Match Day Thread V Coventry FA cup

Got to get a second goal, we hardly ever defend a 1 goal lead.

 

Very pleased to see Downes has Gaffer's nod for captaincy again. He really drives them on and covers the pitch.

Perhaps this does see Chambo in a stand-in, bit-part role.

 

Waxing lyrical on Suffolk radio! Is this really our boys out there!?

Should be 2 up, COYBs.

 

1-0 at half time but it should be more.
We've had one off the post and a couple of great chances that should have us more comfortable in this game.
If we continue like that in the second half we should win this. A second goal would be very welcome.

 

Damn it!

Coventry have come out second half and had all the possession so far. Time for us to step it up.

 

Well that was exciting!

 

Aahh...frustrating!!!

Jackson should've crossed it way earlier, that was a great chance.

 

Different game now, their changes have made the difference. I will take a draw now.

 

Not getting the second goal we should have had in the first half has cost us again. Coventry changed it to match us up in the second half and came out strong after the break, scoring a deserved goal. The first half was dominant from us, the second was disjointed and rushed with a lack of composure at times that meant we made problems for ourselves as often as Coventry did.

Norris - good again today. One really good save but sometimes makes the wrong choice on when to play the ball out quickly and when to hold onto it for a second
Garbutt - more effective in the first half than the second. Our #1 LB at the moment
Wilson - solid enough but has played a few loose passes in his last couple of games
Woolf - another good game from him. He always looks relaxed, even under pressure
Donacien - he's doing alright. Benefiting from playing regularly he's got slightly better each game recently
Judge - some good stuff, some not so good stuff. Not the answer to our creativity problems, needs to offer more. Wish he connected with the cross from Nolan.
Dozzell - he did pretty well in the middle with Flynn today. Made some lovely passes today that other players need to read or anticipate better.
Downes - captains performance from Flynn. Got stuck in and carried the ball forward well at times. I've noticed he really knows how to use his body to shield the ball
Edwards - not bad but wasn't that effective as an attacker today
Nolan - like Edwards, not bad but not great either. I personally would've liked Jackson to have started this game though
Keane - played the lone striker well today, looks to be getting sharper with each game.

Overall it was an enjoyable first half that just lacked a second and third goal that our play and chances warranted. Coventry's change of system and high tempo start to the second period had us on the ropes and made us make a lot of unforced errors that just added to the pressure. We need to be more clinical when the chances come along because this goes down as another match that I feel we should've won but ended a draw.

 

Well, my wait to see a win in Birmingham (or around the Midlands for that matter) goes on. A very frustrating second half.

First half we were the better team, but not creating much to take advantage of our relative control. Like SD suggested, lack of anticipation for balls into space gave possession away cheaply. A good goal and a few "ooo" moments but 1-0 was about right.

I thought the first few minutes of second half were good but then Coventry got on hold of the Game and we were fortunate not to lose. Lots of very naive play and flatfootedness again allowed Coventry to keep hold of momentum. A late chance for Keane aside we didn't offer much.

What was getting the crowd very frustrated was our apparent lack of ability to challenge for high balls into the box, or anticipation of knock downs. Successful pasess between us were rare.

More generally the difference between Championship and L1 is stark. The speed of the game is noticeably slower and everything less sharp.

Improvement needed.

 

Two good summaries Mike & SD, thanks. Should have wrapped it up, but its another point, just 2 losses all season, and we found our best formation in that dominant 1st half display.

We have still to learn how to kill games and such dominance off.

On to the next, oh, the Sky Blues again, Cup time Tuesday and up Suffolk!

 

We should be leading this division by miles but it's the same old story, not scoring enough goals when we are dominant and end up holding on for a draw, the last thing we need are " strikers " who can't score.

 

Let’s not get too downhearted, we’re going through our stickiest patch of the Season so far and we’re still second place clear, with a game in hand.

I, for one, would have settled for this at the start of the Season, when there was so much doom and gloom about “back to back” relegations.

FFS.Don’t you think Rotherham and Bolton , who both finished above us last Season, would be happy to be in our position?

 

Fair point B A just getting the jitters, if we don't make it out of this league this season I worry about us becoming an established LG 1 team.

 

Look at the players we’ve got to come back from injury.KVY,Sears,Lankester,even Bishop....in the run up to the end of the Season that’s going to be a real injection of talent which might just push us over the line.We’ll need it because Evans sure isn’t going to be dipping his hand in his pocket.

 

I am beginning to fear this. Some choices the manager has made this season might have cost us our momentum and Championship place. If Evans doesn’t act in January we may he left with chance and fine margins at the back end of the season deciding our fate.

Suddenly Championship level football which for so long felt below our level as a club, begins to become the promised land.

 

Taking that to the other extreme B A will Evans be able to turn down the chance of another massive profit on players such as Downes and Woolfy ?

 

We all know that’s a distinct possibility,unfortunately!

 

I still think we're in a great position and given our circumstances we're doing alot better than I and alot of fans expected.

Bar 2 players yesterday that team was here last season. We've had lots of injuries, lots of players returning from long term injuries who aren't fully fit or very durable, we rely on talented youngster but they have very little experience, and bar chambers and Skuse the majority of other players who've played alot of first team games has been below this level.

We can criticise Lamberts 'rotation policy but I actually think he hasn't had a lot of choice. If Chambers, Woolfenden, Vincent-young, Garbutt, Skuse, Downes, Norwood and Jackson are fit he generally picks them, that's 8 out of 11.

We had such a bad season last season with a squad full of injuries and who is pretty inexperienced. I'm hoping we strengthen in January with a new striker and CB with some of our players coming back to fitness, so we can step it up a gear. If we're still in the top 2 come January 1st I think we'll do well in the second half of the season

 

Woolfy leaving this soon doesn’t even bear thinking about if we have any ambitions left to climb the divisions.