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Blackpool manager Ian Holloway insists he will stick to his team's attacking approach in future after a more defensive system backfired at Chelsea.

Defensive midfielder Alex Baptiste came in for forward Brett Ormerod but Blackpool conceded four first-half goals as champions Chelsea dominated.

"The tactical change did not work at all," said Holloway of his selection.

Holloway brought on an attacking player for a defender at the break and his team improved in the second half.

"I should have gone back [to our normal attacking system] earlier but when I went back to what we do the game was over by then," he added.

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"No matter what we do against the top teams we are light years off them. They are awesome with their mental approach and the way they go about games.

"I would have been silly to think we did not have to do something different against Chelsea but I think we would have lost no matter what we did."

Salomon Kalou put Chelsea ahead in the second minute, while Florent Malouda scored twice and Didier Drogba also got on the scoresheet as the Premier League champions created a spate of first-half chances.

But after Gary Taylor-Fletcher replaced Neal Eardley at the interval, Blackpool enjoyed a greater share of the play and would have scored but for a superb goal-line clearance to deny DJ Campbell and an excellent finger-tip save from Petr Cech to thwart the substitute.

"I thought we were absolutely useless in the first half but we drew the second half," stated Holloway.

"Chelsea showed a champion's mentality from the first corner and all our game plan went out of the window after about a first minute.

"Some teams have taken us for granted but the champions didn't. Some of their movement was a bit different, I had not seen that before and it caused my players problems."

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti saw his team increase their lead at the top of the Premier League to four points and extend their goal difference to plus 20.

However, the Italian was quick to acknowledge that his team will face a sterner test when they take on Manchester City at Eastlands on Saturday.

We have not played against the top teams but we are playing well Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti

"It is important to have confidence in our play - we have that," said Ancelotti.

"It is an important test for us next week but it is also an important test for them. We have not played against the top teams but we are playing well. It is necessary for us to do it against the top teams."

Chelsea were without injured duo John Terry and Frank Lampard against Blackpool but, although Ancelotti does not expect them to play in the Carling Cup tie against Newcastle on Wednesday, he is confident they will be fit to face City.

"Frank is training, he is not 100% yet," revealed Ancelotti. "He will be able to play against Manchester City. Terry had a problem with his ribs and was not able to play but he should be OK in two or three days.

"We will change a lot of players for the Carling Cup because we want to use this competition for our younger players."

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