COLUMNIST KEN BUCKLEY

From my seat: Blackpool (Cup)

By Ken Buckley   ::  18/02/2012 Ee- Aye-Addio, we're gonna to win the cup. A chant remembered from the 60s was embraced one way or another as we put the tie to bed within 7mins of the start.

49 seconds ? that is all it took for us to take the lead. Fellaini, who was to flit between the second striker role vacated by Cahill and midfield destroyer, set up Roller-skate Drenthe who made no mistake as he found the far corner with an exquisite curler laid on by a Baines run down the left finding Fellaini who turned smartly and laid on the ball for Drenthe to curl home. The celebration from fans and players was both ecstatic and routine.

That certainly had the faithful paying attention and then on just 7mins gone we struck again when Denis the ?Iron Lung? tapped home at the second attempt after a Drenthe corner was headed by Gueye but blocked only for our man of the moment to bundle home at the second attempt. Daft as it sounds but within 10mins the game was over.

The Blues outclassed Blackpool and in doing so seemed to forget to entertain the ever faithful and were content to thwart anything that Blackpool threw at them. That can be a dangerous game but, apart from a penalty miss late on, we were always in control.

After our goal, Blackpool huffed and puffed and Phillips hit a free kick into the wall and then Fletcher-Taylor, in a race and collision with Howard which produced a collision, saw the Blackpool man limp of and be replaced by Bednar. We attacked again and again and should have been adding to the score but we seemed a little reluctant to really press on.

We did have a chance when a cross ball seemed destined for Gueye to have a wellie when well placed but Gibson muscled in where he shouldn?t and the chance was gone. Still we attacked and chances were there but we were to say the least wasteful. Fellaini had a shot deflected wide then Gibson had a shot saved by the keeper and our man Stracq headed over when he should have directed his header down to score for sure.

From my seat, it looked a chance that Dunc would have buried with ease. To end the half, Fellaini caught the Strac bug and missed a scoreable header and Drenthe curling one over the bar. Blackpool ended the half with a couple of corners and a shot that Howard gathered at the end of a dive...

H/T and most happy. 2-0 up could and should have been at least five.

Second half and it was a bit of a non-event. The Blues were content to look for anything on the break as they dealt quite easily with what Blackpool had to throw at them. The action saw Fellaini and Gibson fail to get to a Stracq cross. Then the keeper made a fine save from a Drenthe fizzer and turned it for a corner from which Heitinga headed just over.

Blackpool had a couple of free kicks that Phillips took, the first a routine gather for Howard but the second clipped the top of junction of post and bar. Stracq was next to show as he had a fine effort at the far post from a Baines cross blocked well by the keeper, then in true Denis fashion he lost his footing at the vital moment and sent a shot high and nowhere.

The clock was ticking down and we looked very comfortable... in fact, too comfortable as the manager replaced Gibson with Barkley and Strac with Vellios in the last 10 mins to join Coleman who had replaced Gueye on 57 mins. You will notice from the report he was not much to write home about but the game time will have helped his return from injury no end.

The subs seemed to galvanise Blackpool more than us and at the death Lua-Lua had a shot that Howard did well to tip onto the post and then, what looked like a shocking decision from the supposed up and coming next big thing refereeing-wise, Oliver saw fit to give Blackpool a penalty. It was certainly one of those that you would like to see again just to ensure your eyes had not deceived you.

Phillips stepped up and many around me forecast only one result ? "Phillips never misses," they said as he sent the spot kick high and wide. "Oh yes he does," I thought. Full-time and we give the after-match songs full wellie and then afford the Yank Donovan a good round of applause and a rendition of USA ? USA.

Overall, a win... a cup tie. You can ask no more and also understand whatever you witnessed today will have no bearing on the next league match. That is just how the cup is.

MotM ? Fellaini

It was difficult to judge players today as we more or less dominated from start to finish. Collectively I thought we should have pushed on harder to get a third or fourth if only to give game-time to subs. Most of our players did ok but I did think Magaye Gueye was more Maggie May at times.

We are now on a good run as I believe that was 7 without defeat so if between now and the trip to QPR on 3 March (£45 a ticket ? surely they are having a laff). If we can get a almost a full squad available for that game and the upcoming double at home v Spurs and Arsenal, who knows... Wouldn?t it be great to get a treble up against the Capital?s finest?

For now just rejoice in gaining one more step on the way to Wembley and pray that the draw is kind with a Home game v anyone we can beat. See you soon.
UP THE BLUES

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