Fuming Steve Bruce fires 'could’ve changed eight or nine' shot after Birmingham City loss
Birmingham City are in the third round of the FA Cup after Blackpool allowed Lyndon Dykes and Lukas Jutkiewicz to give Blues an advantage they would never lose
Steve Bruce has issued a stinging rebuke to his Blackpool players after they were dumped out of the FA Cup on their own patch by Birmingham City.
The former Blues boss was especially critical of his team’s first half display in which the visitors took charge through goals from Lyndon Dykes and Lukas Jutkiewicz. They would go on to win 2-1.
Bruce made four substitutions at half time and produced a goal for Jordan Rhodes and while the hosts had far more of the play after the restart, Bruce couldn’t excuse the opening 45.
“It’s not what I demand,” he told the Blackpool Gazette. “Everyone gets beat in football - that’s inevitable, but we were passive and didn’t lay a glove on them, it doesn’t really sit well with me. I’ll try my best to turn it around.
READ MORE: Chris Davies discovers 'best case scenario' on Birmingham City fact finding missionREAD MORE: FA Cup 3rd round draw, start time and TV channel as Birmingham City go in the hat“We got the goal after the break, we had opportunities, and the goalkeeper didn’t have a shot to save; however it’s all undone in the first half - that’s the frustration for me.
“We were close in the second half - we were decent then, but in the first half we were nowhere near the level that is required.
“It was too easy for them, and we didn’t make it a cup tie for them until half time. The substitutions made us better, and on another day we could’ve got something out of it - we missed two late chances late on.
“I thought we needed to make four subs, but I could’ve changed eight or nine. I’m saying to you what I said to the players - the first half, I won’t accept that. The supporters have paid their hard earned money to watch their team have a go. We were far too passive all around the pitch, we made it very easy for them.”
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