Everything Michael Appleton said about Blackpool’s defeat to Rotherham, 3-4-3 system and changes

Michael Appleton’s side deservedly found themselves on the wrong end of a 3-0 humbling by Rotherham United.

The Seasiders could have no complaints with the result and the scoreline as they returned to action after a 10-day absence.

Despite initially getting off to a bright start, Appleton’s men were second best for the vast majority of proceedings.

They were outplayed in all facets of the game and looked sloppy across the park, especially in midfield where their lack of quality came to the fore once again.

They also looked completely devoid of ideas in the final third and failed to test Rotherham keeper Viktor Johansson.

Blackpool, who were searching for their first back-to-back wins of the season, momentarily rallied in the second-half after a dreadful first, but it still wasn’t enough to stop the Millers scoring two more goals late on.

Here’s everything Appleton said to the press after the game:

What went wrong after the initial bright start?

“It was just the way the game was going.

“Having stepped over the line and been there myself in games, when you start quite brightly like we did but don’t take the initiative and concede a goal in the manner we did – it was a poor goal from our point of view – but the lack of opportunities was nothing to do with ability but just the way the game went and the feel of it.

“What they did was jump on a lot of second balls and compete better than we did.

“The one thing we have to do really quickly is rectify that because come Saturday, if we don’t do it again, it could be another difficult afternoon.

“The players have shown character this season, so they’re going to need to show it again on Saturday and show it in abundance to bounce back.”

Does the nature of the defeat worry you?

“We know where we are as a group and as a football club, so we know we’re going to lose games.

“Most teams in the Championship know it’s that competitive they’re going to lose possibly double figure games.

“But it’s the manner of your defeats. We’ve lost games this season having a right go and tonight just didn’t feel like one of them, so it disappointed me from that point of view.

“Whether you’re an aggressive player, a player who jumps on things and makes tackles, it doesn’t matter. You can still have an effect on games by showing your ability, getting on the ball and being brave in a different way.

“We were second best and the reality is if you’re second best in most areas of the pitch you’re going to lose the game.”

You say your players needed to show more personality, what do you mean by that?

“It depends what type of player you are. If you’re a defender or a defensive minded player, go and tackle one or two people, take a yellow card, try and disrupt the flow of the game.

“If you’re someone who is there to create or score, get on the ball and show me something. Take the ball in a tight situation where there’s two or three around you and come out of it.”

You seemed a yard or two off Rotherham at all times, how concerning is that?

“We were reactive, that’s the simplest way to describe it.

“The goals summed that up. They’ve not scored from the first contact, it’s the second contact.

“You can sometimes forgive the players if we get the first contact and we try and defend it, but all three goals come from the opposition getting first contact.

“I include the third goal in terms of Grimmy making the save, but then we haven’t reacted.”

You started with the same side and system, was that the right decision?

“To be fair the way we started the game, I’m thinking 100 per cent.

“But the reality is they were sharper in the box, they made better use of the ball other than the first two or three minutes.

“Even in the first 10 minutes, we should have been a goal up.”

Should you have made changes at half-time?

“There was a temptation.

“There was nothing really in the game in the first-half. Obviously they got the goal but I don’t think anyone could have complained had it been 0-0 it was that drab.

“These things can happen. It’s not an easy place to go. I’ve been here many times over the last five or six years and it’s not an easy place to come and win, they’re a difficult side to play against. Go and ask Reading, go and ask Watford.

“We’ll take it on the chin and move on.”

Your side responded after a poor display at Stoke earlier in the season, how important is it to do that again?

“It probably reminded me a little bit of that in terms of losing the game because we didn’t jump on things, second balls, we weren’t aggressive enough etc.

“It doesn’t mean you have to be 6ft 4ins and built like a you-know-what, but you just have to compete, get around people and we didn’t do that well enough and we didn’t match them from that point of view.

“It becomes an uphill struggle because if you don’t do that against these type of sides, and Millwall will be no different, you lose a bit of confidence because they’re picking up territory.

“That’s what Rotherham do, that’s what Millwall do, they gain territory. Balls come into your box.

“I go back to the phrase I use, I want people to show me some personality on the pitch.”