Neil Critchley says Blackpool's lack of quality needs to be addressed during the summer

Neil Critchley has suggested Blackpool’s lack of quality is something they will need to address during the summer.
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Gallery of fan pictures from Blackpool's derby clash against Preston North End

Pool’s head coach concurred that his side’s lack of a cutting edge in the final third has been the main weakness this season.

It came to the fore again on Tuesday night when the Seasiders looked blunt during the disappointing derby defeat to Preston North End.

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While Pool saw plenty of the ball, especially during the second-half, they failed to produce a shot on the Preston goal.

When asked if his side’s lack of quality is something that will need to be addressed at the end of the season, Critchley told The Gazette: “Yes, definitely.

“If we want to improve as a team and go forward, then it’s something we need to improve for next season - our output in and around the goal, creating chances, scoring goals, that’s definitely something we need to improve upon.”

Critchley argued his side controlled large parts of their derby defeat, but the majority of the time they were being kept at arm’s length by their rivals.

Neil Critchley was disappointed with Blackpool's lack of quality at Deepdale on Tuesday nightNeil Critchley was disappointed with Blackpool's lack of quality at Deepdale on Tuesday night
Neil Critchley was disappointed with Blackpool's lack of quality at Deepdale on Tuesday night
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When it was put to Critchley that perhaps Preston were happy for his side to have the ball, he told The Gazette: “Steady Matt, steady.

“We had control of the game because of the way we played. We felt that in the first-half and that’s what I said at half-time.

“I told the players if we kept playing, which is hard in this atmosphere but we handled the occasion well…we got control of the game the longer the first-half went on and I said at half-time if we keep playing we’ll keep pushing them back.

“If we keep switching the play and keep finding the space they keep giving us, then we’ll get up and around the final third often which is what we did.

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“But when we got to the final third, we failed. Whether it was Keshi (Anderson) crossing to the back post where Josh (Bowler) was free, or Hubby (James Husband) to Gary (Madine) when Gary was free or whether it’s a shot from the edge of the box or Josh shooting, we’ve had more than enough moments in the final third to produce a decisive moments and we failed.”