Di Matteo prefers to get his games out of the way during the weekend programme rather than waiting for the televised fixture to make up any ground. The Italian believes it is better not to be involved in the last fixture of the round, with points accrued elsewhere in the league piling unnecessary pressure on the players in action last. "Last season we didn't have a great record on Mondays," he said. "I don't like Monday nights. It's great for TV and everything but everyone else has already played on Saturday and Sunday and you know the results going in. It puts a bit more pressure on you I think. "Monday is my day off usually. It's my day off to take my wife for lunch and then in the evening watch some television. "Yes, I watch the Monday game when the others play, it's great to watch. But to be involved, with our record? It is just more pressure." Di Matteo came across Ian Holloway's Seasiders in the npower Championship last season and although he confesses to being shocked that they managed to navigate their way through the play-offs, he is impressed by their start to life in the Premier League. "I was positively surprised they got promoted," Di Matteo admitted. "They went into the play-offs in sixth place but it was good to see. It's a breath of fresh air, something different, new, exciting. "You watch the games and you see they've played some great football. After Arsenal and Chelsea they play some of the most attractive stuff. They move the ball, they pass it, they create chances." The Albion boss is also aware that Blackpool have some shock results under their belt already and could have made an even greater stir had a couple of tight matches fallen their way. "They won 4-0 against Wigan, 2-0 at Newcastle, 2-1 at Anfield and then against Manchester City they were very unlucky. "At home to Blackburn they lost in stoppage time too so they could have had three or four more points easily. It's such a thin line between a few more points and a few less."
