Suzanne Claret wrote:I listed on BBC Radio London. It sounded like a carbon copy of the Hull game, another away win and three more points.
Top away support once again, it was the only stand that was full. I’ll be interested to hear what TonyP thought.
It really was a game of two halves. We came out in a negative 4-5-1 formation with Baldock on the left wing. BFS can call it 4-3-3 as much as he wants but Carew was up front on his own and we pumped long balls up to him with no support from midfield
Coventry were playing with a confidence and swagger that did not represent a team at the bottom of the table. They passed it around and we could not get near them. They were not really posing much of a threat, but neither were we !
Then a ball out to our left saw a weak attempt by Collison to tackle their player. The ball merely ricocheted back to him. He then scuffed a cross into our box; one of their players dummied it to Clive Platt. Faye was not tight enough, allowing Platt to turn and score with his left foot. Green had no chance. 1-0 Coventry
HT 1-0
BFS took the ineffective Carew off at half time and replaced him with Carlton Cole; at the same time reverting to a 4-4-2 formation. From that moment onwards apart from one great save from Green it was mostly us doing the attacking. Cole and Baldock both ran the channels, giving their back four plenty to think about for the first time in the match. Cole in particular was unplayable. At times it is hard to fathom what he is doing, but if he doesn't know then his marker sure as hell doesn't!
After 69 mins a goal kick from Greeno left Cole in an aerial challenge. Cole left his marker on his arse and broke away down the left. As the keeper came out he shot with his left foot. The shot was going wide but a deflection from the defender saw it diverted into the net. 1-1. Relief all round
Papa Bouba Diop was replaced by Freddi Piquionne midway through the second half
The young Coventry side started to look a bit sorry for themselves, whilst the magnificent travelling support spurred us on to get a second goal. Again Coley was involved. Picking the ball up in the inside left channel and spreading it wide to Faubert. His cross was too long for everyone but Piquionne dived full length for it in any case. It paid off. The ball ricocheted off the defender, onto his knee and into the bottom corner. The sort of thing that happens to a side bottom of the league I am afraid. But we didn't care !! 2-1 to the Cockney Boys !
From the second goal until the end of the match we just kept pouring forward and carving them apart. If it were not for some poor final balls - particularly from Faubert and Collison - and a terrible miss from 6 yards from Collison it could have been 4 or 5
10 mins from time Baldock was replaced by O'Brien. He went to right back and Faubert to right midfield
4 minutes of injury time seemed to drag but in the end the final whistle went and 6,300 away fans celebrated a hard-fought win. All the players came to our end to applaud us and you could tell by their fist pumping etc that this victory meant a great deal to all of them
NB - BFS is taking credit for this victory. Yes, he changed personnel and tactics at half time but he got them horribly wrong to start with IMO. We scored two lucky goals. He is taking too much credit for the win as far as I am concerned. The first half was awful. Not sure if it was the same at Hull as I wasn't there. It seems that the introduction of Cole and his impact changed BOTH games. He has to start against Derby with Baldock up front in a 4-4-2
Overall - After so long in going to an away game outside of London, I was seriously questioning my sanity as I watched the ineptitude of the first half. My faith was justified at the final whistle though. I didn't realise how much I have missed our travelling fans. They are SO different to the Johnny-Come-Lately, Boo-boys that have infiltrated Upton Park. They get behind the team, singing the names of individual players. Just how it USED to be at home too. I can see now why we (mostly) play with such freedom away from home and with such nervousness at home. Chalk and cheese support
Anyway I am waffling on now
Marks out of 10
Green 7/10 A steadying influence
Faubert 6/10 Poor. Constantly out of position and terrible delivery from wide positions
Faye/Tomkins 8/10 Solid together
McCartney 6/10 A poor first half but improved
Collison 6/10 Never really got into the game until the last 20 mins. Missed an absolute sitter
Nolan 7/10 Quietly effective. Seemed happy to hold the midfield together
Noble 7/10 Probably our best midfield player but was not outstanding by any means
Baldock 6/10 Never got into the game at all. Mind you playing wide left didn't allow him too
Papa Bouba Diop 5/10 For a bloke that big he gets out jumped and out muscled too easily
Carew 5/10 Isolated but nevertheless did not hold the ball up well at all
Subs - Cole 8/10 Terrorised the Coventry back four when he came on. Made all the difference
Piquionne 7/10 Played in an unfamiliar midfield position but was good technically and used the ball well
O'Brien 6/10 Only on for about 10 mins
COYI !!