I watched the Cov vs Cardiff game on Sky on Weds night. Cardiff scored quite early on with a soft goal where two defenders went to ground on the edge of the penalty area to try to tackle the Cardiff lad but ended up in blocking the ball between them, which fell nicely for the striker to finish. This knocked Cov back for the rest of the first half - they were visibly crest fallen for at least 10-15 mins and they looked pretty dismal - headless and rudderless, chasing shadows for the rest of the 45 (sound familiar?).
The second half began with an error from an 18 year old left back where he was caught on his heels and didn't track Maynard for a ball coming into the area from wide left. The move started with a big launch from the keeper out to the left winger who then took on the full back and crossed. The young lad, Haynes (who, to be fair looks another one from the Coventry academy to become a regular) then tried to cut the cross out but only managed to deflect it into the back of the net. The poor lad was pretty distraught about it but kept his head up and started to work to make amends - With the 2 goal cushion, that's when Cardiff relaxed more and sat back and allowed Cov to come on to them.
Coventry pressed more and got the Cardiff back line stretched on a number of occasions, Miller going close with a really well timed run and close control but then fluffed his shot as the keeper came out quickly to challenge him - Miller looked sharp and was making intelligent runs to create opportunities for team mates to find him (something we lack terribly in our forward play). His goal came from a good ball in from the left back, Haynes, after he got forward down the left wing - a good cross curled around the back of the Cardiff defence was side foot volleyed into the net form six yards. Haynes had looked up and seen Miller dart for the edge of the six yard box and curled in a perfect cross for him to finish. Coventry then pushed for the leveller but struggled to get a clear chance after that.
The point is that Coventry have lost a lot of players since we last played them - they look a bit raw and a little fragile if you can get the better of them - they also look as though they can move the ball around and stretch teams if they are allowed to dominate the midfield. With Miller up top (he came on as a second half sub) they have a player that moves well, understands the game, is intelligent and can finish.
Still the same concerns for me - we are too light on goals in this team and do not play intelligently up top despite all the decent approach play we can muster - when the lads look up from wide positions, there is fuck all to hit inside the box or players making runs to guide where the ball should come into - so they swing in a ball that is there or thereabouts and we fail to connect. Then there is the soft back 4 that are prone to a glaring error or two with lack of positional play and lack of concentration as they let forwards get a yard on them. If Miller gets the starting nod and plays like he did on Wednesday night then he will be on for a brace of goals, I'm pretty certain of that.
We are not travelling well at all - pre season demonstrates that and we are no where near solid enough at the back at the moment so my prediction is a 2-0 win for Cov
(never been happening and don't agree personally).
