BGTF Coventry

[Snowflake Royal]

Meh. I'm disappointed in the manner of the loss. Coventry played decently but were far from the best team we have played.

Rafael was very poor. Only made one save which was the one he parried straight into the path of an onrushing player.

Too many long, speculative shots from various players.

Lack of subs was odd. Waited very long to make a change. Aluko seems to lack a bit of quality for the final product. Didnt look like assisting or scoring apart from his free kick that was saved well.

If the team can respond well next week then it doesn't matter. Time to test the spirit of the team.

Seemed to me Velcro made some fairly obvious and reasonable choices.

Firstly, trust his team and how they play to tell eventually and not panic because we went a goal down. I see this as a very positive sign. His patience worked against Wycombe for example, loads were calling for Joao to be removed at HT and Puscas to come on. Joao won us the game.

And initially it worked against Coventry, we weren't playing well but we did create chances. And we scored in plenty of time to win. At around the time you'd be looking to make a change.

Once you score that goal, your sub plans go on hold. You expect that to lift the team and you've seen that it worked. Makes no sense to make the change then, especially as it would either be for the goalscorer or involve changing the shape of the team.

The problem is the players showed too much complacency and didn't have quite the legs.they often do. Even so, it took a combination of errors to concede the second goal, after which the change was quickly made.

Let's not forget that Cov scored again after that change anyway. Admittedly through what seems like a GK error.

There's too many people pushing sub and formation agendas wise after the fact.

Personally, I think this is a good result for our season. It shows we can't get too complacent. It doesn't really harm us. And it gives other teams looking at the last two scorelines some hope of scoring and beating us, which hopefully means more teams will come at us and play open games to win, at least for a little while.

Meite back next game hopefully, Ejaria shortly after with a bit of luck, then Moore and then maybe we start seeing some of Swift, Yiadom, Araruna and Holmes back too.

Just got to keep those points ticking over and not go on an extended bad run.

[South Coast Royal]

I haven't seen the manager's comments but another poster said that the manager was disappointed with the shielding in front of the back 4.

Before the Blackburn game when discussing how different we are from last season I said that I was pleased that we were no longer allowing the opposition to shoot from the edge of the box-for some years we have been allowing that to happen as well as not blocking crosses.
So up until last night we had done well in that area.
Last night unfortunately, despite having 5 in midfield, we did let it happen and paid the price-I think the manager will be ensuring that as far as possible it doesn't happen again.

I saw Coventry earlier in the season and thought they were ok until Hamer got sent off and then Bournemouth tore them to pieces.
Last night I thought some of our movement through midfield and often using Richards almost as a winger was good but then we lacked any physical presence in support of Joao.

Aluko wasn't terrible, it's just that he wasn't needed as a lightweight flitting between defence and attack(we already have Olise) whereas of course with Meite playing in that position he does offer much greater pace and strength even if he is less skillful than Aluko.

As others have said, we were due a defeat and it all depends on how we react in our next couple of games but I do hope we are firing again when we play the old enemy Bournemouth in 3 weeks' time.

[Snowflake Royal]

I haven't seen the manager's comments but another poster said that the manager was disappointed with the shielding in front of the back 4.

Before the Blackburn game when discussing how different we are from last season I said that I was pleased that we were no longer allowing the opposition to shoot from the edge of the box-for some years we have been allowing that to happen as well as not blocking crosses.
So up until last night we had done well in that area.
Last night unfortunately, despite having 5 in midfield, we did let it happen and paid the price-I think the manager will be ensuring that as far as possible it doesn't happen again.

I saw Coventry earlier in the season and thought they were ok until Hamer got sent off and then Bournemouth tore them to pieces.
Last night I thought some of our movement through midfield and often using Richards almost as a winger was good but then we lacked any physical presence in support of Joao.

Aluko wasn't terrible, it's just that he wasn't needed as a lightweight flitting between defence and attack(we already have Olise) whereas of course with Meite playing in that position he does offer much greater pace and strength even if he is less skillful than Aluko.

As others have said, we were due a defeat and it all depends on how we react in our next couple of games but I do hope we are firing again when we play the old enemy Bournemouth in 3 weeks' time.

Good post Vic

I think it's not to he underestimated how important it is to be able to vary our threat.

Semedo, Aluko and Olise are all quite similar, Ejaria as well, but slower at playing, then Swift too.

We've looked best when making the opposition have to deal with Meite's pace and power, combi ed with the guile and trickery of Olise / Ejaria / Semedo / Swift, the powerful running of Laurent and Rino, and Joao's sublime strength and skill.

Last night the long balls to switch it up were poorer quality and Joao was up against 3 CBs not 2. We missed Meite, Rino and Laurent didn't screen or burst forward as well and the tricky triumvirate were off their game and soft.

Saw Aluko and Olise give up on tracking players more than once, although did also see Olise busting a gut to get back several times too.

[RoyalBlue]

A lot of fingers pointing at Rafael and, to be fair, he seemed to put his hand up at the time in terms of responsibility for the third goal.

Personally I think it's a bit unfair to blame him for the second. It's not always possible to parry a shot out wide and few keepers would've opted to try to catch/hold much in the awful conditions last night with a swerving, wet ball.

It's interesting that Paunovic highlighted the fact that we'd allowed two goals to be scored from shots taken from outside the box last night. That is a stark contrast to how we'd been defending in the eight previous games and which had brought the team such great success. Our defensive play as a team last night was poor.

We'd been winning as a team up until then and last night we lost as a team. Of course, it's natural for people to want to rate individual players but that does risk moving focus away from the team ethic.

[URZZZZ]

I haven't seen the manager's comments but another poster said that the manager was disappointed with the shielding in front of the back 4.

Before the Blackburn game when discussing how different we are from last season I said that I was pleased that we were no longer allowing the opposition to shoot from the edge of the box-for some years we have been allowing that to happen as well as not blocking crosses.
So up until last night we had done well in that area.
Last night unfortunately, despite having 5 in midfield, we did let it happen and paid the price-I think the manager will be ensuring that as far as possible it doesn't happen again.

I saw Coventry earlier in the season and thought they were ok until Hamer got sent off and then Bournemouth tore them to pieces.
Last night I thought some of our movement through midfield and often using Richards almost as a winger was good but then we lacked any physical presence in support of Joao.

Aluko wasn't terrible, it's just that he wasn't needed as a lightweight flitting between defence and attack(we already have Olise) whereas of course with Meite playing in that position he does offer much greater pace and strength even if he is less skillful than Aluko.

As others have said, we were due a defeat and it all depends on how we react in our next couple of games but I do hope we are firing again when we play the old enemy Bournemouth in 3 weeks' time.

Agreed with most of that

But one thing I’d question. Did we actually let many more shots in last night than the average game? The first goal was a near perfect finish, straight through Moore’s legs and right into the corner. The second and third were both goalie errors

Whilst I don’t begrudge Coventry of their win last night as they played well, don’t think we had luck on our side yesterday

[Hound]

Defence was poor on the second as pointed out by MM

They all rushed out and left 2 or 3 unmarked. As he said, they should have just grabbed someone on the way make sure they didn’t get the rebound

[3points]

For me Rino and Laurent were a bit overrun in midfield by the Coventry three. They dropped in very deep or were covering wide as Aluko and Olise were inconsistent tracking back their wing backs. For me the problem with the first goal was that neither Olise nor Semedo had tracked back to close the space around Hamer. It wasn’t, for me, the fault of Rino nor Laurent who were both in our box iirc.

The second and third goals again we lacked a midfielder pressuring the ball. Just thought Laurent and Rino played slightly too deep, and then didn’t have one of the other three filling in the spaces.

Esteves’ crossing was abysmal btw. If that had been Gunter he’d have been chastised for it.

Bench was very weak last night. I assume Baldock is injured as well?

[Zip]

Defence was poor on the second as pointed out by MM

They all rushed out and left 2 or 3 unmarked. As he said, they should have just grabbed someone on the way make sure they didn’t get the rebound

Our midfield were also too slow to close down the shot from the short corner. If they are going to rush out it has to be as a unit but Esteves didn’t leaving their player onside.
We were also too slow to close down the player taking the shot for their third goal.
A mix of tiredness and complacency perhaps.

Would definitely take four points from the next two before the break.

[Jagermesiter1871]

The thing with Aluko is he isn't technically a bad footballer and he probably wasn't the worst yesterday but everything he does is so predictably the wrong thing. You can see him doing it from a mile off and are just thinking/shouting don't do that don't do that and then he does it and it doesn't work. Whether it's runs down blind alleys, passes and flicks that you can see the team mate isn't going to read or even the free kick, which was a very good hit but was always going to be too far out to hit with that kind of shot. He literally hit the shot as well as he could but it was the wrong thing to do and the keeper was always just going to collect it. Throw in the odd horror mis control and it culminates in him being extremely frustrating and the scapegoat. Not to mention the fee always being at the back of your mind. I'm sure somewhere there is a decent player in there and it probably is just confidence but for me we can't afford to be offering him a starting place to find it.

[Jagermesiter1871]

For me Rino and Laurent were a bit overrun in midfield by the Coventry three. They dropped in very deep or were covering wide as Aluko and Olise were inconsistent tracking back their wing backs. For me the problem with the first goal was that neither Olise nor Semedo had tracked back to close the space around Hamer. It wasn’t, for me, the fault of Rino nor Laurent who were both in our box iirc.

The second and third goals again we lacked a midfielder pressuring the ball. Just thought Laurent and Rino played slightly too deep, and then didn’t have one of the other three filling in the spaces.

Esteves’ crossing was abysmal btw. If that had been Gunter he’d have been chastised for it.

Bench was very weak last night. I assume Baldock is injured as well?

All completely spot on. Baldock is indeed injured expected back mid November.

[Jagermesiter1871]

I haven't seen the manager's comments but another poster said that the manager was disappointed with the shielding in front of the back 4.

Before the Blackburn game when discussing how different we are from last season I said that I was pleased that we were no longer allowing the opposition to shoot from the edge of the box-for some years we have been allowing that to happen as well as not blocking crosses.
So up until last night we had done well in that area.
Last night unfortunately, despite having 5 in midfield, we did let it happen and paid the price-I think the manager will be ensuring that as far as possible it doesn't happen again.

I saw Coventry earlier in the season and thought they were ok until Hamer got sent off and then Bournemouth tore them to pieces.
Last night I thought some of our movement through midfield and often using Richards almost as a winger was good but then we lacked any physical presence in support of Joao.

Aluko wasn't terrible, it's just that he wasn't needed as a lightweight flitting between defence and attack(we already have Olise) whereas of course with Meite playing in that position he does offer much greater pace and strength even if he is less skillful than Aluko.

As others have said, we were due a defeat and it all depends on how we react in our next couple of games but I do hope we are firing again when we play the old enemy Bournemouth in 3 weeks' time.

Agreed with most of that

But one thing I’d question. Did we actually let many more shots in last night than the average game? The first goal was a near perfect finish, straight through Moore’s legs and right into the corner. The second and third were both goalie errors

Whilst I don’t begrudge Coventry of their win last night as they played well, don’t think we had luck on our side yesterday

I just don't see how the 2nd and 3rd are goalie errors. If you let a player have that much space to hit a shot you really aren't giving him much of a chance to save it. He could perhaps have done better but to say an error is overstating by lot.

[SpaghettiHoop]

Esteves’ crossing was abysmal btw. If that had been Gunter he’d have been chastised for it.

Can't help thinking how alike Esteves and Gunter are - not attempting to take on the defender on the outside and just cutting inside or passing back.

[Zip]

For me Rino and Laurent were a bit overrun in midfield by the Coventry three. They dropped in very deep or were covering wide as Aluko and Olise were inconsistent tracking back their wing backs. For me the problem with the first goal was that neither Olise nor Semedo had tracked back to close the space around Hamer. It wasn’t, for me, the fault of Rino nor Laurent who were both in our box iirc.

The second and third goals again we lacked a midfielder pressuring the ball. Just thought Laurent and Rino played slightly too deep, and then didn’t have one of the other three filling in the spaces.

Esteves’ crossing was abysmal btw. If that had been Gunter he’d have been chastised for it.

Bench was very weak last night. I assume Baldock is injured as well?

Yeah good post. Esteves came cutting inside and or playing a safe ball.

[bcubed]

I haven't seen the manager's comments but another poster said that the manager was disappointed with the shielding in front of the back 4.

Before the Blackburn game when discussing how different we are from last season I said that I was pleased that we were no longer allowing the opposition to shoot from the edge of the box-for some years we have been allowing that to happen as well as not blocking crosses.
So up until last night we had done well in that area.
Last night unfortunately, despite having 5 in midfield, we did let it happen and paid the price-I think the manager will be ensuring that as far as possible it doesn't happen again.

I saw Coventry earlier in the season and thought they were ok until Hamer got sent off and then Bournemouth tore them to pieces.
Last night I thought some of our movement through midfield and often using Richards almost as a winger was good but then we lacked any physical presence in support of Joao.

Aluko wasn't terrible, it's just that he wasn't needed as a lightweight flitting between defence and attack(we already have Olise) whereas of course with Meite playing in that position he does offer much greater pace and strength even if he is less skillful than Aluko.

As others have said, we were due a defeat and it all depends on how we react in our next couple of games but I do hope we are firing again when we play the old enemy Bournemouth in 3 weeks' time.

Agreed with most of that

But one thing I’d question. Did we actually let many more shots in last night than the average game? The first goal was a near perfect finish, straight through Moore’s legs and right into the corner. The second and third were both goalie errors

Whilst I don’t begrudge Coventry of their win last night as they played well, don’t think we had luck on our side yesterday

I just don't see how the 2nd and 3rd are goalie errors. If you let a player have that much space to hit a shot you really aren't giving him much of a chance to save it. He could perhaps have done better but to say an error is overstating by lot.

2nd one he could have pushed it away from danger but it wasn’t easy.
3rd one was straight at him and I’m pretty sure he could have caught it. Instead as is the way these days he tried to fend it off.

So I’d say he was defo one at fault for one and maybe he could have done a bit better for the second

[Hound]

Could have done a bit better? It went straight through him. Would have done well to have done worse tbh

[bcubed]

Could have done a bit better? It went straight through him. Would have done well to have done worse tbh

3rd went straight through him.

Are you talking about the second goal?

I haven’t watched a replay but I reckon it was hit really cleanly from close range
After the first shot was parried

Edit my first post was a bit confusing in the last sentence
I meant 2nd goal he could maybe have done better
3rd goal was a shocker

[Hound]

Yep fair enough - meant the third goal - second he didn’t do great but I blame the defence as much tbh

[Pandoras Box]

My take on the game is this.
We were 7 points clear pre game Friday night.
We started the game in a playing style of a team in about 16th position. Cagey, no intensity and a lot of misplaces passes. They also didn’t seem to have the team bonding they’d gained.
At this point they should have been full of confidence off the back of Blackburn and taking the game to the opposition, not going back to over elaboration with pointless passing often ending in error.
Personally, after 15 minutes I knew where this was heading and so it transpired.
Look at Leeds last season , as soon as they started to win some matches they went out and played with a winning mentality from kick off. They expected to win (or at least not to lose) even if it was sometimes misjudged.
We need a bit of that bravado mentality.

[leon]

For me Rino and Laurent were a bit overrun in midfield by the Coventry three. They dropped in very deep or were covering wide as Aluko and Olise were inconsistent tracking back their wing backs. For me the problem with the first goal was that neither Olise nor Semedo had tracked back to close the space around Hamer. It wasn’t, for me, the fault of Rino nor Laurent who were both in our box iirc.

The second and third goals again we lacked a midfielder pressuring the ball. Just thought Laurent and Rino played slightly too deep, and then didn’t have one of the other three filling in the spaces.

Esteves’ crossing was abysmal btw. If that had been Gunter he’d have been chastised for it.

Bench was very weak last night. I assume Baldock is injured as well?

All completely spot on. Baldock is indeed injured expected back mid November.

3rd goal Olise jogged to close down the shot. Really not good enough.

[Snowflake Royal]

For me Rino and Laurent were a bit overrun in midfield by the Coventry three. They dropped in very deep or were covering wide as Aluko and Olise were inconsistent tracking back their wing backs. For me the problem with the first goal was that neither Olise nor Semedo had tracked back to close the space around Hamer. It wasn’t, for me, the fault of Rino nor Laurent who were both in our box iirc.

The second and third goals again we lacked a midfielder pressuring the ball. Just thought Laurent and Rino played slightly too deep, and then didn’t have one of the other three filling in the spaces.

Esteves’ crossing was abysmal btw. If that had been Gunter he’d have been chastised for it.

Bench was very weak last night. I assume Baldock is injured as well?

All completely spot on. Baldock is indeed injured expected back mid November.

3rd goal Olise jogged to close down the shot. Really not good enough.

I think you need an eye test leon. Olise wasn't on the pitch for the third goal. And whilst Semedo didn't close down McCallum well, there's no way that shot goes in without a keeping error.

If you mean the second, again it was way out and if Olise ran much harder to get there he'd be easy to send the wrong way and go past... plus the rebound was only scored because Cabral didn't get it clear and the defence didn't react.