• Nigel Adkins has been given the Tranmere job on a permanent basis signing until the end of the 25/26 season. Continue the discussion here.

Coventry 1 Rovers 0

Boz

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Iain Hume
Bad result, which puts the pressure on for the Brentford game. Ronnie switched to 433, as I'd suggested, but wasn't expecting Robinson to be 'rested'. It sounds like Coventry could have been out of sight first half, a Daniels error contributing to their goal. The 2nd half was closer, with some decent chances for Rovers.

Anyone go?
 
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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Just got back. For the first time this season I think Ronnie got the tactics and team selection badly wrong in the first half tonight and it cost us the game. We played a negative, regressive 4-5-1 featuring Danny Harrison and put in a disjointed, shapeless display in the fist 45. I can understand the decision to rest Robbo, but leaving both him and McGurk out was too much and we really struggled to string two passes together in midfield.

When we switched to a 4-4-2 after the break we had them on the rack for 25-30 minutes, and Joe Murphy effectively won them the game with a couple of brilliant saves, particularly one at point blank range from a Zoum header. But this was an opportunity missed as Coventry are a beatable side who we showed too much respect to in the first half. Had we played 4-4-2 and looked to impose ourselves on the game from the start this was a match we could easily have won.

Daniels did not seem to be particularly at fault for their goal which came from a corner (again), it was more a case of a collectively poor display in the first half and Coventry could indeed have been 2 or 3 up at half time. Akpro was too isolated up front, neither Amoo or O'Halloran looked particularly comfortable in the wide roles and we simply did not half enough players in midfield who could put their foot on the ball and retain possession; we kept giving the ball away and inviting pressure.

The one positive is that we did not capitulate and showed our customary fighting spirit in the second half, but we definitely threw points away with our 'experiment' in the first 45.

Almost hoping that the whole League One programme gets wiped out by the weather at the weekend to allow us to start again at Prenton Park in ten days.
 

SonkORLY?

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Eddy Sonko
stupid team selection and formation
 

Ian

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Aldo
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Disappointing result, and apart from an awful first 45 minutes, we really should have been walking away with a point if it wasn't for some poor finishing and good goalkeeping from Murphy.

Really don't understand why you would play Harrison leaving Robbo out and to some extent McGurk. I hope O'Halloran is dropped as I don't think he brings anything to the side. We have enough pace in there.

I thought Ronnie's tactics were too defensive from the start and we were always going to struggle with that selection and tactic.

If your top, go out and show teams what you can do. Hurt them. We didn't do that tonight.

But.. We've had a great run over Xmas and sometimes you just have to admit defeat and move on.

Hoping for a more attacking performance against Brentford.


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Goodison
Really don't understand why you would play Harrison

I don't think you need to add anything else to that:cold: Rather than playing O'Hallloran wide, I would have either put McGurk on the left side or if he's carrying some kind of injury - push Zoom further up or give Kirby a game (I've no idea if he's any good, but Ronnie keeps going on about him, so I don't see why he doesn't play him).
 

Gray

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Well, I went last night, my only 'home' game of the season. It was bloody freezing.

We were truely dreadful first half and completely outclassed in midfield, having said that, I don't think Cov battered us and their goal was a bit scrappy to be fair.

Second half we were like a different team, closed down earlier, held the ball up better and got it out wide. We did enough to warrant a draw, how we've not scored at the end I'll never know. McGurks free kick right at the end was one of the worst I've ever seen, having said that, the Cov wall was probably only about 7 yards away.

Our better players were not on form, Zoom didn't see enough of the ball, and Danny Holmes was beaten far too easily, Palmer was ineffective. We can play better than that.

Without Wallace and Cassidy and with JLAA lacking games we only look like a mid-table side. I'm still confident that if we can get anywhere near our form at the start of the season we can go up automatically.

Unfortunately I'm now having to take a lot of stick from my mates in Cov who all stayed at home last night watching the updates on Sky :evil:

One final note, the Cov City programme is one of the best I've read in a while. Lots of info about the Rovers and an interview with Steve Jennings!
 
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Without Wallace and Cassidy and with JLAA lacking games we only look like a mid-table side.

Not sure I agree really. Coventry are above average at this level and in the second half last night we battered them.

There is no lack of ability in our squad as it stands, we just need to make sure we have enough of our best players on the pitch and don't play square pegs in round holes. The formation in the first half did not give the players the opportunity to show the ability they undoubtedly have.

I agree that we are capable of automatic promotion and, yes, it was bloody freezing last night. Probably the coldest I have ever been at a football match.
 

Boz

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Iain Hume
Interesting what those who were there say. I'd heard defensively we were below par and disorganised and that Danny Harrison, accepting his limitations, was by no means the worst player on the park.
 
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In the first half we defended poorly as a team with the midfield giving no protection to the back four, rather than defenders individually having poor games. I actually thought Ash Taylor was immense again and I would not particularly blame Daniels for the defeat, although he looked his usual rocky self.

Theoretically Harrison should have been mopping up in front of the back line but he did not do this very well at all and I thought he had a very poor game with and without the ball. If he was given the job of marking McSheffrey he certainly was not successful as he and Baker ran the game in the first half. Unfortunately, I just don't think he is good enough to play in a promotion chasing side.
 
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Goodison
I Danny Harrison, accepting his limitations, was by no means the worst player on the park.

I think the problem with Harrison is not neccasarily his ability, it's his presence on the pitch that leads to a more negative playing style, where the midfield sits deeper and doesn't push on, allowing the opposition to gain the upper hand.
 

SonkORLY?

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Eddy Sonko
Yeah as above. The inclusion of a technically-limited defensive midfielder at the expense of a forward player was more contentious in itself than the fact it happened to be Danny Harrison who filled that role.
 
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