Ian Holloway adamant that two wins will ensure Blackpool Premier League survival

Blackpool Manager Ian Holloway (Getty Images)

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Blackpool boss Ian Holloway is sticking to his guns by claiming that two more wins would be enough to keep his side in the Premier League, following their 3-0 defeat at Fulham today.

A lacklustre showing in West London saw the Seasiders 2-0 down at half time thanks to a Bobby Zamora brace in his first start for seven months.Dickson Etuhu put the seal on the victory, adding the third in a game that never looked in doubt for the hosts.

The loss leaves Blackpool one point above the drop zone, with just eight games remaining in their maiden Premier League campaign.

Though they have a game in hand over a number of their rivals, Ian Holloway’s side may be rightfully fearful of their Premier League status, given the notably lethagic display today that extends their run of poor form to just one win in 11.

“We look like we’re carrying the world on our shoulders and we’ve got to get rid of that,” said Holloway.

“Our body language was horrible. We got promoted on the strength that we didn’t care about someone scoring – we were going to go and score ourselves.

“And if you look at the playoffs, my lads were magnificent. We let goals in, it didn’t matter. We equalized, we went in front, it didn’t matter. Today we looked like, deary me.

“Some of that football we played was great, to a point. It’s all about the final third and their final third and the better teams kill you in one and don’t let you do anything in the other.

“Unfortunately today, that truthfully sums it up.”

Blackpool’s languid manner was perhaps to blame for the number of missed chances they had in the game.

Craig Cathcart and Gary Taylor-Fletcher’s glaring misses towards the final whistle were in stark contrast to the clinicality of the returning Bobby Zamora.

“They were so incisive and decisive when they had their chances, that’s the difference,” said Holloway.

“They were clinical, they had Bobby Zamora back. I’m going to have DJ Campbell back, maybe he’ll give us a little more belief.

“Without DJ Campbell maybe we’re not quite that sharp and the chances at the end were slightly embarrassing, weren’t they?

“It could have been two goals for us. I thought we looked already beat, so I shall be cracking the whip when I get back home.”

With Blackpool entering the latter stages of the season with a spate of home games, including four on the bounce at home next up, Holloway is confident that if they can pick up just two wins, their Premier League survival will be ensured.

“I’ve told them all to go away and watch how we got promoted last year and the goals we’ve scored this year and tell me that we’re a bad side,” he said.

“I’ve asked them to do that, because you need to remain totally positive. 

“We can have, probably, five defeats and two victories and we would still stay up, I believe.

“39 points might keep us up and if we achieve that, it will be a fantastic achievement, better than last year.

“I feel that we’ve done so well, I’d love the fairytale to continue and I believe in those things.”