Ian Holloway devastated by Manchester City defeat
Blackpool manager Ian Holloway says he feels devastated following his side's 3-2 defeat at home against Manchester City.
Blackpool put on a great show for the home fans and all neutrals but Holloway says it was poor decisions by the match officials that cost his side. Blackpool had a goal ruled offside when Gary Taylor-Fletcher
was a yard onside and there was a foul in the build up to Manchester City's second goal.
Blackpool currently holds tenth place in the Premier League table with ten points after eight games. The side played brilliantly against Manchester City in a match they were expected to lose heavily.
There are many positives to take from this defeat for Holloway and Blackpool. However, the club is going to need much better luck over the rest of the season if Premier League safety is going to change
from a target to a formality.
Positives to be taken
There were times during this match where Blackpool was clearly the better team. Blackpool managed to move the ball crisper and faster than Manchester City and some better finishing could have seen the
home team out of sight by half-time.
As always the Blackpool support was superb and the players gave the fans a lot to shout about. There are no signs that this positive relationship between fans and club staff is going to fade out at any
point in the near future.
Blackpool staff should be happy because the work ethic and fitness levels of the time are very good. Every single player in a tangerine shirt tried his heart out and gave everything until the final whistle
of the game.
"They talk about respect, they have got to get those (the decisions) right.
Three goals. Our goal, Elliot Grandin was offside, but it went to Taylor-Fletcher and he scored.
Their goal, Tevez was offside with the back-heel, I've just seen it all. He was offside and came across him and actually scored when he was offside.
The second was a foul on my defender, absolutely blatant," said Holloway.
More luck needed
Blackpool's sole aim for this season is Premier League safety. Holloway has admitted that he is delighted with the start the club has made but there is still a lot of time
for things to go wrong at the seaside club.
The club needs more luck with the run of the ball and with the run of decisions in big games. Had referee Phil Dowd got the big decisions right in this match then there
is a very good chance that Blackpool would have won this game.
"Well, I'm sorry, I just saw all of that on the television, heartbreaking.
I think he has got three massive decisions wrong, which cost my team having played so well against one of the so-called big teams who have just gone second.
We could have been one point behind them today if things had gone our way, as they clearly should have done.
We are getting absolutely Bo Diddley squat week-in, week-out," he added.
Betting advice
Do not hesitate for a second in backing Blackpool to avoid the drop by the end of the season. Holloway has got his team playing some very attractive and attacking football.
Bad decisions and luck often get evened out over the course of a long season. There will be a game where Blackpool gets all of the major decisions and goes on to win.
Taylor-Fletcher looks a great player to back in the Blackpool team at present. He makes things tick in the attack and the odds on him scoring in most games will be very
attractive.
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