Blackpool match thread: tangerines are not the only fruit

I can only offer heartfelt sympathy and condolences to Steve Bruce in light of the family tragedy that they have suffered.

The thread title is a take on Jeannette Winterson's novel "Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit". I have read it, can't remember anything about it, beyond it being a lesbian coming of age novel set in Lancashire. Don't judge, it's a neat title.

Another faded old club which has been through some tumultuous times under very poor ownership in the 2010s. Reached the Premiership in 2010 under the quixotic management of Ian Holloway but then crashed down to League 2. They were put into receivership in 2019 until current owner Simon Sadler, of who more below, bought them that year. More recently, they were promoted back to the Championship in 2021 under Neil Critchley who kept them up and departed for an ill-fated time as Steven Gerrard’s assistant at Aston Villa. He then endured a brief spell at QPR being blown out by the players after criticising them in public. He returned to Blackpool and got them to finish 8th last season. Having backed him over the summer, they sacked him after losing the first two games (but don’t cry, he is now at Hearts).

His replacement was Steve Bruce. This is a strange one. His managerial career goes back to 1998 and he has managed over 1,000 games. He got Birmingham promoted and to the Premier League twice between 2001 and 2007 and did wonders at Hull City between 2012 and 2016 getting them promoted to the Premier League, reaching an FA Cup final and playing in Europe. Apparently even considered for the England manager post in 2016. More recently had a torrid time at Newcastle under Mike Ashley’s ownership but kept them in the Premiership until the sportswashing Saudi Arabian project came along and he was replaced by Eddie Howe. So why is someone with this cv at Blackpool?

Well, although journalists love him, the analytics community regards him as, at best a “meh” coach and possibly worse than that. His last job was with West Brom whom he left in 22nd place in October 2022. They have done much better under Carlos Corberan without significant investment. At a time when Championship clubs are looking at young, tactically sophisticated European managers, Bruce doesn’t fit that mould. He also has a tendency to bail out of clubs if he perceives things to be going wrong or there is a better offer somewhere, which is what he did with Sheffield Wednesday and Newcastle. The only successful manager the owner has appointed was Neil Critchley and he did give Mick McCarthy a short gig so maybe he likes a name.

After his appointment, they promptly got a Brucie bonus by winning their first four league games. They then didn’t win a League game in October and are currently 16th in the League. Under Bruce they play 4-4-[obscene gerund]-2. The stats say that they like to have possession, they are very accurate with long balls and crosses and take lots of touches in the opposition box, as well as lots of shots. They are over-performing their Xg. The good news is that they concede a lot. Whoscored.com says that they like to play through the middle and use through balls. And that they are good at attacking set pieces (9 out of 21 goals). The same site has Orient as weak at defending through balls, avoiding fouls in dangerous areas and very weak at avoiding individual errors (quelle surprise).

Up front the main threat is Kyle Joseph, with 6 goals. Ashley Fletcher (who has only reached double figures once in his career) and Dom Ballard have managed two between them. Jordan Rhodes has been a bit-part player, although he was very good last year. Lee Evans is currently reviving his career in midfield, having provided 5 assists in 12 games, plus one goal. Karamoko Dembele, who provided 8 goals and 13 assists, went back to France and thence to QPR, which leaves CJ Hamilton on the left as the main creator. Robert Apter plays on the right. The back four are Oliver Casey and Odeluga Offiah in the middle with Hayden Coulson or James Husband on the left and Jordan Gabriel on the right. Last year’s starting goalkeeper, Daniel Grimshaw went off to Plymouth for a one-year sabbatical from League 1. Harry Tyrer, up from the National League, seems to have got the shirt.

This is a game where Orient need a complete performance for 90 minutes or, more accurately, 100 minutes. We have to at least reach the levels of the Rotherham performance. There are some selection issues. Sean Clare and Theo Archibald are still out and Dom Ball is a doubt due to concussion. The goalkeeper and back four pick themselves, subject to fitness and Tom James is really needed at right-back, not least for his creativity. Up front the question is whether Sonny Perkins has done enough to displace Charlie Kelman, who hasn’t scored since the end of September. I can’t see Jordan Graham starting a league match. Galbraith is one of the midfield three, paired probably with Darre Pratley in the absence of Ball. Since the game at Borehamwood fell apart after the introduction of Jordan Brown and Zech Obiero, with Donley going off and Galbraith shifting to right-back, I think that puts Donley in the starting line-up. I know it isa broken record, but the players need to concentrate on getting the basics right and cutting out individual errors. If they do that, we can have a Rotherham performance; if they don’t, then it is Wycombe and the last hour of Borehamwood.

Blackpool are owned by Simon Sadler, a Blackpool born investment banker. Founded his own hedge fund/investment management firm, Segantii Capital Management, which is based in Hong Kong. Currently in bother as the securities regulator has brought an insider trading case against the firm and Sadler. The firm has been handing capital back to its investors. This may be very bad news. Getting on the wrong side of the Chinese government is never a good idea. If your investors feel that you are using information for your benefit, rather than theirs, they have lots of alternatives. Watch this space.

In: Ashley Fletcher CF (Watford, free), Lee Evans CM (Portsmouth, free), Jordan Rhodes CF (Huddersfield, free), Hayden Coulson LB (Middlesborough, undisclosed), Zac Ashworth LB (West Brom, undisclosed), Elliott Embleton AM (Sunderland, undisclosed), Odeluga Offiah RB (Brighton, loan), Dom Ballard CF (Southampton U21 loan), Elkan Baggott CB (Ipswich, loan), Harry Tyrer GK (Everton, loan), Josh Onomah CM (out of contract)

Out: Daniel Grimshaw CG (Plymouth, €700k), Marvin Ekpiteta CB (Hibernian, free), Callum Connolly DM (Stockport, free), Shayne Lavery CF (Cambridge Utd, free), Matty Virtue CM (Fleetwood, free), Luke Mariette (released), Karamoko Dembele AM (Stade Brestois, end of loan, now at QPR), Kylian Kouassi CF (Salford, loan), Dan Sassi CB (Rochdale, loan)

Last year:
Blackpool 0 Leyton Orient 0 (19 August 2023)
Leyton Orient 1 Blackpool 0 (27 February 2024)