Just Got back from coventry......

[Black Country Seagull]

Second half was absolute shambles, someone please tell me why Carole was moved on to the left wing, he was causing coventry all kinds of problems. Then he moved to the left and we were shit. Tactically Mcghee cost us the game today.

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

Tactically Mcghee cost us the game today.

I'm getting very concerned about the amount of times those words keep appearing

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Because Magoo is a clown and he IS panicking. Big style.

Allright for London Irish to say beginning of the season results/performances dont matter. But it does.

With just over a dozen games to go and Magoo still doesnt know his best team now hes trying to get lucky.

 

[Hannibal smith]

Just got back also. The story of our season in one game.

In the first half we were the better team but with no cutting edge whatsoever. No shoot on site policy, no player who looked like scoring. Then Coventry woke up and scored a good goal and our heads dropped and everyone effectively downed tools. 2-0 could have been 3 or 4. If we had scored first it may well have been different.

Adebola was everything our forward line was missing. Strong and a menace. Robinson for all his nice touches and promise never threatened the same way that he did.

The main criticism for me was (a) throw ins - Surely there must be someone in the team we can train to throw a long ball into the box? This to avoid the scenario - throw to wingers feet, loose ball, opposing team counter attack. (b) Crossing. Lynch (who cost us a goal for the 2nd away game running and isn't the answer at left back) and El abd (exceptional defensively, crap going forward) can't cross / overap / do all the things a good fullback can do. They are central defenders out of position. Reid can deliver a ball and was surely a better option today. In the end Cov didn't mark El abd as they knew his delivery would be shit.

Lastly. Why oh why did El abd take some free kicks. It was patently obivous he cannot deliver a cross so why let him take them? Basic!

Overall : Confidence : If we could somehow magic that we might just stay up yet.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Magoo cant coach plain and simple

 

[fosters headband]

Because Magoo is a clown and he IS panicking. Big style.

Allright for London Irish to say beginning of the season results/performances dont matter. But it does.

With just over a dozen games to go and Magoo still doesnt know his best team now hes trying to get lucky.

Trouble is I think he has just about tried every combination he can and the plain truth is we just don't have the right playing staff. MM knows this but just what can he do?
I even think players may have become a little complacent. The club can't bring in new players so I am safe, they cant get rid of me!!

 

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Echo Hanniabl Smith comments really. Played really well in the first half with no cutting edge up front. Had a few good chances early doors. If one of those had gone it may have been different but the fact is, it didn't then we get caught in there five minute spell at the end of the first half. What a sucker punch.

Seb Carole was our only threat - a constant meance and all our good moves went through him. Played a blinder and probably covered every blade on the pitch as he switched flanks a few times, whereas Fruity had a very oft day. The problem for him was compunded by having Lynch at left full back - he never went forward to support him or cover etc... and the only time he did, he f***ed it up and led to Coventrys second goal.
Lynch is not the answer. He was woeful.I know he's a kid but he needs to be loaned out like Robinson to get proper games under his belt and confidence.

Second half we were much less threatening and don't think they're keeper had much to save whereas Henderson kept us in the game a few times.
Same old story. No Midfield and no Strike force. Hammond - did nothing and is severley lacking in confidence as are half our team to be honest. Chippy tried but is getting on. Hart & Robinson upfront didn't work. Where the f..k was CKR - why bring him when the game is lost? He should have started the 2nd half for Robinson who lets be honest just ain't gonna be strong enough for this level

Good turonout by away fans - guessing 1,500/1,600 plus but couldn't generate that good an atmsophere.

All in all, pass me the pills. Leicesters a must win on staurday. How often have we said that this season??

 

[Hannibal smith]

Good turonout by away fans - guessing 1,500/1,600 plus but couldn't generate that good an atmsophere.

All in all, pass me the pills. Leicesters a must win on staurday. How often have we said that this season??

The atmosphere was very poor today. The fans as well as the team gave up when we went 1-0 down. We certainly weren't the proverbial 12th man.

 

[Curious Orange]

Just back in, think I'll comment before ordering a pizza.

I'll echo previous posters in saying this game sums up our season - a 0-0 that we somehow conceded two goals in.

Coventry never looked a better side, though it was obvious they were stronger in some areas. In fact we looked the more potent attacking force in the first half forcing a couple of fine saves from their keeper, before the shortest player on the pitch headed home with Cov's first effort on target.

We weren't at the races second half, and Cov did what every other team tries to do against us to get their second - round the back of the fullback, to the byline, drill it across the six yard box, goal. I've seen that far too many times this season, and it is a direct result of playing two wingers, as it doesn't happen when defenders and midfielders double up. Further, I'd question the point of playing wingers when the delivery isn't up to scratch, we had two shortarses playing up front today, high balls into the box don't work, they have to be either whipped in or drilled in to give the strikers a chance (oh and the strikers need to sort out who is taking front and back posts too).

Anyway, I can't complain about the effort the lads put in, just the application.

Nice ground, great atmosphere, but not from us.



Now, shall I have Texas BBQ or something else...

 

[junior]

Trouble is I think he has just about tried every combination he can and the plain truth is we just don't have the right playing staff. MM knows this but just what can he do!!

Its his f***ing team

That useless c t brought those players here

 

[Strike]

Just got back, like most people we had a good first half, and were all over Covvers, but seems like once we went a goal down our heads dropped lets hope McGhee signs someone, and the fans can get behind the team a bit more.

 

[fosters headband]

Its his f***ing team

That useless c t brought those players here

Henderson, McShane, Carole and Frutos in the starting line up with Reid and CKR on the bench are his additons. Hardly a team is it? but only CKR has failed to really impress in that lot.

 

[Jumpers for Goalposts]

I've just got back too.. We were good in the first half - the better team. Carole was excellent - but, (groan), there seems almost no point in going on without a striker. We had some decent efforts in the first half, but the second half was poor - we were never going to score. At least we didn't have a penalty awarded against us for no reason like Highfield last season (I'm trying to look for crumbs of comfort).

Talk of MM going is pointless... a target man would have made the difference today, but Jake Robinson? He looked out of his depth up front, even though he played his nuts off and did pretty well. Where's the striker going to come from?

 

[dwayne]

We looked like a relegation team today, pretty passing but absolutely NO cutting edge and no leaders on the pitch (or off it probably). At times the ball was like a hot potato, especially as we got near the oppositions goal mouth no one wanted to take responsibility.

Other things to note:

We can't play frutos and Carole, it's too much of a luxury (and I don't rate Frutos)

Our left side is pitiful and Joel Lynch was crucified today, that's two goals he's given away in 2 away games now.

We don't have a forward line...but everyone knew that already!

 

[BUTTERBALL]

First half completely dominated by us until the goal. We then proceeded to fall apart.

 

[Curious Orange]

I should mention that to Joel Lynch's credit he did put in an absolutely awsome tackle to deny a surefire goal.

And Adam El-Abd looked very strong defensively today, as did Butters and McShane.

 

[Black Country Seagull]

To be honest it was not just lynch's fualt the 2nd goal, Butters for some bizare reason let the player take the ball from the edge of the area to the edge of the six yard box before decideing to go over and make a challenge or even narrow the angle, even though Mcshane and el abd were splitting the cov players.

To echo previous comments, are away support was as low as the team spirit appears to be. Very little noise for 2000 albion fans even before kick of.

 

[El Presidente]

Shaded the first half, looked neat and tidy and unlikely to concede, but just as unlikely to score. The forwards are not the best, but we have to make do, but the service was poor and OGH and JR were feeding on scraps. Carole was the most skilful player on the pitch but struggled to put in killer balls, and Frutos was never given the ball. As soon as Cov scored it was like watching a tyre deflate as for the remainder of the match we all knew we were not going to score, as did the players, and the end could not come too soon.

 

[Black Country Seagull]

Plus as i continue my rant, do we ever practise set pieces, it does not look like we do.

Secondly, though at great risk at getting slaughtered, I still think Butters lack of pace is causing us problems and cover is needed, soon the legend will be retiring

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Okay, I don't do critisism, only observation.
If you wern't there, watch it yourself on TV tomorrow

1st goal - note who is trying to defend the cross (that Wise heads in). Its Carole. Now Seb is a class player, but his strengths are not tackling and defending. If El Abd had been out on the touch line (a better defender than Seb) then maybe, just maybe the cross may have been blocked (ERROR: players in the wrong position)

2nd goal - for some reason Seb has switched to right-wing and is very close to Fruity, our midfiled (Hammond I think) was just over the half-way line and looking for an option. Eventually Lynch realised there was a lot of space in front of him so pushed up in support [can't remember the next few seconds - but we lost possession] Cov outnumbered Lynch on our left-flank (as our left-midfield had gone walk-about) and he was easily skinned - why oh why did one of our centre-backs not come across to close this breach down? Neither did, and Cov were able to run right into our pen-area, pick a pass, and shoot. Hendo parried, and Wise poached the loose ball.

Jake had a touch of headless chicken about him today - very ineffective - and he is definately SCARED to tackle.

Hammond as a centre-midfield? There were several instances where he ran almost the length of the half-way line (yes sideways) with the ball and couldn't find a penatrating pass (not necessarily his fault) - maybe Reid would have fared better? At least Deano had a couple of kicks at Wise (brave man?)

Hendo looked crocked after their 1st goal (43 mins), he could hardly walk nor kick (Martin did a full warm-up with Keelo at HT) but Hendo played the full s/half (but I'm not convinced he was fully fit?) Where was FDM ??

In summary - MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS (again)