Bolton manager Owen Coyle blames poor defending for defeat to Blackpool

EPL – West Ham United vs Bolton Wanderers, Owen Coyle (Getty Images)

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Owen Coyle has lamented Bolton Wanderers’ defending after they suffered defeat to strugglers Blackpool in a seven goal thriller at Bloomfield Road.

After taking the lead after just three minutes, the visitors eventually went on to lose 4-3 and Coyle was disappointed his side could not hold on to get a result.

“It was certainly end-to-end and we’ve scored three goals away from home,  but if we’re going to defend the way we did then you’re always going to be punished,” Coyle told BBC Sport.

“I don’t think Jussi Jaaskelainen’s had a save to make in the game, I thought Blackpool were clinical when chances presented themselves, but we’ve got to defend better and we didn’t do that today. 

“We’ve paid a heavy price, because we feel very unfortunate or aggrieved, or whatever you want to call it, to be sitting here with no points from that game.”

After going behind, Bolton managed to level the score twice and Coyle was pleased with his side’s effort but was frustrated with his players’ inability to keep Blackpool at bay.

“That’s happened to us in the last couple of games, when we were at home to Sunderland last week,” he added.

“Ask the managers in this league, if you’re going to defend poorly, as we did then ultimately with quality people have, you’ll pay a heavy price for it.

“In terms of desire and everything else, I think we showed that today, there was the effort and everything else but I think we’re better than we showed today.

“For me I want to win every game we enter into and we want to win as many points as we can and finish as high up the league as we can and that’s passed us by today.

“As well as Ian Holloway will be pleased and Blackpool, I felt it was self-inflicted because we have to defend better than that.

“We have enough people in the positions to stand up and be counted and we’ve defended poorly and ultimately when you do that as I said before, you leave with nothing.”

Bolton have enjoyed a strong season under Coyle and the manager admits the club is continuing to improve but  insists they must learn to defend better if they are to continue to do so.

“That’s the lesson you have to learn and we’ve made enormous strides to do that, and to do that we’re going to have to defend better than we have done today,” said the Scot.

“There were a lot of positives, absolutely, but when we bring it all together we’ve shown that we can win games but unfortunately we’ve lost today.

“We’ve improved no-end, but there’s further improvement required and I know exactly what we need.”

The Trotters are now eighth in the Premier League table and with just one fixture remaining Coyle believes they will need to win next week if he is to record his first top-half finish in the division.

“Well I think it’s fair to say we’re going to have to win our home game against Manchester City next week to do that top half finish, so that’s what we have to do,” explained Coyle.

“Yes there’s been improvement but you can never rest on your laurels, you can never think you’re at a comfortable place in this league because it will bite you in the backside and we know that.

“So we have to pick ourselves up and look to defend better next week at home and look to round off the season with a home win, and hopefully that will finish us in the top half of the table.”