Coventry Match Thread

[spanishal]

Even for our inept defence can’t remember conceding 3 worse goals. Warbs excuse is they are only human and make mistakes - like all last season and nothing seems to have changed. A six foot keeper,six foot defender, six foot striker and we can’t defend crosses or corners. Joe has got some terrible stick in social media today and does not deserve this kind of abuse. Frankly the lad needs to be moving on for a fresh start for his own sake.

Still expectations are low this season so let’s just try and enjoy the good bits - there will be some.

[vofster]

Trying to be optimistic because its so early in the season but it's hard. Could be a long long season ahead.
The problems just aren't with the keeper and the defence. Our current midfield looks lightweight and without a cutting edge. In the first 40 minutes when we had all of the ball we passed it backwards far too often giving them lots of time to cover back and they were comfortable, we really didn't create one chance - a rash challenge give us the goal which tbf Dykes put away so well again.
In second half, Sky showed a stat of how few times our midfield actually touched the ball so defence got very little cover.
There is still time to get in a couple of players to add some quality to the squad, as I don't think our bench is strong, although Paul Smyth probably deserves a start.

[nomar]

Sept 19, 2020 8:04:29 GMT spanishal said:

Even for our inept defence can’t remember conceding 3 worse goals. Warbs excuse is they are only human and make mistakes - like all last season and nothing seems to have changed. A six foot keeper,six foot defender, six foot striker and we can’t defend crosses or corners. Joe has got some terrible stick in social media today and does not deserve this kind of abuse. Frankly the lad needs to be moving on for a fresh start for his own sake.

Still expectations are low this season so let’s just try and enjoy the good bits - there will be some.

Lumley gets unfair criticism.

The sad thing is that the same twitter warriors who are clamouring for Dieng to get picked will do the same thing to him once he concedes goals too.

[bowranger]

I'm a broken record on this point every season but always have the caveat that our wins are as instructive as our defeats. I thought we were poor for about 2/3s of yesterday in terms of not being incisive or ambitious enough in midfield. And we still look poor at the back. We seem to get quite rattled by perhaps more limited but committed teams, like we were during lockdown.

But I thought we were pretty good against Forest and well-deserved that. So if I'm not thinking we're going to piss the league off a win and clean sheet against a team that almost made the play-offs, I'm also not going to start being hugely worried off the back of a ropey away game. New faces at both the front and the back, lots of players making the step up, only two games in.

[rickyqpr]

I often comment that Championship games are decided by the finest of margins. Sadly, I don't think yesterday's game was.
As others have said, we dominated possession for the first 40 minutes although without really hurting them.
I thought our penalty was soft given that a shirt pull by Dickie went unpunished earlier, but still a pen.
Then their equaliser....it started with Barbet falling over and Wallace moving across to cover the gap.
That is fair enough because these things happen, but for a player of Wallace's experience to not look behind him at all was unforgiveable.
Lumley had looked assured with his distribution, but the move was his first proper call to action.
I think he was unlucky, but should have done better. I am surprised though for such a vocal keeper that he did not alert Wallace, but hey-ho!
He does not deserve the abuse that he gets and I am ashamed that QPR 'supporters' can do that to any QPR players who is trying.
But Coventry had got lucky and they went on, we went backwards.
In the first half we we were playing a high press and Coventry struggled.
In the second half, the dangerous Dabo was pushed forward and we did little about it.
Wallace was caught out of position and done for pace too many times.
Chair did not track Dabo - Chair had a poor second half.
The second goal was more than unfortunate, although Coventry got the luck of the deflections.
Barbet took his equaliser well.
But from there on, I do not think it was fine margins because for 3 consecutive corners we were a defensive mess.
First up, Dykes cost a fraction of Hugill so no surprise that he is not the finished article.
But if he is to come back and defend he needs to stay with his man.
Barbet seems to lose his man as well, or falls over, but I am at a loss as to who is supposed to be picking up who.
Their third goal was totally deserved because of the two they missed before hand.
But, it is a learning curve and it about how we respond, and hopefully improve.
Perhaps we over train set pieces because we look as nervous as hell every time.
Middlesbrough will have taken note.
Our midfield is good when we are on the front foot, but not so good when we are under the cosh.
I though the substitutions came too late and still we did not stop the Davo supply.
So, pretty disappointed, but not distraught, I thought we got what we deserved.
It also stopped us getting carried away and highlights what is needed in the remainder of the window.

[bowranger]

Yeah, well said. Agree with pretty much all of that.

Quite a situation at left back at the moment. I'm not a big fan of Wallace as a 90 minute, starting LB but then I guess he was never brought in to be that. A functional, experienced bit of cover who can plug gaps when Manning or a CB is injured. But with Manning apparently frozen out and Hammallainen not starting, that becomes a potential hole for the window to fill if the squad remains as is/Manning's situation isn't resolved.

[harr]

Sept 19, 2020 11:40:08 GMT rickyqpr said:

I often comment that Championship games are decided by the finest of margins. Sadly, I don't think yesterday's game was.
As others have said, we dominated possession for the first 40 minutes although without really hurting them.
I thought our penalty was soft given that a shirt pull by Dickie went unpunished earlier, but still a pen.
Then their equaliser....it started with Barbet falling over and Wallace moving across to cover the gap.
That is fair enough because these things happen, but for a player of Wallace's experience to not look behind him at all was unforgiveable.
Lumley had looked assured with his distribution, but the move was his first proper call to action.
I think he was unlucky, but should have done better. I am surprised though for such a vocal keeper that he did not alert Wallace, but hey-ho!
He does not deserve the abuse that he gets and I am ashamed that QPR 'supporters' can do that to any QPR players who is trying.
But Coventry had got lucky and they went on, we went backwards.
In the first half we we were playing a high press and Coventry struggled.
In the second half, the dangerous Dabo was pushed forward and we did little about it.
Wallace was caught out of position and done for pace too many times.
Chair did not track Dabo - Chair had a poor second half.
The second goal was more than unfortunate, although Coventry got the luck of the deflections.
Barbet took his equaliser well.
But from there on, I do not think it was fine margins because for 3 consecutive corners we were a defensive mess.
First up, Dykes cost a fraction of Hugill so no surprise that he is not the finished article.
But if he is to come back and defend he needs to stay with his man.
Barbet seems to lose his man as well, or falls over, but I am at a loss as to who is supposed to be picking up who.
Their third goal was totally deserved because of the two they missed before hand.
But, it is a learning curve and it about how we respond, and hopefully improve.
Perhaps we over train set pieces because we look as nervous as hell every time.
Middlesbrough will have taken note.
Our midfield is good when we are on the front foot, but not so good when we are under the cosh.
I though the substitutions came too late and still we did not stop the Davo supply.
So, pretty disappointed, but not distraught, I thought we got what we deserved.
It also stopped us getting carried away and highlights what is needed in the remainder of the window.

Good summary

[stylecouncillor]

Sept 19, 2020 10:53:02 GMT vofster said:

Trying to be optimistic because its so early in the season but it's hard. Could be a long long season ahead.
The problems just aren't with the keeper and the defence. Our current midfield looks lightweight and without a cutting edge. In the first 40 minutes when we had all of the ball we passed it backwards far too often giving them lots of time to cover back and they were comfortable, we really didn't create one chance - a rash challenge give us the goal which tbf Dykes put away so well again.
In second half, Sky showed a stat of how few times our midfield actually touched the ball so defence got very little cover.
There is still time to get in a couple of players to add some quality to the squad, as I don't think our bench is strong, although Paul Smyth probably deserves a start.

Finally a Post I agree with our midfield is to lightweight. I cant see how you can have Carroll and Chair playing together they are both to lightweight.
There is many a fan who thinks Chair is the next great thing and though I do see the occasional glimpse of clever play they are to infrequent IMHO. If we do Lose BOS I just can't see anyone else prepared to take a player on. Its constantly backwards I just don't get it. Players are offered more protection than ever before its almost illegal to make a challenge as a defender. Eze got his reward because he took players on. What makes matters worse is its not exactly your going backwards to pass the ball to a Terry Venables Gerry Francis or Ray Wilkins capable of a slide rule pass opening the defence of opponents..... I dont see that in Geoff Cameroon. Our defence is shown up to often because of the lack of cover in Midfield which is a concern and its not exactly setting the world on fire going forward. its just a bit ..... Weak and Limp.

[Lonegunmen]

Don't blame Lumley, I thought I had just watched and A League game, not one where some players are getting over 10k per week.

[bowranger]

Sept 19, 2020 11:54:53 GMT stylecouncillor said:

Sept 19, 2020 10:53:02 GMT vofster said:

Trying to be optimistic because its so early in the season but it's hard. Could be a long long season ahead.
The problems just aren't with the keeper and the defence. Our current midfield looks lightweight and without a cutting edge. In the first 40 minutes when we had all of the ball we passed it backwards far too often giving them lots of time to cover back and they were comfortable, we really didn't create one chance - a rash challenge give us the goal which tbf Dykes put away so well again.
In second half, Sky showed a stat of how few times our midfield actually touched the ball so defence got very little cover.
There is still time to get in a couple of players to add some quality to the squad, as I don't think our bench is strong, although Paul Smyth probably deserves a start.

Finally a Post I agree with our midfield is to lightweight. I cant see how you can have Carroll and Chair playing together they are both to lightweight.
There is many a fan who thinks Chair is the next great thing and though I do see the occasional glimpse of clever play they are to infrequent IMHO. If we do Lose BOS I just can't see anyone else prepared to take a player on. Its constantly backwards I just don't get it. Players are offered more protection than ever before its almost illegal to make a challenge as a defender. Eze got his reward because he took players on. What makes matters worse is its not exactly your going backwards to pass the ball to a Terry Venables Gerry Francis or Ray Wilkins capable of a slide rule pass opening the defence of opponents..... I dont see that in Geoff Cameroon. Our defence is shown up to often because of the lack of cover in Midfield which is a concern and its not exactly setting the world on fire going forward. its just a bit ..... Weak and Limp.

That feels like a criticism of the style of play rather than the players (though I agree, there was a good chunk of that game where we were pretty limp)?

Agree I don't see that in Cameron but I don't think the weight is on him for incisive balls. Way I see it see is that those balls are to be made by Carroll, and Cameron's job is more to protect the back four and link things (which during lockdown in particular, his linking was way off). That maybe means a headache for what happens with Bettache - is he being groomed to take on Cameron's role long term? And if he is, does he get loaned this year or integrated.

Also feel like a chunk of responsibility for incisive balls from the back is being put on Barbet and Dickie. With Cov being a team who push up and want the ball, you could see both of them trying to hit diagonals to BOS in the gaps they leave. Less Carroll, but I think you can maybe argue Amos and Chair are a lot more lightweight for sure, but I get the impression that they're there to use pace to gang up and harry players high up the pitch rather than control the middle through strength. They aren't players who are tough enough to boss the middle, but then I don't think they're set up to do that either.

I'm waiting and seeing with Chair. It's a huge role to fill. Though feel like with Eze and BOS, they went through a big change as they motored into the 100+ league game mark, we just have to hope he steps up in a similar way.

Or I guess in other words, not saying your criticisms ain't reasonable - just that it seems more a criticism about the style of play rather than individual performances.