Life Without Mickey - Part II
By CovSid67 February 11 2007
For the three games Adrian Heath has been in charge for, the team, and the pattern, remains largely the same. We had out moments against Plymouth and Sunderland, but sloppy defending and wasted chances cost us. And the poor display versus Luton brought points!
By CovSid67 February 11 2007
For the three games Adrian Heath has been in charge for, the team, and the pattern, remains largely the same. We had out moments against Plymouth and Sunderland, but sloppy defending and wasted chances cost us. And the poor display versus Luton brought points!
Despite Plymouth's decent home record, they were one of the more likely places for points to be taken .... but they weren't. Why is it that so many managerial changes result in a 'honeymoon period', but we didn't get one?!
Subsidised coach travel, and MA's dismissal, meant around 300 supporters made the Monday trek to one of the furthest grounds from the Arena. Had he still been in charge, the board might have been able to fit those making the journey in the back of a taxi....
Whether it goes to show we simply don't have strength in depth, or that Heath believes he can get more out of the same players Adams selected, I'm unsure. But the XI chosen to help land him the job were the XI you would expect MA to have selected.
It took 17 minutes for the home team to take the lead, with 'Keystone Cops defending' (To use Sky Sports quote!) helping Plymouth score their first goal (With Hall and Page the guilty parties). Birchall momentarily gave the away supporters hope, but Buzaky restored the lead 10 minutes later.
Yet another Page error, two minutes after the break, allowed Argyle to score their third through Barry Hayles (Who once again gave the Coventry defence the runaround). Like so many others, he is one of those players that could endure a torrid season, yet still play two MOTM displays against us(!).
Positive substitutions were made by Heath, with Thornton and Mifsud replacing Tabb and Birchall, and it was the latter who opened his Coventry City account with a fine strike. I'm sure those in charge at the club will soon train that out of him....
Despite only being in charge for one game, on the Sky Sports after-match interview Adrian Heath showed he has already mastered that look that Coventry City managers that have served a fair amount of time have: a look of anger, bewilderment, and 'what am I doing here?'
While the mistakes were the same, the display was better. So surely things would improve throughout the club with MA gone? Apparently not....
Two of the first names on the team-sheet each week, Robert Page and Michael Doyle, had a 'disagreement ' on the training pitch (The former being a known supporter of Adams as manager - not that this is probably relevant!). This resulted in three missing teeth, one broken wrist - and two missing players versus Luton. There have been numerous rumours as to what caused this, though if Doyle's comments on iccoventry are to be believed, he is the innocent party.
This was an appalling match between two struggling sides, and I hope Page and Doyle were made to watch this game, as it would be a fitting punishment for their indiscipline!
Season ticket holders were invited to 'bring a friend for free', yet this still only managed to increase the attendance to 18,871 - it's almost as if people knew that it wasn't worth leaving the comfort of an armchair for.
Due to circumstances beyond my control, I was unable to watch the first half, though did listen to local radio, and watch Sky Sports News for updates .... so quite why I put myself out so much to make sure I watched the entire second half is beyond me! That said, was rewarded with finally witnessing us win again!
Mifsud, Osbourne, and Hawkins were brought in to the side (Two of them not through choice, though they did enough to justify inclusion).
The first half was virtually without incident, except for Adebola wasting the one good chance to score that was created, seemingly not trying quite as hard to reach a ball that was there to be won.
The second half continued as the first half had finished, but three substitutions made by Heath, two just after the hour mark and one after 70 minutes, proved to be the turning point for this match. Thornton was everything good about Coventry City in the opposition half (Actually wanting the ball, runnnig at opponents, and passing to his own players), while Kyle, surprisingly, was nearly everything that was good about Coventry City in their own half! And McKenzie netted the all important goal.
Disappointingly, this resulted in a striker, Mifsud (Who enjoyed another decent display), being moved out wide - where have we seen that before? I guess it worked, so no harm done, as long as it isn't a permament decision!
Kyle was booked for stopping a dangerous looking Luton move, which is far more preferable to being booked for dissent! Marcus Hall was also unlucky to see a cracking header somehow saved by Luton keeper Brill.
Whereas normally I might have started wandering towards the exits with a minute or two left, with a view to getting out ASAP on the final whistle so that I could escape the car parks before the crowds poured out, the chance to see Luke Steele manage a clean sheet was to good to miss. And, unbelievably, he did (Though his kicking was noticeably worse throughout this game!).
I'm not quite sure where the official found it, but four minutes injury time were added on, and in that time, Kyle was unlucky to see a hooked effort land on the roof of the Luton net, and Tabb cleared a great Luton chance off the Coventry City goal-line. For the first time in a while, I could actually feel my heartbeat as the final whistle approached!
As for the Sunderland game, this was one I expected to lose - though had we taken our chances, we could have pulled off a shock result. We didn't, and Stern john celebrated his debut in the red and white stripes of Sunderland with a win.
To make matters worse, Kevin Kyle and Kevin Thornton both picked up injuries, as goals from Yorke and one-time Coventry City target Carlos Edwards saw the home side take the points.
Subsidised coach travel, and MA's dismissal, meant around 300 supporters made the Monday trek to one of the furthest grounds from the Arena. Had he still been in charge, the board might have been able to fit those making the journey in the back of a taxi....
Whether it goes to show we simply don't have strength in depth, or that Heath believes he can get more out of the same players Adams selected, I'm unsure. But the XI chosen to help land him the job were the XI you would expect MA to have selected.
It took 17 minutes for the home team to take the lead, with 'Keystone Cops defending' (To use Sky Sports quote!) helping Plymouth score their first goal (With Hall and Page the guilty parties). Birchall momentarily gave the away supporters hope, but Buzaky restored the lead 10 minutes later.
Yet another Page error, two minutes after the break, allowed Argyle to score their third through Barry Hayles (Who once again gave the Coventry defence the runaround). Like so many others, he is one of those players that could endure a torrid season, yet still play two MOTM displays against us(!).
Positive substitutions were made by Heath, with Thornton and Mifsud replacing Tabb and Birchall, and it was the latter who opened his Coventry City account with a fine strike. I'm sure those in charge at the club will soon train that out of him....
Despite only being in charge for one game, on the Sky Sports after-match interview Adrian Heath showed he has already mastered that look that Coventry City managers that have served a fair amount of time have: a look of anger, bewilderment, and 'what am I doing here?'
While the mistakes were the same, the display was better. So surely things would improve throughout the club with MA gone? Apparently not....
Two of the first names on the team-sheet each week, Robert Page and Michael Doyle, had a 'disagreement ' on the training pitch (The former being a known supporter of Adams as manager - not that this is probably relevant!). This resulted in three missing teeth, one broken wrist - and two missing players versus Luton. There have been numerous rumours as to what caused this, though if Doyle's comments on iccoventry are to be believed, he is the innocent party.
This was an appalling match between two struggling sides, and I hope Page and Doyle were made to watch this game, as it would be a fitting punishment for their indiscipline!
Season ticket holders were invited to 'bring a friend for free', yet this still only managed to increase the attendance to 18,871 - it's almost as if people knew that it wasn't worth leaving the comfort of an armchair for.
Due to circumstances beyond my control, I was unable to watch the first half, though did listen to local radio, and watch Sky Sports News for updates .... so quite why I put myself out so much to make sure I watched the entire second half is beyond me! That said, was rewarded with finally witnessing us win again!
Mifsud, Osbourne, and Hawkins were brought in to the side (Two of them not through choice, though they did enough to justify inclusion).
The first half was virtually without incident, except for Adebola wasting the one good chance to score that was created, seemingly not trying quite as hard to reach a ball that was there to be won.
The second half continued as the first half had finished, but three substitutions made by Heath, two just after the hour mark and one after 70 minutes, proved to be the turning point for this match. Thornton was everything good about Coventry City in the opposition half (Actually wanting the ball, runnnig at opponents, and passing to his own players), while Kyle, surprisingly, was nearly everything that was good about Coventry City in their own half! And McKenzie netted the all important goal.
Disappointingly, this resulted in a striker, Mifsud (Who enjoyed another decent display), being moved out wide - where have we seen that before? I guess it worked, so no harm done, as long as it isn't a permament decision!
Kyle was booked for stopping a dangerous looking Luton move, which is far more preferable to being booked for dissent! Marcus Hall was also unlucky to see a cracking header somehow saved by Luton keeper Brill.
Whereas normally I might have started wandering towards the exits with a minute or two left, with a view to getting out ASAP on the final whistle so that I could escape the car parks before the crowds poured out, the chance to see Luke Steele manage a clean sheet was to good to miss. And, unbelievably, he did (Though his kicking was noticeably worse throughout this game!).
I'm not quite sure where the official found it, but four minutes injury time were added on, and in that time, Kyle was unlucky to see a hooked effort land on the roof of the Luton net, and Tabb cleared a great Luton chance off the Coventry City goal-line. For the first time in a while, I could actually feel my heartbeat as the final whistle approached!
As for the Sunderland game, this was one I expected to lose - though had we taken our chances, we could have pulled off a shock result. We didn't, and Stern john celebrated his debut in the red and white stripes of Sunderland with a win.
To make matters worse, Kevin Kyle and Kevin Thornton both picked up injuries, as goals from Yorke and one-time Coventry City target Carlos Edwards saw the home side take the points.
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