Blackpool take backward step to get season back on track as players warned ahead of Wigan game
Blackpool have adopted a ‘back to basics’ approach in a bid to get their season back on track.
Three successive defeats - including last Tuesday night’s 5-1 humbling at the hands of Peterborough United - have seen the brakes applied to the momentum that was gathering speed under Steve Bruce’s leadership following his appointment at the start of September.
Despite their early-season woes, the Bloomfield Road side found themselves sitting fourth in the League One standings following victory against Burton - their fourth successive league win under their new boss.
Heading into Monday night’s home game against Wigan, however, they find themselves languishing in 18th place following a zero points return from their past three outings.
In the build-up to the Latics match the Blackpool coaching team have been working hard on the training pitch in order to address the issues that contributed to those Mansfield, Barnsley and then Posh losses.
The first point of call was getting the players back to doing the simple things better and building a head of steam. It’s an approach, assistant manager Steve Agnew believes will restore the feelgood factor at Bloomfield Road.
Speaking to BBC Lancashir ahead of the Wiganixture, Bruce’s No2 said: ‘I think it’s like anything, if you just come off it in games for whatever reason, then it’s our job to work with the players and get them back on track - and that’s what we’re looking to do.
‘You know, we had two clean sheets at Huddersfield and Burton and the emphasis was very much on that. Then, off that, we started to play good football, we started to play through the thirds and score and create chances.
‘So it’s back to a solid basis, back to basics, if you like, but we’ve every confidence in the group of players to go back to where we were and then once we’ve done that and solid building blocks are back in place, which I’m sure they will be, then we’re all hopeful that we go and play Wigan and hopefully come away with the three points.’
Blackpool welcome back midfielder Lee Evans following his one-match suspension against Peterborough, while Hayden Coulson is expected to be fit to face Wigan following a slight groin issue.
Those three successive defeats, though, ensure no-one’s place in the team is assured.
Agnew added: ‘We never enjoy losing games, but you see a reaction of certain players at certain times and that’s obviously for the manager and myself to look at. Scenarios come along and you learn about the players.
‘You know, there’ll be certain players who have not really had a chance since we’ve been here, so places are up for grabs when you get a heavy defeat like 5-1.
‘Competition for places is there and we’ve got a good squad to compete for those places.’