Neil Critchley outlines why Stoke City win shows Blackpool have learned their lessons from Coventry City display

The Seasiders managed to claim a 1-1 draw against Mark Robins’ side last month despite a below-par display at the Ricoh Arena.

The Sky Blues played their way through Blackpool’s midfield far too easily as Critchley’s men opted to stand off their opponents, rather than go after them high up the pitch.

But that was a different story against Stoke at the bet365 Stadium on Saturday against a side that also tried to play their way through the thirds.

But they were completely nullified by the Seasiders, who ought to have had the game wrapped up long before Josh Bowler’s 86th minute winner.

“It was a difficult game for us to prepare for because they’ve changed their system recently,” Critchley told The Gazette.

“They’ve played 4-3-3 in a lot of the games and we thought they might go back to that.

“But they carried on with their 3-5-2, but more of a box with Nick Powell dropping back and overloading the midfield.

“We didn’t get it right when Coventry did that to us away from home and maybe they looked at that game.

“But we were much more aggressive pressing from the front. We were a bit passive at Coventry and when you’re passive when they’ve got players they have in the middle of the pitch, they can outnumber you and play through.

“Against Stoke, we didn’t give them the chance to play through us because we were on the front foot. We went after them and we forced them to kick it long a lot and it went through to Grimmy.

“We were frustrating them, we were winning the ball back but the only thing missing was that last little bit.

“I felt we were really dominant.”

The Seasiders return to action at Bloomfield Road on Saturday against Swansea City.

It’s the first of three straight home games for Critchley’s side, who host Sheffield United the following Wednesday.

After that, Blackpool don’t return to action until the home clash against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, April 2 due to the interntional break.