Blackpool boss Neil Critchley says: I'm still hugely optimistic

Neil Critchley can't hide his disappointment after the defeat at Plymouth

Matt Scrafton's verdict: Why Blackpool fans shouldn't be too downhearted

The Seasiders endured a frustrating start to the new League One season as they lost narrowly at Home Park on Saturday.

Luke Jephcott’s header after just three minutes was enough to seal three points for the newly-promoted Pilgrims in a game Pool dominated for large periods.

Critchley’s side created a host of clear-cut chances but, for the third game running this season, were unable to find the back of the net.

Pool’s head coach said: “I’m still hugely optimistic, which is what I told the players in the dressing room.

“I think it would be easy to take out my frustration on the players but I don’t think that would be the right thing to do.

“It wasn’t for a lack of effort but we must learn from the start.

“We were poor at the start, I’ve got to say. For some reason we didn’t seem like ourselves, I don’t know why.

“I’ll have to go away and reflect on that. I don’t think it’s anything to do with the journey but I’ll have to go away and think.

“I just felt we looked a bit apprehensive at times. We weren’t on the front foot and that’s something that hasn’t been evident over pre-season.

“We’ve started games on the front foot. We’ve been aggressive, we’ve been assertive and we didn’t do that on Saturday.

“But we responded in the right manner, and we became more ‘us’ and what we’d want a Blackpool team to look like.

“Other than the bit in the penalty area, there were lots of positives to take.”

After enjoying such a strong pre-season, there was plenty of optimism at Bloomfield Road heading into Saturday’s league curtain-raiser.

Critchley talked about the importance of not getting too downbeat over one result.

“I just said that to the players in the dressing room,” he added.

“Obviously at the moment we feel really frustrated, your emotions take over and you feel like getting that off your chest. But I don’t think that would be the right thing to do.

“When I go back and look at the game, I think there will be a lot of positives to take from it.

“And if we continue to play in that same manner, then we’re going to be okay this season and we’ll be a hard team to play against. It’s just not gone for us unfortunately.”