Let's talk about the Coventry City game

[selby]

  After a great game of football but a disappointing couple of results in two home games we enter a period of five away games in six matches culminating in the away game at Barnsley.
  Two of the away games are in the two cup competitions, and are both must win games, the three away league fixtures away to Coventry, Charlton and Barnsley.
  The most important period of the season, with a promising season in danger of falling apart, with suspensions also taking a part in proceedings
  Coventry are now into their stride and are looking as though they will be a team to be reckoned with at this level, and after their trouble off the field have done well to at last start to recover.
  With the suspensions looming our squad strength is about to be severely tested, an our cover in certain positions looks sketchy, so a difficult time with lots of pressure on the club to maintain progress.
   The one thing in our favour is the way we have played although not getting the results we probably have deserved, so the players coming in will now have a chance to prove their worth.
  A difficult period, can we raise to the challenge ahead?
   What do you see the team being?
   Are you worried the season is in danger of falling apart?
   Is our squad strong enough for the challenge ahead?
   And one to discuss,Are Kane and Coppinger the most fouled against two players in this division?they must be in the top few, especially Kane.

[The Red Baron]

I think Blair will play RB, Tom Anderson CB and Crawford in midfield. I also wonder if Copps will be on the bench after two tough games, although if Saturday's game is played at a slower tempo he might be ok.

I think Tommy Rowe is not far off being in the squad.

[Alan Southstand]

IMHO, I think we are becoming a tad predictable. The manager sticks to his 4-3-3 religiously and the opposition now know exactly what to expect.

[bedale rover]

IMHO, I think we are becoming a tad predictable. The manager sticks to his 4-3-3 religiously and the opposition now know exactly what to expect.

Just like all the other managers stick religiously to 4-4-2?

It's not about the system it's about knowing your job and covering for team mates

[Donnywolf]

How are we looking Yellow Card wise and injury wise (a bit early on that front of course)

I just wondered as we picked up several Yellows last night and there was enough Clog to fill a Dutch shoe shop

I just wondered with TRB favouring Anderson over Joe Wright - so I wondered if the latter was in either of those categories ?

[selby]

  Alan, There has been nothing wrong with the system in the last three games, we have created enough chances in each game, some of them really easy chances to have won the games, and that includes the Fleetwood game, where we never put them under scoring pressure to make them alter their game.
  It is the quality of the finishing that has let us down, and a little luck in both areas with the run of the ball, Sunderlands goal last night being an example of things breaking against us.
  Both our strikers had excellent games last night, they worked hard, put their defenders under pressure, beat them on the run, and won flick ons, in front of goal they were not as good.
 

[NickDRFC]

How are we looking Yellow Card wise and injury wise (a bit early on that front of course)

I just wondered as we picked up several Yellows last night and there was enough Clog to fill a Dutch shoe shop

I just wondered with TRB favouring Anderson over Joe Wright - so I wondered if the latter was in either of those categories ?

Butler & Mason are suspended.

[The Red Baron]

How are we looking Yellow Card wise and injury wise (a bit early on that front of course)

I just wondered as we picked up several Yellows last night and there was enough Clog to fill a Dutch shoe shop

I just wondered with TRB favouring Anderson over Joe Wright - so I wondered if the latter was in either of those categories ?

See other thread for card news.

https://www.drfc-vsc.co.uk/index.php?topic=267694.msg810877#msg810877

[GazLaz]

IMHO, I think we are becoming a tad predictable. The manager sticks to his 4-3-3 religiously and the opposition now know exactly what to expect.

Just like all the other managers stick religiously to 4-4-2?

It's not about the system it's about knowing your job and covering for team mates

Coppinger spends more time in the hole than our wide. We end up looking like we have a diamond in midfield more often than a 433.

[RedJ]

IMHO, I think we are becoming a tad predictable. The manager sticks to his 4-3-3 religiously and the opposition now know exactly what to expect.

Just like all the other managers stick religiously to 4-4-2?

It's not about the system it's about knowing your job and covering for team mates

Coppinger spends more time in the hole than our wide. We end up looking like we have a diamond in midfield more often than a 433.

Lucky Coppinger...

[Donnywolf]

Have we sold our 660 initial allocation yet ?

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Going to be interesting to see who he selects at right back. Anderson will come in for Butler no doubt.

I suspect Blair will be asked to do the job at right back so that will leave room for Crawford to come into midfield.

Coventry are gaining momentum so it will be a very tough game but we must take the intensity and tempo with us or come back empty handed.

[Chris Black come back]

Their home record in the league is on paper not great.

Played 7 at home this season. Won 3 (and two of these were against shitty Plymouth and Wycombe by only 1-0 each) and lost 3, drawing one.

If you dig a bit deeper though they have beaten the Dingles, drew 1-1 with Sunderland and only lost 0-1 to Portsmouth. They have only conceded more than 1 goal on a single occasion, that being the opening day of the season. Very tight at the back at home.

[selby]

  The makeup of the squad today could be an indication of any movements of players in or out in January.
  With the season 3 months old, and the number of games played, any player not getting in there on a regular basis could be moved on to make room for Grant to bring in his own signings if possible. Certainly there are a few fringe players who have contributed very little to the season so far.
 

[ravenrover]

Wrap up warm today people, just woke up to the 1st snow shower down here in Nottingham

[The Mighty Brian Rowe]

Just heard a Cov fan saying they've been practicing set pieces all week and they think they'll score from one. Obviously been doing their homework.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[Barmby Rover]

The team sheet suggests Crawford as full back, I would be surprised if it were not Blair, but is it possible?

[since-1969]

Talking to a steward, home dressing room out of bounds so Coventry are forced to use the away room as Wasp rugby are laying down new rules as both parties still I dispute , so not sure where Rovers got changed.

[selby]

  Another game where I came out of the ground feeling we didn't do enough to actually win, although we did deserve to come away with something.
    Again little things conspired against us, their first goal having a huge bearing on the result an iffy refereeing decision, then a lino who let the free kick to be moved for a better angle of delivery, and then a headed clearance blasted in past all the bodies giving our keeper no chance. The second Coppinger allowing their player to work space on the edge of the box, and a goal from a shot outside the box, something apart from Wilks in the early season we don't do.
    So we gave them a two goal start, our mid field passing very sloppy and they just sat back with men between us and our goal, and waited for us to make mistakes
   After our goal we played much better the substitutes making a difference, and Blair playing where he is better further forward. But again that thing called a little luck deserted us when we could do with it, and with little time left a Marquis stab at goal was booted off the line, frustrating again because you have the repeated feeling we lost to a team who are not as good as us, just more organised.
   On to the next game, all difficult at the moment, but we are decent and are capable of turning the corner.

[ravenrover]

You've commented about the iffy decision and the placing of the ball on another thread, my take on it was that Andrew made a clear hand off on the chest of their player, something we see many times in every game and usually nothing given . He went down very easily as he did at other times but the incident was in front of the lino and the ref had a clear view. As for the positioning of the ball the player tried to scuff the foam mark away to let him place it better but maybe the lino had a word because he ended up putting just in front of the foam. 2 different opinions and neither definitely correct but that's what opinions are all about

[NickDRFC]

For me it doesn't really matter if the free kick was deserve or not - it was still a free kick that we needed to defend, and we didn't do it well enough.

[selby]

  RR, their player stepped over the ball, inviting the foul and was on his way down backwards before contact. It was directly in front of the lino, 5 yards in from the touchline and 5 yards from the goal line, the referee was 30 yards up field, refereeing on the diagonal as he should.
   He was met on the way to the incident by two complaining  Coventry players, and after words marked where he was stood, .twelve yards infield from the goal line, allowing a left footed inswinging free kick.
 Poor refereeing and good gamesmanship, yes we disagree.