Blackpool boss reveals when former Swansea and Oxford striker will complete comeback after frustrating three months out

The striker has endured a frustrating time since he arrived at Bloomfield Road.

After recovering from a pre-existing injury, he made his debut from the bench in an EFL Cup tie away to Derby County back in August.

Unfortunately, he suffered another blow a few days later, and had to wait until last week’s game against Bolton Wanderers to make his second appearance in Tangerine.

The 22-year-old could make his home debut this Saturday, with the Seasiders welcoming Shrewsbury Town to Bloomfield Road.

Blackpool boss Neil Critchley is excited to see what Joseph can do, but states a bit of patience will be required as continues to rebuild his fitness.

"Kyle shows his quality every day in training- he’s so sharp,” he said.

"He’s a very good player. He’s two-footed, he can link the play and he can run in behind.

"We’ve got to understand where he’s at and what he’s coming off the back, so let’s not expect too much from him straightaway.

"We need to give him the chance to breathe because he’s coming into a new group and we’re asking him to do different things.

"We don’t want to overload him with too much too soon. We’ll let him settle down and be the player we think he’ll be in the future.

"Even though he’s been out for a period of time, he doesn’t look rusty.

"His touch his there and he’s got his orientation on the pitch straightaway.

"He just knows where to be at the right time.

"What he needs now is games, and you replicate that too much in training.”

Alongside Joseph, Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel is also working his way back from a long-term injury.

The wing-back made his first appearance since April in the 2-1 EFL Trophy victory over Morecambe.

Critchley admits it is a balancing act trying to ensure players get what they need following a lengthy spell on the sidelines, but is hopeful both Joseph and Lawrence-Gabriel will be ready to make a big impact in the next few weeks.

“It’s difficult to give them the minutes they need because it’s not pre-season where you can give someone 45 minutes or 60 minutes there. You can’t really do that when you’re in competitive games,” he added.

"It was a good chance for Jordan (Lawrence-Gabriel) to play 45 minutes the other night. I thought he was excellent and it gave him a real lift.

"His performance was really eye-catching. There was a bit of adrenaline to be playing again.

"We brought Kyle off the bench for 15/20 minutes (against Bolton), and it was always to plan to make sure he had a full week of training leading into this game.

"He’s a naturally fit boy, he’s a fantastic athlete.

"If we thought it was appropriate for him to start a game, then it’s something we would consider.

"We’re eager to see him play but we’ve got to be patient with him as well.”