Andy Munro looks back to Blues game at Blackpool, and forward to the Europa League decider with Braga.

The match against the Seasiders of Blackpool followed our skin of the teeth win against the Burnley clarets. Those three points were mainly due to the introduction of Nathan Redmond and a man of the match performance by the Smurf. Certainly it owed nothing to the antics of Marlon King, and his open goal miss which could be described predictably as nothing short of criminal and would have undoubtedly been tucked away easily by Harry Rednapp’s missus. Still, it was a valuable three points that kept us on track and more of the same against Blackpool was looking a decent bet.

Having Barry Ferguson and Super Kev in their squad added some extra spice to the game. However, Blues opted for a safety first 4–5  1 with Wade Elliot playing as an advanced midfielder. Despite my reservation about this formation, the Blues played a more than decent opening 45 minutes and went one up with a goal from Marlon King which went a small way to atone for his miss against Burnley. However Blackpool equalised almost immediately and, in an increasingly influential (for them) second period, took the lead. Lua Lua played his part in Blackpool’s ascendancy and it set me thinking whether we should have signed him after all.

Blues were still very much in the hunt but Chris Hughton made the positive decision to bring on Ziggy to try and shake things up and get an equaliser. Unfortunately Ziggy then missed a header which made Marlon King’s Burnley miss seem almost acceptable. However, with the groans still echoing from the mouths of travelling Bluenoses Ziggy controlled the ball, cleverly and surprisingly neatly in the penalty area, before lashing home to the amazement of those watching.

It was a point that we thoroughly deserved and it sets up nicely the Braga match, presuming we don’t decimate the side with changes. On that subject here is the side that I think Chris H will play together with the side I would play to get the result that Blues fans yearn:-

CHRIS’S SIDE: Myhill, Spector, Ibanez, Caldwell, Murphy, Beausejour, Fahy, N’Dawe, Elliot, Woods, Rooney, Subs: Doyle, Davies, Ridgewell, King and Zigic.

MY SIDE: Myhill, Carr, Davies, Caldwell, Murphy, Beausejour, Elliot, N’Dawe, Burke, Woods, Zigic. Subs: Doyle, Ibanez, Fahy, Redmond and King.