Match Thread Preston North End FC - Coventry City Match Thread - Saturday 4th Nov (4 Viewers)

[oscillatewildly]

On the train already. I’ve got a good feeling about today.

You've got to get there yet!

 

---

[rexo87]

Our head honcho ticket master (He sorts all group matters concerning travel) sent a text to everyone (a bit vague to be honest) about the return train being cancelled. I called him and it transpires it concerns one individual who wasn't on the original cheap booking he made for us all weeks ago who might be therefore in peril of being left behind (?)
I really don't know much more than that as he then said he was going into work for a couple of hours before picking everyone up.
I assume he is going to claim refunds for the cancellations but I also think he's jumping the gun a little.
Anyway, we'll be on the road in an hours time - no doubt soon to meet some kind of lengthy disruption and delay there as well.
I honestly thought the hardest part of today would be the team getting anything from the game. How wrong I was.
* We were originally travelling up on the 8.30 which was cancelled so were going to jump on the 7.27

Cheers mate. We are on the 9.30 from cov which seems to be ok at the moment. Bit worried about getting back given they seem to cancel trains whenever they want


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[clint van damme]

Our head honcho ticket master (He sorts all group matters concerning travel) sent a text to everyone (a bit vague to be honest) about the return train being cancelled. I called him and it transpires it concerns one individual who wasn't on the original cheap booking he made for us all weeks ago who might be therefore in peril of being left behind (?)
I really don't know much more than that as he then said he was going into work for a couple of hours before picking everyone up.
I assume he is going to claim refunds for the cancellations but I also think he's jumping the gun a little.
Anyway, we'll be on the road in an hours time - no doubt soon to meet some kind of lengthy disruption and delay there as well.
I honestly thought the hardest part of today would be the team getting anything from the game. How wrong I was.
* We were originally travelling up on the 8.30 which was cancelled so were going to jump on the 7.27

Our return trains been cancelled now. Still later trains available

 

[SkyBlueMatt]

On the train to Preston (not via Cov). Our train was cancelled so we had to get an earlier one.

Sent from my M2101K6G using Tapatalk

 

[torchomatic]

Fuck. What a shit day to travel. Fornto get my lad out of bed yet too.

Can't see it being a very good day today.

 

[procdoc]

When you’re on a bad run this is not the fixture we need. I’d take a draw just to stop the rot

 

[AFCCOVENTRY]

Horrible rainy miserable day. Good luck to the SBA travelling. All credit to you.

Can’t see us getting anything from the game today. Might be worth putting Simms in up front instead of Wright. If Wright is struggling to settle into the life in the UK, he’s going to enjoy our miserable weather…

 

[SkyBlueSoul]

Not feeling overly optimistic but I'll go for a 1-1 to at least stop the rot. Think we'll be unchanged, maybe Lats in for Thomas.

Mum's first time in the away end so hopefully we have something to cheer. We did Blackburn away last year but were in the home end with the family which was about as fun as you imagine when Wilson's goal went in...

 

[Earlsdon_Skyblue1]

The recruitment team have completely let down the club. They have not done their due diligence.

Who would have thought the director of football of St Albans City in the National League South wouldn’t have been able to handle a £20M transfer budget! If only there was a warning sign! The reality is, like all of us on this forum, the only experience Dean Austin has of working with budgets like that is on Football Manager. He’s got to be held accountable for the shocking Haji Wright and Kitching transfers.

We had a once in a lifetime opportunity to propel ourselves into being regular promotion contenders and we’ve put our faith in a washed up National League South director. I fell in love with the squad last season. This season I hate it. I hate all of the players we have spent money on. It’s irrational but I hate the sight of Wright, Simms and Thomas. They make me sick knowing how much we’ve wasted on them.

I’d make Austin pack his bags and get Badlan back in with velocity.

Still pining for Russel Slade to come back?! Isn’t the clown Austin enough punishment for you?!

So you don't think any of what's going on at the moment is down to the manager at all?

I'm not saying this recruitment team are good but asking for Badlan back is a joke. The bloke is a clown and got fired from Blackpool for leaking team news. What next, Andy Thorn back too?

 

[skybluecam]

Anyone got any early team news? I’m hoping we don’t change too much again.

 

[BlueSkiesForever]

Yes, but some of his superfans were still rating him higher than Eccles in that game, which just about says it all. There are genuinely some posters on here that have given him man of the match for every single game he has played. It is madness. Then there are those wanting us to play the box. Even put Sheaf in an attacking role despite the fact he blunts our attacks and cannot shoot. That means five defenders that will not score, plus four midfielders that also are unlikely to contribute. In reality, none of of our midfielders are really top of the division quality. Therefore with our strikers struggling to take off, they want to make it even worse by filling the team with goal shy players.

I really think Robins has run out of ideas, as much as I love him. It is starting to piss me off. You can blame a hangover from last season, but for me he is starting to run out of good will. Still nothing on this forum however. Completely batshit. I have seen barely any good alternative solutions. The box, play Sheaf further forward, play Sakamoto and COH behind one striker. It is like we are begging the team not to score.

I personally thought the box was better than playing 2 up top. Having 1 striker run around not doing much is currently better than 2 strikers run around both not doing much. We don’t create enough chances when we play 2 strikers, we seem to find it impossible to break through the oppositions defence that’s why I’m personally in favour of moving away from this weird 5-2-1-2 formation. Yes we’ve spent the money on 2 strikers but if it’s not working then there’s no point in continuing with it.

As for Saka and O’Hare, I think it’s good having them both higher up the pitch trying to create chances, exactly the sort of technical and tricky players we’ll need to break down defences.

I personally think we need to do away with 5 at the back completely and move to a 4, something that almost every successful top flight team does, you don’t see many quality 5ATB teams these days. If we set up defensively but still concede goals then what’s the point of having 5 defenders? I personally think it’s a mentality thing tbh, I know others completely disagree and say it’s a load of shit or whatever but I just don’t like the flatness and lack of confidence it brings, most of our games this season have been flat and I think a big shakeup is what we need if we continue to play in the manner that we do.

 

[Earlsdon_Skyblue1]

But we are creating enough good chances to win games. The formation is not the issue.

It is an issue.

From the team sheet in the last game, honestly tell me who on there is capable of scoring a goal? Creating chances means nothing if you cannot score them. With the midfield we have, playing five defenders and one striker is counter productive.

 

[Earlsdon_Skyblue1]

I personally thought the box was better than playing 2 up top. Having 1 striker run around not doing much is currently better than 2 strikers run around both not doing much. We don’t create enough chances when we play 2 strikers, we seem to find it impossible to break through the oppositions defence that’s why I’m personally in favour of moving away from this weird 5-2-1-2 formation. Yes we’ve spent the money on 2 strikers but if it’s not working then there’s no point in continuing with it.

As for Saka and O’Hare, I think it’s good having them both higher up the pitch trying to create chances, exactly the sort of technical and tricky players we’ll need to break down defences.

I personally think we need to do away with 5 at the back completely and move to a 4, something that almost every successful top flight team does, you don’t see many quality 5ATB teams these days. If we set up defensively but still concede goals then what’s the point of having 5 defenders? I personally think it’s a mentality thing tbh, I know others completely disagree and say it’s a load of shit or whatever but I just don’t like the flatness and lack of confidence it brings, most of our games this season have been flat and I think a big shakeup is what we need if we continue to play in the manner that we do.

Like I said in my last post, playing the box is a straight up admission that the recruitment hasn't worked. Look at the squad we have and honestly think who in there is capable of scoring a goal. Other than the strikers there is no one. Play one and if they have an off day you are looking at a Coventry City nil scoreline.

 

[skybluecam]

It is an issue.

From the team sheet in the last game, honestly tell me who on there is capable of scoring a goal? Creating chances means nothing if you cannot score them. With the midfield we have, playing five defenders and one striker is counter productive.

It’s a bit agricultural to just say more strikers = more goals.

 

[oscillatewildly]

Cheers mate. We are on the 9.30 from cov which seems to be ok at the moment. Bit worried about getting back given they seem to cancel trains whenever they want


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Now been fully debriefed - The 18.18 back from Preston has been cancelled (the last direct back to cov is 19.18 anything after will mean changing plus of course the overspill from the cancellation.)
The reason for our change in travel arrangements centres around my mates nephew (12 yrs old) joining us today and not wanting the risk of another cancellation coming back.

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

It is an issue.

From the team sheet in the last game, honestly tell me who on there is capable of scoring a goal? Creating chances means nothing if you cannot score them. With the midfield we have, playing five defenders and one striker is counter productive.

Jamie Allen on last seasons form but that’s probably amplifying your point!

 

[covcity4life]

@Saddlebrains heard any team news?

 

[Earlsdon_Skyblue1]

It’s a bit agricultural to just say more strikers = more goals.

Maybe, but tell me from our squad other than the strikers - who can actually score other than during a blue moon? There's no one, and I'm still yet to see anyone disagreeing with my point make a sound and reasoned counter-argument.

You're almost handing a win to the opposition lining up the way we have. They're looking at our team sheet and scratching their heads at who is an obvious threat.

Hopefully that'll change, but we have a very goal shy team. The manager needs to be trying to get more out of Simms, Wright, and Godden. They are the only players capable of regularly contributing to goals.

 

[pusbccfc]

Clubs that aren’t having shit seasons do tend to get better crowds full stop. More people are willing to pay to watch a team doing well, that’s nothing new.

Of course, unless you are the teams I noted above.

Although I say all this, Sunderland have failed to sell out Swansea today. 300 unsold tickets in an allocation of 2000.

 

[Earlsdon-Loyal-Blue]

So you don't think any of what's going on at the moment is down to the manager at all?

I'm not saying this recruitment team are good but asking for Badlan back is a joke. The bloke is a clown and got fired from Blackpool for leaking team news. What next, Andy Thorn back too?

And asking for Russel Spade back isn’t a joke?!

 

[Earlsdon-Loyal-Blue]

Horrible rainy miserable day. Good luck to the SBA travelling. All credit to you.

Can’t see us getting anything from the game today. Might be worth putting Simms in up front instead of Wright. If Wright is struggling to settle into the life in the UK, he’s going to enjoy our miserable weather…

Well said. Going games like today is why we’re top of the points lists for Leicester Away.

 

[SBT]

I'm not saying this recruitment team are good

You said multiple times that they were better than the last recruitment team, which bought in Gyokeres/Hamer etc as we rose up the divisions.

 

[Mill88]

Both teams are on a terrible run, got draw written all over it.

 

[Matt smith]

Anyone got any early team news? I’m hoping we don’t change too much again.

Weren’t you moaning at @Saddlebrains for leaking stuff now you want early team news leaked

 

[Covkid1968#]

It’s a nailed on win today people. I rarely get the feeling… but today, despite having man flu and drinking 6 pints of my new fave larger Cruz Campo …. I have a really strong gut feeling. It’s happening see you all later to comment on a cheeky 0-2 score line with HW scoring both. Come on you Sky Blue bastards!!

 

[skybluecam]

Anyone know what pubs they’re going to pre match?

 

[skybluecam]

Weren’t you moaning at @Saddlebrains for leaking stuff now you want early team news leaked

Wasn’t annoyed at him, more whoever his man on the inside is.

Plus team news is a bit different to leaking the shit dressing room

 

[Earlsdon_Skyblue1]

You said multiple times that they were better than the last recruitment team, which bought in Gyokeres/Hamer etc as we rose up the divisions.

You know both things can be true don't you?

I would be amazed if you actually got anything done on a daily basis. You must walk past the mirror in the morning and start arguing with it.

 

[SBT]

You know both things can be true don't you?

They can’t both be true, because the Robins-Badlan recruitment team was, by any metric, one of the most successful in the Football League. Are you still sticking by the argument that Dean Austin and co are better?

 

[Matt smith]

Wasn’t annoyed at him, more whoever his man on the inside is.

Plus team news is a bit different to leaking the shit dressing room

Yeah fair enough

 

[Earlsdon_Skyblue1]

And asking for Russel Spade back isn’t a joke?!

Unfairly dismissed IMO. Despite headgear modelled on Donald Trump, 'The clown in the cap' deserves a second chance should Robins go. The perfect person to steady the ship!

King: 'Hi Russell, we could do with your services".
Slade: "Sorry Douglas, I'm currently in the garden rebuilding a model of the Millennium Falcon out of tissue paper, but it keeps blowing away. I should be free in 2025".

 

[Earlsdon_Skyblue1]

They can’t both be true, because the Robins-Badlan recruitment team was, by any metric, one of the most successful in the Football League. Are you still sticking by the argument that Dean Austin and co are better?

Sure, whatever makes you happy.

 

[Nick]

Fair play to so many making the journey up north in this shit weather. Hopefully we will at least put on a performancer regardless.

Would be nice to break the curse!

 

[SBT]

Sure, whatever makes you happy.

Gyokeres, Hamer, McFadzean, £30 million in transfer profits, two promotions…..the list goes on.

 

[oscillatewildly]

Both teams are on a terrible run, got draw written all over it.

It has, but when's the last time you saw a bookies closed down due to poor trade?