Coventry v Derby

[Manofpride]

Just watching the match, the pitch looks like it'd been cut with strimmers! Never seen a mower in it's life.
Derby 1-0 up (Johnson header) great cross from Wisdom.
Half time.........
My man of the match for the first half, Max Lowe.

[Manofpride]

1-0 final score, Lawrence missed a penalty and Bryson wasn't in the squad tonight?

[MadAmster]

Crap pitch but you have to deal with it.

A tale of two teams that don't mix........ the synergy just wasn't there.

Not that we were poor. It was just the last move, the last pass. All 22 would fit in the team, WITH the right teammates. That is FL's task now. Piccking the best XI.

Allo of the players above would shine in the best XI when 9 of their teammate are, genuinely, of the best XI standard.

Neither team would prosper in the top 2/3 of the Championship.

There we have the negatives out of the way.

Both teams showed they have taken FLs tactics on board and have the strength, fitness and skill to carry it out when in the right combination of players.

First half....

Roos - never tested. Worked well together with the outfield players
Wisdom - Good 45 minutes. Defended well, attacked well and a great cross under pressure for Johnson's goal
Keogh - Mr steady and in control
Macdonald - Possibly best player of the half
Lowe - again looked the part, worked very well the left winger. This time that was Bennett. Looks to me nailed on to start against Reading if not injured.
Hanson - lively. lots of flicks and tackles and..... great cover player
Huddlestone - was simply Hudds. gets my nod over Ledley for DM. GT is not ready IMO
Johnson - pretty much invisible except for a great headed goal from a Wisdom cross
Thomas - good in patches. His least impressive pre season game IMO. Still like hm though
Bennett - worked very well down the left in combo with Lowe. based on this game, he is more effective down the right or through the middle. Love to see him in the Reading XVIII
Nugent - Toss up who starts at Reading, him or Jerome........ or one of the expected new guys.... Did what Nuge does but not brilliant.


2nd half.

Mitchell - never tested. Worked well together with the outfield players
Bogle - pushing Wisdom for RB place IMO. Bench for me.
Pearce - Decent enough show. Bench
Davies - 1st XI and skipper
Bird - Young lad who will make the grade and get some 1st XI time this season
Ledley - was simply Leds. On the bench IMO
Sibley - Great game on Monday for the U23s at LB. Back in his preferred midfield role today. Has a future.
Mount - Some good move both attacking and defending. Is only missing intra team partnerships
Wilson - See Mount above
Lawrence - Good but noe his best. Poor, poor penalty attempt. First choice XI but not the penalty taker.
Jerome - Toss up who starts at Reading, him or Jerome........ or one of the expected new guys.... Did what Nuge does but not brilliant.

Over the 4 games so far we have seen a lot to be happy about. A few things to woory about. We have also seen that we need a strong base of 7 to 8 regulars with just a couple of squad players in there at most.

What is the best XI? The current one may not include all, or even any of the newbies but thet have shown enough to have me believe they will be first XI before too long.

The sum of the individual parts has to be less than the sum of the whole. If FL gets it right, we will not only see good football, we will also see success.

Come on you Rams.

[Manofpride]

Can't argue with that MA, and that penalty was pathetic!!!
Lamps said before the match this will be a training session? It will be interesting to see what team he puts out against Wolves!
Also hope it's a game of football and we go out to win and try not to concede. If folk are payin' then we should be playin' not having a training session!

[MadAmster]

There were some 12 players, plus Marriott and possibly Waghorn, who weren't on the park last night. Four or 5 of those aren't fit and/or are injured/ill. The rest are, IMO, shoe ins for a starting place.

Barring injury/illness

Carson will be in goal
Lowe has done more than enough to guarantee himself the LB berth
Keogh and Davies will play as the 2 central defenders
Wisdom will be RB. I find that harsh on Bogle but the right decision...... just.
Midfield will be Bryson Huddlestone and Mount
The 2 wide men up top will be Wilson and Lawrence.
#9 role? It will probably be Nugent.

As well as Bogle, I think Bennett and Thomas can consider themselves unlucky not to get a start. The 2 newbies? I think they will probably have a couple of games on the bench, giving them time to bed in and get used to the system and their teammates.

My preliminary selection may well change if any of those picked move on. If any of them do move, either sold or loaned out, I don't see it being more than Nugent and a slight possibility of Bryson or Lawrence.

[mistaram]

MA couldn't see a bloody thing after 70 mins what happened to floodlights they had them never switch them on Hard to work out a starting eleven because everybody has been a bit inconsistent Up until him not playing Bryson looked good Lowe has done well I think Davies and Keogh will be nailed probably Lawrence Lowe because he's the only fit left back the rest up for grabs

[MadAmster]

RamsTV was still visible.

[mistaram]

RamsTV was still visible.

Terrible pitch side surprised it went 90 mins

[MadAmster]

Good footballers should be able to play on the Pride Park bowling green every bit as well as on the BBG mud bath.

[mistaram]

Good footballers should be able to play on the Pride Park bowling green every bit as well as on the

BBG mud bath.

I didn't mean terrible pitch i meant we couldn't see the play properly from the side of the pitch in the gloomy light One of their supporters says it was a generator failure 😄😄