retired_trainer21

SBA talks exclusively to CM Stories

Tuesday 26 August 2003

Having picked up a couple of creditable draws in our first two away games it was significant that we made home advantage count on Saturday.

Craig Pead was a real plus point with his endless running playing in front of the solid Yazid Mansouri. This allowed me to utilise Safri and Barrett either side of Pead and I was pleased with their supply to the two front men.

Within this system comes an enormous responsibility on the two full backs, with Steve Staunton and Andrew Whing not letting anyone down.

We have not conceded a goal in the league since the seventh minute of the season and whilst playing at home means the onus is on you to go forward, this impressive defensive record is one which we shall be looking to carry forward into Saturday's game with Stoke City at Highfield Road.

Saturday's game will see the return of John Eustace, Marcus Hall and Paul Williams, all three of which were heavily involved in the latter years of the club's long stint in the top division.

Coventry City v Stoke City MATCH REPORT will appear here ...

retired_trainer21

Saturday 30 August 2003

Nationwide League Division One

CITY 0

Stoke City 0

MATCH REPORT from the CET

Former Sky Blue fails to make City pay the penalty

Former Coventry City favourite John Eustace missed the perfect opportunity to make his old club pay for letting him go in the summer as he saw his first half penalty spectacularly saved by Scott Shearer.

Shearer, who joined the Sky Blues in the summer, pulled off a blinding stop to his right hand side to foil Eustace, who had an otherwise enjoyable return to his former club.

That incident, following a handball by Stephen Warnock, will be the only lasting memory on an afternoon when City failed to follow up their impressive win last time out against Stoke City.

The game was scrappy throughout, with the visitors seemingly satisfied to take a point from the moment Eustace had his spot kick saved.

SBA drafted Warnock into the midfield pressing role vacated by an unfortunate Craig Pead who had been ruled by a fractured wrist, an injury which is likely to see him also ruled out of Wednesday's trip to Upton Park.

SBA could not be accused of not going for all three points as City mounted increasing pressure on the Stoke back four (which included both Paul Williams and Marcus Hall) as the second half progressed, but in truth they never really created the worthwhile chances to say they deserved to win the game.

City remain undefeated, having conceded just one goal in four games, but it is their limited success at the other end of the pitch which means they have drawn three of their opening four matches.

BIG MATCH STATS

CITY 0 - 0 Stoke City

Goal Attempts

Coventry City 2
Stoke City 1

Corners

Coventry City 2
Stoke City 1

retired_trainer21

The Sky Blues Line Up

... and how they rated

Shearer 7
Whing 7 (YC)
Staunton 7
Davenport 6
Konjic 7
Mansouri 7
Warnock 4 (YC) (Pipe 27 - 7)
Barrett 7 (Adebola 61 - 6)
Suffo 6
Joachim 4 (Jorgensen 61 - 7)
Safri 6 (YC)

retired_trainer21

SKY BLUE NEWS

Sunday 31 August 2003

The Sky Blues have successfully captured two scouts, an area SBA knows to be crucial as he looks to pick up sensibly priced playing talent from all corners of the globe.

Joining the scouting team are John Griffin and Lee McKenzie - both reported to be earning £200 per week.

retired_trainer21

2003-04 SEASON

SKY BLUE AUGUST REVIEW

August

LEAGUE POSITION

Played 4, Won 1, Drawn 3, Lost 0 POINTS 6

Crystal Palace (a) 1-1 Suffo
Millwall (a) 0-0
Cardiff City (h) 2-0 Davenport, Suffo
Stoke City (h) 0-0

Top Scorers (League Only) for the season

Suffo 2
Davenport 1

Average Rating (Top 6)

N/A due to insufficient number of games played


The Sky Blues face a trip to West Ham on Wednesday night ... MATCH REPORT to appear here ...

retired_trainer21

Wednesday 3 September 2003

Nationwide League Division One

West Ham United 1
Carrick 30

CITY 0

MATCH REPORT from the CET

Brave City edged out by Promotion Favourites

A solitary first half goal from Michael Carrick on the half hour mark was ultimately enough to signal SBA's first taste of defeat in charge of the Sky Blues.

In truth this performance was far better in terms of quality than that seen against Stoke on Saturday which left the die-hard City fans who had braved the midweek trip to the East End all the more frustrated at the final whistle.

It will be of little consolation to them that this was an entertaining affair between two sides keen to get the ball down and play.

The winner came from a corner as Carrick escaped the attentions of the massed ranks of City defenders to head home a goal which had followed a sustain period of Hammers pressure.

SBA opted to play the youthful David Pipe up front alongside the still goalless Andy Morrell as Julian Joachim was left out of the squad altogether following his poor showing at the weekend.

It was unfortunate for City that their best chances kept falling to Pipe who clearly had the home defence worried with his pace and direct running. Had he been able to keep a cool head in front of goal then the Sky Blues would surely have taken something from the game.

With 20 minutes to go SBA brought on Claus Jorgensen for Steve Staunton as he went with three at the back and pushed Jorgensen on to try and capitalise on the tiring Repka at right back.

Although over the game as a whole West Ham probably deserved the win City did cause panic in their defence in the latter stages and thought they had got level on 78 minutes when Andrew Whing finished off a fine move with a rasping drive into the far corner. The celebrations had begun on and off the pitch before they were alerted to a raised linesmans' flag.

After a promising start to the campaign the Sky Blues now find themselves in the more to be expected region of 15th in the Division One table but there was evidence at Upton Park to suggest an improvement on that position was imminent.

BIG MATCH STATS

West Ham United 1 - 0 CITY

Goal Attempts

West Ham United 11
Coventry City 6

Corners

West Ham United 4
Coventry City 1

retired_trainer21

The Sky Blues Line Up

... and how they rated

Shearer 8
Whing 7
Staunton 5 (Jorgensen 73 - 6)
Davenport 8
Konjic 8
Mansouri 7
Warnock 5 (McAllister 49 - 7)
Barrett 7
Morrell 5 (Suffo 49 - 7)
Pipe 7
Safri 7

Don't miss SBA's weekly column as he reacts to his first taste of defeat at the Sky Blue Helm ...

retired_trainer21

SBA talks exclusively to CM Stories

Thursday 4 September 2003

When looking through the fixtures and the general task ahead at the start of the season it must be acknowledged that the trip to Upton Park was never going to fall into the 'must win' category.

I'm sure that those of you that made the journey will have been satisfied that we tried everything to achieve such a result but I'm sure you'll also accept that West Ham are going to be there or thereabouts come the end of the season.

I had not seen the dreaded linesmans' flag until well after Andrew Whing had smashed in what we thought was a well worked equaliser in the second half, and I would need to see it again before I could say whether we were denied a potential point-saving goal.

Going back to Saturday's game against Stoke I was naturally disappointed not to have followed up on the win against Cardiff with another three point return.

Stoke must given credit however for the way they organised themselves and I'm sure there was that little extra incentive for the three former City players in the Stoke City team.

We now have a 10-day break before our next fixture when we take on Wigan back at Highfield Road and this will give enough time for Craig Pead to build himself back up to match fitness. He has done very well in the games he has played this so far and has been sorely missed in these last two matches.

retired_trainer21

To appear here tonight on CCFC in the C21st ...

- SBA's exclusive to CM Stories weekly column

- Match Report on the Sky Blues v Wigan Athletic ...

- Any updated news as and when it happens ...

retired_trainer21

SBA talks exclusively to CM Stories

It's been a very quiet week on all things Sky Blue.

We are now looking ahead to this Saturday's game against Wigan Athletic at Highfield Road but the preparations have not been ideal.

The first genuine break of the season hasn't been much of a break for many of the players as several of them have been many miles away from where I'd liked them to have been - the training ground!!

There is always a greater air of anticipation ahead of a game when there has been a long break since the previous one and I really believe a win on Saturday could give us the needed encouragement to sustain a position in the top half of the table.

Another City old boy returns to Highfield Road on Saturday - this time in the shape of goalkeeper John Filan who many believe to have been unjustly limited in the opportunities he had whilst he was here.

Naturally we'll be offering him a warm welcome back on Saturday, and naturally we will hope the generosity is returned out on the pitch!!