Preview: Blackpool vs Bromley

The Ravens head to Blackpool on the back of three straight defeats and find themselves drowning in a sea of naysayers, each one convinced they’re out of their depth in League One. Bromley could certainly use a life raft right now.

Form is one thing, but Andy Woodman’s side also head into this match with a boatload of questions about player availability due to injuries and match fitness.

With that in mind, on paper, it seems a no-brainer to call a home win for the Tangerines. But football, as we know all too well, isn’t played on paper.

It has been a long time since Bromley endured such a poor run of form, and an Andy Woodman side has seldom looked so bereft of ideas. But these are the moments where you earn your corn as a football manager. 

Availability issues or not, Woodman and his backroom staff have to start putting the puzzle pieces together, and there is no better time to start. Blackpool are also trying to bed into the season and find their true selves, so depending on your perspective, it might be a good time to play them.

Ian Evatt was appointed last October when the Tangerines were bottom of League One with 9 points from 13 matches. You see, Bromley fans? Bad starts are normal. Evatt eventually guided Blackpool to a 13th-place finish, well clear of any relegation struggles. 

Having guided Barrow to League Two from the National League and Bolton Wanderers from League Two to League One, Evatt has a significant track record. He also led Bolton to a League One play-off final and won the EFL Trophy. 

This suggests he will bring success to Blackpool, if not this season, then in the near future. It might just be a question of keeping the faith while he builds a team in his image.

This summer, the manager made some key additions in the shape of Jordan Williams (Portsmouth, loan), Dion Charles (Huddersfield, loan), Ilmari Niskanen (Exeter, free), Karoy Anderson (Charlton, undisclosed), Finley Munroe (Middlesbrough, loan), Jerry Yates (Luton, loan), and Josh Earl (Barnsley, undisclosed).

Every single one of those new signings featured in their most recent game against Reading, which ended in a 3-1 defeat, and that result came on the back of a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Barnsley.

In that sense, Blackpool might approach this game with a little trepidation, as the pressure will be on the home side to deliver against the league’s struggling new boys.

Ian Evatt put the back-to-back defeats down to the fact that the Tangarines played two road games with little turnaround, and expects to see his real Blackpool side emerge after a week on the training ground.

Time will tell on that front.

So far this season, Blackpool have largely operated with a flat back four and two strikers, but it isn’t clear whether that is their preferred shape or just a reaction to limited availability. Evatt has previously been known for preferring a back three, but perhaps that is a thing of the past.

To delve into life at the Seasiders in a bit more detail, I spoke with sports journalist Amos Wynn, who covers the club for the Blackpool Gazette.

“On the whole, it has been a positive start. There have been good signs in the early games, and if they can build on that then it should be an enjoyable campaign. There was a blip away to Reading last weekend, with energy levels dropping, but it did come with mitigating factors after a couple of long journeys in quick succession.”

“It’s early days, but the majority of the eight signings look like they’ve improved the squad and will bring real value to proceedings. The job now is for them to deliver on a consistent basis. Everyone thought the Seasiders had recruited well last summer, but for a number of reasons, things didn’t work out.”

“Blackpool fans see themselves as a Championship club, and at the very least, they should have finished in the play-offs at least once since their 2023 relegation. The thing about League One is that around ten clubs feel exactly the same way, and that’s in addition to the upwardly mobile outsiders looking to force their way into the conversation.”

“Karoy Anderson in midfield is the Seasiders’ key man. After impressing on loan in Tangerine in the second half of last season, it was a superb bit of business for the club to get him back permanently. Meanwhile, Tom Bloxham has looked sharp up front so far this term"

Having watched Bromley in their past three games, you can almost certainly bet that Blackpool will look to have a high-octane start and really impose themselves on the opposition. 

It is worth noting that Blackpool have created the fourth most big chances in the league, and if Bromley are to get anything out of this match, they will have to survive the opening half. That’s a tall order when you’ve conceded 14 goals in 3 games.

That’s Blackpool covered, but what of Bromley? The big question is who Andy Woodman will select for this game, and given the uncertainty over player availability, his starting XI is anyone’s guess. 

As ever, defensive solidity must be the foundation, and there were signs against AFC Wimbledon that the Ravens were returning to what they do best. Now the hard part is replicating it in back-to-back performances while finding a way to add attacking impetus.

Perhaps the hardest conundrum for Andy Woodman to solve is who his best midfielders are. What combination will give him both defensive hard yards and meaningful attacking transitions?

I took a stab at how they could line up in From Bromley With Love’s new YouTube feature, The Eleven. Have a watch and let me know if you have any better ideas. 

Mason

Ifill Sowunmi Grant Taylor

Saville

Archer Hondermarck McKiernan Pinnock

Cheek