Back from the Game - Coventry City

[handbags_harris]

All a bit too easy first half really. They received an absolute pasting, and could easily have been on the back end of a hiding akin to Luton's against Hayes & Yeading. Three flattered them. Thoroughly impressive display of attacking football with the Coventry full backs having absolutely no answer to Kebe and McAnuff. The tone was set when Kebe first got the ball, rinsed the defender for pace and the defender just wiped Kebe out - you didn't see our players going nuts at the defender as a result like Morrison though did we.

Second half they looked better, although not much. It was merely a containment exercise more than anything for them, and although I'm disappointed to not have won by more, I'm happy to keep a clean sheet. I thought that the referee was in danger of losing control of what appeared to be a very easy match to officiate in, and I'd be interested to read people's views on the Gunnarsson challenge on Bertrand. Then cue Morrison's absolutely atrocious reaction to Mills taking out their attacker, the man really is a first class tool. There is absolutely NO excuse for behaviour like that on a football pitch. Yes, he's annoyed that Mills did what he did, but to go charging in like that is just out of order. It's worse than some of my behaviour on a football pitch!

And to mention a discussion between myself and floyd at half time - those people saying that Rodgers's football was entertaining, I beg to differ. The first half today was entertaining football, pacey, direct, skilful, intense, thoroughly enjoyable to watch. But if people want to watch plod-plod football with the ball being passed casually around the back four and midfield, that's up to them

[Plymouth_Royal]

Well, we won, but it wasnt great. Coventry were by far one of the worst teams I have ever seen and yet we seemed to be
a little slow to deal with the long ball over the top. But that aside, first half there was some great link up play down the left with
berti and jobi. Kebe was untouchable down the right and the midfield sprayed the ball about nicely.

Second half, Coventry got the hair dryer treatment and the game turned into a scrappy affair with no real quality. The highlights of
the half was bertrand falling over taking a throw and morrison throwing his toys out the pram.

Ratings

Fed 6 - Didn't have a lot to do but when he was called upon he showed just why he's such a good keeper.

GRiffin 7 - got stuck in, made a couple of great interceptions. solid.
Khizinashvili - 6 - Solid but was a bit lightweight and struggled with a few long balls
Mills 6 - distribution was poor, but won some strong headers and challenges. could have been off second half if we were the away team IMO.
Berti 7 - played well, dangerous going forward, good strong challenges and looked solid.

Jobi 7 - good wing play linking up with berti and was a real thorn in there side.
Karacan 6 - expecting some mixed views here. I personally thought he was ok. He put himself about, kept it simple and played one hell of through ball first half that set McAnuff off down the left. He did get a knock second half that led to 10 mins of some woeful passing and subsequently went off.
Tabb 7 - Again, kept it simple, won some good challenges and looked solid.
KEBE 8 - Amazing.

Church 7 - some great touches, good hold up play and nice pen
Rasiak 6 - Although he scored, he didn't look particularly dangerous and can't seem to jump! tried too many flicks that went horribly wrong too. But generally good hold up play

Subs

Gunnarsson 7 - looked good when he came on, reliable and composed
Bignall 6 - lots of pace, no end product.
HRK - not enough time to make an impact but put in a good cross and was unfairly booked for a challenge.

Officails 2- shocking decisions for both sides. Also the linesman had a absolute nightmare!

[Plymouth_Royal]

All a bit too easy first half really. They received an absolute pasting, and could easily have been on the back end of a hiding akin to Luton's against Hayes & Yeading. Three flattered them. Thoroughly impressive display of attacking football with the Coventry full backs having absolutely no answer to Kebe and McAnuff. The tone was set when Kebe first got the ball, rinsed the defender for pace and the defender just wiped Kebe out - you didn't see our players going nuts at the defender as a result like Morrison though did we.

Second half they looked better, although not much. It was merely a containment exercise more than anything for them, and although I'm disappointed to not have won by more, I'm happy to keep a clean sheet. I thought that the referee was in danger of losing control of what appeared to be a very easy match to officiate in, and I'd be interested to read people's views on the Gunnarsson challenge on Bertrand. Then cue Morrison's absolutely atrocious reaction to Mills taking out their attacker, the man really is a first class tool. There is absolutely NO excuse for behaviour like that on a football pitch. Yes, he's annoyed that Mills did what he did, but to go charging in like that is just out of order. It's worse than some of my behaviour on a football pitch!

And to mention a discussion between myself and floyd at half time - those people saying that Rodgers's football was entertaining, I beg to differ. The first half today was entertaining football, pacey, direct, skilful, intense, thoroughly enjoyable to watch. But if people want to watch plod-plod football with the ball being passed casually around the back four and midfield, that's up to them

Was sitting right in the corner of the west stand and saw the challenge. Bertrand won the ball and the other guy went overthe top. I think the coventry player was looking for a bit of revenge and should have gone off. (Looked a lot worse than mills' challenge)

[S09Royal]

This game was highly enjoyable - in the first half!
We played brilliantly and were unlucky not to have scored more. Saying that, Kebe's goal was lucky - taking a deflection but then someone else took a shot (can't remember who) which was going in if it wasn't for the wind.
Something must've been said to the Ref by Coventry manager, Chris Coleman because everytime a player fell to the ground the ref would award a free kick in the 2nd half. If the same thing happend to Reading, he'd allow play to go on. What was with that City player jumping over one of our players and the dire ref giving a free kick to City?
This ref was a bizaree one to say the least. Awarding everything to us in the 1st half then seemingly going against in the 2nd half by the stop start play.
Overall a good performance from the Royals, average from City and dire from the Ref!

[Royal Lady]

Another fantastic performance from the boys in the first half. Petered out in the second, but I rather expected that tbh.

Kebe and McAnuff were immense today, but once again, I couldn't pick out a single player as MOTM as they all played their parts yet again.

As for the Mills "incident" - my first thoughts were that he made sure he got the ball out of play because one of our players was down after a challenge that was ignored by the ref and that poxy assistant ref further back up the pitch.

Morrison should have gone for his reaction.

Tough matches coming up, but the players must surely feel that they have more than a good chance against both Cardiff and Newcastle - their confidence must be sky high.

Well done again lads and well done Brian.

[West_Reading]

Got home about half an hour ago.

Great first half performance and the game was pretty much over by half time. We should have been about 5-0 up. McAnuff and Kebe were oustanding in the first half as well as Church and Bertrand. Their right back, Wrightm got roasted at least six times in the first half and all three goals came down our left. Second half was predictably going to pan out as it did, as Coleman would have obviously had a few words to say to his team. They didn't create anything of note though, with Mills, Griffin and Khiza all being dominant. Karacan and Tabb both looked dominant in midfield with great energy and Karacan looked much better on the ball than i've previously seen him. Tabb was everywhere and rarely gave the ball away.

A quick word on the ref, he loved the sound of his own whistle. He looked like one of those army drill sargeants and I lost count how many times he blew for a foul on genuine 50/50s.

Fed - 7 - Solid, nothing to do really. Good handling and one genuine save.
Griffin - 8 - Solid as usual, didn't give an inch.
Mills - 8 - Really stood out in the second half and loved it when he took out their left winger when Khiza was down.
Khiza - 8 - Let thr ball bounce a couple of times in the first half but other than that didn't put a foot wrong. Great partnership developing with Mills.
Bertrand - 9 - Awesome today, both defensively and going forward. Great link up with Mcanuff for the pen. MOTM.
Kebe - 8 - Great goal and skinned their left back at will in the first half.
Karacan - 7 - Great energy and broke up and blocked so many attacks. Good to see him back/
Tabb - 8 - Stood out head and shoulders above all the central midfield players today with his play. Keeps it beautifully simple.
McAnuff - 9 - Just pipped to MOTM by Bertrand but at times he was unplayable today in especially in the first half.
Church - 8 - Really great hold up play, great wing play a few times on the left, especially for Kebe's goal. Good penalty.
Rasuak - 7 - He was a nuisance but thought he went down to easily at times though. I like him though and he offers a good foil for whoever he plays up top with.

Subs -

Bryn - 7 - Came and shored up midfield when it was needed.
Bignall - 6 - Great pace, looked too eager at times but that's a good thing when you're 3-0 up.
HRK - 6 - Another one I really like, didn't get much chance to impress. But a good cross for Church at the end on his left foot.

[handbags_harris]

Just thought I'd add this to the mix:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 595451.stm

1) Rasiak volleying home the opener? I thought it came off his backside from a Karacan shot

2) Church sending the 'keeper the wrong way? The 'keeper got hands to it

3) Saving the best until last - only two shots on target?

[RoyalBlue]

All a bit too easy first half really. They received an absolute pasting, and could easily have been on the back end of a hiding akin to Luton's against Hayes & Yeading. Three flattered them. Thoroughly impressive display of attacking football with the Coventry full backs having absolutely no answer to Kebe and McAnuff. The tone was set when Kebe first got the ball, rinsed the defender for pace and the defender just wiped Kebe out - you didn't see our players going nuts at the defender as a result like Morrison though did we.

Second half they looked better, although not much. It was merely a containment exercise more than anything for them, and although I'm disappointed to not have won by more, I'm happy to keep a clean sheet. I thought that the referee was in danger of losing control of what appeared to be a very easy match to officiate in, and I'd be interested to read people's views on the Gunnarsson challenge on Bertrand. Then cue Morrison's absolutely atrocious reaction to Mills taking out their attacker, the man really is a first class tool. There is absolutely NO excuse for behaviour like that on a football pitch. Yes, he's annoyed that Mills did what he did, but to go charging in like that is just out of order. It's worse than some of my behaviour on a football pitch!

And to mention a discussion between myself and floyd at half time - those people saying that Rodgers's football was entertaining, I beg to differ. The first half today was entertaining football, pacey, direct, skilful, intense, thoroughly enjoyable to watch. But if people want to watch plod-plod football with the ball being passed casually around the back four and midfield, that's up to them

Was sitting right in the corner of the west stand and saw the challenge. Bertrand won the ball and the other guy went overthe top. I think the coventry player was looking for a bit of revenge and should have gone off. (Looked a lot worse than mills' challenge)

Funnily enough, from where I was sat in the East Stand it all looked the other way around. I thought Bertrand had caught their player really badly and was waiting for the ref to dish out a red to him. Wsas very surprised when he issued the yellow to their man. I suspect many in the East Stand got a similar misleading view of the incident because there weren't many chanting for action against the Coventry player!

Robson Kanu's challenge on their defender looked nasty, studs going into the guy's standing leg some way off the ground.

Just thought I'd add this to the mix:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 595451.stm

1) Rasiak volleying home the opener? I thought it came off his backside from a Karacan shot

2) Church sending the 'keeper the wrong way? The 'keeper got hands to it

3) Saving the best until last - only two shots on target?

And only four shots off target!

Not to mention the fact that Rasiak's volleyed goal came after Tabb started the attack down the right!

[West_Reading]

Just seen the other thread. That'll teach me to answer my phone before I complete my post.

[ZacNaloen]

^ Robson-Kanu put his foot up to block the ball and the follow through went into his studs. It hurts but there is nothing "nasty" in it.

[brendywendy]

And to mention a discussion between myself and floyd at half time - those people saying that Rodgers's football was entertaining, I beg to differ. The first half today was entertaining football, pacey, direct, skilful, intense, thoroughly enjoyable to watch. But if people want to watch plod-plod football with the ball being passed casually around the back four and midfield, that's up to them

amen.
i was truly depressed at the thought of a few seasons of that kind of football.
this is much much better to watch

[Pablo]

Just thought I'd add this to the mix:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 595451.stm

1) Rasiak volleying home the opener? I thought it came off his backside from a Karacan shot

2) Church sending the 'keeper the wrong way? The 'keeper got hands to it

3) Saving the best until last - only two shots on target?

And Sigurdsson coming on for Rasiak!!!

[Millsy]

Good post thanks.

But I could've sworn I've already seen this thread today.

But then it is a special day afterall.

[brendywendy]

fed 7 - nowt to do but pulled off a great save at the start of the second half

griff 7 - the man is awesome, just so composed, and great positioning means hes always in the right place
mills 8 - captain next season please.despite the rash team fouls.
kish 7 - composed and dealt well with everything in the air and on the deck
berti 7 - good going forward and back, won pen.

kebe 8 - another stellar performance of pace and twickewy .loved the switching between him and mcanuff
macanuff 7 - more good stuff from him, works hard, and creates plenty
karacan 7 ran his socks off, had a hand in the first goal
tabb 7 another potential captain, a great volley almost into the top corner with the keeper off his line from the corner of the box

rasiak 7 - scored (just), and could have had 6 if he could shoot properly, won a fair few flick ons
church 7 - scored the pen, and played well, great pace and work rate


if only we could keep our loanees, we would only need a striker next year and well be unstoppable

[Basingstoke Royal]

Excellent play from our wingers in the first half. Disappointed with both forwards but at least long and sig will be back next game.

Fed - 6 did everything he had to do
Griff - 7 solid as a rock
mills - 8 captains performance, well done for ignoring Morrison
kish - 7 professional job on Morrison
bertie - 8 linked up well with kobo
kebe - 9 unplayable first half
tabb - 8 controlled the midfield
karacan - 7 battling tenacious display
mcanuff - 8 excellent runs needs to score
church - 4 someone teach him the offside rule
rasiak - 3 weak and wandering like a headless chicken

[Ian Royal]

Just thought I'd add this to the mix:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 595451.stm

1) Rasiak volleying home the opener? I thought it came off his backside from a Karacan shot

2) Church sending the 'keeper the wrong way? The 'keeper got hands to it

3) Saving the best until last - only two shots on target?

I'm convinced they don't include penalties as shots. But equally they might not include deflections as shots. Didn't we have one cleared off the line early on as well?

[rg6royal]

Good result and first half performance.

Their defence was a shambles tbh but lets not take anything away from Kebe and McAnuff's performance as they were both superb.

[Royal Tezza]

Great performance, 2nd half utterly ruined by constant free kicks, Cov players whinging, handbags, and Clinton Morrison acting like a oxf*rd animal. I think the ball was in play for about 10 minutes that second half, which was probably a deliberate ploy by them as we probably would have continued the first half spanking otherwise. Really impressed by this set of players, their attitude and the their style of football

Why Morrison didn't get sent off is one thing, but why Coleman didnt take him off is another; he was wound up beyond belief, looked ready to snap again at any given moment, and had a dreadful game afterwards because of the ruckus.

[Focher]

Cov players whinging, handbags, and Clinton Morrison acting like a oxf*rd animal.

was he on the pitch again? that guy needs a banning order

[Rex]

Absolutely sweet first half which took them apart early. The game was pretty much closed off by then and the damage already down. The second half was damage limitation and trying to save face for Cov. They came back into it but with Bertrand, McAnuff, and Kebe running rife they never really stood a chance. Betrand persevering and winning that penalty again showed the confidence of the team. Some right cheeky touches coming into play.

Is Karacan taking the bragging rights for the first goal or Rasiak's backside!!

Mills' foul on Morrison was a real heart in mouth moment with Mills still waiting his appeal from Ipswich. A right crunching tackle but perhaps his reputation is going before him. How Morrison managed to stay on that pitch is amazing after he still wanted something made of it and screaming in Woolmers face.

Zero goal difference now but it could have been more. Cardiff will be interesting.