Blackpool boss makes team selection hint ahead of Tranmere Rovers meeting
Blackpool take on Tranmere Rovers in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night.
Ian Evatt states his Blackpool side will head into Tuesday night’s EFL Trophy tie away to Tranmere Rovers with a team competitive enough to win - even with a number of changes planned.
Both the Seasiders and their Wirral opponents have already qualified from Group B, with the result of the upcoming contest only set to decide who finishes first and second.
Blackpool are currently one point better off than Rovers, so anything apart from a defeat would secure them a home game in the next round.
On the back of Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Cardiff City, Evatt admits he will rotate his side, but still wants them to have a winning edge.
“The attitude is back to work and back to learning - we’ve got a midweek game this week. It’s a little bit of a dead rubber because we’re already through and Tranmere are already through, but there’ll be opportunities for other players to play, and then it’s all systems go for Saturday,” he said.
“There’s rules and regulations (for team selection) we have to abide by but we can’t keep working at this intensity and keep the same group over and over again.
“Fortunately we have already qualified, but we go into every game trying to win and I believe whatever team I pick will be good enough to win the game, but it’s one we could do without.
“I want to win every game whether it’s a five-a-side at the training ground or a small sided game, and the players will have the same mindset as me, so we’ll be going into Tuesday believing we will win.”
Latest on Husband
One player who won’t be in contention for the Tranmere test is club captain James Husband.
The 31-year-old returned to training last week after a lengthy spell on the sidelines following hamstring surgery in the summer, but Tuesday night will come too early for him.
“He won’t be back that soon, we’re not going to take any risks, we can’t afford to,” Evatt stated.
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