Blackpool manager Steve Bruce expressed his disappointment following his side’s dramatic penalty shootout loss to Aston Villa in the EFL Trophy.
The Seasiders fell 18-17 in a marathon shootout after a 1-1 draw in regulation time, with Jordan Gabriel missing the decisive penalty.
The match started brightly for Blackpool, who took the lead through Elliot Embleton. However, Aston Villa’s Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba equalized, nearly securing victory for the visitors in regular time. Despite their strong start, Blackpool couldn’t find the finishing touch to progress to the next round. Villa will now host Bradford City in January, while Blackpool must regroup for their League One campaign.
Bruce’s Honest Assessment
“My thoughts are we didn’t do enough to win the game,” Bruce told the club’s official website. “We’ve been caught, given a bad goal away. It’s elementary mistakes that are our Achilles heel.”
Bruce lamented the nature of Villa’s equalizer, adding:
“It’s a long ball down the middle and with arguably their first shot on target, they’ve equalised. I’m disappointed, but we didn’t play well enough.”
A Mixed Line-Up
Bruce fielded a completely different starting XI from the team that secured a convincing 3-0 win over Reading at the weekend. The side included experienced players such as Jordan Rhodes, who captained the team, alongside Oliver Norburn, Hayden Coulson, and goalscorer Embleton. Substitutes like Ashley Fletcher and Albie Morgan, both of whom scored against Reading, were brought on later in the match.
“I’ve picked a strong enough team to go and make sure that we go through to the next round. Unfortunately, we haven’t managed to do it,” Bruce added.
Next Steps for Blackpool
Despite the disappointment, Bruce and his team must turn their attention back to League One. Currently sitting in a competitive position, Blackpool will aim to use the lessons learned from this match to strengthen their resolve in the league and push for a higher standing.
Writer’s View
Steve Bruce’s candid post-match remarks underline the frustration of losing a game they could have won. Blackpool’s inability to capitalize on their lead and defensive lapses highlight areas for improvement. The match also showcased Bruce’s faith in squad rotation, but the result suggests some cohesion was lacking. With their League One campaign still holding promise, the focus must shift to consistency and cutting out costly mistakes.
