Blackpool are certainly in good form, having beaten Newcastle and Nottingham Forest this week. The Potters have also started well and this promises to be a good game. Is it one your looking forward too?
Yes, I'm looking forward to the game on Tuesday night. As you say, we've started the season in great form and we'll be looking to maintain that and claim another cup scalp, although I imagine that Ian Holloway will rest as many players as he can as we have a very small squad and have another big game against Peterborough at home on Saturday. Stoke is a very difficult place to go to, and although I think that Tony Pulis will make changes as well, I think we'll do very well to get a good result. Credit to Stoke by the way for setting the ticket prices at the level they have: £10 to see what should be a decent game of football is an offer I'm certainly taking up and hopefully many other fans will as well.
Whilst it is well reported Stoke have a certain physical style, what type of performance can we expect from the Seasiders?
I don't think that Stoke are quite as physical as they're made out to be. Like Bolton, they have a simple, yet very effective gameplan. I'd say that they're more well organised above anything else, and you know that they'll always give 110%. As for us, we've been playing some great football under Holloway, with our players adapting very well to our new tactics and style of play. Whether we'll play as well as we can do on Tuesday night given the number of changes we'll probably make is another question.
After a local derby with Port Vale I actually wanted Blackpool away in this round, after beating Wigan were Stoke a let down or a good draw for you?
I was quite happy with the draw as Stoke isn't that difficult to get to on a Tuesday night and it's a game, like the Wigan one, that we could well win. I actually went to university at Keele, so it's always nice to head back to that area. There's always a great atmosphere at Stoke as well: your fans are the loudest I've ever heard at Bloomfield Road. I hope that Carl Dickinson and Andy Wilkinson play some part because they were a large part of our promotion success in 2007 and it would be nice to be able to applaud them and thank them for their efforts.
Which Stoke players will you be hoping to keep quiet?
All of them! Difficult question to answer seeing as I'm not sure what kind of side you'll play. I'd imagine that Tuncay will start though, and that a lot of your play will come through him. He's a class player and one that will cause us problems.
Are there any Blackpool players Stoke should be wary of?
Again, this depends on what kind of side we field. I imagine that Charlie Adam will be rested, so I'll say that (should he play) Hamuer Bouazza's pace on the wings could cause you some problems.
...and finally, a prediction?
Stoke City 2-1 Blackpool
Eamonn Moore, http://www.blackpool.vitalfootball.co.uk/
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Holloway has certainly built on the reliable 'hard working if a little short on skill' core of a Blackpool side that for three seasons running have been the Division favourites for relegation. The BBC famously stated on the eve of Blackpool's first season back in the Championship in 28 years that they would last as long at this level as a sandcastle on the beach. Well that may have been true it if it was just made out of sand but Blackpool is also famous for its rock and in Charlie Adam the Seasiders have found it albeit with a tartan flavour. Adam together with Holloways other arrivals made the best start to a Blackpool season in decades. We haven't seen a talented side like this since the early 70's and having beaten - no hammered - Wigan 4-1 in the previous round the the draw and tie against Stoke Stoke City is a good one for Blackpool and is one which should help provide pointers as to what Holloways side is really made of. From a Stoke perspective I can see you thinking this will be pretty much a walkover and Pulis may rest some first team members ahead of the visit of Man United but it may surprise you that Blackpool may indeed rest players. We have injuries which meant we couldn't even fill our bench against Nottingham Forest at the weekend. But a word of caution even our second string beat Everton a few weeks ago!
The last time Blackpool faced Stoke it was like playing in the land of the giants and even the return game at Britannia Stadium was dominated by one giant himself Ben Burgess who had a hand in both goals in the 1-1 draw. Burgess is injured but I wouldn't expect any change in tactics from Holloway from the one used which dominated the recent fixture against Newcastle. Fast wing approach and an attacking midfield suggests Blackpool like to play an up-tempo game which has paid dividends and seen them ranked second in the table in matches against the tops Division's sides so far this season something which will have been reported back no doubt by Peter Reid who was in attendance against the Magpies.
After City make hard work of disposing of Leyton Orient in the previous round with Dave Kitson the only member of previous Saturdays squad to be included if he does plays that will be a threat enough well at least £5m worth! Fuller was always dangerous in his Championship days and that Irish midfielder Rory Delap with his ridiculous throw-ins will test our aerial abilities in and around the box. Something I think we may be punished for and could be our achilles heel as Holloway still hasn't fully resolved our capability of conceding at set-pieces.
Midfielder Adam is on great form at the moment with four goals from five outings and is backed up with both the impressive little David Vaughan and battling Keith Southern. Winger Hameur Bouazza is buzzing at the moment and veteran Brett Ormerod is slowly etching himself into Seasiders legend status with his never say die attitude. The outcome though will depend on just how many of these players will actually be on the pitch at 7.45pm next Tuesday night and I think players will be rested ahead of our own clash against Peterborough United next weekend. But if the prize of being in the hat for the last 16 is something that inspires Holloway and he names a strong side we have at least an outside chance but I hope its settled before injury time whatever happens.
Regards
Peter Gillatt
Author 'Blackpool On this Day'
www.seasiders-mad.co.uk