The season according to Gemini

T

Tanger

Well-known member
I thought I'd ask Gemini to write a summary...

Blackpool FC: The 3-5-2 Tango (Or Was It 5-3-2? Who Knows.)


In a League One season that resembled a tactical interpretive dance, Blackpool FC, under the guidance of their 3-5-2-loving maestro Neil Critchley, treated fans to a symphony of footballing chaos, occasionally punctuated by moments of sheer brilliance.


Yes, the midfield often resembled a pinball machine on overdrive, where passes bounced off defenders' shins and ricocheted into the stands with alarming regularity. And sure, the forwards sometimes displayed the finishing prowess of a blindfolded darts player.


But let's not forget those magical moments when the 3-5-2 – or was it the 5-3-2? (even the players seemed confused at times) – actually clicked. The away victory at Portsmouth stands as a testament to what could be achieved when the planets aligned, the formation suddenly made sense, and the players remembered how to pass the ball to each other.


Yet, for every moment of brilliance, there were countless head-scratching moments. Misplaced passes from the back that landed at the feet of bewildered opponents, 70% possession stats that masked a toothless attack as sharp as a marshmallow, and the ever-present question: "When does a 3-5-2 morph into a 5-3-2 and back again?" (Answers on a postcard, please).


The season's finale at Reading, where playoff dreams evaporated like a puddle in the Sahara, served as a stark reminder of Blackpool's Jekyll and Hyde nature. The Tangerine dream turned into a nightmare as missed chances and defensive lapses piled up faster than dirty laundry in a student flat.


Highlights (or Lowlights, Depending on Your Perspective):


  • Portsmouth Away: The day the 3-5-2 (or 5-3-2?) actually worked, leaving Pompey fans dumbfounded.
  • Reading Away: The playoff dream went up in smoke, leaving Blackpool fans questioning the meaning of life, football, and the tactical musings of their beloved manager.
  • The 3-5-2 Conundrum: A formation that could be both a work of art and a recipe for disaster.
  • The Possession Paradox: 70% possession, but the cutting edge of a butter knife.
  • Misplaced Passes: A highlight reel worthy of a comedy show.
  • Critchley's Tenacity: The manager's unwavering faith in his system, even when it resembled a game of blindfolded Twister.

As the dust settles on another Blackpool season, we're left with a kaleidoscope of memories. A team that embraced the unpredictable, the absurd, and the occasional moment of brilliance. A team that reminded us that football isn't always about winning, but sometimes about the beautiful chaos that unfolds along the way. And isn't that what makes the beautiful game so endlessly captivating?
 
.. and a follow up questions about Critchleys chances of surviving the Axe.

Critchley's chances of surviving the axe at Blackpool are somewhat uncertain, but not necessarily doomed.


Factors working against him:


  • Disappointing finish: The failure to secure a playoff spot after being in contention is a significant blow.
  • Fan discontent: Many fans have become frustrated with the perceived predictability and lack of effectiveness of the 3-5-2 system.
  • Questionable tactics: The high possession stats without resulting in goals and the frequent defensive errors raise concerns about Critchley's tactical approach.

Factors working in his favor:


  • Overall progress: Blackpool has shown improvement in certain areas under Critchley, especially in terms of team spirit and playing style.
  • Backing from the board: The club's ownership has generally been supportive of Critchley's project and may be willing to give him more time.
  • Lack of obvious replacements: There isn't a clear and readily available managerial candidate who would guarantee better results.

The Verdict:


Critchley's future likely hangs on a few key factors:


  • End-of-season review: A thorough evaluation of the season's performance by the club's board will be crucial.
  • Summer transfer window: The ability to address the squad's weaknesses through transfers could strengthen Critchley's case.
  • Early results next season: If Blackpool starts the next season poorly, the pressure on Critchley will intensify significantly.

Overall, it's a 50/50 situation. Critchley could be given another chance to prove his worth, especially if the board believes in his long-term vision. However, if the club decides that a change is needed, the axe could fall sooner rather than later.
 
Not bad really, except the last paragraph which is basically if they want to sack him they will otherwise they won't.
 
Tanger said:
I thought I'd ask Gemini to write a summary...

Blackpool FC: The 3-5-2 Tango (Or Was It 5-3-2? Who Knows.)


In a League One season that resembled a tactical interpretive dance, Blackpool FC, under the guidance of their 3-5-2-loving maestro Neil Critchley, treated fans to a symphony of footballing chaos, occasionally punctuated by moments of sheer brilliance.


Yes, the midfield often resembled a pinball machine on overdrive, where passes bounced off defenders' shins and ricocheted into the stands with alarming regularity. And sure, the forwards sometimes displayed the finishing prowess of a blindfolded darts player.


But let's not forget those magical moments when the 3-5-2 – or was it the 5-3-2? (even the players seemed confused at times) – actually clicked. The away victory at Portsmouth stands as a testament to what could be achieved when the planets aligned, the formation suddenly made sense, and the players remembered how to pass the ball to each other.


Yet, for every moment of brilliance, there were countless head-scratching moments. Misplaced passes from the back that landed at the feet of bewildered opponents, 70% possession stats that masked a toothless attack as sharp as a marshmallow, and the ever-present question: "When does a 3-5-2 morph into a 5-3-2 and back again?" (Answers on a postcard, please).


The season's finale at Reading, where playoff dreams evaporated like a puddle in the Sahara, served as a stark reminder of Blackpool's Jekyll and Hyde nature. The Tangerine dream turned into a nightmare as missed chances and defensive lapses piled up faster than dirty laundry in a student flat.


Highlights (or Lowlights, Depending on Your Perspective):


  • Portsmouth Away: The day the 3-5-2 (or 5-3-2?) actually worked, leaving Pompey fans dumbfounded.
  • Reading Away: The playoff dream went up in smoke, leaving Blackpool fans questioning the meaning of life, football, and the tactical musings of their beloved manager.
  • The 3-5-2 Conundrum: A formation that could be both a work of art and a recipe for disaster.
  • The Possession Paradox: 70% possession, but the cutting edge of a butter knife.
  • Misplaced Passes: A highlight reel worthy of a comedy show.
  • Critchley's Tenacity: The manager's unwavering faith in his system, even when it resembled a game of blindfolded Twister.

As the dust settles on another Blackpool season, we're left with a kaleidoscope of memories. A team that embraced the unpredictable, the absurd, and the occasional moment of brilliance. A team that reminded us that football isn't always about winning, but sometimes about the beautiful chaos that unfolds along the way. And isn't that what makes the beautiful game so endlessly captivating?
Click to expand...
Brilliant, apart from the last paragraph.
 
Tanger said:
.. and a follow up questions about Critchleys chances of surviving the Axe.

Critchley's chances of surviving the axe at Blackpool are somewhat uncertain, but not necessarily doomed.


Factors working against him:


  • Disappointing finish: The failure to secure a playoff spot after being in contention is a significant blow.
  • Fan discontent: Many fans have become frustrated with the perceived predictability and lack of effectiveness of the 3-5-2 system.
  • Questionable tactics: The high possession stats without resulting in goals and the frequent defensive errors raise concerns about Critchley's tactical approach.

Factors working in his favor:


  • Overall progress: Blackpool has shown improvement in certain areas under Critchley, especially in terms of team spirit and playing style.
  • Backing from the board: The club's ownership has generally been supportive of Critchley's project and may be willing to give him more time.
  • Lack of obvious replacements: There isn't a clear and readily available managerial candidate who would guarantee better results.

The Verdict:


Critchley's future likely hangs on a few key factors:


  • End-of-season review: A thorough evaluation of the season's performance by the club's board will be crucial.
  • Summer transfer window: The ability to address the squad's weaknesses through transfers could strengthen Critchley's case.
  • Early results next season: If Blackpool starts the next season poorly, the pressure on Critchley will intensify significantly.

Overall, it's a 50/50 situation. Critchley could be given another chance to prove his worth, especially if the board believes in his long-term vision. However, if the club decides that a change is needed, the axe could fall sooner rather than later.
Click to expand...
I’m baffled about this improvement in team spirit and playing style, I’m also baffled about this long term vision, how long will it take, he’s had a full season.
 
Graves said:
Do you remember a time when managers were given more than one season to build a stable and effective squad?

I do.
Click to expand...
The obvious examples being Allardyce and Ellis, who both had appalling first seasons as managers.

Allardyce almost got us straight up the following season and of course within two years Ellis achieved the only automatic promotion of the last 50 years.

Fortunately there was no internet in those days.
 
Good summaries, shame about the closing paragraph.

As some have posted, there's little evidence of "team spirit and playing style"

They've sometimes looked like strangers during matches, even at home on the odd occasion. Wayward passes followed by players waving their arms at each other in frustration.

For balance, there's also little evidence of the player unrest and wanting away (although I don't do social media) but I wouldn't be surprised ( surely some players will be frustrated at being dropped after a good couple of games).
 
Macseasider said:
So where is this "stable and effective" squad? As far as I see it, next season we will need rafts of new signings and the next batch of loanees. Nothing stable about it.
Click to expand...
The thing about loanees- every recent successful season I can remember having has been reliant on them. It’s how smaller clubs can get higher quality in to help them out over a season. Rhodes, Dembele this year were huge for us.

I’d like to see if consistency will actually help the manager out over a second season- if it doesn’t improve the outcome next year, then by all rights, we replace.

Just my thoughts.
 
L’étranger said:
The obvious examples being Allardyce and Ellis, who both had appalling first seasons as managers.

Allardyce almost got us straight up the following season and of course within two years Ellis achieved the only automatic promotion of the last 50 years.

Fortunately there was no internet in those days.
Click to expand...
Yes, good points L’etranger I remember those seasons well.
 
This is brilliant! We're all getting exercised about an AI report on BFC! Begs the question, which posters are actually bots??? 🤣
 
Overall, it's a 50/50 situation. Critchley could be given another chance to prove his worth, especially if the board believes in his long-term vision. However, if the club decides that a change is needed, Appleton or Grayson could be back within a week.

Thanks Gemini
 
Graves said:
The thing about loanees- every recent successful season I can remember having has been reliant on them. It’s how smaller clubs can get higher quality in to help them out over a season.
Click to expand...

Well said. And the season before last, the same people now criticising the number of loanees were holding it up as the model for success, citing Nottm Forest's success with the loan market.
 
Tanger said:
.. and a follow up questions about Critchleys chances of surviving the Axe.

Critchley's chances of surviving the axe at Blackpool are somewhat uncertain, but not necessarily doomed.


Factors working against him:


  • Disappointing finish: The failure to secure a playoff spot after being in contention is a significant blow.
  • Fan discontent: Many fans have become frustrated with the perceived predictability and lack of effectiveness of the 3-5-2 system.
  • Questionable tactics: The high possession stats without resulting in goals and the frequent defensive errors raise concerns about Critchley's tactical approach.

Factors working in his favor:


  • Overall progress: Blackpool has shown improvement in certain areas under Critchley, especially in terms of team spirit and playing style.
  • Backing from the board: The club's ownership has generally been supportive of Critchley's project and may be willing to give him more time.
  • Lack of obvious replacements: There isn't a clear and readily available managerial candidate who would guarantee better results.

The Verdict:


Critchley's future likely hangs on a few key factors:


  • End-of-season review: A thorough evaluation of the season's performance by the club's board will be crucial.
  • Summer transfer window: The ability to address the squad's weaknesses through transfers could strengthen Critchley's case.
  • Early results next season: If Blackpool starts the next season poorly, the pressure on Critchley will intensify significantly.

Overall, it's a 50/50 situation. Critchley could be given another chance to prove his worth, especially if the board believes in his long-term vision. However, if the club decides that a change is needed, the axe could fall sooner rather than later.
Click to expand...
I presume this is the same type of report Sadler used.

I presume the software can't recognise Colin Calderwood?
 
Graves said:
Do you remember a time when managers were given more than one season to build a stable and effective squad?

I do.
Click to expand...
Yep and that basically resulted in 30 years of lower League garbage (with the odd exceptions) and the way we are setting up it seems like that is what we need to get used to for the foreseeable future ☹️, especially under Critchley 🤬
 
Tango1953 said:
Well said. And the season before last, the same people now criticising the number of loanees were holding it up as the model for success, citing Nottm Forest's success with the loan market.
Click to expand...
Of course we feel better when we bring in our own players- especially if they turn out well.

However, I also thought about how it’s kind of an insurance policy to loan- if too many perms are brought in by one manager, who later doesn’t succeed, then the next manager in inherits a squad that they wouldn’t have chosen but are still under contract.

Some loans don’t work out (Weir), some do.
 
Bennys_was_a_mob said:
Yep and that basically resulted in 30 years of lower League garbage (with the odd exceptions) and the way we are setting up it seems like that is what we need to get used to for the foreseeable future ☹️, especially under Critchley 🤬
Click to expand...
I understand that concern. It’s a different era in football now. More competitive and expensive.

I’d just like to see if we settle after another preseason with familiar coaching staff. If Critchley doesn’t hit the ground running, the need for a change will become obvious by say, December.

When we’ve played players with more freedom this season, we’ve looked like a different team.

I couldn’t decide when watching us play deep- if it was the coach, the players or both that lacked confidence. But there were other factors involved, some beyond our control. Rhodes/Morgan injuries killed our creativity and goals. Thank God for Dembele, Grimshaw and a couple of others like Husband. Byers and perhaps Coulson definitely brought something missing late on, too.

The season after a relegation is tough, even for teams with a lot more money and bigger setups than us.
 
There is nothing wrong with 3-5-2 or 5-3-2 whichever it was indeed. Any decent manager would have known as the season went on which sort of teams it would work against eg Portsmouth who would actually play football against us, it did not work against teams based on sheer shithousery. Critchley is inflexible, stubborn and out of ideas as soon as something goes wrong. He has to go.
 
Tango1953 said:
On the loanee subject, it allowed us to replace Dom Thompson with minimum of fuss. That sort of perk shouldn't be overlooked.
Click to expand...
Flip that around and I think the main frustration is not the loans, it's seeing money spent on giving a left back a contract in the Championship who hasn't even been able to get into and stay in the team in League One and comes back to us having had the wonderful uplifting experience of back-to-back relegations, this time out of the football league completely.

Hayden Coulson's loan expires with the opening of the next transfer window. Dom Thompson is on the payroll until 30/6/25.

If we get the recruitment right then we're not borrowing so many players to try and make up for it. If we get the coaching right we have our own assets of increasing value on the books.
 
@poolfc, completely agree that the frustration is in the wider recruitment. We don't have many players of any sort of significant value. It's the result of reactionary recruitment, it's not joined up and the squad is a bit of a mish mash from trying to cater to 3 different managers all with very distinct and very different tactical demands.

It's part of the reason I think we'd benefit from some stability, with the same management team and the same recruitment team in place together for 3 or 4 windows on the bounce. The we can really see where the strengths are. Currently you have a situation not unlike many have experienced in their workplace where one member of staff leaves, everything for the next few months is their fault. Places with high turnover means the staff base continually has that get out clause, and you never find where the weak links (or string members of staff) truly are.

Still though, least we got rid of Dom Thompson for a bit.

Bit of a tangent, hopefully it makes sense.
 
Doesn't it worry you lot that a) AI is being used to generate art, write plays and music..whilst we are still digging the roads, I'm sure that wasn't in the plan and b) we could sign Marcus Rashford...or thought we had, but it was just an AI version. Sounded and looked just like him.

I'm going to do a Milican Dolton and move to a cave.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top