Following Blackpool’s 0-0 draw with Portsmouth at Bloomfield Road last week, The Seasiders find themselves in 8th place, just four points behind Stevenage, who currently occupy the last playoff spot.
With nine games to go, Blackpool are certainly in the hunt for a spot in the top six, but are they likely to achieve this?
Whilst they have one of the best home records in the division, this alone will not be enough to secure promotion.
So, why are they likely to miss out on a playoff spot, and what can be done to change this in their next few games?
Away Day Blues
Much has been made of Blackpool’s home form this season, but their away form has been something that has let them down drastically.
After picking up 38 points at home from 19 home games, they have only managed 19 points from 18 away games.
Some of their wins have come away against Portsmouth, Peterborough and Barnsley, but the majority of their away performances have been less than impressive.
This season, Blackpool have lost 3-0 against a relegation threatened Port Vale, a 2-0 loss against Cheltenham who are also struggling for survival, along with losses against fellow strugglers Cambridge United and Burton Albion.
For a side doing so well at home, these are the kinds of games that should help propel a team up the league, rather than hold them back, but Blackpool just cannot find a way to get past these sides.
Blackpool did win last time out on the road, however. A 2-0 win over Shrewsbury Town gave them their fifth away win of the season, and with their next three games, against Northampton Town, Wigan and high fliers Derby County, being away from home, Blackpool will need to be at their best again.
Key Players Missing
Blackpool have relied on very few members of their squad to help them get to where they are right now.
The likes of Jordan Rhodes and his goals scored have certainly helped win Blackpool games, whilst the creativity of Karamoko Dembele has carried them at times throughout the season.
It is no surprise that the goals dried up a bit more than usual when Jordan Rhodes sustained an injury, and that looks like something Blackpool may have to deal with again if things do not go their way.
Against Portsmouth, Jordan Rhodes received a straight red card in the first half for a perceived elbow on the Portsmouth defender, however on review, the challenge was certainly not red card worthy.
Blackpool will more than likely appeal this decision, but should that appeal fail, then Blackpool will have to be without their main striker for a few more games, in a crucial part of the season.
Andy Lyons is another player who had to be taken off the pitch in their game against Portsmouth at the weekend, with the defender sustaining what looked to be quite a serious injury.
The attacking, creative full-back has impressed in his time at Bloomfield Road, especially with his goal-scoring exploits so far.
Lyons fits into Critchley’s style of play perfectly, operating either as the right wing-back or as the left wing-back, with his ability to get forward helping Blackpool in recent weeks.
Despite the losses Blackpool have suffered of late, there have been some surprising heroes step up. Jake Beesley produced his best game in a Blackpool shirt, scoring twice in a 4-1 win against Bolton the other week.
Meanwhile, the return to form of Jordan Gabriel has forced CJ Hamilton out of the team and has given Critchley a real selection headache in that area of the pitch, with both his attacking and defensive performances impressing.
Players stepping up in this way is a fantastic sign for Blackpool's promotion prospects.
Could Blackpool Win The Playoffs?
Even if Blackpool do manage to sneak into the playoffs, do they have a chance of winning them with the other teams they are likely to face?
If it were to be based on the current teams in the playoffs, Blackpool would face either Bolton, Peterborough or Barnsley.
Blackpool have beaten Bolton this season, in their 4-1 home win, but failed to impress as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat away from home. The Seasiders also progressed in the EFL Trophy, drawing 0-0 at home against Bolton before winning the tie on penalties.
Against Peterborough, Blackpool lost heavily at home; after Olly Casey got sent off for the hosts, Peterborough claimed a 4-2 win. Blackpool got their own back in the reverse fixture, beating them 2-1, despite being far from impressive in the game. Like Bolton, the two sides met in the EFL Trophy, with Peterborough claiming a 3-0 away win in the semi-finals, knocking a hopeless Blackpool out.
Blackpool have only played Barnsley once in the league, in what turned out to be a very dull viewing for both sides. A Jordan Rhodes penalty was the only goal of the game as The Seasiders ran out 1-0 away winners. The two sides did also meet at Bloomfield Road in the EFL Trophy, where Blackpool came back from behind to win 2-1.
Going off the teams currently in the playoffs, it is difficult to tell how Blackpool would fare. They would certainly want to avoid Peterborough, as in all three games against them this season, Blackpool have struggled.
Unfortunately, with the form they are in, Peterborough seemed like a side nailed on to reach the final, so Blackpool would have to beat them if they were to claim promotion.
Anything can happen between now and the end of the season, and these next nine games could see a massive change in who achieves a playoff spot and who does not.
Overall, it would be a huge ask for Blackpool to get promoted this season. They have struggled against some of the sides they are likely to come up against, and they have been so poor away from home, that they are hardly deserving of promotion.
With some big players missing for them, they will be hoping others will step up again, and help fire them to victory.
Unfortunately for Blackpool, their away form should cost them in their quest for playoffs, and promotion. They have dropped too many points on the road to have a realistic chance of going up, so another season in League One should beckon for Blackpool.