3 steps to beating Coventry

[Sky Blues]

Never said I was confident, just that over the course of the season, we’ve been a much better side than you. Sorry I’m not fearing a side that got turned over by 22nd in the league.

We know it isn't going to be easy. You're not up there for no reason.

It certainly doesn't look good. Won 10 out of last 12 games. Losing to Leeds is acceptable. But Derby? On the bright side they have won their last 3. And the players responded well by totally outplaying Sunderland the next game.

Yes we had a poor 1st half of the season. That's what cost Robins his job after nearly 8 years. But under Lampard we have gone from 1 point out of the bottom 3 to in the playoffs. Of course our confidence is up.

 

[CaptainMorgans]

Chris Wilder is right to continuously point out that his side has won the most points in the division.

All things being equal, if we play our best, we beat every team in the division (except Leeds).
Disappointingly, we've probably only played at our best around half a dozen times this season. However, we took the game to Leeds and Middlesbrough at home recently and totally overwhelmed them (in stages) and I half-expect us to do the same against Coventry.

It's Friday night at Bramall Lane, a match with plenty of needle from the first fixture and Wilder thrives when he feels we're being written off. The narrative coming in will all be about Frank Lampard's Coventry City and the form they're in. Wilder will love that.

Per the poster above... don't underestimate Coventry. It isn't easy to go on the run they have and they do have decent players.
But we're on a similar run. And, unlike Coventry, we've been able to sustain this level over 38 games. The international break may well break their rhythm.

Let them worry about us.

 

[Northernsoulblade]

Do what we’ve done all season get outplayed but nick it 1-0 sorted

 

[Balham]

Coventry's miraculous run of form since losing to Leeds (1st Feb):
Coventry 1-0 QPR (last minute winner)
South Barnsley 1-2 Coventry (last minute winner)
Coventry 2-1 Preston
Oxford 2-3 Coventry
Coventry 3-2 Stoke (last minute winner)
Derby 2-0 Coventry
Coventry 3-0 Sunderland

That's 5 wins by a single goal and three of those required a last minute winner. Only Sunderland and Wednesday were top half teams. I've no doubt that they're a decent Championship side playing well but they're nothing to be scared of. We should be containing these and winning by our customary single goal, minimum fuss.

As an aside: Haji Wright has scored 10 goals in 1249 minutes over 25 appearances. One of those is a penalty so from open play he's on 9 goals in 1249 minutes (0.65 goals per 90 mins). Ty Campbell is also on 9 goals, his coming in 1220 mins over 26 appearances (0.66 goals per 90 mins). The Coventry fans fawning over Wright should remember that we have a player just as good up front for us.

 

[Jimmy Fleck]

We know it isn't going to be easy. You're not up there for no reason.

It certainly doesn't look good. Won 10 out of last 12 games. Losing to Leeds is acceptable. But Derby? On the bright side they have won their last 3. And the players responded well by totally outplaying Sunderland the next game.

Yes we had a poor 1st half of the season. That's what cost Robins his job after nearly 8 years. But under Lampard we have gone from 1 point out of the bottom 3 to in the playoffs. Of course our confidence is up.

I remember you saying we’d be nowhere near top 2 if we weren’t taken over before the summer window ended, so my apologies if I think that you’re a bit of a pleb.

 

[Sky Blues]

Coventry's miraculous run of form since losing to Leeds (1st Feb):
Coventry 1-0 QPR (last minute winner)
South Barnsley 1-2 Coventry (last minute winner)
Coventry 2-1 Preston
Oxford 2-3 Coventry
Coventry 3-2 Stoke (last minute winner)
Derby 2-0 Coventry
Coventry 3-0 Sunderland

That's 5 wins by a single goal and three of those required a last minute winner. Only Sunderland and Wednesday were top half teams. I've no doubt that they're a decent Championship side playing well but they're nothing to be scared of. We should be containing these and winning by our customary single goal, minimum fuss.

As an aside: Haji Wright has scored 10 goals in 1249 minutes over 25 appearances. One of those is a penalty so from open play he's on 9 goals in 1249 minutes (0.65 goals per 90 mins). Ty Campbell is also on 9 goals, his coming in 1220 mins over 26 appearances (0.66 goals per 90 mins). The Coventry fans fawning over Wright should remember that we have a player just as good up front for us.

The games before Leeds?

Blackburn 0-2 Coventry

Coventry 2-1 Watford

Swansea 0-2 Coventry

You can only beat the team in front of you. It's going to be a good close game. You have home advantage.

 

[Sky Blues]

I remember you saying we’d be nowhere near top 2 if we weren’t taken over before the summer window ended, so my apologies if I think that you’re a bit of a pleb.

So I predicted wrong. Saw you as top 6 not top 2. Didn't see strength in depth. Thought Leeds and Burnley would take top 2 spots. They still might. Top 2 could be any from top 3. If that makes me a pleb then so be it.

 

[Balham]

The games before Leeds?

Blackburn 0-2 Coventry

Coventry 2-1 Watford

Swansea 0-2 Coventry

You can only beat the team in front of you. It's going to be a good close game. You have home advantage.

The games before Leeds were two months ago. At that point Wednesday were on the charge for the play-offs, QPR were the division's form side, Haji Wright was still sidelined with a bad ankle injury and I had an ACL in each knee. A lot can change over that timeframe which is why people generally use 6 matches as a form guide (you're still top of that, FWIW).

 

[Houston_Blade]

Stop Messi….. sorry Rudoni. He’s better than O’Hare you know and all the Coventry fans are fine about O’Hare leaving, they didn’t want him, he’s not even good, can’t do anything, rubbish in fact. They really didn’t want him, they’re glad he came to us.

 

[derfblade.3]

When we are "at it", we are a very good team and can beat anyone in this league. We also win many games by the odd goal (15 games i think) that shows we are hard to beat when we go in front.
The only way we will lose to Cuventry is if we don't turn up and Chris won't let that happen.
I predict a performance and result as in the Boro home game..
UTB!

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

Ah so... if we'd have played free flowing, artisan football all season, we wouldn't be languishing in the sorry position we currently are in?

No, we'd be top buy a country mile!

 

[McGrath]

No, we'd be top buy a country mile!

So Ange Postegelou will probably be free in summer. Sounds like we need to get him in

 

[JJBlade]

Just attack them for 90 minutes, 99-105 if we are winning by the odd goal

If we attack them we'll win,
If we are slow, ponderous and half asleep we'll lose
If we go 1-0 up and sit back, we'll lose

 

[McGrath]

Just attack them for 90 minutes, 99-105 if we are winning by the odd goal

If we attack them we'll win,
If we are slow, ponderous and half asleep we'll lose
If we go 1-0 up and sit back, we'll lose

Why will we lose if we go 1 nil up and sit back. We've been winning all season doing that?

 

[SwissBlade]

1) Show Haji Wright onto his right foot, do not let him cut inside onto his left!! Very dangerous player and good finisher, but EXTREMELY one footed, always looking to get the ball onto his left foot.

2) Target their RCB Bobby Thomas, obvious weak link in the Coventry side and is often out of position or back peddling. Been a culprit of lots of opposition big chances.

3) LOTS of crosses, Coventry pretty small team especially defensively and concede alot from crosses recently. Against Oxford- corner, headed goal... against Stoke - freekick, easy headed goal... against Derby - freekick, headed goal from point blank range.

Wilder gave away his tactics post Wednesday. And it was indeed 3 points:
1) Over
2) round
3) through

 

[JJBlade]

Why will we lose if we go 1 nil up and sit back. We've been winning all season doing that?

Didn't work against Leeds
Didn't work against Bristol City
Didn't work after getting the equaliser at Sunderland

The theme is, it works against the standard shit in the championship, but it doesn't work against teams who are near the top

 

[KiwiBlabe]

Grunt a lot and eat our own shit?

That made me laugh way too much for a 56 year old

 

[McGrath]

Didn't work against Leeds
Didn't work against Bristol City
Didn't work after getting the equaliser at Sunderland

The theme is, it works against the standard shit in the championship, but it doesn't work against teams who are near the top

If we hadn't have had a points deduction we'd have most points in the league.

I don't why on earth you suddenly think a tactical change to go all out attack is going to make us more likely to win. Coventry would probably love that, give them the opportunity to hit us on the break when we inevitably lose the ball high up the pitch

 

[BalticBlade]

Frank Lampard's In-form Coventry City

 

[ormester]

Get a early fair but hard tackle on that cheat Bassette

 

[Sky Blues]

Get a early fair but hard tackle on that cheat Bassette

I'm going to enjoy this tackle. Is it easy to get a sliding tackle from the pitch to the bench at your place?

 

[FriethBlade]

I'm going to enjoy this tackle. Is it easy to get a sliding tackle from the pitch to the bench at your place?

Sky what's happened to Bassette? Despite his undesirable antics i was impressed by him at your place.

One of our better performances at your place until the sendng off. We scored 2 very good goals and it was quite an open game.

 

[Balham]

I'm going to enjoy this tackle. Is it easy to get a sliding tackle from the pitch to the bench at your place?

Jack Robinson will give it a good go.

 

[Selly]

Didn't work after getting the equaliser at Sunderland

For 3 minutes?

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

Oliver Langford reffed our 2-0 win at Blackburn and also reffed Coventrys 2-0 win at Blackburn.
He also did the 2-0 home loss to Burnley.....and the 2-1 home win against Portsmouth.

 

[metalblade]

Looking at the TV adverts for the game it is now officially Frank Lampard's Coventry City we are playing.

 

[Selly]

Looking at the TV adverts for the game it is now officially Frank Lampard's Coventry City we are playing.

ah ah ah

"in form Frank Lampards Coventry City"

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

1) Show Haji Wright onto his right foot, do not let him cut inside onto his left!! Very dangerous player and good finisher, but EXTREMELY one footed, always looking to get the ball onto his left foot.

2) Target their RCB Bobby Thomas, obvious weak link in the Coventry side and is often out of position or back peddling. Been a culprit of lots of opposition big chances.

3) LOTS of crosses, Coventry pretty small team especially defensively and concede alot from crosses recently. Against Oxford- corner, headed goal... against Stoke - freekick, easy headed goal... against Derby - freekick, headed goal from point blank range.

Wright is very good with both feet. If anything his right foot is stronger than his left. That's why he is so good playing on the left. But with Mason-Clarke also back from injury he takes the left wing.

The problem with Thomas is he loves going forward. Has got a few important goals for us. But when hit on a quick counter he is normally in the wrong side of the pitch. But very good in the air.

I agree we're not brilliant in defence. But we have goals right through our side. We must have close to 15 different goal scorers this season. Wright has missed most of the season yet still has 10. Recently we've been scoring 3 and conceding 2.

Apologies if already covered, Sky Blues but my Cov mate and I were discussing that another key point is to try and cut Bobby Thomas off at source. As in, he loves a long diag across the park (think Norwood) and is very good at it. Cut that off, and your chances of getting a result massively increase.

 

[reedy63]

The Blades are in a good position in the championship play coventry on Friday night, if we beat them, it will put pressure on Burnley and Leeds. We need a packed Bramall Lane. 500 tickets are available, and Coventry has sold out just over 2.7k, so it should have a great atmosphere. Blade fans get behind our players and roar them on. We know we can make it intimidating for the Coventry players and fans, UTB.

 

[JJBlade]

The Blades are in a good position in the championship play coventry on Friday night, if we beat them, it will put pressure on Burnley and Leeds. We need a packed Bramall Lane. 500 tickets are available, and Coventry has sold out just over 2.7k, so it should have a great atmosphere. Blade fans get behind our players and roar them on. We know we can make it intimidating for the Coventry players and fans, UTB.

500?
There's more than that in KB1 section alone