Blackpool boss: We have plenty still to play for

Neil Critchley believes Blackpool are still in with a great chance of enjoying a successful season in what he believes is a “wide open” League One.
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The Seasiders head to second-placed Hull City today, looking to complete a league double over Grant McCann’s side.

Blackpool will be looking to get back to winning ways in league action, having suffered back-to-back defeats against Shrewsbury Town and Bristol Rovers.

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Critchley’s side, who bounced back with an impressive penalty shootout win against West Bromwich Albion in the FA Cup last weekend, sit in 13th place in the table, six points adrift of the play-off spots.

Blackpool head coach Neil CritchleyBlackpool head coach Neil Critchley
Blackpool head coach Neil Critchley

“I still haven’t looked at the table,” Pool’s head coach said.

“I know roughly where we are, I know roughly how many points we’ve got and I’ve got an idea of where teams are in our division.

“I don’t know exactly the points tally, but I know we’re not too far away from where we want to be.

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“If we can improve in the second half of the season – and we’re not even halfway through, so there’s a lot of football to be played – we believe if we can maintain what we’ve produced so far and produce more of it going forward, then we’ve got a chance.

“If we do that, then we’re not too far away from where we want to be.

People keep telling me there’s not many points separating the top three or four and those sides in mid-table, so I’ll be one of numerous coaches and managers in this division thinking we’ve got a chance of getting into the play-offs or the automatic promotion places.

“It’s wide open and a little bit of luck, consistency, form and injuries all play a part.

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“We’re focusing on what we can control and all of the time we want to improve, and if we do that, I’m confident by the end of the season we’ll have had a good season.”

Critchley has had the rare luxury of a free week heading into today’s game, something that won’t be the case over the coming weeks in what is an incredibly congested season.

The Seasiders will be looking to take full advantage of their time on the training ground against a Hull side that overcame Fleetwood Town in the EFL Trophy in midweek.

“It’s been okay, except from the weather,” Critchley said of Blackpool’s week without a midweek fixture.

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“We haven’t got many free weeks left between now and the end of the season, so we’ve been able to spend some time on the team and working together.

“We have to be a little bit careful because the weather has played a part in the condition of the pitches.

“It’s always about getting that balance right between how much training you do, what type of training you do and preparing your players tactically and physically for a game on Saturday.”

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