United manager Graham Alexander says the past must stay in the past, as thoughts turn to the trip to take on Blackpool on Boxing Day.
The Iron haven’t won at Bloomfield Road since April 2000 and their last victory over the Seasiders came at Glanford Park in 2006.
Nevertheless, buoyed by an excellent 3-1 win over Southend United on Saturday, Alexander told iFollow Iron confidence is high heading there this Tuesday.
ON THE TASK AHEAD…
GA: If we can perform like that consistently (like against Southend) then we’ll win games because we were a good outfit on Saturday. We know we have been for a while now but the results in the last couple of weeks have been frustrating for us. We could understand the one last week (against MK Dons after playing 45 minutes with 10 men) and the point is a massive bonus if you can go and win your next game. We’ve got four points from two really tough games so we’re happy with that. We’re going to have to perform as well as that, if not better, if we’re to get something at Blackpool. We have to do the right stuff off the pitch recovery-wise now to prepare for that game. We know it’ll be a tough game. We’ve played them once already and that was a really hard game, as they were tough to break down, and we’ll have to be better to go and win the game.
ON THE PAST RECORD AGAINST BLACKPOOL…
GA: What’s gone on in the past is in the past. You just have to go and play your game. If you play well enough then you get your rewards. That will be my team and staff’s approach to it. These things are in the past and they belong in the past.
ON THE PREPARATION…
GA: It’s a normal Saturday-Tuesday situation, so the lads are off on Sunday and will have their day of recovery at home and we’re then in on the Monday. I spoke to a couple of senior players earlier in the season about preparing for the game and they wanted to do the normal things. It makes my job so much easier when the players really want to do the right things. We all have families and want to be with them on Christmas Day, but we’re in a privileged job and we have to go out there and perform. I’m glad the players said what I was already thinking. They’re great lads, prepare right and do the right things. Every game is a massive one and it’s another opportunity for three points. We don’t know how important they’ll be at the end of the season. This is our next most important game because it’s the one in front of us. We’ll be in Christmas Day and will work hard.
ON THE POSSIBILITY OF INJURED PLAYERS RETURNING FOR BOXING DAY…
GA: I don’t think anyone will. New Year possibly, we might get a couple back but I don’t think we’ll have anyone back for Tuesday.
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