Sky Blues Match Thread
 

:) Stanley Team news... Ross Sykes Still side lined with a groin strain, JC still to decide as to whether Jonny Maxted is able to feature after he received a mild concussion and stitches to the back of the head in Saturday's draw with Oxford. Coventry are still looking for there first win against Stanley after collecting only 1pt out 3 games played 2 Defeats last season and a draw this season. Match officials.. Ref Peter Wright Having officiated in 28 games so far during the 2018/19 campaign, Peter has given a total of 85 yellow cards and six red cards. He will be assisted by Matthew Bristow and Ian Dudley, while Martin Coy will act as fourth official. :)

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Ross to me is a big miss, says another 3 weeks.:eek:

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Finley signs new 2 year contract! Expect him to start tomorrow?

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Ross is a massive miss, Big Ben just doesn’t look comfortable playing

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

I think he may do.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

I have to miss the Coventry match!!!!:(
Please shout and sing louder to make up for my absence!:)
COME ON STANLEY:jimbo:

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Defo for finley to start. We might think about swapping smyth for armstrong too - unless we can entice coventry to play a higher defensive line

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Weather forecast isn’t exactly promising. Hope it’s not another ‘Somerset’.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Smyth is young and inexperienced but its his pace and movement thats creating the spaces for us to play into, would be surprised to see him dropped. I like Armstrongbut he only comes in if we go 3 up top, which i doubt.

As for young Finley i think he conceded his place to Smyth. Finley tended to play off Kee more i think and drove from deep. I like that, but can only see him coming in at the expense of Barlaser

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

#@$^@^$@&*@&$^!

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

My god I wish I'ld stayed in bed. Grumpy Sunday has started. :(

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

The second half was absolute rubbish, have seen as good on the playing fields. finished up with 3 strikers and NEVER looked like scoring, Coventry were not great but certainly deserved the 3 pts. imho.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Should never have dropped Brown he is our only midfielder with any bite constantly gave the ball away today didn't deserve anything against a very mediocre side only player to come out with any credit was Dimi in the nets pulled a fantastic save second half cound,nt be blamed for the shocking goal we conceded need to up our game for Teusday against Blackpool cause they will have a very noisy following backing them.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

The boys clearly missed my support today......Humph!:eek:

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

It was dire today. Coventry were much better at the passing but couldn't capitalize on their superior technical play. We played well for the first 15 Mins, I am afraid after that we looked out of sorts. We were dragged out of position all afternoon. Somebody commented that this team is not strong enough to compete in this division. On today's Performance I couldn't disagree. Most of the players were poor. The substitutions were hard to understand. I still think we will stay in this division but some hard decisions have to be made at the end of the season.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

:( long hard spring coming up and not out of winter yet :(

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

To quote the Match Report on t'fishy....

"And Offrande Zanzala came on with 10 minutes to go as the Reds went all-out for the equaliser ".

Now as you know I am not one to criticise genuine efforts to acquaint me with all things ' STANLEY '.. But I really cannot abide it when people try to pull the wool over my eyes !.

Could I though be the only one to miss this reported feature towards the end of the Match and did I miss seeing the Reds actually going all out ?.. seemed to me that they had all gone out after the first quarter of the game !.

Once again our midfield was totally dominated by a very left-sided Coventry City, our much vaunted wide-men were completely bossed by their respective full backs, Billy looked like a man ready for a good rest, and no wonder after he has worked his socks off for weeks now with little support, and our unprotected defence were overworked to a point where they found the task of holdding the Coventry forwards almost too difficult to attain..

Was today then yet another 'blip '... we can hope so, and look forward to better things as the Reds take on a Blackpool team who must be seriously looking for a return to form after their last two calamities !.

ON STANLEY !... ON TO EVEN GREATER THINGS !!.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

My overriding emotion watching the game today was boredom. Gave serious consideration to leaving early as I really wasn't having a fun time. The game plan surely can't have been to punt the ball up the pitch like we did for nearly the entire second half. Yet didn't see a reaction from the bench to try and change this. If it was the plan, why did we bother bringing on brown - so he watch the ball sail aimlessly over his head?! Unsure whether the 100 mile round trip will be worth it on Tuesday.

If you can't tell, I'm very disappointed :D

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Thought the first half was pretty even, neither side creating much & looked like the game had nil - nil written all over it.
To my mind, their goal shouldn't have stood as our player (Barlaser I think) was felled to the ground by a blatant foul on their way through but Mr. I. M. Wright thought otherwise.
Second half wasn't good, two sides just cancelling each other out in the main although they were quicker than us at times. Good save by Evtimov near the end to stop the scoreline from flattering Coventry even more.
Good luck to them in their fight to stay in business - thought the banner was good at start of the game.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Was the extended journey sat in the traffic on the M66 worth it ?
A resounding no.
Least said the better.
On to the next one.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Even first half, we had are best spell first 15 minutes. we showed some nice intricate passing at times.Second half we worryingly showed nothing going forward and Coventry did enough to earn the win. I like Smyth's pace but it made us go too direct at times rather than usual are wingers. I too think we lack in central midfielder but don't know the answer. Tonight it feels like it will be battle to Scramble the necessary points to stay up. But let's not forget to do this would be a good achievement for our club in its first season in around 60 years back in the 3rd tier.

Sent from my Moto G (5) using Tapatalk

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Poor marking again from the Dom for the goal didn't make an effort to put in a tackle same at Sunderland how many more times.?

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Yup, sadly it was ****e today.
Can’t ever recall a match where we had zero chances (I missed the first 12 mins due to traffic). It wasn’t helped by the number of times our players were shoved in the back. Yes, the ref gave fouls every time but I think Stanley play for those fouls too much.

Passing was poor, our best players (Finley and Clark) couldn’t get into the game.
Think Zanzala for Smyth may have been a better option. Armstrong looks very ordinary to me.

Who got MOTM? A tough one that. I thought Johnson looked very good at times, but aware that late on we got opened up a lot on his side.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

I have just checked up 3 wins in the last 19 league games (since Peterborough away in october) shows the scale of the task ahead in getting the 12/15 points required for survival!

Sent from my Moto G (5) using Tapatalk

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

A quick comment on the state of the pitch yesterday it was awful now I know the club are doing their best to secure King George's on a lease so as to have a training base sonner this happens the better I believe the lads had to train on the pitch 3 times last week and all that money spent on it seems such a shame and it doesn't help our style of passing game.I am sure we will stay up but lets hope the training facilities are sorted sooner rather than later then our surface can stay at it's best.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Janoi ......... dont know how but having said that who else ?

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Have just listened to J,Cs after game video, and cannot agree! is it not sensible the fact we need points and were home, that we should start with more attackers going for broke? i would think so. putting em on late is way too dodgy in my view.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

I'm afraid he's a very stubborn man but it might be his downfall. Looking at our run in hard to find where we will pick up points.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Can I ask, who and what formation would you have started with yesterday then?
I actually thought the starting 11 yesterday was more attacking than recent weeks.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Personally would have started with a big lad assisting billy up front, it would be more beneficial in my view, then at half time would defo have brought another attacker on, cos after first 10 mins or so we never looked like scoring.its points we need and should use the best way to get em.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Wouldn't like to try and sell someone a season ticket on the back of watching that load of c***.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Easy to criticise after the event. Yes we weren’t good at all yesterday however I guarantee if Smyth was dropped then you 100% would have had a moan about that.
We were poor yesterday and there were many thing not very good and worrying, but the team selection particularly the strikers weren’t a worry for me pre match.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Stubborn in what way? Who would you have dropped yesterday? Is this the same stubborness that has got us promoted to League One and still in a great position to maintain that position!!

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Your fifth post and I'm impressed by your perspicacity already... keep it up !.

On STANLEY ... ON TO EVEN GREATER THINGS !

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Why drop big Ben and put the Dom at CB ? He's not even a CB.he got promoted last season that's history now.it what he does this season that's important and he leaves it late to make subs if any at all.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

So why did we go to Coventry 17/18 and play them of the park won 2 nill.lineup A.Chapman.k.Jackson.L.Nolan.s.Connelly.H.Rodgers.j .Dunne. then at the weekend dismal display.Evtimdv.Donacien.Gibson.zanzla.Finley.Barl aser.Smyth.Armstrong. that's history son

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

I wasn’t going to post this but...For anyone that doesn’t know, I was mascot at the game on Saturday after my mates had stitched me up into doing it for my birthday after them raising £500 for charity, A charity that Ex Stanley player Paul Howarth set up!

I’ve raised £1175 so far but would ask if anyone has any spare change to please donate what/if they can!

Please see the links below...

https://www.facebook.com/28246725224...426690?sfns=mo

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfund...term=GXkWmbQvg

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

On Donician,s Wikipedia profile he is described as a right back/centre back were does Coley play him left back were for 2 seasons was constantly our best player maybe John thinks he is Mr versatile don,t know I quite like Big Ben but he just had 2 shocking games previously we are missing young Sykes in there but that aside Saturday was just woeful football to watch from both sides how Robins can say they played well is beyond me.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Fortunately, most of us who buy our season tickets don't base whether we get one for next season on just one game . . . . . . .:rolleyes:

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Everyone knows that, but the object surely is to increase our gate? that display certainly never helped.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Cashy !... ON a slightly different note ... Do you reckon, after watching Liam Kelly's great midfield leadership of Coventry City on Saturday, and comparing that with the non-existent and lame efforts of the one wearing Stanley's Captains armband that this is one area of weakness in the squad that isn't addressed that often or at any depth !.

Just wondering if he's the right man for the job ??.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

What you on about? only a fool would criticize before the event, after if its good or rubbish people will say so, if Smyth ( who i like) had been dropped to the bench and a big lad replaced him i could get the reason.:rolleyes:

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

That’s exactly my point. Smyth who has been playing well for me, deserved another go in the starting 11 so I can’t criticise that. Yes after the game we can all say we should have approached certain things differently but that is easy after the game and no one knew how it was going to pan out.
Anyway, it was an extremely poor performance and time to move on to tomorrow’s massive game now.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

I’m lost with this. Jackson/Dunne/Chapman all not at the club currently??
Nolan hasn’t played at all this season so I didn’t expect him to start.
Rodgers also not really been in the team and I’d have been surprised if he played.
We played extremely poorly on Saturday but let’s remember its a different Coventry team from 12 months ago also

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

In the absence of Conneely (which raises an entirely different debate) I think you may have a point, Yonmon.
Sean McMarmite has many qualities but i’m not convinced being the type of brave, battling, ‘leader-of-men’ captain, which Stanley seem to be missing, is one of them.
Not sure who could otherwise do the job though, if the likes of Yosser Hughes doesn’t want the job.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Because Stanley’s best team last season was stronger than this year, and, as noted by ASFC1019, the reverse may well be the case at Coventry.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Not too sure oer that, Coventry were better than us, but certainly nowt special in my view?

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

I totally agree Cashy however with how football is, we could have played the exact same team as last season (I know not possible) and so could they but yet have a different result. Thats just how football works.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

The most disheartening way to lose is when you make the other team look better than they actually were. When Barnsley beat us 2-0, I thought we played well, but they were better than us on the day and deserved the 3 points.

Coventry was a different story. I think we had conceded defeat after Sean's first 3 passes found a Coventry player. Sloppy giving them the goal, but we could of played long into the evening and never of scored!

Trusting Coley to rally the players and come out all guns blazing Tuesday night. I have a feeling if they do, it could easily be a 3 or 4 nil to us

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

What i cant weigh up is we were very good i thought against Sunderland up yon, yet 3 home games directly after we have been poor,makes no sense at all to me. ok we got 4 pts from em but still poor.:confused:

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

In away games there is often a bit more space to exploit if the home team is pushing on. Smyth used this to good effect at Sunderland. Home games tend to find our attacking play more compressed reducing the opportunities to use this tactic.

We have struggled to create chances all season. Very little seems to come from central midfield. I thought Barlaser was the answer but am becoming increasingly underwhelmed.
He's got ability on the ball but seems to really struggle to impose himself on games. While little comes from him in an attacking sense both him and Finley and him seem easily outmuscled and bypassed defensively at this level.

Anyone know how Piero's doing at Morecombe? It strikes me we could be doing with him as a creative option right now.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Conneely is no leader in my eyes anyway not strong enough.Hughes all day

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

think reading all this certainly made my decision to miss saturday the best decision i have made for a while.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

All about opinions.
My view so feel free to disagree without personal insults.
Tactically we play a certain way week in week out.
We've got found out.
In many respects the personnel become irrelevant its the system we employ.
We changed it for Derby home and Gillingham away.
OK we lost to Derby and only drew at Gillingham but we looked solid.
I think we should have stuck with it but resorted to type.
Not many sides play 4 4 2 these days.
We have to have a midfielder in there who can sit in front of the back three or four and defend when called upon.
Barlaser cant do it. Finlay can't do it.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

My opinion best midfielder for a few years was Matty Crooks.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Can't believe I'm saying this but I agree with what you are saying 28.we need 3 points tommorow as I can't see us getting anything from Barnsley.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

Crooks and Conneely complemented each other so well.

Is Conneely actually match fit at the minute?

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

We quite often this season played only one striker?
As for 5 at the back, it made us look solid but extremely unlikely to score (and yes I know we didn’t look like scoring this Saturday neither). Particularly at Gillingham away where if we were still playing now probably wouldn’t have scored.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

If we get it right in the middle, rarely will we need to play 5 at the back ever again.
Lately I’ve noticed our tempo is a lot slower. We seem to be scared of playing a pass out wide or a through ball , taking time to assess the situation, before playing the same ball we’ve spent too long thinking about, thus becoming ineffective and losing the opportunity.
Same with goal kicks. One thing I loved when Chappy was with us is how quickly he played the ball out from the back, and it really worked well last season. This season, teams are pressing us much higher from our goal kicks, but leaving so much space down the middle that our midfielders just aren’t using.
Also, when we do get the ball out wide, we aren’t giving Sean/Clicker any options in the box. I personally think Billy has been playing some of his best football by dropping deeper, but our midfielders/2nd striker just aren’t overloading the box or giving options on the edge of the area for them to pull it back too.

Feels like we are just missing that one piece of the jigsaw in the middle

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

I'm talking about trying to sell one to someone watching their first game.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

When he felt like it

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

No.

Re: Sky Blues Match Thread
 

And totally irrelevant because his involvement is ancient history.