The new season gets underway on Saturday evening, with Blackpool travelling to Crawley Town (K.O. 5.30pm).
Ahead of the game, here's our verdict on pre-season and the new arrivals at Bloomfield Road.
Ahead of the game, here's our verdict on pre-season and the new arrivals at Bloomfield Road.
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00:00The new league one season gets underway this weekend with Blackpool making the trip to Crawley
00:05This is the type of game that the Seaside has struggled with last year and they'll need to improve on this time round if they want to finish in the play-offs
00:13You know you've been back to Burton, Port Vale, Cheltenham
00:17They struggled so many times on the road against teams just putting men behind the ball
00:21And they didn't have the spark to you know find a way through even with the goals from Jordan Rhodes at times
00:27And the you know excitement to carry Moko Dembele
00:31So if they can fix that it'll go a long way to you know reaching the goals this time round
00:38Looking back on preseason
00:40You know you can't read too much into results and performances
00:44The main job is to get minutes in the bank and a lot of players have managed that
00:50You know Jordan Gabriel's missed a few for injury, Albie Morgan missed the last two as well
00:55So they might be a bit behind the others, but in terms of the rest of the squad
01:00Yeah, it's been a pretty good process
01:03Obviously Andy Lyons is still out for a few more months with his ACL injury, Kieran Karassi and Dom Thompson are back in training
01:11After their surgeries at the beginning of summer, but yeah everyone else appears to be fine, and that's only good news
01:17The standout games from preseason probably you know
01:21They defended well against Sunderland for large parts at the beginning of the second half, they were really good
01:26It was the first time we saw Lee Evans in a tangerine shirt and yeah he controlled things
01:31His passing range is really good, and he brought something different to the midfield that perhaps weren't there last year
01:37And there was more of that against Crewe as well from him
01:40He allowed Ollie Norburn a bit more freedom and the PIR could really work well this season
01:45so yeah, it'd be interesting to see how he progresses and
01:49Just how important he can be if he does stay fit
01:54Speaking of the Crewe game of course Kyle Jorsey found back of the net
01:57It was a perfectly timed run and then a really calm finish
02:00And hopefully that's a sign of things to come because he struggled his first season by no fault of his own really
02:06He came with an injury and then his first game into Derby he picked up another injury
02:11So yeah, it was a really slow start to his time, and he never really got up to speed
02:15Once he did get back into action
02:17But yeah, the signs are good based on the performance against Crewe
02:21Hopefully he can be like a new signing and he can be sharp up front
02:25Because we know Jordan Rhodes will get the goals, but it's about the others chipping in as well
02:28Jay Beasley got 12 last year
02:30So it'll be interesting to see you know where he fits in this time round and then there's Ashley Fletcher who
02:37Hasn't been in the best form in the last few years, he'll admit that himself, but he's dropped down the division
02:41And this could be his level. He did well with Barnsley as a youngster
02:45So yeah, he might be able to replicate that
02:49The negatives from preseason
02:51Obviously it was a fateful Tuesday against Accrington and Trianmere
02:56Both performances weren't great. You know they lost 3-1 both times to League 2 opposition, but end of the day it was split squads
03:05You know two different starting XI's
03:07not many subs
03:09He can't be too much into that
03:11Even if it didn't feel great at the time and yeah, the Duff certainly can't play like that when the season starts
03:20And in terms of the signings, you know bringing Hayden Coulson and Jordan Rhodes back is key
03:25They both fitted in really well, especially Coulson, you know that left wing back position
03:31Before he came in it was a bit of a lottery who was gonna play there
03:34You know no one really seemed to settle but he made it his own
03:38Yeah, and that went a long way and you know the good run of games towards the end of the year
03:44And then obviously Rhodes 15 goals in first half of season
03:48Unlucky with injuries in the second, but yeah
03:52Just his character around the dressing room is gonna be important
03:56As for the others we touched on Fletcher. Hopefully this can be the level where he clicks
04:01Lee Evans
04:03He's been there done it before in terms of promotion. So could be another
04:07big boost for Blackpool and
04:09Then there's Zach Ashworth as well
04:12It would be interesting to see where he fits in, you know, he can play
04:15Left wing back role or he can play in the back three
04:18So he could be a really good utility player this season and really grow on the next few seasons
04:23And then there's Elkin back up who comes with a good reputation
04:27from Ipswich, so yeah
04:30it's an area that we need to recruit following Marvin Epiteta's departure and
04:34He could be really important