Coventry City away match day thread

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

2 minutes ago, Fordy62 said:

I’ve just thought of my counter point (it took a while), if you had a team of 25 and all but four were recruited by you, and some of them were guaranteed to be brilliant (judging by the amount they were being paid) but actually they were dogshit, you’d struggle to make your sales targets no matter what you said to them or no matter how you told them how to sell. Especially bearing in mind that the previous two sales managers have struggled to get a tune out of them. 

What's your point here, Fordy?

[054123]

Just now, Dingbat said:

He’s come out a number of times and said he preferred to run with a smaller squad. We are now massively hamstrung by that. 
Having said that, I’d absolutely concede that the mis-management by Lansdown leading up to NP appointment meant Nige’s job was almost impossible. 

I’m hanging on until Christmas

[Red Army 75]

5 minutes ago, RedM said:

It was inevitable, we were all just waiting for them to score again. They looked hungry and positive. We looked clueless, sloppy and lazy.

Toxic at the end from a lot of unhappy fans of ALL ages venting their feelings. This performance was inexcusable.

Inevitable it got toxic. Fans have had enough 

[EstoniaTallinnRed]

Just now, chinapig said:

And how many players will lose any sleep tonight I wonder? Their whole attitude is distinctly meh.

Overpaid. lazy, underachievers.

[REDOXO]

3 minutes ago, Red Exile said:

I think the problem is that we don't have a board...we have an 'owner'.

And where has he been this season? Deafening silence.

The rumour is he’s close to a deal. Which if true would explain the silence. 

[054123]

Just now, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

What's your point here, Fordy?

There’s a point there somewhere, the Weston’s is clouding it somewhat

[Tin Soldier]

3 minutes ago, Red Exile said:

I think the problem is that we don't have a board...we have an 'owner'.

And where has he been this season? Deafening silence.

Was thinking the same, where are you Lansdown? Fans are treated like punters of Bristol ******* Sport.
Fed up with the shambles. Give me my football club back.

[Redrascal2]

23 minutes ago, Slack Bladder said:

Seriously we run out of steam half way through a second half. 

Pathetic 

I thought Pearson was supposed to have the team fitter than before. Nothing has changed. Pathetic.

[Red Exile]

2 minutes ago, REDOXO said:

The rumour is he’s close to a deal. Which if true would explain the silence. 

I've suffered enough this afternoon without you raising the hope that Lansdown will finally be off!

[pongo88]

2 minutes ago, maxjak said:

HUGERER?   Really?

I made up the word “hugerer” as it’s the sort of thing a 5 year old would say. I watched by granddaughter “play football” this morning and it reminded me of watching City. 

[stevep38]

Would like to know the players reactions after the final whistle? Did they come over to the fans and clap them, look embarrassed or was it a I don't give a shit attitude? 

[Sturny]

Do people think warnock could sort this lot out? 

[richyy66]

Just now, Sturny said:

Do people think warnock could sort this lot out? 

Couldn't do any frigging worse!!!!

[054123]

3 minutes ago, Red Army 75 said:

Inevitable it got toxic. Fans have had enough 

Yep, I’ve tried to not boo the older I’ve got, but I’ve yet to climb mt. Pious like some regular content contributors have and start knocking others for doing so.

Its is very poor at the moment and the same passion and emotion that creates euphoric moments will also make toxic ones.

[Murraysrightplum]

28 minutes ago, MC RISK77 said:

Fair enough- you do seem slightly obsessed with Johnson but see your point.

Pearson went from feb to end of October without a home win, their is plenty of championship experience in that squad and internationals- I don’t but into the fact that they are a dreadful bunch- they are not being coached well they are not motivated and I thought someone of his experience could at least bring that to the table… telling the press after every loss that we are a poor team Is not exactly motivational. 

I manage a high performing Sales team in a very competitive financial service industry- I make my people believe that they are better than I know they are (mainly because I am shite at recruiting) but it seems to work and their engagement is a credit to them- man management is all about the leader in charge

You told me I was special!!!

[Red-Robbo]

Just now, Sturny said:

Do people think warnock could sort this lot out? 

 

He couldn't do any worse and has a reasonable shout at doing better.

I never, EVER, thought I'd be an advocate of the man, but he has pulled more than one club out of a tailspin in the past. 

[BigTone]

2 minutes ago, Sturny said:

Do people think warnock could sort this lot out? 

100% yes

[Fordy62]

5 minutes ago, 054123 said:

There’s a point there somewhere, the Weston’s is clouding it somewhat

@Marina's Rolls Royceyeh. I think I’m struggling. Hat trick for South Africa isn’t helping. 

[Prime]

33 minutes ago, Fordy62 said:

He also lost 8 in a row. We’re nowhere near that. 

It’s not Lee Johnson that I hate per sé, it’s his favourable treatment that I can only put down to nepotism. 

If NP gets the same level of favour as LJ did, then maybe I can let it go a little. 

But that doesn't make sense. If those LJ bad runs put us in relegation trouble he would surely have been relegated.

It sounds like you're saying Pearson should be allowed the same bad runs no matter where we are in the league. It would be nice if we could actually have a win let alone a run of wins under the current regime. 

[RedM]

3 minutes ago, EstoniaTallinnRed said:

Overpaid. lazy, underachievers.

Just guessing, but I don't imagine Pearson to go easy on the training so it surprises me his team are lazy and unorganised. Is it the opposite, does he flog them in training and this is their response?

I guess it also depends on how they can be motivated. money, pride or desire to forward their career. Many players it seems don't tick any of those boxes.

 

[EstoniaTallinnRed]

4 minutes ago, Red Exile said:

I've suffered enough this afternoon without you raising the hope that Lansdown will finally be off!

He won't be though will he, he will still have a stake in City and Bristol Sport.

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

2 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

He couldn't do any worse and has a reasonable shout at doing better.

I never, EVER, thought I'd be an advocate of the man, but he has pulled more than one club out of a tailspin in the past. 

I never ever ever ever ever ever thought so but at this point I'd consider anything. Except Holloway.

[sludge]

6 minutes ago, Redrascal2 said:

I thought Pearson was supposed to have the team fitter than before. Nothing has changed. Pathetic.

I can kinda swallow being less fit if we make up for it with more physicality/aggression. Sadly we have neither. 

[EstoniaTallinnRed]

1 minute ago, RedM said:

Just guessing, but I don't imagine Pearson to go easy on the training so it surprises me his team are lazy and unorganised. Is it the opposite, does he flog them in training and this is their response?

I guess it also depends on how they can be motivated. money, pride or desire to forward their career. Many players it seems don't tick any of those boxes.

 

Could be either or both.

[Bazooka Joe]

When's the last time Lansdown did a press conference or Q & A session ?

Reckon we need to hear something from him now (otherwise it's fair to conclude he's pretty okay with the way things are going).

 

[pongo88]

9 minutes ago, Sturny said:

Do people think warnock could sort this lot out? 

It’s a yes from me. Unfortunately my views count for diddly squat 

[Banjo Red]

2 minutes ago, Bazooka Joe said:

When's the last time Lansdown did a press conference or Q & A session ?

Reckon we need to hear something from him now (otherwise it's fair to conclude he's pretty okay with the way things are going).

 

When getting all excited about the egg chasing.

[Red Exile]

4 minutes ago, Prime said:

But that doesn't make sense. If those LJ bad runs put us in relegation trouble he would surely have been relegated.

It sounds like you're saying Pearson should be allowed the same bad runs no matter where we are in the league. It would be nice if we could actually have a win let alone a run of wins under the current regime. 

I'll let @Fordy62 explain himself but for me the club started falling apart when it was obvious that LJ wasn't up to getting promotion no matter how many players he was given, and SL refused to see it because LJ was his golden boy. It was clear LJ wasn't up to it long before he was shown the door.

We live with the legacy of that.

[Redrascal2]

1 minute ago, Bazooka Joe said:

When's the last time Lansdown did a press conference or Q & A session ?

Reckon we need to hear something from him now (otherwise it's fair to conclude he's pretty okay with the way things are going).

 

I don't think he cares too much about what the fans think. It is his club and he will do what he wants as he has told the fans before.

[EstoniaTallinnRed]

10 minutes ago, Sturny said:

Do people think warnock could sort this lot out? 

I don't think he's that stupid at his age to do it, although, I believe he has said that he would like to manage City. Unless of course he was joking.

[Ostrich]

Just got back in. I’d be absolutely foaming at that if I was a fan, it was tough enough as a soft fan for the day.

Cant blame anyone for wanting the manager gone based on that. Impossible to work out what they do all week in training and the inability to pass a ball was astounding, particularly in the first 30 mins. Some of the players don’t cover themselves in much glory and there’s a lot of passengers but it’s still on the manager if you look rudderless. To then lose 3-1 over 45 minutes against 10 men is unforgivable and I really can’t say it was cruel to lose it so late - it wasn’t the right result over the course of 90 mins. You could forgive a poor team that looks like it knows what it’s at least trying to achieve on the pitch but that was a poor team with no discernible idea on it’s approach from my vantage point.

Fair play to Cov, well drilled side that all know their roles. Don’t think they’re better players necessarily but they’re a proper team, they look interested and they look coached. Fans still as grim as ever but after what they’ve been through even I can’t begrudge some better times again.

General observations is that you do forget the difference between the PL and CH until you watch them both in the flesh. PL is so much quicker, both in terms of power and pace of the players and in terms of the speed of thought. Even slow possession football in the PL is fizzed around quicker than a lot of play in CH. Albeit this wasn’t Bournemouth or Fulham.

Nice day though. I’ll watch any football me and chatted to a few decent fellas, some wanting to give Pearson time and some fed up with him but everyone seemingly exasperated at the mess the club has made of things in recent years. Hi if any of you are on here. 
 

I know you’ve been there done it a few times in recent years but when we were in a real mess (worse than this cos we didn’t have a pot to piss in or any investment at all) going down to League 1 seemed to do us the world of good, even if it was the end of the world at the time. You came up stronger last time, plus Cov themselves are an example of having to hit a real low and coming back all the better for it. Never desirable and it can go wrong but today reminded me of those years growing up where we were an absolute mess and it’s tough to get out of it as a club without a total reset.

[Pippintogg]

23 minutes ago, Fordy62 said:

I’ve just thought of my counter point (it took a while), if you had a team of 25 and all but four were recruited by you, and some of them were guaranteed to be brilliant (judging by the amount they were being paid) but actually they were dogshit, you’d struggle to make your sales targets no matter what you said to them or no matter how you told them how to sell. Especially bearing in mind that the previous two sales managers have struggled to get a tune out of them. 

Let’s look at your sales analogy. I’m assuming that I’ve got it correct that the sales manager recruited 21 out of the 25? Are you sure it’s not the other way around as NP is the ‘sales manager’ in question and he has only recruited a small number of the squad. Anyway, these are not bad players, what they have a problem with at the moment is mental, not physical. When the brain gets cluttered with lack of confidence, etc it is not able to perform at its best. That’s when mistakes creep in, poor decision making, a perceived lack of effort by those watching, and many other problems. There is a lack of understanding about motivation, it is not all about ‘what you said to them or how you told them how to sell’ but how you say it. As for the previous ‘sales managers’ they were hampered by the same problems, once the mental rot set in it was hard to change. The current squad is good enough to be mid-table, but that’s about it. It is not a top 6 side and will not be without serious financial investment/good recruitment. Something lacking during the Ashton years.

[Sleepy1968]

20 minutes ago, maxjak said:

HUGERER?   Really?

Huger than huge. Obvs.

[Red Exile]

7 minutes ago, EstoniaTallinnRed said:

He won't be though will he, he will still have a stake in City and Bristol Sport.

Agreed -'Bristol Sport' is his 'legacy'...without it he'd never be heard of again, which I suspect he wouldn't like. But maybe I'm wrong.

[RedM]

9 minutes ago, stevep38 said:

Would like to know the players reactions after the final whistle? Did they come over to the fans and clap them, look embarrassed or was it a I don't give a shit attitude? 

I would say some came and clapped but looked sheepish, but many went straight down the tunnel without coming over. Weimann, Wells, Cod Bentley for sure came over. Weimann held up his hands to appologise. Backinson for example ran straight off. 

[Hampshire reds]

Due to illness in family i could not make the game today. Full respect to 3k who went. did the fans stay with the team or did they get at them.

[WessexPest]

Is this what we’ve been reduced to, speculating whether the obnoxious Colin W***er and his prehistoric tactics can pull us out of the quicksand?!?

This club truly is on life support.

[johnheadbcfc]

3 minutes ago, Hampshire reds said:

Due to illness in family i could not make the game today. Full respect to 3k who went. did the fans stay with the team or did they get at them.

Fans were with them until like usual they implode, conceding 3 goals v 10 men sums the team up.

 

 

[RedM]

3 minutes ago, Hampshire reds said:

Due to illness in family i could not make the game today. Full respect to 3k who went. did the fans stay with the team or did they get at them.

For the number there we weren't that noisy on the whole, but there was not that much to insipre us. It only got really toxic after we let in their last goal which was pretty much the final whistle, thats when fans let rip

[EstoniaTallinnRed]

1 minute ago, WessexPest said:

Is this what we’ve been reduced to, speculating whether the obnoxious Colin W***er and his prehistoric tactics can pull us out of the quicksand?!?

This club truly is on life support.

Don't worry it won't happen, even Colin wouldn't want to coach this bunch of no hopers.

[chinapig]

27 minutes ago, RedM said:

Just guessing, but I don't imagine Pearson to go easy on the training so it surprises me his team are lazy and unorganised. Is it the opposite, does he flog them in training and this is their response?

I guess it also depends on how they can be motivated. money, pride or desire to forward their career. Many players it seems don't tick any of those boxes.

 

The best way to motivate people is to recruit people who are already self motivated. I see little evidence of that in our squad.

[City_USA]

32 minutes ago, BigTone said:

100% yes

I'd fly over from the USA to drive him there myself!

[Will Rollason]

31 minutes ago, RedM said:

Just guessing, but I don't imagine Pearson to go easy on the training so it surprises me his team are lazy and unorganised. Is it the opposite, does he flog them in training and this is their response?

I guess it also depends on how they can be motivated. money, pride or desire to forward their career. Many players it seems don't tick any of those boxes.

 

I don't think he coaches. More of a manager. It's showing.

[Lew-T]

Pretty nasty at the end and rightly so. City fans telling the players where to go….

[Banjo Red]

The media team are awful all these attempt to feel good videos wins from past years etc, **** the past let's concentrate on the now which is dire.

[Banjo Red]

5 minutes ago, chinapig said:

The best way to motivate people is to recruit people who are already self motivated. I see little evidence of that in our squad.

Cowards and glad handed the lot of them. There are 1000s of footballers out there who would jump at the chance to be a pro and would have more heart than this lot.

[Johnny Musicworks]

3 minutes ago, Banjo Red said:

Cowards and glad handed the lot of them. There are 1000s of footballers out there who would jump at the chance to be a pro and would have more heart than this lot.

I don’t think it’s as much as lack of heart as lack of confidence that’s now probably spreading to the young players who have never played in a confident championship side and are over exposed now because of injuries. 

[RedRock]

This squad reminds me of a set of musicians in an orchestra as they warm up. Everybody doing their own thing  making a right racket. 

Normally a conductor (the manager) comes along, smacks his stick on the lectern and everyone shuts up. He then wafts his stick around and some pleasant tunes are produced. 
 

The problem with our bunch is the conductor waves his stick and they continue to make a right din doing their own stuff. No tunes, just loads of random sounds.

I’m beginning to think our ‘musicians’ are just frauds unable to play a tune at all, let alone form an ensemble. 

[Kodjias Wrist]

23 minutes ago, RedM said:

For the number there we weren't that noisy on the whole, but there was not that much to insipre us. It only got really toxic after we let in their last goal which was pretty much the final whistle, thats when fans let rip

It makes me think we genuinely don't have the quality regardless of coaching and discipline.

[RedM]

10 minutes ago, Will Rollason said:

I don't think he coaches. More of a manager. It's showing.

I can appreciate that, but surely he manages the coaches. He decides the game plan etc. The coaches have to drill the players ready for what the manager wants. Ultimately it the manager who gets the praise or the flack, so the buck stops with him and not his team

[Banjo Red]

Just seen the post match Flemming looked pissed and quite rightly so he used the word desire or lack of to describe that performance.

[chinapig]

1 minute ago, Banjo Red said:

Just seen the post match Flemming looked pissed and quite rightly so he used the word desire or lack of to describe that performance.

I take lack of desire to mean players don't give a toss. Which looks about right to me.

[RedM]

5 minutes ago, Kodjias Wrist said:

It makes me think we genuinely don't have the quality regardless of coaching and discipline.

Coventry weren't oozing with talent or quality but certainly better gelled as a team and worked hard for eachother. Their manager looked like he got more out of a bunch of average players than we did with our Internationals and relatively expensive players. Granted we had young players out there, but I guess so did Coventry.

[P'head Red]

7 minutes ago, Banjo Red said:

Just seen the post match Flemming looked pissed and quite rightly so he used the word desire or lack of to describe that performance.

Watched it just now, certainly seemed like he was blaming desire more so than tactics/ formation

[johnheadbcfc]

9 minutes ago, P'head Red said:

Watched it just now, certainly seemed like he was blaming desire more so than tactics/ formation

Chucking the players under the bus(not saying it was wrong) trying to protect his job I think that was 

[oldstandrobin]

Perhaps these wasters should give a weeks wages to the Royal British Legion who support real 'hopers' who have got a set 

[Red-Robbo]

17 minutes ago, Banjo Red said:

Just seen the post match Flemming looked pissed and quite rightly so he used the word desire or lack of to describe that performance.

 

Pissed off, please, not pissed.

We're in the West Country, not West Virginia.

Seriously though, these sort of late losses must utterly crush the self-belief of these players.  They think it's coming as much as we do.

I don't think the current management team can shake off that mindset from our squad and the lack of confidence feeds losses which feeds further lack of confidence. It's a classic vicious circle.

If Pearson is to stay, he needs help from someone new. Urgently. 

[REDOXO]

1 hour ago, WessexPest said:

Is this what we’ve been reduced to, speculating whether the obnoxious Colin W***er and his prehistoric tactics can pull us out of the quicksand?!?

This club truly is on life support.

Beep Beep Beep Beep Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[Sleepy1968]

17 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

Pissed off, please, not pissed.

We're in the West Country, not West Virginia.

Seriously though, these sort of late losses must utterly crush the self-belief of these players.  They think it's coming as much as we do.

I don't think the current management team can shake off that mindset from our squad and the lack of confidence feeds losses which feeds further lack of confidence. It's a classic vicious circle.

If Pearson is to stay, he needs help from someone new. Urgently. 

Time for Benny?

[Bat Fastard]

Maybe we should not have given up on recruiting staff and players with the right DNA!

[WessexPest]

16 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

Pissed off, please, not pissed.

We're in the West Country, not West Virginia.

Speak for yerself.

Agree though, pissed is what I need to be after every City shambles just to maintain a modicum of sanity.

As you say, these late goals feel inexorable. It’s almost like these nogginses are trying to lose on purpose!

[Numero Uno]

22 minutes ago, johnheadbcfc said:

Chucking the players under the bus(not saying it was wrong) trying to protect his job I think that was 

Damn right he said the right things. Clearly desire was missing today and that isn't acceptable. If players need desire to be put into them they are playing at the wrong level, simple as that. I bet if a 30 year old Curtis Fleming was out there today and Nigel Pearson for that matter we wouldn't have capitulated like that. We have a group that are weak as piss not to mention low on ability, the mentality is shocking.

[Redtrojan]

Miserable times ,we truly are pony.

However on a more positive note ,on page one of this thread you will see i put £10 on city to win (11-2) despite your better advice , and remarkably sensible behaviour,I cashed out for a near £30 profit at 2-1 up,so not all bad………just saying.

[samo II]

Us losing after having a 2-1 lead doesn’t surprise me.

Us losing after having a 2-1 lead against ten men with 22 minutes left is farcical.

I’m very worried about this team; that’s the kind of result that screams relegation candidate, unfortunately.

I’ve said it multiple times now, but small squad or not, need to start actually doing something regards selection when players have bad games - trudging more or less the same side out week to week when they are clearly not working is getting very hard to stomach.

Play more youth and start telling the deadwood to stay at home on a match day; I’d rather at least be cheering on academy products and assessing their worth while we lose games than this shower.

[bexhill reds]

36 minutes ago, P'head Red said:

Watched it just now, certainly seemed like he was blaming desire more so than tactics/ formation

I think he looked quietly seething, you can set them up as much as you want but if they don’t do their jobs and the basics against an effective organised team.

Although Bakinson had a good game compared to recent performances he let players breeze past him more than once in the second half. Not scapegoating him as there are others but more to illustrate just doing the basics, you can tippy tappy all you like at Failand but sometimes you’ve got to be prepared to stick your foot in where it hurts, and it’s pretty clear that we don’t have 11 players with that attribute.

As players Pearson and Fleming were uncompromising, do we have anyone like that?

[brad blit]

That was seriously bad. We shouldn’t have lost being 1-0 up and having 1 more man. BUT despite the actual result, even with 10men for 90min cov were much better team - well drilled and passed around the park brilliantly. We looked like a team of 11 strangers, I had no idea of the game plan (neither did players from looks of it) and we couldn’t even do the simple things right. Pearson has been here year now and has PPG of 0.85 - any other manager would be sacked! I understand the issues with squad/ffp but there are decent enough players there to be getting some performances, but he’s not getting that and ultimately it’s done to manager. Players seem absolutely devoid of confidence - so we have any sports psychologists??

Id have no issue if he’s sacked, but I know he won’t be. 

[Brann-red]

Two positives from today

the jackets potatoes sold in the little van besides the stadium. 
 

The fact we left after that last goal and got back on the m6 within 10 mins as the Cov stadium stayed full I assume ..

 

ps - thought cov were good and their fans were noisy throughout .. fair play to them. 

[underover]

2 hours ago, RedM said:

For the number there we weren't that noisy on the whole, but there was not that much to insipre us. It only got really toxic after we let in their last goal which was pretty much the final whistle, thats when fans let rip

Definitely was quiet but not really surprising all things considered, for me it felt like brum was noticeably more toxic, possibly partly because more of the players came over after brum so there was a target? whereas even those who did come over today weren’t particularly close/didn’t really stay long bar COD for all that he divides (or doesnt…) opinion 

[Jim Davey]

so glad i didnt go today and watch that rubbish , absolute cracking days racing on the t v today and tonight .

[MattWSM]

6 hours ago, BCFCGav said:

Where’s Atkinson? 

where was he?