Blackpool vs Portsmouth Preview

Last updated : 10 February 2012 By Jim Bonner

Pompey travel to Bloomfield Road for Saturday's evening kick-off which is to be televised on Sky Sports 2.

Team News

Tal Ben-Haim is the latest injury concern for Michael Appleton after he tweaked his hamstring in Tuesday's defeat to Birmingham. David Norris' suspension is over but he's still sidelined after his hernia operation whilst Benjani and Dave Kitson are forced to play with knocks.

Keith Southern is Blackpool's only injury concern with Roman Bednar set to return to the side after the Tangerines' FA Cup replay with Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday. Lomana LuaLua may well feature against his former club.

The Match

With the news that Portsmouth are set to go into administration in the very near future, the importance of this game has risen considerably.

All of a sudden, defeat in this game could see Pompey in the bottom three next week if Nottingham Forest get a result at home to Watford or Coventry can take anything from Reading earlier in the day.

Getting something from this game will prove to be difficult as, like Birmingham, Blackpool have hit form just at the right time and are unbeaten in 2012, having won their last three matches.

The evergreen ex-Scummer Kevin Phillips and his namesake Matt have been amongst the goals whilst Ian Holloway's men have put this run together.

However, their attacking philosophy means they leave plenty of gaps at the back and so that might play into Michael Appleton's hands as he sets his side up to counter-attack.

That strategy worked against Birmingham during the first half when Pompey really should have scored. We just need to be careful that Blackpool don't gain complete control of the game like Chris Hughton's team did in the second half, where the late winner had a hint of inevitability about it.

I think that Pompey are more than capable of taking something from Bloomfield Road, it's just a case of the players being in the right mindset as the off-field issues threaten to destroy Pompey's season.

Predicted Starting Line-Ups

Blackpool

GK: Matt GILKS

RB: Stephen CRAINEY

CB: Craig CATHCART

CB: Alex BAPTISTE

LB: Danny WILSON

RM: Barry FERGUSON

CM: John FLECK

CM: Chris BASHAM

LM: Matt PHILLIPS

CF: Roman BEDNAR

CF: Gary TAYLOR-FLETCHER

Pompey

GK: Stephen HENDERSON

RB: Adam WEBSTER

CB: Jason PEARCE

CB: Ricardo ROCHA

LB: Greg HALFORD

RM: Kelvin ETUHU

CM: Liam LAWRENCE

CM: Hayden MULLINS

LM: Joel WARD

SS: Erik HUSEKLEPP

CF: Marko FUTACS

Last Time: Blackpool 0 Portsmouth 4 (League Cup Second Round First Leg - 23/09/1992)

Two goals from Alan McLoughlin and strikes from Colin Clarke and Shaun Murray saw Jim Smith's Pompey ease past the Tangerines in the first leg of this League Cup tie.

The second leg was won 2-0 but Pompey were beaten 1-0 in the third round at home to Ipswich Town.

My Prediction

Blackpool might have plenty of firepower but I believe that their defence can be exploited on the break. I'll go for a score draw here.

Blackpool 1 Portsmouth 1