Blackpool head coach reiterates his confidence in the Bloomfield Road squad
Blackpool head coach hopes he’ll one day have the right kind of selection headache.
Ian Evatt is looking forward to the day when all of his Blackpool players are fit and available for selection.
Evatt’s first year at Bloomfield Road has seen him battle no end of injury problems, leaving him largely unable to field a settled team.
There have been absentees in all areas of the pitch, not least defensively, with Fraser Horsfall and Michael Ihiekwe still to kick a ball this season.
Time off because of the international break has now left Evatt with an increasing number of options in midfield and attack as the Seasiders look to kick on after picking up a first win in seven League One games with Tuesday’s victory against MK Dons.
The head coach said after that game: “When the squad’s available, it’s a good squad of players.
“We’ve never had it available all at once, I’m looking forward to the day that happens.
“We’ve been on a really poor run. I don’t feel like we’ve been that far away, I don’t feel like the performances have been that bad.
“We haven’t been heavily beaten by anyone, we’ve been in every game.
“Tonight it was good for us to tighten up in both boxes, do things correctly in my view.
“Second half, we matched their physicality but then showed some personality with the ball, which is really important for us.”
One of this season’s absentees has been Ilmari Niskanen, who made his first league start for the Seasiders on Tuesday.
The Finnish wing-back produced a man-of-the-match performance in only his seventh game overall since joining from Exeter City over the summer.
His involvement had been restricted by a dislocated shoulder sustained in the season-opening Carabao Cup win at Grimsby Town.
However, the 28-year-old was an industrious presence as he and Josh Bowler provided a twin threat out wide.
“We’ve not had him fully up to speed,” Evatt said.
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“When you dislocate your shoulder to the extent that he did, the type of player he is - he’s all action - it takes time to build confidence and belief in your body again.
“He’s been so frustrated because he knows he’s not quite been where he was pre-season and prior to the Grimsby game.
“Tonight, he showed us that he can give us a completely different aspect on both sides of the pitch.
“I thought it was a really good performance from him.”