Blackpool can challenge League One's top teams

The Seasiders are five points adrift of the play-offs after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Barnsley.

Despite picking up back-to-back losses in the league, Daniels is confident Blackpool can still compete, although the defender did suggest manager Terry McPhillips could make better use of his squad.

He said: “We’ve probably not used the depth of our squad as much as we could have throughout the season so far. But we do have depth and we do have quality.

“The gaffer and his staff, I don’t make the decisions, they do.

“They choose to use who they want when they want, but we do have the quality.

“Of course we can kick on. Depending on how the manager and his staff choose to use the quality we have, we can definitely go again.”

The latest injury Blackpool have picked up was to Curtis Tilt, who appeared to suffer a recurrence of the hip injury he suffered against Charlton Athletic earlier this month.

Daniels’ centre-back partner was brought off at half-time against Barnsley, with Paudie O’Connor coming on in his place.

“I think he’s still feeling it a little bit in his groin from the game where he got injured, which is frustrating for him,” Daniels said.

“When he’s in the team and he’s in the backline with me and Ben, he’s obviously a big part of the team and the squad. So that’s frustrating.”

Pool are back in action today against Rochdale, a side Daniels knows well having made 18 appearances on loan last season.

“It’s going to be a tough game,” the 24-year-old added.

“I know the boys there and they’re a good bunch of lads. They’ve got a good manager and they’re a good family club. It’s going to be a tough one for us.

“We look to win each game we’re in, league, cup or whatever.

“We’ve not won in the last two in the league so we need to go there and put up a fight.

“It’s a big game for us and I’m sure it will be a big game for them as well, being at home.

“They normally get a good following on Boxing Day so we’re looking forward to it.

“I’m sure it will be a decent surface to play on, they’re a passing side so it should be a good game of football.

“We’ll go there and we’ll want to play, because that’s the type of game it’ll be, but it will be a fight first.

“But when you play against Rochdale you always expect them to pass the ball and we’ve got the players to play it as well and match them.”