Match Thread Coventry City - Crawley Town Match Thread - Saturday 25th Nov (11 Viewers)

[Londonccfcfan]

Teams will look at us and know we offer nothing in the first half. We have s negative midfield and zero pace. Teams will set to nullify us and strangle the game.

You made some reference they weren’t interested - that’s not remotely true. The defence was rigid and totally organised. They slowed things down

It’s up to the offensive team to break it down. We can’t as we are nit glide enough and if we have a defensive midfield set up for games like this we deserve all we get.

For once a sensible call happened on CWR. The caller says robins should be hauled in on Monday and be told the standard of football isn’t good enough the results aren’t good enough and sort it out by the end of December or join the dole queue.

Ffs. what a numpty that caller was.(they were all numptys frankly the callers in are embarrassing).

My point is....It’s not like we are Manchester City of league two!

We have just about a top 6 budget and are bang on 6th. If Robins had spent millions...or hundreds of thousands. Then maybe so he should be pulled forward. But he hasn’t. He’s working with the best he’s got.

 

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[Otis]

Ffs. what a numpty that caller was.(they were all numptys frankly the callers in are embarrassing).

My point is....It’s not like we are Manchester City of league two!

We have just about a top 6 budget and are bang on 6th. If Robins had spent millions...or hundreds of thousands. Then maybe so he should be pulled forward. But he hasn’t. He’s working with the best he’s got.

Is he getting the best out for them though, that's the question.

 

[Londonccfcfan]

Is he getting the best out for them though, that's the question.

I answered that already. We are 6th.

 

[Adge]

Is he getting the best out for them though, that's the question.

Mmmm, not sure you can get much more out of Burge,Willis,Haynes et al.

 

[ccfcway]

What do you think of Haynes?

I think he is a 22 year old player playing in a league two team. He wont win player of the year and won't be the worst player to pull on a ccfc shirt this season. He has showed more in attack than stokes this season and that's why he's in the team.

I think as it stands, he's at his level. it remains to be seen if he can improve on this in the future, but time is on his side

 

[COVKIDSNEVERQUIT]

Teams will look at us and know we offer nothing in the first half. We have s negative midfield and zero pace. Teams will set to nullify us and strangle the game.

You made some reference they weren’t interested - that’s not remotely true. The defence was rigid and totally organised. They slowed things down

It’s up to the offensive team to break it down. We can’t as we are nit glide enough and if we have a defensive midfield set up for games like this we deserve all we get.

For once a sensible call happened on CWR. The caller says robins should be hauled in on Monday and be told the standard of football isn’t good enough the results aren’t good enough and sort it out by the end of December or join the dole queue.

So you agree with the caller on CWR that if Robins doesn't sort it out by the end of December he should be sacked ,
And be replaced by who exactly ?

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

[QUOTE="Grendel, post: 1432663, member: 4246

For once a sensible call happened on CWR. The caller says robins should be hauled in on Monday and be told the standard of football isn’t good enough the results aren’t good enough and sort it out by the end of December or join the dole queue.[/QUOTE]

I stayed with you until this bit - how on earth does that help? Suppose they did that, our results pick up (coincidentally or otherwise) - he'd surely feel like sticking two fingers up and walking at the first opportunity (or second!). For me, let him get on with the job. He's not blind, and sees what we can all see. We're still in the mix, and despite it not being great, we were still clearly the better side. Thought Grimmer (apart from the odd duff cross) got forward really well today.- becoming a real asset.

 

[Ashdown]

SISU have all but killed CCFC FFS !! Until they fuck off we are just hamstrung ! Fans all over Cov hate the bastards and won't come back !! The BPA was full of regular attending City fans from yesteryears !

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

This club is destined for the end isn't it!?

From what I've heard from people that went today, even the loyal supporters are near the end of their tether!

No - they/we were just cold

 

[Londonccfcfan]

This league is ridiculous. It’s a slugfest. The team that makes the least amount of errors will be successful. Obvious but it’s that simple in this league. If we don’t make a mistake over 90 minutes the other shit team will.

That’s why you cannot have liability goalkeepers, you have to keep it simple. Get rid of the ball. Last two games seen him sheperd a ball out to the corner flag vs Stevenage , ball hit corner flag and went out got lucky. Today he came out his area and had so much time to head the ball but decided to try to be clever and gave us a heart attack. He got lucky again.

Everyone does beat everyone in this league. Few weeks ago the bottom three teams beat the top three all away from home (when FGR beat us) That wouldn’t happen in any other league.

Crawley beat Exeter 3-1 , Would anyone believe that looking at them today? Exeter beat Accrington 2 nil today.

We beat,,,Notts county 3 nil, Luton away 3 nil. We beat Exeter 2 nil (When they were top). We beat Swindon and Lincoln and Grimsby away all top 12.

We have plainly struggled at home against the weaker teams (partly due to costly errors). But for two goalkeeping errors vs FGR ,Newport and Yeovil ( possibly Mansfield) we would be in automatic places.

We will be fine. It’s frustrating football. But this league throws up crazy results every week.

To back my point up. Chesterfield who were rock bottom few weeks

 

[dongonzalos]

And 6381 is shocking.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

We have the third highest average attendances in the league?
Can’t have it both ways on the one hand we are supposed to no longer consider ourselves a big club and cannot automatically expect to win this league.
Also we should only expect average signings for this level of football.
Yet on the other hand people want the biggest attendances in the league?
We have a good attendance for this level of football, the actual standard of the product provided plus the shenanigans off the field.
Well done to 6000 plus.

 

[thekidfromstrettoncamp]

People complaining about Crawley's time wasting why should they rush around if they get a point or even sneak a win by delaying tactics got to be a great result from their point of view. The referee did see what was going on and clearly though they were reasonable . I think the said ref had a decent game 2 times he booked players for fouls returning to a incident after letting play flow. Offside is down to the linesman who are in a better position than him the one our end I e singers corner got one or two wrong . The 6 minutes was about right . I think we all want to find someone to blame for our shortcomings we were shit again I question what do they do all week in training they know exactly what there coming up against on Saturday and still they have not worked out how to break down aside that defends deep . If you take the likes of Haynes out no one is prepared to go past a player we are sterile and predictable we expect a striker to score with their back to goal when getting to the by line and passing to a player facing goal is what is required.

 

[Esoterica]

Against 7 of the teams in the bottom 8 with Morecambe still to come we are W2 D3 L2. Scored 3, conceded 4. Yet we lined up again today, at home, with two defensive midfielders.

 

[covcity4life]

What did robins say in post mstch interview?

 

[steve82]

Another frustrating afternoon at the Ricoh...
I said earlier in the week I'd doubt MR would change the system given the time to train and understand whose role is what, it showed. I like the idea of it too, I just think it needs time to adapt to it not 3 days and abandon it.

The first 10/15 mins it looked like it was gonna pay off, we started well. If only Nazon had of passed to McNulty he'd of been 1v1 on goal, we could of possibly been 2 goals up. Confidence would of been sky high then and the game takes a different route and we'd be in a commanding situation to dictate play. That first 10 minutes were key in putting Crawley away, Duckens Nazon seen to that going solo not once but twice.

Errors started to come into most players game as we fell deeper inviting our own troubles. Sure enough we concede.

2nd half a reshuffle and a pockets of play with tempo, some good chances missed, the tale of our season. Hard pressed to find a MOTM myself today. Haynes wasn't it for me, tho he wasn't a dire as some would like to make out but a average performance. Shipley was positive, Stevenson looked much improved. Grimmer was out on his feet

 

[Irish Sky Blue]

Now this might sound like sour grapes, but I assure you it isn't, but if Coventry City played the way Crawley set out today I would no longer go up. It's stuff like this that kills the game and spoils any entertainment.

It's outrageous to be honest and Clive Eakin first mentioned them time wasting after just 8 minutes. They seemingly set out with no intention of winning the game whatsoever. I know it's our job to break them down, but I would be quite embarrassed if we set out our stall in such a fashion.

Call me a purist, but I do like to see the game played in the right spirit if at all possible and it's stuff like this that actually turns me away from liking football. Hate to see it. I would hate to see City play that way too.


Fine, time waste with 15 mins left and you are trying to grind out a result, but to do so at every turn and from such an early point in the game just totally spoils the spectacle for me.

It seems so much worse in League Two.

Don't think it is justified at any time. I hate it when we do it to. The only way to stamp it out is if referees add all of the time wasted back on. Today's two minutes in the first half and six in the second was no compensation for what Crawley did. First time I have seen that from the physio though.

 

[Irish Sky Blue]

Ffs. what a numpty that caller was.(they were all numptys frankly the callers in are embarrassing).

My point is....It’s not like we are Manchester City of league two!

We have just about a top 6 budget and are bang on 6th. If Robins had spent millions...or hundreds of thousands. Then maybe so he should be pulled forward. But he hasn’t. He’s working with the best he’s got.

Top 8 budget according to Fisher so Robins is over achieving.

 

[Irish Sky Blue]

People complaining about Crawley's time wasting why should they rush around if they get a point or even sneak a win by delaying tactics got to be a great result from their point of view. The referee did see what was going on and clearly though they were reasonable . I think the said ref had a decent game 2 times he booked players for fouls returning to a incident after letting play flow. Offside is down to the linesman who are in a better position than him the one our end I e singers corner got one or two wrong . The 6 minutes was about right . I think we all want to find someone to blame for our shortcomings we were shit again I question what do they do all week in training they know exactly what there coming up against on Saturday and still they have not worked out how to break down aside that defends deep . If you take the likes of Haynes out no one is prepared to go past a player we are sterile and predictable we expect a striker to score with their back to goal when getting to the by line and passing to a player facing goal is what is required.

I have never seen the amount of time wasting before that I have seen this season. Football should be about chances, shots and goals. It shouldn't be about watching the physio amble across the pitch simply to frustrate and waste a few more seconds. Football has to be better than that. Crawley were wasting time from the very start of the game.

 

[covcity4life]

We are 6th. 9 off top and 5 off 3rd. So maybe we shouldnt be too down

You would imsgine we will only get vettet even without jones as long as robins gets some loans in. Our problem is more tactics wise which goves me hope it can bw rectified

 

[mds]

Nazon needs to realise he's not Pele.

This, twice in the first five minutes he could of played mcnulty thru but didnt cause the hero stuff, being a player with skills is great if u can use those skills and create for everyone else but if your sole goal is to twist turn and try n look good and do it all for yourself with no end product then that skill is wasted. Nazon has skill and power, no doubt, but he wastes it so often its a bit of a Huckerby, speed skill and offside!

 

[stevefloyd]

He has done more than most except the duck obviously, how many goals has the not so young and inexperienced Biamou scored in the league this season ? ( Who has had more starts and appearances then McNulty ) ?

If you care to read my post I also said that the MAJORITY of strikers have also disappointed me with Nazon being the exception so draw your own conclusions who I mean

 

[stevefloyd]

Wonder whether the actual attendance was lower? As we know the figure includes all ST holders, many of whom may have abstained today with the combinatiob of the cold temperature, crap oppo, bad injury newe, Black Friday sales on etc.


Tell her to give you the £70 and you'll sort the fine out with your superior ability as a native Enflish speaker to fill in thr fine payment form....then send it in within the 14 days and trouser the £35!

Do you think for a minute that a woman will pay their own fine? Its up to us herberts as men to make sure it gets paid unless Russian women are different!!

 

[stevefloyd]

Well that was the one of the worst first half displays seen this season and that says something considering we saw FGR, Newport and, Colchester.

The system certainly didn’t work in way shape or form. I’m shocked that Robins felt he could play this system with a couple of days maximum of training. Was exposed badly, against a better we would have ripped to shreds.

Luckily it took an awful Crawley team 20 mins to realise they have nothing to fear and over run our midfield and got behind our wing backs. Our centre backs were pulled so wide apart, didn’t move across as a three at all.

Fair play to Robins for changing it at half time (takes courage to realise he made a huge mistake) and making the personnel changes ie Stevenson for Davies.

If only we had started with tried and tested system we would have won this match and may not even have conceded.

Still it’s a point, a point I didn’t expect at half time as what we had just finished we were never looked like scoring.

Just seen the highlights and it was indeed a cracking goal by McNulty who still had lots to do from the poor pass by Nazon. Great take control on chest and hit It on the half volley into top right corner.

Player ratings

Burge 5....didn’t have much to do, but kicking and general distribution awfull. Doesn’t look comfortable. liability.
Grimmer ...6.....Good energy, some decent stuff but also some very poor crosses at the death.
Willis 7.....Thought he had a brilliant game. Mopped up everything at the back.
McDonald....6....If only he had pace he would be playing championship. Poor late challenge could have been costly.
Haynes...6...how he was MOTM I will never know. One good cross apart from that not a lot. Did not use his pace.
Shipley....6
Doyle......5.....Distribution way too slow. As other have said looks spent.
Nazon.....5.....His touch was very poor. What was he trying to do with fancy flick when defending...missed a couple of good chances. Even his assist was an awfull pass that McNulty made good of.
McNulty...7.....Great goal....apart from that not a lot.
Beavon....7.....Easily our best player in the first half. Control and touch/passing was excellent. Put Nazon to shame.

Stevenson 7...Good to get someone to get on the ball controll...hold and pass it. Time on the ball. Something Shipley isn’t suited to.

Robins First half 5....Second half...8.

Big opportunity missed. Would have been devastated if we had lost against that shit team.

Referee...Was the worst I have seen, clueless, he had lost the plot at the end. Has to be held accountable. How he only added 6 mins injury time was beyond belief. He was not strong enough to referee professionally.

Doyle has just played 3 games in a week so he has time now to get some rest

 

[stevefloyd]

I was questioning why I bought season ticket half time. First time this season.

Was thinking away only. At least you get a great atmosphere if nothing else.

Wow they selling season tickets at half time now? Thats why they dont have time for the pies

 

[stevefloyd]

Ffs. what a numpty that caller was.(they were all numptys frankly the callers in are embarrassing).

My point is....It’s not like we are Manchester City of league two!

We have just about a top 6 budget and are bang on 6th. If Robins had spent millions...or hundreds of thousands. Then maybe so he should be pulled forward. But he hasn’t. He’s working with the best he’s got.

And he has had to try and assemble a complete new team in a short period of time, I guess on reflection and given the circumstances he has done well so far. We as Cov fans are maybe demanding too much because of all the shite we have gone through and maybe the phoenix is just starting to wake up instead of rising atm, quality teams take time to put together without money, I would hazard a guess Robins will know he has made mistakes and got some duds, McNulty is not the out and out striker we were desperate for but maybe if he can find someone in January and they are willing to come maybe we will see a different McNulty after Christmas. Andreus injury has left us woefully short in midfield and possibly a young prem starlet could come in but I would rather see an older head in midfield but I do agree Robins should be questioned about our awful displays at home, perhaps he has been already who knows!

 

[steve82]

And he has had to try and assemble a complete new team in a short period of time, I guess on reflection and given the circumstances he has done well so far. We as Cov fans are maybe demanding too much because of all the shite we have gone through and maybe the phoenix is just starting to wake up instead of rising atm, quality teams take time to put together without money, I would hazard a guess Robins will know he has made mistakes and got some duds, McNulty is not the out and out striker we were desperate for but maybe if he can find someone in January and they are willing to come maybe we will see a different McNulty after Christmas. Andreus injury has left us woefully short in midfield and possibly a young prem starlet could come in but I would rather see an older head in midfield but I do agree Robins should be questioned about our awful displays at home, perhaps he has been already who knows!

I've thought this for the last few weeks, let me first clearly say I do NOT want him gone or sacked. He's the right man for me to build us back up, as he has done and doing still. It's just gonna take time.

However is he digging his own hole with some supporters Frequently he quotes us as the best side in the league, McNulty a 20+ man the best finisher at the club. Yet we've huffed and puffed our way through the 20 games so far. I'm yet to see us outclassed by anyone but I'm also yet to see us outclass anyone bar a freakish result at Luton and opening day win over Notts county. We've had wins we've been value for and defeats we've not done enough in or gifted through mistakes.
Goals ain't flowing like the rest of L2 clubs tho the goal returns have improved lately again but now we're not keeping the clean sheets which was always gonna happen in L2.

We're solid defensively but are stuttering in every other department. We're so close to being a force in L2 yet so far away.

How different and fluid would things of been in the attacking third had Andreu not been ruled out for the season. Guess we will never know....till maybe next season.

 

[NortonSkyBlue]

Its bad enough watching us play on ifollow and I doff my cap to the 6000. The football is simply dreadful,yesterday we were patently the much superior side yet we were there for the taking and when they strung any passes together Crawley scored a good goal and nearly got another.
We are short of confidence, it is like watching England, you know there are players who can do something but you dont see it in an England shirt. We have experience, we have youth, we have a manager who knows the lower leagues yet we are rabbits in the headlights. Fear seems to run through the blood.

 

[stevefloyd]

Trouble is he is in a difficult position he has over a month to play with this squad if he comes out saying they are shit and names players they ain't gonna bust a gut for him not that they seem like they are now, lets just hope come January we see some move on and Shitsu back their man

 

[steve82]

Trouble is he is in a difficult position he has over a month to play with this squad if he comes out saying they are shit and names players they ain't gonna bust a gut for him not that they seem like they are now, lets just hope come January we see some move on and Shitsu back their man

I don't see who you can shift on tho, this is his and TW squad that they hand picked. It's only Kyle Reid who's due back in January and Jordan Turnbull who's on a season long loan who they really inherited that's possibly surplus with Kwame Thomas who can only leave for Sutton or Solihull.
Ben Stevenson and JJ are the only other two who they didn't offer a deal to in the summer.

The rest is there players or players they choose to offer new deals to. If your hoping to shift out Beavon or vincenti I think you could be disappointed. There both only 6 months into new 2 year deals.

Since MR came back he's signed 13 new players, 6 renewed contracts, 2 extended contracts, and 5 players who he's inherited excluding academy players promoted.

 

[Otis]

I have never seen the amount of time wasting before that I have seen this season. Football should be about chances, shots and goals. It shouldn't be about watching the physio amble across the pitch simply to frustrate and waste a few more seconds. Football has to be better than that. Crawley were wasting time from the very start of the game.

Exactly! I have never ever witnessed that before. Seen teams time waste, but this was from about 8 mins into the game. It was quite astonishing really. They delayed everything. Every goal kick and throw in and also complained about every challenge. Their centre back must have tried to get Beavon booked a least 6 times with his constant protestations to the ref. The ref did warn him, but he really should have been booked. The physio ambling out was just ridiculous. You can only assume he knew the player was not at all injured and was just feigning.

Have never ever seen a team set out to time waste almost from the first very whistle.

I hate it and I'm sure loads of others hated it and it's killing the game and hand on heart, if City played like that I wouldn't go. Completely against the spirit of the game. Awful stuff and all that is wrong in football right there.

 

[Otis]

And he has had to try and assemble a complete new team in a short period of time, I guess on reflection and given the circumstances he has done well so far. We as Cov fans are maybe demanding too much because of all the shite we have gone through and maybe the phoenix is just starting to wake up instead of rising atm, quality teams take time to put together without money, I would hazard a guess Robins will know he has made mistakes and got some duds, McNulty is not the out and out striker we were desperate for but maybe if he can find someone in January and they are willing to come maybe we will see a different McNulty after Christmas. Andreus injury has left us woefully short in midfield and possibly a young prem starlet could come in but I would rather see an older head in midfield but I do agree Robins should be questioned about our awful displays at home, perhaps he has been already who knows!

Agree on McNulty. His all round play was good yesterday and he did finally get the goal, but so many times he was in great positions and failed to shoot. He really seemed to lack that killer goalscoring instinct until the goal and he needs to be braver going in on the keeper too. That's twice I have seen him do that, bear down on the keeper but then lack the conviction to beat the keeper.

He is not the goalscorer Robins has made him out to be. We have chalk and cheese at the moment. Nazon who seemingly just wants to shoot from here there and everywhere when there are better options on and McNulty who often doesn't want to shoot at all.

 

[stevefloyd]

McNulty has crept to 6 goals which would be great if his strike partner had scored 10 or 12 and we were dominating teams but as yet although looking the best team at times we only have a short period of dominating but usually not scoring in these times... damn frustrating so we as fans will always find a scapegoat

 

[Otis]

Don't think it is justified at any time. I hate it when we do it to. The only way to stamp it out is if referees add all of the time wasted back on. Today's two minutes in the first half and six in the second was no compensation for what Crawley did. First time I have seen that from the physio though.

The most annoying thing is this could all be stamped out within one fell swoop. Very, very simple.

Connect and link the ref's watch to the scoreboard. Every time the ball goes out of play the ref stops his watch. Every single player on the pitch will see the watch has stopped and realise it is pointless time wasting. Every fan in the ground will see that time has stopped and that time wasting is pointless.

Every time there is an injury or substitution it would be the same thing. Clock stops and everyone can see it has stopped and that it is futile having a player leave the pitch at a snails pace or having a physio amble on, on a leisurely stroll. Every single piece of time wasting would be pointless in terms of trying to see the game out.

Added to that it would be easy to put a time limit on how long you have to take a throw in, or free kick, or goal kick. Make it the ball boys job to get the ball back to the player or keeper as quick as they can and as soon as the keeper or throw in taker has the ball, the timer starts.

Have to say, I thoroughly hate this league. So many teams not trying to win. It makes for a total lack of entertainment.

 

[stevefloyd]

Its not a sport where winning is the goal (excuse the pun) but not losing at any cost is the ultimate target maybe 4 points for a win may change it

 

[Adge]

The most annoying thing is this could all be stamped out within one fell swoop. Very, very simple.

Connect and link the ref's watch to the scoreboard. Every time the ball goes out of play the ref stops his watch. Every single player on the pitch will see the watch has stopped and realise it is pointless time wasting. Every fan in the ground will see that time has stopped and that time wasting is pointless.

Every time there is an injury or substitution it would be the same thing. Clock stops and everyone can see it has stopped and that it is futile having a player leave the pitch at a snails pace or having a physio amble on, on a leisurely stroll. Every single piece of time wasting would be pointless in terms of trying to see the game out.

Added to that it would be easy to put a time limit on how long you have to take a throw in, or free kick, or goal kick. Make it the ball boys job to get the ball back to the player or keeper as quick as they can and as soon as the keeper or throw in taker has the ball, the timer starts.

Have to say, I thoroughly hate this league. So many teams not trying to win. It makes for a total lack of entertainment.

Just for info-when the ball goes out of play is part of the game. No need for time added on for that.