Blackpool vs Solihull Moors Predictions

Recent form hasn’t been excellent, but Blackpool will be uplifted by the fact that they’ve turned in several good performances at home during the current campaign. In League One, the Seasiders have lost just two of their 11 home matches, while they’ve won six of the other nine, scoring a pleasing 17 goals. During that time, they’ve shipped 11. They’ve also kept an encouraging five clean sheets.

The underlying numbers are also encouraging. Blackpool are currently averaging 1.85 expected goals for at home, while they’re surrendering an average of 1.33. Such numbers tell us that they’re perhaps not the tightest at the back, but that they’re creating considerably more in the final third than they’re giving away.

While Blackpool have done a good job of creating more than they’ve given away at home, in general, Solihull have done the opposite on their travels. Tim Flowers’ men have often got a result on the road, but they’ve found it tough to keep teams out, which doesn’t exactly bode well ahead of an away match against a League One side that can be very good going forward. Tuesday’s visitors have kept a clean sheet in just three of their away games this season, while they’ve conceded a total of 16 goals.

Solihull have scored 17 at the other end, but if we look at their expected goals for average, then it’s easy to feel that they’ve been a tad fortunate in front of goal. They’re averaging just 1.13 expected goals for on their travels, which tells us that they’ve probably not been as menacing in terms of creating chances as the bare figures suggest. Getting the ball in the net is the main thing, and for the most part, Solihull have done that, but unless the above average improves, then their scoring rate is likely to slow in time.

In the initial tie, it would be fair to say that Blackpool exerted an element of control, as they dominated possession, had more shots at goals and more shots on target, but they were anything but all over their opponents. Not much happened in the first half, while there were only a few chances in the second. The majority of those did fall the way of the visitors, but Solihull delivered a spirited effort, so it would’ve been tough on the hosts if the League One side had nicked it.

However, while they were very much in the game in the reverse fixture, Solihull look up against it here. They’re giving away quite a bit on the road in the National League – Solihull have shipped an average of 1.6 goals and 1.65 expected goals away from home this season – and Blackpool are creating quite a bit at home. What’s more, given that the visitors found it tough to create anything clear-cut in the reverse fixture, it’s easy to envisage them struggling at Bloomfield Road.

All things considered, this is an excellent opportunity for Blackpool to boost their confidence ahead of the busy festive period. At the prices, ‘Blackpool -1 Asian Handicap’ gets the nod. The Seasiders have posted some encouraging figures at home this season and with their average expected goal difference of +0.52, against a non-league side that boasts an average expected goal difference of -0.52 on the road, they look a good bet to get the job done without too much fuss.