Blackpool boss Neil Critchley says good run is nothing to do with good luck

Neil Critchley says there has been no good fortune involved in Blackpool’s recent run of form.
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The Seasiders have won five of their last seven league games and 10 or their last 14 in all competitions.

That run continued on Tuesday with a mightily impressive 3-2 win against League One leaders Hull City, a result Critchley felt was more than warranted.

Neil Critchley praised Blackpool's players for executing his game planNeil Critchley praised Blackpool's players for executing his game plan
Neil Critchley praised Blackpool's players for executing his game plan
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“It’s the manner of the performance that’s the most pleasing thing,” Pool’s head coach said. “It’s not a result that was undeserved. We didn’t come off the pitch thinking we were a little bit fortunate.

“It’s how you get the result and I have to say that in all of the tough run of fixtures we’ve had recently, the games we’ve won we’ve deserved to win. We’ve been the better team.

“In none of those games have we come off feeling we’ve been lucky to get the three points. We’ve actually been disappointed we haven’t picked up three points in all of them, like we were against Doncaster and Oxford.

“We can take great confidence from the form we’re in and the run we’re on, but as the beginning of the season testifies, this is a tough division with tough teams.

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“It’s a competitive league and we’ve got plenty of more tough games to come in the future.”

Despite Blackpool’s strong run of form, the Seasiders only find themselves 12th in the table ahead of this afternoon’s trip to Accrington Stanley.

Nevertheless, Critchley’s side are only four points off the play-off spots with a game in hand.

“The league is very close and numerous teams will be thinking, ‘What if?’” Critchley added.

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“We won’t get carried away because there’s loads of time left, but a lot of teams will be thinking they have a chance this season.

“There are plenty of ups and downs to go, plenty of twists and turns, but we need to make sure we have that consistency and that little bit of luck with suspensions, injuries etc... They all need to go in your favour.

“Hopefully we’ve had our fair share of bad luck so far but we shall wait and see.”

Blackpool, the division’s form team, visit the side second in that particular table today – Accrington have won five of their last eight outings.

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Critchley added: “We just try to prepare for who we’re playing against. We analyse what we think they’re good at and try to nullify that, and then we try to expose where we think they might have some weaknesses within their team.

“We try to do the same every game but once the players cross the white line the game plan is down to them. They have to execute it.

“I have to say that so far this season – especially recently, given the results – they’ve been first-class at trying to carry out our plan.

“We know how tough that will be on Saturday but that will be the plan again.”

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