Road, Seasiders Way, Blackpool FY1 6JJ.
Kick-off – 15.00 – Saturday 4th March 2023.
Burnley have just despatched one west coast seaside team from the FA Cup only to find another one lying in wait at the end of the M55 for Saturday’s Championship fixture at Bloomfield Road. The Clarets may well be favourites to continue their winning ways but regardless of Blackpool’s recent overall struggles, with just one win in 17 league games, the Seasiders have performed better at Bloomfield Road in recent matches.
Mick McCarthy’s relegation threatened team head into Saturday’s Lancashire derby against Vincent Kompany’s league leaders Burnley but are unbeaten in their last five home games at Bloomfield Road.
The reverse fixture at Turf Moor saw Blackpool overcome a 3-1 deficit to snatch a 3-3 draw at Turf Moor back in August 2022. It was the game in which Aro Muric in the Burnley goal gave Clarets fans their first dose of nervous jitters, in fairness to the likable Kosovan he has settled in to become a ***** cog in Vincent Kompany’s possession-based team.
It’s fair to say the historical Lancashire rivals both need three points for different reasons, Burnley to maintain their incessant push back to the EPL and Blackpool require them to help stay in the Championship.
One’s to watch: The hard running and aggressive Jerry Yates is this season’s Seasiders leading scorer, and he is backed up by former Bolton hitman Gary Madine.
Ashley Barnes’ will almost certainly lead the Clarets attack after having a rest against Fleetwood Town in the FA Cup, Nathan Tella and Darko Churlinov are likely to make-up the Burnley front three. Annas Zaroury took a knock following a hefty challenge on Wednesday night and he will most likely sit this game out.
Scott Twine, Lyle Foster and Michael Obafemi will all come into contention, but I reckon Burnley will line-up like this; Muric, Roberts, Beyer, Ekdal, Taylor, Cork, Cullen Brownhill, Tella, Barnes and Churlinov. Ian Maatsen is out injured with a shoulder problem following last week’s encounter with Huddersfield Town.
Verdict: Another Red Rose derby, a large vocal derby crowd, two teams needing to win for totally contrasting reasons, but I think Burnley’s superior squad strength will prove to be too much for the Seasiders, and I predict a comfortable 3-1 away for Vincent Kompany’s Clarets.
Footnote: Last week saw Vincent Kompany engage in a Championship encounter with a wily old war horse in Neil Warnock, this week it's now his turn to take on another veteran manager in ex-Republic of Ireland boss Mick McCarthy who has been retained by Blackpool as their new head coach until the end of the season.
Can Kompany come out on top again? The evidence suggests that he will, Burnley sit on top of the Championship with 76 points and a goal difference of 40, Blackpool are 23rd with 31 points and an inferior goal difference of minus 18. If only football matches were played on paper, Burnley would win this one at a canter.
An opinion and post from The Editor’s Chair – Clarets Mad.
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Another excellent preview BT. I have had many a happy trip to Bloomfield Road in years gone by.
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Blackpool FH.
one goal gets the bus moving.
Firing blanks at the moment, like Fleetwood all over again.
The lack of firepower is f*cking killing us FFS!