By CovSid67
April 19 2009

Boss Chris Coleman had promised that Coventry City would not be doing Forest any favours when the two sides met, and he ordered his side to get at Forest. Surprise! Surprise! Both soundbites seemed to fall on deaf ears. Again.

Yes, Coventry City were the better side in the first half, but it counted for nothing as decent chances were squandered (With Eastwood again the culprit), and approximately 40 seconds into the second half, poor defending saw Forest gifted a victory that severely improves their chances of avoiding relegation.

And, with Coventry City having managed only one goal in their previous four matches, is was little surprise that a single goal for the home side was enough to see Coventry slip to yet another feeble defeat, meaning they've taken only two points from the twelve on offer against very beatable opposition.

Finishing in the top half of the table should have been a breeze given our end of season run-in, but the same old failings have been on view throught most of the season, namely: we still make far to many mistakes at the back, we still lack anything resembling creativity in midfield, and still don't have strikers that look as if they can score the necessary amount of goals (Any amount of goals?) required to mount any sort of challenge. 

Most supporters know which players should be kept, and which ones should be sold in the summer, but I expect, as per usual, the best will be picked off, leaving the not-good-enoughs to still be here come next August, playing alongside those brought in to try and raise our displays above what is more often than not 'unacceptable'.

If it wasn't for the fact it's such a ridiculous thing to suggest, I would think the club were playing for a late scare in the hopes of getting a decent gate versus Watford! Because, after the last months results, I can't see many turning up for the final game of the season unless there's a good reason to....

Chris Coleman blamed injuries when interviewed after the match, yet it was his decision to have a small squad of players to choose from! And, despite last week looking like he might have found somebody capable of causing the opposition problems in youngster Ashley Cain, he opted to leave him on the bench. Why?

Chris Coleman has been (Wrongly) saying we are safe for ages, so if that is the case, why not see if last weeks cameo was a one off? Why not see if Cain looks capable of filling in for Bell when Bell is out of the side next season? (And use the money he might spend on cover on the right on slightly better wages for a slightly better quality goal-scorer?!).

As if there weren't enough injured players to use as an excuse for poor displays,  added to the list of players unlikely to, or definitely not playing again this season is captain Scott Dann, and possibly Robbie Simpson - so shall we just write off the last three matches now, because the list of people available is getting smaller with each and every passing game?

And, while Coventry City were once again disappointing the two thousand plus travelling supporters that once again followed them in the hopes of seeing them both turn up AND join in, the same Plymouth that hammered Coventry City 4-0 at Home Park a week ago were this weekend getting hammered 0-3 at the same ground, by Doncaster. You couldn't make it up.

The reality is for Coventry City, when we dip into the transfer market this summer it's probably not a different class of player we actually need to bring in, because victories against Blackburn, Wolves, and Birmingham have shown there is something there to build on, it's a different mentality we are looking for. We also need a proper leader, because we're fairly rudderless on the pitch!

And much as Chris Coleman has said he doesn't want players looking for one last pay-off, that is exactly what we've been lacking this season - somebody with experience. Somebody along the lines of George Boateng would fit the bill, a player that has experience, and still has something to offer.

The scouts need to be searching for players that genuinely want to win; players that want the ball more than their opponents; players that actually properly care about Coventry City, and take pride in wearing the shirt; and players willing to give everything they have from the first whistle to the last. There just isn't enough of those qualities on view at the moment.

Here's hoping those in charge of making such decisions spend wisely, but the reality is, I know I'll be re-writing this same article in twelve months time, because I've been writing the same for over ten years of writing fanzines, and writing on websites....

TEAM: Westwood, Osbourne, Fox, Ward, Dann (Turner 68), Beuzelin, Simpson (Cain 74), Gunnarsson, Doyle, Eastwood, Morrison. SNU: Marshall, Hall, Walker.