Simon Grayson is delighted with the strength of his Tangerines squad as they look to move to the top of the League One table, as reported by the Blackpool Gazette.
His side travel to Coventry City this afternoon, with whom they’re level on points. In an engrossing afternoon of football at the top of the table, the other two teams locked on 12 points, Lincoln City and Wycombe, also face each other.
Grayson believes that having a squad of 25 players, as he has now, is just about right for the challenges that lay ahead.
“I don’t want 14, 15 or 16 players thinking they’re going to be in the team every week,” he said.
“If people are sat on the bench or sat in the stands as they were the other night, they will be thinking ‘yes I need to keep working’.
“If you perform on a matchday the likelihood is you’ll keep the shirt for the next game. If you don’t, you’re looking over your shoulder and you might be out of the team for a while.”
Blackpool won against Morecambe in midweek, with fringe strikers Ryan Hardie and Joe Nuttall each bagging a goal. After drawing three matches in a row, his side are now keen to get back to winning ways against the Sky Blues, but the players from the EFL trophy tie have given the former Leeds boss plenty to ponder.
“The other night you saw some good performances from lads who have made those who have started the season in the team realise if they don’t perform week in, week out then there are lads champing at the bit to take the shirt.”
Our View
Blackpool have assembled such a strong squad, with a vast array of attacking options.
These next five or six games are a crucial period; the sides that have done well early either cement their place or fade back into the pack.
This afternoon’s results at St Andrew’s and Adams Park will give two teams a big lift, but two others will get a reality check.
