Peterborough United manager has delivered some 'brutal' truths and now he expects a reaction against Blackpool
Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson has ordered his players to embrace what is an unusual League One challenge for the club.
Posh have been consistent promotion challengers at League One level in Ferguson’s fourth spell as first-team manager. The last three club campaigns in the third tier have ended with one automatic promotion and a pair of play-off semi-final defeats.
But Posh are 15th heading into Tuesday’s home game with Blackpool (7.45pm kick off). Remarkably they are only three points off a play-off place, but they have played more games than most and they are leaking goals at a worrying rate. Centre-back Emmanuel Fernandez is suspended tomorrow which will presumably lead to Oscar Wallin and George Nevett teaming up at the heart of the back four for the first time.
Ferguson is still demanding a reaction to Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Wycombe Wanderers. He kept the players in the dressing room for 45 minutes after the final whistle where he delivered some ‘brutal truths.’
"What I said after the game needed to be said,” Ferguson insisted. “The words will stay in the dressing room, but sometimes the players have to hear some brutal truths. We were leading and had fair control of the game, but when we concede an equaliser our reaction to adversity wasn’t good enough. We now need to see a reaction to that.
"We have to embrace the challenge we find ourselves in. It’s unusual for us to be in this position when we are in this division, although we are still relatively early in the season. It’s obvious where our problems lie. Injuries haven’t helped us and some players have been in the side more often we expected, but that’s not an excuse. It’s a young back four and with young players comes inconsistency, but the way we react to adversity has nothing to with age.
"We now need to roll our sleeves up and show more determination, hunger and desire to keep the ball out of our net. Individually we must make sure we get the better of our opponent. It’s been a tough time for us, but there have still been positives.
"Our last home game against Rotherham was one of our best performances of the season and we are still creating plenty of chances. Ricky-Jade Jones scored again at the weekend so it’s not all negative even though it might seem like it.”
Blackpool also have a key man missing because of suspension tomorrow. Midfielder Lee Evans picked up his fifth caution of the season in Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Barnsley.