By CovSid67
February 2 2009

Well, Chris Coleman has admitted Cardiff were better than Coventry City on the day, and that Derby County were better than us on the day too. And the fact that they both were is unacceptable. After one poor display, the least you should expect in the next game is a response. There wasn't one.

Cardiff came to the Arena unbeaten in eleven games, and having conceded only one goal in their last five games (None in five if your info source is incorrect!), and didn't have to put up much of a struggle to keep their Premiership ambitions going.

Coventry started the match against Cardiff with two nineteen year olds in the centre of midfield (The soon to be suspended Gunnarsson alongside Chelsea loanee and debutant Lee Sawyer), which some might have seen as a mistake from the off!

A Morrison effort on 16 minutes was cleared by the Cardiff defence, but there was little else worthy of note from the home side in the first half (With the exception of a turned down penalty appeal, and another Morrison effort cleared off the line). And unsurprisingly, it was Coventry old-boy Jay Bothroyd that gave Cardiff the lead with just over half-an-hour gone.

Westwood pulled off a stunning save from McCormack in the 40th minute, though the former Motherwell player did increase the away sides lead on the hour mark. Said player is proof positive that there are bargains to be had in Scottish football, scoring lots of goals in not many matches(!) - let's hope Mr. McPake is one of them.

Gunnarsson did manage to hit a post with 81 minutes played, but that was as close as Coventry got to looking anywhere near interested in saving anything from this fixture. Coventry supporters could have been given something to cheer late on, but the substitute referee opted not to send Bothroyd off for retaliation.

As for Saturday's disaster, opponents Derby had gone four league games without a goal, but could have had a hat-ful against a woeful Coventry City defence, managing two in the first 16 minutes.

Coventry's cause wasn't helped by losing Ben Turner in the warm-up, and, in hind-sight, Wright moved to the centre with Wynter at right-back would have been a better option. That or just not bothering to turn up. Marcus Hall has been a great servant to the club, but with each passing game, proves he should no longer be selected.

New signing David Bell was selected, though typically of a Coventry City manager, he opted to play him out of position! Loan signing Henderson was preferred on the right side of midfield, with Bell on the left.

Things might have been different had Coventry concentrated more on getting Robbie Savage, booked early on, awarded a second card, but they didn't. And minutes later Hulse and Commons ended the fixture as a contest. Both goals were just to simple, and with Wolves next on the fixture list, it's to be hoped there's extra defensive training on the agenda this week.

A Teale effort just after half-an-hour hit the bar, and Commons - who according to Sky Sports website signed for Coventry on Friday! - follow-up hit the post.

Unsurprisingly, Coventry were booed off at half-time by their travelling army of 2000+ supporters, while Eastwood was taken off! (Replaced by McKenzie). Had I been given the choice of players to sign for Coventry CIty, Freddie Eastwood would have been around the top of the list, but it's just not happened for him so far this season.

Coventry did rally slightly in the second half, with Michael Doyle's goal in the 51st minute giving hope of a come-back, but it just never happened. Two decent penalty shouts, one for a foul on Henderson, and one for a hand-ball offence, could have brought about the draw, but neither were given.

Westwood's prolonged applause at the end of the match had some supporters wondering if he had just played his last match for the club, but, thankfully, with the transfer window having now closed, he's ours to keep 'til at least the summer!

TEAM (v Cardiff): Westwood, Hall, Turner, Ward, Fox, Mifsud (Thornton 60), Gunnarsson, Sawyer, McKenzie, Eastwood, Morrison. SNU: Marshall, Wynter, Beuzelin, Doyle.

TEAM (v Derby): Westwood, Wright, Fox, Hall, Ward, Henderson, Beuzelin, Doyle (Sawyer 85), Bell, Morrison, Eastwood (McKenzie 46). SNU: Marshall, Thornton, Wynter.