Brief synopsis

[Devon General]

We were poor first half, no midfield creativity and no threat up front. Did we have a shot on target in the first half? Carey anonymous until just before half time for the wrong reasons.
Referee wasn’t as bad as some people were making out, we had worse at Home Park last season. Claims for fouls in the Argyle box second half were optimistic in my opinion.

The half time change gave us a spark lacking up to then and but for a good save by the keeper we might have been level.
Strangely we played better football when down to ten men, but Coventry defended resolutely.

Coventry weren’t that great but poor decisions by Argyle players and a desperate first half cost us.

More pressure ahead of a tricky home game on Tuesday night. Let’s hope we don’t concede first or the atmosphere could get tetchy especially if Ainsworth gets up to his usual antics.

 

[lilcol]

According to radio comms it seemed the referee was very poor and wanted to be the star of the show.

 

[James J]

We can’t keep blaming poor referees. I agree we were quite poor in the first half. It sets the tone and we simply have to start games in a more positive manner if we want to start picking up wins.

 

[Neilz]

The back four looked comfortable all game, the pairing of wottoon and canavan seems much more solid than edwards and wootton. The two full backs are getting better every game, very impressed with them both. Macey also has another good game and probably man of the match.
The problem for me is further up from there, the midfield 3 are just not working. Let’s hope adams can get this new player he is after he obviously knows there’s something missing there. Taylor still doesn’t look back up to full fitness, and his ankles look like they could go at any minute, he really does look like he’s made of glass at the moment.
A frustrating game, we caused our own problems as we have done since the start of the season. It’s also the first team regulars from last season that are letting us down. Both Carey and ness ultimately cost the team the game. Coventry are a poor side no doubt about it we just handed them the game with poor discipline and attitude reminiscent of last season.

 

[cheshiregreen]

Was the Conor Grant change tactical or injury induced?

Like the early games of last season our discipline is not as good as we'd like.. During our rise up the league last season we really improved thus aspect. Frustration? Poor positional play?

Another deja vu from 2017 is the need to make early subs in games. Is this poor preparations on our part or do sides know our approach any amend their tactical set-up?

.

 

[Tivvygreen]

We were talking to a Coventry supporter on the way back to the car.Was surprised that he said that the stadium is now owned by Wasps.

 

[greengiant1886]

According to radio comms it seemed the referee was very poor and wanted to be the star of the show.

All you have to do is type in the refs name on twitter to see how grateful the Coventry fans are. Apparently he was the ref in their play-off game vs Notts County and gave them the majority of the decisions then.

Obviously we didn't play well but I thought we should have had at least 2 penalties, and all the Coventry fans calling Darren Drysdale things such as a "Sky Blues Legend" does nothing to change my mind.

 

[Devon General]

The back four looked comfortable all game, the pairing of wottoon and canavan seems much more solid than edwards and wootton. The two full backs are getting better every game, very impressed with them both. Macey also has another good game and probably man of the match.
The problem for me is further up from there, the midfield 3 are just not working. Let’s hope adams can get this new player he is after he obviously knows there’s something missing there. Taylor still doesn’t look back up to full fitness, and his ankles look like they could go at any minute, he really does look like he’s made of glass at the moment.
A frustrating game, we caused our own problems as we have done since the start of the season. It’s also the first team regulars from last season that are letting us down. Both Carey and ness ultimately cost the team the game. Coventry are a poor side no doubt about it we just handed them the game with poor discipline and attitude reminiscent of last season.

Agree, your spot on. Adams needs to change to either a different formation or different personnel in midfield . We need a more positive approach and attitude throughout the game.

Not sure what the solution is though as this was my first game of the season so can’t comment on what other options might work.

 

[Devon General]

My concern from reading reports and comments from previous games this season is the form, or lack of it, of Graham Carey. Another poor showing from him today does not bode well.

 

[Presto]

Fans always blame refs when they lose they never say they won a game because of poor ref.ing

Too early in a season to make judgements on the team. Lets see where we are in November/Dec. before eveyone starts to panic.

 

[IJN]

We were talking to a Coventry supporter on the way back to the car.Was surprised that he said that the stadium is now owned by Wasps.

There's deep shenanigans being investigated by the authorities.

Months after being valued at £40m it was sold to Wasps for £20m. Despite this, they cannot meet their payment conditions.

Coventry City are likely not to be offered a tenancy next season, so they are looking at the Coventry Rugby ground as a stand. Currently a 3,000 stand is at the ground, and they reckon with a lot of work, they could have a capacity of 10,000.

And we worry about 'filling in the corners'. :facepalm:

 

[IJN]

A tweet by a Cov' fan. Says it all.

 

[cheshiregreen]

Another league game and another penalty plus a red card. Is it 2017 all over again?

The game hinged on reckless decisions by Carey and Ness, two experienced players who let us down.
Ness picked up a silly yellow card in the first half for trying to stop a player running through and in the second half another stupid yellow for handball.
Carey gave away a needless penalty by lunging into a tackle and the ref pointed to the spot after a long think about it, although it seemed one of the linesmen who were furthest away gave it. Macey guessed the right way but couldn't prevent Coventry scoring.

Just like the start of last season we lost our heads again.

And so onto the ref. What an awful performance, you put your faith in officials and I rarely criticise refs but Darren Drysdale had a shocker, we should have had at least two penalties but nothing given.

We played better with 10 men and were camped in the Coventry half for the majority of the time that we were depleted in numbers. The sad thing is that Coventry are a poor team and we should have beaten them, if only Ness and Carey were not so reckless.

Taylor came on and promptly got injured, he carried on but his glass ankle is becoming a problem.

Carey slightly redeemed himself when we were reduced to 10 men by having a very influential game in the centre of midfield.

The two full backs were fantastic, both have so much energy to get up and down the pitch.
The long balls to Ladapo didn't work in the first half but Taylor showed how it should be done in the second half.

We started the game slowly and grew into it, the funny thing is was that our best spell of pressure was when we were down to 10 men.

With a better ref and Carey and Ness keeping their heads we would have won this.

Three captains - Ness,Carey and Fox.

We haven't conceded from open play during the three league games and we haven't scored from open play either.

Man of the Match. Moore.

Macey 7, Moore 8, Wootton 6, Canavan 6, Smith-Brown 7, Songo'o 6, Ness 4, C Grant 5, Carey 6, J Grant 5, Ladapo 6. Subs Taylor 7, Fox 6, Lameiras 6.

Part of your report last season v MK home below

The first half was one of frustration - the players were frustrated, the fans frustrated and Derek Adams frustrated which resulted in a warning from the referee.

The game hinged on a reckless first half challenge by Graham Carey, did it deserve a red card or a yellow? The ref, who had a poor game, couldn't wait to get out his red card when if he took a moment to have a think he might have given a yellow.

The MK Dons goal came from a cross to the far post that was finished off. We are not defending crosses to the far post or into the six yard box and it's costing us games, once again could McCormick have done better with the cross?

The ten men of Argyle gave a great second half performance and despite having ten players were the better team and put MK Dons under a lot of pressure.

We are finding out in a higher league that when chances present themselves we have to take them, we need to be more clinical in front of goal.
Ciftci, Grant, Jervis and Bradley all had excellent chances but missed.[\quote]

Spookily similiar in sentiment despite some different names on the team sheet.

 

[Balham Green]

A tweet by a Cov' fan. Says it all.

Yawn

 

[Voice of Reason]

Yes nearly as dull as your lack of understanding of what people witnessed first hand. I think every Coventry fan felt they did alright by the ref which should tell they thought they got away with a few. Which in a game decided by one goal is a big deal.
As I stated earlier there's was a pen.
The red card was probably just about right.
But the ref managed to overlook a number of incidents that were very close and fell the home sides way. It's not hiding our own shortcomings with Careys hot headed nature costing us. But to overlook the referees performance when it had a direct bearing on the result would be wrong.