[retired_smitchell78]

Gary McAllister today said that out-of-favour Blackburn striker Craig Hignett is one of a number of attacking players the Sky Blues are currently enquiring about.

The City boss has been impressed with much of City’s play in recent games but highlights up front as one area the team could do with strengthening.

'There are things we can improve on. Looking at the statistics we should be getting more efforts on goal with the amount of possession we’ve had. The lads maybe need a little bit more hunger in the final third of the park. Up to there it’s been pretty good – as good as anybody in the league I think.

'I think we’ve played a lot of good stuff with the players we’ve got but if we could just add a couple of forward players, guys that know this league it would be a bonus.

'Craig Hignett is one player we’ve made enquiries about. He’s a guy who’s proven in this league and is undoubtedly very talented. I’m not ruling out a lot of things and we’re making plenty of enquiries at the moment.'

The Sky Blues boss was impressed with Leicester’s more experienced players on Tuesday and although two of City’s first choice forwards are only 20 he thinks the time for them to be classed as potential cannot last forever.

'One of Leicester’s main strengths was they had a lot of men in their team who know this league well. If you’re looking at the technical and ability side of things and we were well on top of the gamed on Tuesday but Leicester won the game.

'A lot has been thrust on Gary McSheffrey and Jay Bothroyd this season and we have to keep reminding ourselves they’re young but they’ve been around for a while now. They can’t carry on being young players with potential forever. They’ve got to go and grasp it. The top players in the world, this country and even in this league are right up there by the time they’re in their 20s.

Julian Joachim returned to action last night for the first time since sustaining an ankle injury 11 weeks ago. He came on towards the end of the reserve game last night and Macca is hoping he can rekindle the form he has shown for previous clubs.

'The reports are that Julian Joachim came through about 20 minutes with no problems. He trained with the first team this morning but it’s a wee bit too early for him to be in contention for Saturday. He needs to get about an hour under his belt before we look at him.

'A fit Julian Joachim would be like a new signing now because we’ve missed him now since Palace in August. If we get a positive Julian Joachim back in the squad it will be a welcome addition and a massive lift for everybody.'

[retired_smitchell78]

Dean Gordon played the first 12 games of the season for the Sky Blues and after four games out feels refreshed and is raring to go.

The left-back performed well early in the season but says he felt increasingly fatigued as games went on. He was left out for the Rushden game, and three subsequent matches, but is looking to keep the position for much longer this time.


'I’m very pleased to be back in the side. I’ve got very high standards and when I’m not picked for the team it’s very disappointing. In the Millwall game I felt quite tired and the gaffer talked to me about resting for the cup game and I agreed.

'The team won 8-0 so I wasn’t really expecting to be in the Gillingham game, which we won as well. He then had to keep the same team for Portsmouth so I was out the side for four games in all. I knew my chance would come and hopefully I can take it. I’m looking to keep hold of the shirt now.

'I feel a lot sharper now than I did before the Rushden game. I wasn’t happy with myself because Macca is looking towards people like me to give a little bit more because I’m one of the older players. I’m not all that happy with how I’ve performed so far this season because I know I can give a lot more in games. I’ve just got to work hard on the training to pitch to make myself sharper.'

Deano says all the players were very down after the Leicester game, which he feels the Sky Blues deserved at least a point from. He places a lot of importance on Saturday’s home clash with Rotherham and thinks if anything City need to be scoring worse goals – and more of them – than they are at present.


'We played well in the first half against Leicester, passing the ball and defending really well. Unfortunately we didn’t score but we came out for the second half and Richie scored a great goal. At 1-0 up I thought we should have won the game but 28,000 were there and once the crowd got behind them it gave them a little bit of a boost.

'Their equaliser was a bit of a scrappy goal but I thought we could hang on for the draw. A couple of decisions by the referee meant they scored a late winner and all the lads were really gutted at the end. That’s all forgotten about now and we’re just looking ahead to the next game.

'I think Rotherham is a massive game and we have to win it. We’ve had three draws and a defeat in the last four matches and that’s not really what we’re looking for.

'Our build-up play has been excellent regardless of who we’ve been playing but in the final third we don’t seem to gel that well and don’t create too many clear-cut chances. The gaffer was saying to us today about us not scoring scrappy goals. Teams always score them against us but we don’t seem to and that’s what we need to do.

'Morale is still high because we should really have got something from Tuesday’s game and the gaffer told us we played well, especially in the first half. We just need to be a little bit more ruthless. The top teams like Portsmouth can play badly and still win games and if we can start doing that we’ve got a good chance this season.'

Deano is happy with Macca’s recent loan signings and is particularly looking forward to building a partnership on the left with Richie Partridge.

'Richie has come into the team and done really well. I played for Middlesorough reserves against him when he was with Liverpool and he was a good player then. He’s very quick and teams are starting to see he’s a dangerous player. It’s difficult for defenders to get close to him because he’s so short. If we can use can use him more and I can support him a bit from behind it.'

[retired_smitchell78]

It’s a trip down the M1 for the Academy teams as the fixture list sees them drawn to play two of the London clubs.

The under 17s face Crystal Palace and they will be hoping to bounce back from the 3-0 defeat they suffered last week at the hands of Southampton.

The under 19s are across the other side of the city as they take on West Ham United. George Mackie’s side will be looking to overturn the Hammers and notch up their second win of the season.

Both games kick off at 11am and the results of the games will appear on www.ccfc.co.uk

[retired_smitchell78]

The Sky Blues take on Rotherham tomorrow at Highfield Road and Macca is hoping the disappointment of a last-minute defeat to local rivals Leicester can spur his side on to a win.

City have more then held their own against the top three sides in the division in recent weeks but the wins simply have not been coming and Macca knows the time has come to turn good displays into victories.

The players were given the day off on Wednesday and returned to training yesterday. The only person missing was Lee Mills who was carrying a small knock but he is likely to be fit tomorrow.

"We had a chat about Tuesday night and there were a lot of good things to talk about," said Macca. "The players are aware we need to get a few victories and a little run going. We’re in a spell of losing only once in seven or eight games but there weren’t many victories in there.

"It’s now a case of getting a run of positive results going, especially here at home where we’ve played some good stuff at times but our results could be better.

"I’m hoping the frustration from not getting a result against Leicester will come out in tomorrow’s game. We came away from Tuesday’s match with nothing but I’ve got to keep stressing there were a lot of good aspects to our game."

Rotherham carry a similarly low-key status to Walsall who came to Highfield Road last weekend and battled for a good draw. Macca says it is up to the Sky Blues to overcome teams arriving here looking for a point.

"It’s a compliment in a way when teams come here and try to stifle us and if that is the case tomorrow there are other areas where we can improve. If the opposition shut up shop set pieces become vitally important. We’ve spent a bit of time on them again in training. It’s been difficult to work on individual things because of the number of games but we’re doing everything we can to win the three points.

"Ronnie Moore’s done a fantastic job at Rotherham with very limited resources. He’s in a very similar situation to most clubs in this division. He’s also had the problem of not being regarded as a fashionable club but he’s managed to get a very hardworking team together. There aren’t many recognisable names in their side but they’ll come here and see it as one of the biggest games of their season against a club associated with the Premier League and I think they would see Coventry as a scalp.

"It’s going to be a tough game but we’ve just got to trust ourselves and keep going down the road we’re on. We’re committed to trying to pass and work the ball. We just need to get some wins."

[retired_barbara45]

2-1 with a few minutes to go, maybe we can still go up automatically?

[retired_kpr]

I thought we played pretty well and deserved to win. If we can do this kind of thing for the rest of the season I think we will make the playoffs. Automatic promotion is a faint possibility, but face facts, we are in seventh place at the moment.

Our second goal was never Gary McAllister's by the way. It was either a Rotherham own goal or Lee Mills.

Palace away, how will we do? we have a good record against them recently. I really hope we go through, it would be good financially to have a run in this competition.

[retired_russ10120]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Covfan:
2-1 with a few minutes to go, maybe we can still go up automatically?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, and I keep a gun in the cornor of my room to shoot pigs out of the sky. A lucky 2-1 win over bloody rotheram, and talk is of promothion automatically suddenly. We are able to get to the play offs, and that will be with a lot of effort, and our fair share of luck. Keep the feet on the ground.

[retired_cswah25]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Sky Blue Tom:
A good, if not great performance. Deserved to win, but I don't know if this is automatic promotion form.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Dont forget Man City last year...they weren't exactly performing at this stage of the season...nor were Blackburn a few years ago. Anything can happen if we start scoring.. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt="roll eyes[/IMG] (IF)

[retired_cswah25]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Sky Blue Tom:
Man City - Bernarbia, Berkovic, Goater
Blackburn - Duff, Jansen, Dunn
Coventry - [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif" alt="confused[/IMG]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Coventry- Mcallister, Partridge, Boooothroyd? [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif" alt="wink[/IMG]

OK, it might be a bit hopeful, but there's no point giving up. Anything could happen with Mills upfront... [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt="roll eyes[/IMG]

Has anyone been impressed by Kerr yet? I haven't seen anything special from him, and he's keeping a good player on the bench. I'd rather Chippo was playing down the right, or JJ, who seemed to play pretty well today.

[retired_cswah25]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Sky Blue Tom:
Kerr's not bad, but I think he's surplus to requirements here unfortunately. The same goes for Hignett, Macca's choice of loan players are certainly strange...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Compare the success of Pompey's loan signings...they're no bigger a club than Coventry but still manage to sign much more high profile players. I say bring back Hadji for the season! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]