Blackpool’s defeat to Everton highlights desperate need for defensive additions

You don’t need to be a genius to work out that Blackpool are worryingly light at full-back just five days away from the season opener.

As it currently stands, the Seasiders are facing the prospect of starting a second consecutive Championship campaign with Callum Connolly as their only available right-back.

Thankfully, The Gazette understands the club are confident of making at least two signings this week, with full-back the obvious priority.

Shamrock Rovers’ Andy Lyons had been lined up as an option, but that deal is now off according to our colleagues at LancsLive. But alternatives are already being worked upon.

But right-back is far from the only problem at the minute. While Connolly struggled against Everton on Sunday, he’s not going to perform against that level of opposition every week in the Championship and he’s otherwise a fairly steady and reliable performer who’s more than capable of filling in for a game or two.

But if I’m being honest, I’m more concerned about Blackpool’s conundrum at left-back at this moment in time.

Luke Garbutt’s defensive shortcomings were on show once again against his former side, having also struggled against Salford City during a week. It says a lot that a 19-year-old attacking midfielder has out-performed Garbutt in pre-season.

With James Husband still not expected to return for a number of weeks, Michael Appleton will have no option to persevere with Garbutt for the Reading game and beyond.

Further up the field, I like Matty Virtue as a box-to-box midfielder, he brings energy, drive and dynamism. But he’s still working his way back to full fitness after his lengthy lay-off and he’s certainly not a deep-lying midfielder, which was the role he was asked to fulfil against Reading.

That’s an area where Appleton has already intimated he wants to strengthen, with a bid knocked back for Sheffield Wednesday’s Fisayo Dele-Bashiru.

We already know Blackpool are in the market for a striker as well, as seen by the recent Colby Bishop shenanigans. From what I’ve seen so far this summer, I don’t see Gary Madine suiting the way Appleton wants to play in his 4-3-3-system, but he’s the one that appears to be getting the nod in the ‘bigger’ friendlies, suggesting he could start against Reading on Saturday.

Shayne Lavery has been utilised on the left in back-to-back friendlies while Jerry Yates seems to be considered a useful option off the bench, as he was last season.

Being greedy, I actually think Blackpool could do with four or five new additions between now and the window shutting on September 1: a left-back, a right-back, a number six in midfield and a striker the biggest priorities.

Even beyond that, another centre-back and winger wouldn’t go amiss, but that’s highly unlikely to happen unless there’s an exodus of players in the coming weeks.

On the subject of outgoings, Appleton appeared bemused by the recent reports suggesting Burnley had seen a £750,000 bid knocked back for Jordan Gabriel.

The 23-year-old is still sidelined by injury in any case and appears committed to Bloomfield Road, having been taken to the hearts of the Blackpool fans during his first two seasons with the club.

As for Josh Bowler, Blackburn Rovers have become the most recent side to register their interest but until an offer is lodged, that appears to be nothing more than agent talk.

Bowler endured another confusing afternoon against the Toffees, where we saw the very best and very worst of him rolled into one display.

Not for the first time in pre-season, defensively Bowler had a shocker. He lets men drift off him and makes no attempt to make up for it.

But in attack, the winger can be absolutely electric and was inches away from pinging one into the top corner on Sunday, only for England number one Jordan Pickford to somehow claw it wide.

Bowler wasn’t the only one to struggle defensively though, because Blackpool’s first-half display was shambolic at times, even when taking into account the opposition.

The ease with which Everton got in behind Blackpool’s disjointed backline was alarming at times, with a simple diagonal crossfield ball enough to bamboozle both full-backs.

Marvin Ekpiteta’s absence was keenly felt, as there was no-one with pace to recover and sweep up as he so often does.

As poor as the home side were during the first-half, they deserve credit for their second-half display where they upped the tempo and took the game to Everton, who they had on the ropes at times.

But they conceded some soft goals at crucial stages in the game, resulting in a 4-2 defeat. As I say, nothing to be ashamed about, but the improvements required are there for everyone to see.