Blackpool v Rotherham United: No fear as Matt Hamshaw sees reasons to be cheerful
Rotherham United will take some optimism from the positives of their Boxing Day performance, but it will have to be a different team which faces Blackpool on Monday.
Although they dropped into the League One relegation zone with a self-inflicted 2-1 defeat at Bolton Wanderers, manager Matt Hamshaw saw things to be pleased with, not least in terms of the players he had available to him.
It allowed Jordan Hugill a bit of a breather as a second-half substitute after seven straight league starts, and should allow him to bring freshness to proceedings by the seaside.
Hamshaw will be looking for more of the same in some respects, just without defensive lapses like the one which saw Thomas Holmes caught trying to play at the back minutes after Sam Nombe equalised with a 90th-minute penalty.
"I'm not fearful of anybody and I mean that respectfully," he said of Monday's game.
"I feel like when we have this team and we play the right way and they do the things we're asking, we're more than a match for anybody.
"We are just making individual lapses. I've said on the record about the younger players, sometimes it's not the younger players, it's the experienced players. That's the bit that narks me because they know better.
“Bolton haven't been beaten at home since last season. We had really good opportunities, I don't think many teams have created as many opportunities here as have. It was a disappointing result."
Hamshaw's options are more limited in midfield, but he can change his team either side of it.
"We're shuffling the pack quite a bit," he said. "We've got a few numbers back. I had a lot of defensive options on the bench on Boxing Day, not many in midfield. I was fortunate I had Jordan and Sam Nombe on the bench.
"I thought Kion (Etete) did well when he played, 60 minutes.
"But we're going to have to shuffle the pack because it's five games in 14 days.
“We don't want to be in the relegation zone but we are and we have to face up to that and get out quickly."
Marvin Kaleta is having a scan on his hamstring after picking up an injury at home to Huddersfield Town in only his fifth league start of the season.