Ian Evatt has conceded that Blackpool's players "weren't themselves" during a difficult week that culminated in a poor showing against fellow League One side Reading.

The Blackpool manager made no attempt to dress up the performance, speaking candidly on Radio Lancashire after the match. His blunt assessment will concern supporters who had grown used to seeing a more purposeful side following the confidence-boosting victory at Stockport, which Evatt himself described as an execution of the gameplan.

A week to forget on the Fylde Coast

Evatt did not go into detail about what precisely made the week so hard, but his choice of words, that the players simply were not themselves, suggests something beyond a tactical problem. Whether fatigue, a difficult training period, or the residual psychological weight of earlier setbacks played a role, the head coach was not prepared to elaborate publicly. That kind of restraint is understandable, but it does little to reassure fans who want answers.

Blackpool's League One campaign has been a stop-start affair. The 4-0 thrashing in which Ryan Yates scored on his return gave a glimpse of what the squad might be capable of, but the defeat to Barnsley, which Barnsley's head coach attributed to mentality, and now this laboured display against Reading suggest the Seasiders have yet to find anything resembling consistency.

Reading the beneficiaries

Reading, for their part, will take whatever they can get. The Berkshire club have had their own turbulence in recent weeks: a 5-0 defeat to Mansfield raised serious questions about their defensive shape and the effectiveness of their forward line, and head coach Ruben Selles has spoken openly about the standards he expects. A result against Blackpool, even against a side Evatt admits was well below its best, will do no harm to confidence.

Both clubs find themselves trying to build momentum in the early weeks of the League One season, and neither can afford too many performances that fall short of what their respective managers demand. The division is unforgiving at this level; sides that slip into bad habits early rarely recover their footing before the autumn fixtures begin to bite.

What Evatt needs from his squad

For Evatt, the challenge now is straightforward in theory and difficult in practice: to identify why the players were so far below their best and prevent the same from happening again. Blackpool are a side with enough quality in the squad, as the Stockport display suggested, to compete in this division. But quality counts for very little on days when, as their own manager concedes, the players simply are not themselves.

The re-signing of Yates on a season-long loan from Luton was intended to add a reliable presence in midfield, and the earlier acquisition of Jordan Rhodes-calibre strikers was meant to solve a chronic goal-scoring problem. Whether those additions are bedding in as smoothly as the club hoped is now a fair question to ask.

Evatt is not a manager known for hiding behind excuses, which is to his credit. His frankness is also, arguably, a form of pressure applied to his own players: if the head coach is willing to say publicly that they were not themselves, then the expectation is clear. The standard set against Stockport is the floor, not the ceiling.

Blackpool's supporters will want to see that version of the team return quickly. Weeks like this one have a habit of defining early-season trajectories, and Evatt will be well aware that goodwill, while present, is not unlimited on the Fylde Coast.

Frequently asked

Why did Blackpool struggle against Reading?
Blackpool manager Ian Evatt admitted after the match that his players simply were not themselves, describing it as a hard week for the squad, though he did not specify the exact reasons publicly.
What has Ian Evatt said about Blackpool's recent form?
Evatt has been candid about both highs and lows. He praised the team's execution at Stockport but was openly critical after the Reading match, saying the players were not themselves.
Where do Blackpool stand in League One?
Blackpool are still building consistency in the early weeks of the League One season, with promising displays like the 4-0 win against Exeter contrasting with below-par performances such as the recent match against Reading.