Hammered Again
By CovSid67 April 14 2007
The end of this season just cannot come quickly enough for me. In 1967 we gained promotion to the top flight. In 1987 we won the FA Cup. And 20 years on, all we look like winning this time is the 'Worst Coventry Side Ever' award. This really has been a season to forget....
By CovSid67 April 14 2007
The end of this season just cannot come quickly enough for me. In 1967 we gained promotion to the top flight. In 1987 we won the FA Cup. And 20 years on, all we look like winning this time is the 'Worst Coventry Side Ever' award. This really has been a season to forget....
Quite what is going on at this club, where players do nothing for the majority of the season, improve massively to make sure the club is safe from relegation when a new manager comes in, then revert to being garbage, just makes no sense.
I can't be bothered with a proper match report, because there was nothing worthy of note from the side I'm actually bothered about, as this was as bad a display as has been witnessed all season. Yes, even worse than those dark days under Mickey Adams leadership.
It is worth mentioning that Preston were not much better than us though (Hardly surprising they've been on a losing run recently if this is as good as they can play), but were able to actually string two passes together. And they had the luxury of playing against a side that looked like they had never even met before.
Despite Mr. Dowie's claims that he thought we played well in the first half, I thought we were shocking - and I know I am not in the minority with that opinion. I presume the players think there is nothing left to play for as we are safe from the drop and have no chance of reaching the play-offs? (Though I'm guessing one or two of our more deluded supporters still think we can make it). I would count potential season ticket sales as one thing, if the players don't want to play for their own pride or for the supporters.
In the first half, Hughes and Osbourne were booked for fairly nothing challenges, while Preston's players were seemingly allowed to get away with far worse. Then the referee realised he could book players wearing white, booking Sedgwick, Pugh, and Davidson. Adebola, Kyle, and McKenzie also had their names taken, which seems an excessive amount of names for a not particularly dirty game.
There was a minute or two after the half-time break where we looked up for the challenge, then Preston walked up the other end of the pitch and scored. And soon after, calamitous defending gifted Ormerod his second, and Preston's fourth. And, unsurprisingly, there was then a surge towards the exits.
Substitute Leon McKenzie was substituted, having caused Preston a few problems, received a booking, then got himself injured! His replacement, Fadiga, probably did enough in his 20 minutes on the pitch to earn himself the 'Man Of the Match Award' - not that there was much competition for said title. Worryingly, he too left the pitch due to injury.
Just about every player was garbage today, but some did more (Less?) than others to show that they should not be part of Iain Dowie's revolution. And the guiltiest parties were....
Robert Page, who was just woeful. His last twelve matches as a Coventry City player has seen eight defeats and four draws. We've conceded five once, four twice, and three goals three times, and we haven't kept a clean sheet. Page did nothing to suggest he should be kept should there be a clear-out this summer, and he has done nothing for months to suggest he wants to stay here either. He was booed by home supporters, and, while some would claim you should never barrack your own, sometimes you're left with little option if you want to make your feelings known.
Colin Cameron was always a yard away from making a challenge, and rarely found a team-mate with a pass. This is supposed to be somebody trying to earn a new contract. If this is the best he can manage, playing alongside Barry Quinn at Oxford should be his next move. He offered us nothing in midfield today. He is even worse when played wide on the right, as is Isaac Osbourne. Osbourne quite clearly is not happy playing wide right, and was poor again today. But at least Osbourne has the excuse that this is not his position. Having run out of substitutes today, the worst ID could have done was swap these two players around. The Osbourne of last season was everything we were missing in midfield today....
Adebola, a half-time substitute, was as usual, all fancy flicks and pointless runs to nowhere. 'Sky Blues News' claims he is 'delivering under Dowie' - to little, to late. How many more chances can you give somebody before you decide enough is enough? His first touch usually goes further than some players shots, and he really does have the turning circle of an oil tanker. He can't head the ball despite his height, and we really should have taken the money we were once offere by Sheffield United.
Kevin Kyle was, as usual, all poorly directed headers and pointless fouls. You can see that he is bothered, but just lacks any of the necessary attributes to mean he is worth keeping. He was once again booed by his own supporters, and, as usually happens when inadequacy reaches a new low, some home fans called for him to be sent off when he fouled a Preston player. For the £600,000 he supposedly cost, and for the £8,000 a week he reportedly earns, there is surely better out there than this?
The four players mentioned above are probably four of our biggest earners. All have seen better days, and all should go in the summer. None of them look like players capable of helping us push towards the Premiership. And you can probably add Stephen Hughes to that list. Like Adebola, he is all 'could be', and is rarely 'is'. When he plays alongside Doyle, he is surely the creative midfielder, yet rarely manages to pass the ball forwards, and rarely threatens the opposition goal.
On the off chance that any smug Charlton fans tune in, and start mentioning that Dowie isn't up to the job, this was about the players. Once those players have crossed the line, the manager cannot be held responsible for players that perform more in the style of 'Keystone Cops' than as a solid defensive unit. Iain Dowie can only be held responsible if these players are still here when the new season starts. Possibly when we are playing Charlton....
The saddest part of the day, which should have been a highlight, was seeing the legends that got us promoted in 1967 on the pitch at half-time. This should have been a celebration, but I think it merely made people realise how far we have fallen, and possibly realise that if things don't change massively, we're not going back to the top flight.
And rather than bother with a half-time team-talk, Iain Dowie should have sent the team onto the pitch to listen to the reception these players got. He should have told them that if they want to be remembered by supporters in 40 years time, they have to play with passion and pride. Most of the current squad will be totallly forgotten within 40 days of leaving....
I can't be bothered with a proper match report, because there was nothing worthy of note from the side I'm actually bothered about, as this was as bad a display as has been witnessed all season. Yes, even worse than those dark days under Mickey Adams leadership.
It is worth mentioning that Preston were not much better than us though (Hardly surprising they've been on a losing run recently if this is as good as they can play), but were able to actually string two passes together. And they had the luxury of playing against a side that looked like they had never even met before.
Despite Mr. Dowie's claims that he thought we played well in the first half, I thought we were shocking - and I know I am not in the minority with that opinion. I presume the players think there is nothing left to play for as we are safe from the drop and have no chance of reaching the play-offs? (Though I'm guessing one or two of our more deluded supporters still think we can make it). I would count potential season ticket sales as one thing, if the players don't want to play for their own pride or for the supporters.
In the first half, Hughes and Osbourne were booked for fairly nothing challenges, while Preston's players were seemingly allowed to get away with far worse. Then the referee realised he could book players wearing white, booking Sedgwick, Pugh, and Davidson. Adebola, Kyle, and McKenzie also had their names taken, which seems an excessive amount of names for a not particularly dirty game.
There was a minute or two after the half-time break where we looked up for the challenge, then Preston walked up the other end of the pitch and scored. And soon after, calamitous defending gifted Ormerod his second, and Preston's fourth. And, unsurprisingly, there was then a surge towards the exits.
Substitute Leon McKenzie was substituted, having caused Preston a few problems, received a booking, then got himself injured! His replacement, Fadiga, probably did enough in his 20 minutes on the pitch to earn himself the 'Man Of the Match Award' - not that there was much competition for said title. Worryingly, he too left the pitch due to injury.
Just about every player was garbage today, but some did more (Less?) than others to show that they should not be part of Iain Dowie's revolution. And the guiltiest parties were....
Robert Page, who was just woeful. His last twelve matches as a Coventry City player has seen eight defeats and four draws. We've conceded five once, four twice, and three goals three times, and we haven't kept a clean sheet. Page did nothing to suggest he should be kept should there be a clear-out this summer, and he has done nothing for months to suggest he wants to stay here either. He was booed by home supporters, and, while some would claim you should never barrack your own, sometimes you're left with little option if you want to make your feelings known.
Colin Cameron was always a yard away from making a challenge, and rarely found a team-mate with a pass. This is supposed to be somebody trying to earn a new contract. If this is the best he can manage, playing alongside Barry Quinn at Oxford should be his next move. He offered us nothing in midfield today. He is even worse when played wide on the right, as is Isaac Osbourne. Osbourne quite clearly is not happy playing wide right, and was poor again today. But at least Osbourne has the excuse that this is not his position. Having run out of substitutes today, the worst ID could have done was swap these two players around. The Osbourne of last season was everything we were missing in midfield today....
Adebola, a half-time substitute, was as usual, all fancy flicks and pointless runs to nowhere. 'Sky Blues News' claims he is 'delivering under Dowie' - to little, to late. How many more chances can you give somebody before you decide enough is enough? His first touch usually goes further than some players shots, and he really does have the turning circle of an oil tanker. He can't head the ball despite his height, and we really should have taken the money we were once offere by Sheffield United.
Kevin Kyle was, as usual, all poorly directed headers and pointless fouls. You can see that he is bothered, but just lacks any of the necessary attributes to mean he is worth keeping. He was once again booed by his own supporters, and, as usually happens when inadequacy reaches a new low, some home fans called for him to be sent off when he fouled a Preston player. For the £600,000 he supposedly cost, and for the £8,000 a week he reportedly earns, there is surely better out there than this?
The four players mentioned above are probably four of our biggest earners. All have seen better days, and all should go in the summer. None of them look like players capable of helping us push towards the Premiership. And you can probably add Stephen Hughes to that list. Like Adebola, he is all 'could be', and is rarely 'is'. When he plays alongside Doyle, he is surely the creative midfielder, yet rarely manages to pass the ball forwards, and rarely threatens the opposition goal.
On the off chance that any smug Charlton fans tune in, and start mentioning that Dowie isn't up to the job, this was about the players. Once those players have crossed the line, the manager cannot be held responsible for players that perform more in the style of 'Keystone Cops' than as a solid defensive unit. Iain Dowie can only be held responsible if these players are still here when the new season starts. Possibly when we are playing Charlton....
The saddest part of the day, which should have been a highlight, was seeing the legends that got us promoted in 1967 on the pitch at half-time. This should have been a celebration, but I think it merely made people realise how far we have fallen, and possibly realise that if things don't change massively, we're not going back to the top flight.
And rather than bother with a half-time team-talk, Iain Dowie should have sent the team onto the pitch to listen to the reception these players got. He should have told them that if they want to be remembered by supporters in 40 years time, they have to play with passion and pride. Most of the current squad will be totallly forgotten within 40 days of leaving....
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