Blackpool boss won't hide behind injuries excuse

The Seasiders were without a host of key first-team players on Saturday as their four-game unbeaten run ended with a 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest.

Dujon Sterling (illness) and Keshi Anderson (family matter) became the latest players to miss out, as they joined others who are already sidelined by injury.

Kevin Stewart, meanwhile, hobbled off yet again after taking a knock to his ankle.

Critchley would be well in his rights to attribute his side’s defeat to the number of absentees, but he insists that won’t be happening.

“We don’t ever use that as an excuse,” he said.

“We’ve got a good squad and we’ve done that (made changes) plenty of times last season.

“With the way we work and the way we coach the players, the other players come in and they know their jobs.

“I wasn’t looking at the team feeling we were disjointed or didn’t know what we were doing.

“The disappointment was our decision-making and our quality in the periods of the game where we needed it.

“I can never fault the players’ effort or their commitment, that was always there. The game became a bit stretched at the end but that was because we gave the ball away too much.

“They had a couple of opportunities when there were a lot of tired bodies on the pitch from both teams, but we didn’t force their goalkeeper to do enough.”

There isn’t any time for the Seasiders to rest, as they turn their attention to Wednesday night’s trip to Reading ahead of the weekend’s derby against Preston North End.

Supporters will be anxious to know who is available for Blackpool’s midweek outing, when Critchley’s men aim for a return to winning ways.

When asked if the Seasiders will have any players back in the fold at the Madejski Stadium, Pool’s head coach said: “Possibly, one or two.

“The games come thick and fast and that was the message in the dressing room after the game on Saturday.

“We can’t dwell on this game, we’ve played against a good team because Steve Cooper (Forest boss) has got them going and they looked like a good team, but we’ve more than matched them.

“We’ve taken the game to them the best we can. It was a great atmosphere, a great occasion and we’ve just come out of it on the other side.

“We have to go again at Reading. They’ve picked up again and we’ll have to give some consideration to the team we pick on Wednesday.”

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