Let's talk about the Coventry City game

[selby]

  A very hard game against a team that has taken to playing away at Birmingham City's for their home games like ducks to water, having played five home games there and winning all five, scoring 9 goals and conceding only 3 and by drawing all their  4 away games, with Ipswich are the two only unbeaten sides in the division.
   So we have it all to do again, and most likely only another great performance like we produced at Ipswich will be needed for us to bring any points back to Doncaster, and if we do manage it, even our strongest critics will have to view us as serious contenders in this division.
  A couple of weeks ago on another thread a poster picked out our next ten games as a hard run, well we are not doing bad, but this game is probably as hard as they get, and with two cup games on top of their five league victories that is seven from seven, although one win was against Walsall on penalties, but never the less it is impressive.
   Unlike Peterborough they have no player in the top scorers list for the division, but in F Dobo with four yellows and one red they have the naughtiest player in the division, so they are no shrinking violets and can put it about.
   Their manager mark Robins has put a good side together despite not having a home ground, and has always been a shrewd operator in the lower leagues. Only two sides of the ground are open for their games, the home supporters down one side, and ourselves behind one goal, so somewhat of an odd atmosphere.
  I don't expect any changes to our side from the Peterborough game, Do you?
  Can we be the first team to burst their bubble at Birmingham City's ground and win there?
  Are you going to the game?
  What sort of game do you expect, open end to end or very cagey?
  Who are their danger men?
 Lot's to discuss, please have your say, and any supporters from Coventry feel free to join in.

[drfchound]

Someone has posted on another thread that, taking into consideration games played by each club in the division against others, we have had the hardest set of games, by some distance and Coventry have had the easiest set of games.
Although it is undeniable that they will be a good side, maybe they won’t be as formidable as is being suggested.

Furthermore, according to quite a few of our posters, their new goalkeeper is very poor so that should help us too.

[scawsby steve]

  A very hard game against a team that has taken to playing away at Birmingham City's for their home games like ducks to water, having played five home games there and winning all five, scoring 9 goals and conceding only 3 and by drawing all their  4 away games, with Ipswich are the two only unbeaten sides in the division.
   So we have it all to do again, and most likely only another great performance like we produced at Ipswich will be needed for us to bring any points back to Doncaster, and if we do manage it, even our strongest critics will have to view us as serious contenders in this division.
  A couple of weeks ago on another thread a poster picked out our next ten games as a hard run, well we are not doing bad, but this game is probably as hard as they get, and with two cup games on top of their five league victories that is seven from seven, although one win was against Walsall on penalties, but never the less it is impressive.
   Unlike Peterborough they have no player in the top scorers list for the division, but in F Dobo with four yellows and one red they have the naughtiest player in the division, so they are no shrinking violets and can put it about.
   Their manager mark Robins has put a good side together despite not having a home ground, and has always been a shrewd operator in the lower leagues. Only two sides of the ground are open for their games, the home supporters down one side, and ourselves behind one goal, so somewhat of an odd atmosphere.
  I don't expect any changes to our side from the Peterborough game, Do you?
  Can we be the first team to burst their bubble at Birmingham City's ground and win there?
  Are you going to the game?
  What sort of game do you expect, open end to end or very cagey?
  Who are their danger men?
 Lot's to discuss, please have your say, and any supporters from Coventry feel free to join in.

I will be there Brian, and fully expect an unchanged side from last Saturday, as this seems to be our best 11.

Also, well done for calling the Mason v Halliday debate correctly.

[selby]

 Hound, the relative standard of teams played I can agree with, but in my experience, when a team get a winning habit they take some stopping, and not always does the better side succeed, as Leicester proved not so long ago.
  When we played them at the end of last season, they looked to have some very talented young players, who look to have carried on their late run that ran us close to a top six finish at the end of last season.
  Their manager is one who I would not have minded having a go with us in the past, and has built a side despite off the field problems.
  Do I think we can do well down there? yes I do, but I have no doubt we will have to be at our best to do so.

[Ian Nimmo]

Is their success anything to do with them having one of the best keepers in League 1 !

[NewDonny]

Is their success anything to do with them having one of the best keepers in League 1 !

He was at our game on Saturday watching and then in the lounge afterwards.

[Alan Southstand]

The tough games just keep on coming! What a run of games this has been for us and we still have Pompey and Oxford to look forward to, after we have finished at Coventry/Birmingham.

When you consider our points per game average, and the fact that the EFL still owe us 3 points, we are doing more than ok.

If we do win on Saturday, I dare say there will be a few teams taking us a bit more seriously. However, we have a big challenge to get anything from this next fixture.

What I’d like to see now is us maybe adding a couple of players to our squad, to make us even stronger than we currently are. The squad is paper thin, as the bench on Saturday demonstrated, and we already have Sterling, Wright and Blair injured, so it’s asking a lot of the young lads to keep up their high standards.

Our one advantage that we take into every game, though, is the teamwork and discipline that has laid the foundation for our assault on the top 6. Fingers and toes are crossed for another good, solid performance and no injuries or sendings off.

[steve@dcfd]

Is their success anything to do with them having one of the best keepers in League 1 !

If you are basing that on goals conceeded then our two must be better.

[drfchound]

Hound, the relative standard of teams played I can agree with, but in my experience, when a team get a winning habit they take some stopping, and not always does the better side succeed, as Leicester proved not so long ago.
  When we played them at the end of last season, they looked to have some very talented young players, who look to have carried on their late run that ran us close to a top six finish at the end of last season.
  Their manager is one who I would not have minded having a go with us in the past, and has built a side despite off the field problems.
  Do I think we can do well down there? yes I do, but I have no doubt we will have to be at our best to do so.

I agree with all of that mate.

[ExileRover]

Anyone know any pubs nearby that do food within walking distance of the ground? Quick look on google looks like there is only the cricketers arms nearby for a drink but i've also read that they close coventry road for up to an hour after the game.

[Donnywolf]

https://whatpub.com/search?q=B9+4RL&t=pc&p=1&lat=52.4749&lng=-1.86404&_token=Hc2rOMwUPzVlf8CzsnwEMhWT6oz629DYGFKfilYK&features=PubClub%2COpen%2CRealAle%2CLunchtimeMeals

From the CAMRA Website (Whatpub) these are real ale Pubs with Lunchtime food

and these are non real ale Pubs with Lunchtime food (some crossover of course)

https://whatpub.com/search?q=B9+4RL&t=pc&p=1&lat=52.4749&lng=-1.86404&_token=Hc2rOMwUPzVlf8CzsnwEMhWT6oz629DYGFKfilYK&features=PubClub%2COpen%2CLunchtimeMeals

[ExileRover]

Thanks Wolf, looks a really great website.

[Donnywolf]

It is. Bookmark it and you can then use it for every game

Choose the "filters" and you can zero right in

Last Season I found The Bootleggers at Chorley - The Avenue at Sunderland and this at Bradford

https://whatpub.com/pubs/BRA/441/record-caf-bradford

Brilliant all of them - but as I found at Oxford and Gillingham they sometimes DONT have real ale and have not bothered to update !

[idler]

The Corn Dolly in Bradford would probably have been cheaper Wolfy but a bit longer walk.😉🍻

[drfchound]

The Corn Dolly in Bradford would probably have been cheaper Wolfy but a bit longer walk.😉🍻

Oh don’t worry about Wolfie having a longer walk.
I went with him to that pub in Sunderland.
It was something like four miles from the stadium !!

[Gabriel]

Anyone know any pubs nearby that do food within walking distance of the ground? Quick look on google looks like there is only the cricketers arms nearby for a drink but i've also read that they close coventry road for up to an hour after the game.

Hi, I don't know if the one I'm thinking of is the Cricketers' Arms but I think if you walk under the roof of the group of shops you'll come to a point where you can cross the road and I believe there's a pub over the road? As I recall you had to pay to get in and when I went it was very busy, but could be your best bet as it's probably not an away day for pubs.

Hope this helps - and all the best for the game.

[5minstogo]

Any tips for parking. Planning on getting there early and having a wander before the match

[5 on Tour]

Any tips for parking. Planning on getting there early and having a wander before the match

Parking around St Andrews is awful. If you do street park be really careful. Some areas have groups roaming that will “look after” your car if you park for a fiver. If you don’t pay the fiver you will have no wing mirrors. Happened last time I went there. I didn’t pay and the City fan in front said go and give him your money or they’ll take the mirrors off. I paid but the bloke behind didn’t and they were gone when he got back.

You’re better off parking in the proper car parks about 10 mins away and walking down.

[idler]

When I went a few years ago there was a car park as you drove downtime main road. About a 5/10 minutes walk to the ground and there was a pub right near to it. Easy to get out of after the game and straight to the motorway.

[roversdude]

Is it pay on the gate
Which stand are we in please, I’m looking forward to this one

[idler]

When I went a few years ago there was a car park as you drove downtime main road. About a 5/10 minutes walk to the ground and there was a pub right near to it. Easy to get out of after the game and straight to the motorway.

Please ignore this post. I was thinking about when we played them in Coventry.😳
Sorry

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Expecting and hoping for the same approach to the Ipswich game although from the little I've seen and heard, I think Coventry are a better footballing team.

Sane rules apply, patient and probing in possession and strong in defence.

I hope Dieng keeps his place and with Wright now available, does that mean Daniels has to miss out to make way for Sterling?

I think Sadlier and Taylor played very well to support Ennis last week so I'm hoping for an unchanged starting XI.

Yet another test in this early part of the season and should we get a result we are setting ourselves up for a very profitable run of games.

[NewDonny]

Expecting and hoping for the same approach to the Ipswich game although from the little I've seen and heard, I think Coventry are a better footballing team.

Sane rules apply, patient and probing in possession and strong in defence.

I hope Dieng keeps his place and with Wright now available, does that mean Daniels has to miss out to make way for Sterling?

I think Sadlier and Taylor played very well to support Ennis last week so I'm hoping for an unchanged starting XI.

Yet another test in this early part of the season and should we get a result we are setting ourselves up for a very profitable run of games.

Coventry - "a better footballing team" - really, based on what evidence, we played them off the park at home at the end of last season.

You refer to our game against Ipswich then go on to talk about performances of some of our players yet some you mentioned did not start at Ipswich which leads me to believe that you are confusing Ipswich with our game last week against Peterborough maybe?

[NickDRFC]

He means Coventry are a better footballing team than Ipswich. And he’s comparing the two fixtures as it’s an away game against a team doing well.

[drfchound]

Also, are we playing the Coventry team of last season?

[adamtherover]

Someone has posted on another thread that, taking into consideration games played by each club in the division against others, we have had the hardest set of games, by some distance and Coventry have had the easiest set of games.
Although it is undeniable that they will be a good side, maybe they won’t be as formidable as is being suggested.

Furthermore, according to quite a few of our posters, their new goalkeeper is very poor so that should help us too.

when we looked at the fixture list early on, a run of, fleetwood (money spent), lincoln (momentum), rovrum, Ipswich, posh (money spent), id wager no-one thought we would win the majority, but we have, Dm has found a way of getting the most of this team, that doesnt rely on one star player.  Long may it continue :-)

[Chris Black come back]

Their home record in league this season looks great (played 5, won 5) but there is cause for hope.

They have largely played dross - Southend United, AFC Wimbledon and Gillingham are 3 of the 5 games. Only Blackpool and to lesser extent Bristol Rovers are credible sides.

Also, of the 5 wins, 4 of them have been by single goal margin - including the wins against truly dreadful Southend United and AFC Wimbledon.

Decent record but made to look good due to results against some really weak sides.

[drfchound]

Also, are we playing the Coventry team of last season?

No but its the same club and if you check its the same nucleus of players, they have just aded to the squad.

Grow up you clown, always with the smart remarks whenever I post, what are you 10.

Good grief, it was a genuine response to your post.
I asked if we were playing the same Coventry team as last season and you very kindly explained that they have the same nucleus of players plus some new ones..........then you insulted me.


I think it is you who is acting like a little boy.

[drfchound]

New Donny.

I just read back through the thread and see that you are also having a pop at DBR, suggesting that he is confusing the Ipswich and the Peterbro matches when it is plainly obvious to me (and Nick) what he (DBR) is saying.

Just a suggestion for you........try to read and understand what people are saying before jumping down their throats or firing unjustified insults.

[steve@dcfd]

Also, are we playing the Coventry team of last season?

No but its the same club and if you check its the same nucleus of players, they have just aded to the squad.

Grow up you clown, always with the smart remarks whenever I post, what are you 10.

5 players out of the 18 that played us were in their last squad.
There turnover of players has been similar to ours.
Let’s hope we can produce displays we did against Ipswich and Peterborough, with the end product of last week. Accuracy in front of goal we need to improve. But if our defending stays good then taking one or two chances will be enough.