Coventry City match analysis from CoventryLive: Sky Blues reporter Andy Turner covers some of the main talking points from Wednesday night’s 2-0 home defeat by Leeds United.
Coventry City played Leeds United, an in-form club that appears to be chasing the Championship title.
Although the Sky Blues have been building momentum to fire themselves up the table, the leaders brought a fairly comprehensive halt to Frank Lampard’s four-match winning streak in the division.
The home side assisted the visitors with two first-half goals, during which City scarcely touched their opponents. Illan Meslier denied Ellis Simms and Bobby Thomas two second-half chances, but a mix of poor finishing and a great custodian kept the hosts in the game. Here are some of the major talking points from the 2-0 setback at CBS Arena.The home side gave the visitors a helping hand with their two first half goals, during which time City barely laid a glove on their opponents. Two second half chances from Ellis Simms and Bobby Thomas were thwarted by Illan Meslier but a combination of poor finishing and fine goalkeeper saved the hosts from a good hiding. Here are some of the big talking points from the 2-0 CBS Arena defeat.
Perspective needed
Following such a game, perspective is required. The Sky Blues have come a long way in a short period of time, with Frank Lampard establishing his foothold at the club and only now beginning to exert his influence. He has transformed a team that was lacking confidence and leaking goals into a tighter unit that is gaining momentum and has climbed the league from 16th place, just three points off the bottom three, to 11th place, three points from the play-offs. During that time, Leeds United has only lost once in 14 matches, with nine victories as they work their way towards the Premier League.
There is a clear divide between the two teams, one in recovery and capable of making a run for the play-offs, and the other clear title contenders preparing for next level football. And sometimes you just have to hold your hands up and accept that those are the facts, and there isn’t much you can do except compete and hope for the best.
There is a clear gulf between the two sides, one in recovery and capable of mounting a charge for the play-offs, and the other clear title contenders who are readying themselves for next level football. And sometimes you just have to hold your hands up and accept that those are the facts and there’s not a great deal you can do about it apart from compete and hope things go your way.
City come up short
City has produced numerous’shock’ outcomes against top teams in recent years, but they fell short on this occasion, notably in the first half, when they essentially gifted their opponents their two goals, which proved to be the difference on the night.
The most annoying aspect of the first 45 minutes was that the home team appeared to show Leeds far too much respect, and on a couple of occasions looked almost afraid as they backed off and gave the visitors the freedom of the CBS Arena – most notably for the second goal, when right-back Jayden Bogle went on a ridiculous run from just past the halfway line and scored on the edge of the six yard box after several players failed to deal with him. The second half saw a significant improvement as they showed more fight, but it was too little too late on the night.
Character shines through to save City’s blushes
Although Oliver Dovin was responsible for the second goal, the custodian regained his calm and saved his team’s blushes with a succession of second-half stops that kept the score to two. Leeds put seven past Cardiff at the weekend and might have easily done the same against Coventry if it hadn’t been for the Swede’s heroics on four superb one-on-ones as the visitors looked to pick City off on the counterattack. Throw in a penalty appeal that United believed should have been granted, as well as a late disallowed goal that manager Daniel Farke fought later, and the Sky Blues could have been dealt a crushing defeat on another day.
Lampard credited Dovin, who has been in good form recently, despite his spill for Bogle’s goal.
“He showed great character as a custodian,” the head coach stated. “A mistake like that can occur. it’s the world they (goalkeepers) live in, and I respect it, and he demonstrated his talent in the second half by making the saves, so I was really pleased with him and the way he responded to the error.”
Grimes gives flavour of what’s to come
New signing. Matt Grimes had to be content with making his Sky Blues debut from the bench, coming on shortly after the hour in a straight swap for Jamie Allen and taking up the holding midfield role. Although City were chasing the game with an attempted comeback from 2-0 down, the 29-year-old quickly demonstrated his quality, calm demeanour, and leadership. He constantly issued instructions to his new teammates and maintained his cool to provide a taste of what’s to come from the January addition, who said of his first CBS Arena appearance: “I was thrown right into the deep end (against the best team in the league), but I loved it, absolutely loved it. “The atmosphere before the game was fantastic.Both sets of supporters were amazing, and it produced an incredible atmosphere. Like I mentioned, it was a difficult game to make my debut in, but it was fantastic.”
The most annoying aspect of the first 45 minutes was that the home team appeared to show Leeds far too much respect, and on a couple of occasions looked almost afraid as they backed off and gave the visitors the freedom of the CBS Arena – most notably for the second goal, when right-back Jayden Bogle went on a ridiculous run from just past the halfway line and scored on the edge of the six yard box after several players failed to deal with him. The second half saw a significant improvement as they showed more fight, but it was too little too late on the night.
Leave a Reply