Blackpool head coach Steve Bruce reflects on a number of topics before his side's game against Huddersfield Town on Saturday afternoon.
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00:00You've got a lot of home games coming up in February in particular, maybe, I think it's four, could be five at Cambridge, you get three race events.
00:05How important is it to head into that month on the back of a win for a while?
00:09That would be great for everybody concerned. It's been quite ridiculous that our best performance, as you know, this field's been away from home.
00:15And that was in Raw's reverse last year, wasn't it?
00:17That you couldn't win a corner away from home, but you were very, very good at home.
00:22So that's a pun really, so I'm going to take that literally.
00:25Yeah, so it's strange how it is.
00:28Let's hope we can, our home form can pick up and we can use that to our advantage.
00:34Then that's getting the crowd behind you and giving them something to cheer about.
00:36Yeah, we have to give them something to cheer about, of course we do.
00:40But they will do, they will do.
00:42They'll get right behind the team like they have done since I walked through the door.
00:47So, yeah, let's see if we can give them something to shout about and get them off the seat.
00:51And certainly the two new players, the white players, there's nothing like a new player to see.
00:55And I'm sure they'll appreciate and enjoy watching them.
00:59Yeah, as we mentioned, the two new players.
01:00How much does that help your in-game management to have two natural wingers there to come on?
01:03We've seen it in training in the last couple of days.
01:05It's incredible how a new player walking through the door gives everybody a lift.
01:09Not just give the players and the staff, but also you can just smell it around the training ground.
01:15And the supporters will enjoy watching, I'm sure of that.
01:18Tom Blocks, remember, had a perfect audition, didn't he, on New Year's Day?
01:21He certainly did, yeah.
01:22From the very first minute that day, he takes your eye.
01:25Look, there's not many people at his size could run the way he does.
01:28Quick, over the ground, been in a couple of positions, so he'll be a vital adquisition for us.
01:34You mentioned obviously wingers at the beginning of the window being an area that you need to strengthen in.
01:38You've got two new ones, four in total.
01:40Would you look for any more?
01:42Is that done now though?
01:44In mind, that's what we need to do.
01:46We need to have two for every spot and that's enough.
01:50That's what we'll try and do.
01:51For me, the squad's still a little bit too heavy.
01:54So, there will be a trimming down over this window or the next window.
01:59And that's the way I want to try and move forward.
02:02I know you could be deemed short in his attack for the Strikers, with obviously Don Ballard going back.
02:08Is that still an area you might be looking at?
02:10At this particular moment, we've got four, so that's the right sort of number.
02:17We play with two and the right sort of number we've got.
02:23We're very, very happy with what we've got up front at the moment.
02:27Of course, is there anybody who can improve us?
02:30Then we'll try and improve the squad.
02:32As I said, it's very difficult in January, especially Strikers.
02:36Very, very difficult.
02:37So, let's see what develops.
02:39Yeah, with Strikers, obviously the name is being linked out there.
02:42But is it about getting someone with those numbers that match what you've already got?
02:45Obviously, Kyle's on the top floor with seven but there's a big drop-off below Kyle.
02:48Yeah, Fletcher's got two in his last four games or five games or wherever it is
02:53and showed a vast improvement and he's getting up to speed with it.
02:56So, yeah, it's something which when we look at the ex-G's,
03:01and here's me talking about ex-G's,
03:02but we've created more chances than anybody in the league.
03:06Unfortunately, we haven't taken them.
03:08So, that's our Achilles heel at the moment is we've created enough chances
03:13and, unfortunately, haven't been clinical enough.
03:15That's something where we've got to improve on, that's for sure,
03:18if we're going to try and take us to where we're going to get to.
03:21You mentioned potential interest in Kyle.
03:22If that became anything more, would you have to consider
03:25how big a hole he'd leave and how big a backward step it might be?
03:28Of course.
03:29Listen, we all like Kyle and when he gives the team,
03:33he gives everything a supporter would want,
03:36and the manager and myself.
03:38And if there's been registered interest in that, you can understand why.
03:42I don't think the Shrewsbury fans are happy that we've signed Bloxham.
03:45So, it happens in football clubs.
03:47Certainly, he's a very, very good player.
03:50It doesn't surprise me that there's interest in him.
03:52Obviously, selection decisions are always hard.
03:54Have you felt harsh on Zach Ashworth at times because he's come into the team and done well?
03:57Yes, he's done well.
03:58The two games he played, the kid's done well.
04:00As I said, we've got abundance and we're now getting back filth as well.
04:05It was a case of, look, go and get some games, Zach.
04:10He played very well in the two games he played.
04:12Shrewsbury away on a difficult night.
04:14He was immaculate.
04:16So, he's been unfortunate.
04:19Let him go up there, play 15, 18 times maybe,
04:24and come back to us in the summer and we'll start again.
04:27Tough shot for him to bench on Saturday?
04:30Certainly was, but it's better than before when we had eight or ten injuries
04:34where we couldn't get a team together.
04:36It's all going to be difficult, but that's the job.