Coventry City vs Swindon Town Official Matchday Thread

[RobertT]

When you are pushing 70% possession in games, even a relatively dodgy defence has far less pressure under which to open up.  We limit the opposition time on the ball to a point where they can't create sufficient pressure.  Coventry only ever looked a slight threat when pumping it long and having 1 or 2 players around the ball, but with 3 central defenders, they don't have to be as on the ball as a mate can back them up.

Without a doubt the best team since Ardiles' 1990 passing machine.  With Hoddle we were better because of him and the McMahon team of 1996 vintage was powerful but not as goon to watch I don't think.

[Utter Kant]

When you are pushing 70% possession in games, even a relatively dodgy defence has far less pressure under which to open up.  We limit the opposition time on the ball to a point where they can't create sufficient pressure.  Coventry only ever looked a slight threat when pumping it long and having 1 or 2 players around the ball, but with 3 central defenders, they don't have to be as on the ball as a mate can back them up.

Without a doubt the best team since Ardiles' 1990 passing machine.  With Hoddle we were better because of him and the McMahon team of 1996 vintage was powerful but not as goon to watch I don't think.

What he said. Often, teams don't get a chance to have 15 minutes or so where they dominate, largely due to the style, when we were topping the table under Di Canio (even in the League Two season), a lot of our games were very even and decided by very little. If we're allowed to get going, then there isn't much that teams can do to stop what is a very ostentatious approach to football at this level.

[Tails]

What he said. Often, teams don't get a chance to have 15 minutes or so where they dominate, largely due to the style, when we were topping the table under Di Canio (even in the League Two season), a lot of our games were very even and decided by very little. If we're allowed to get going, then there isn't much that teams can do to stop what is a very ostentatious approach to football at this level.

I don't agree with this at all. We battered most teams in that league. Even the games that were close I never felt like we were gonna lose, or even concede. The team was built on a strong workrate and back 5. This team now is better to watch but I enjoyed winning at a canter pretty much every week.

[BruceChatwin]

I don't agree with this at all. We battered most teams in that league. Even the games that were close I never felt like we were gonna lose, or even concede. The team was built on a strong workrate and back 5. This team now is better to watch but I enjoyed winning at a canter pretty much every week.

I agree. We looked organised and solid under Di Canio all over the pitch. Both teams good to watch in different ways, and both sit in about the same place in the table at this stage of the year, but amazing when you consider the contrast in how the teams got there.

Where that team was built on experienced players, high costs, and a climate of fear, this one has been built on youth, balanced expenditure, and freedom of expression.

What's also amazing is, despite all the advantages Di Canio had in the transfer market, how much better this team seems to look on paper.

[Bewster]

What's also amazing is, despite all the advantages Di Canio had in the transfer market, how much better this team seems to look on paper.

Yep - agreed, Cooper's Team > PDC's team, and none of the histrionics (or budget)

[kerry red]

Not just on paper - on the pitch too

[Red Frog]

Not even on paper. On the pitch instead.

[bullethead]

But we're not vulnerable at the back. We may LOOK that way but the goals conceded and clean sheet stats tell a very different story.

One interesting thing to note is how important Nathan T is to our defensive performance:
- We've had to play 5 games without him this season and have won 1 drawn 3 and lost 1 - a win percentage of 20%
- With him we've played 20, won 14, drawn 3 and lost 3 - a win percentage of 70%

Without him we've shipped an average of 1.6 goals a game and kept clean sheets in 20% of games
With him only 0.8 goals a game and clean sheets in 40% of games

So we concede half as many goals, keep clean sheets twice as often, and are three and a half times more likely to win when the captain is in the side.

Let's hope he can stay fit and suspension free for the last part of the season.

I think Branco certainly looks a better player when Nathan plays alongside him, pretty sure his 'nightmare' showings have been when NT is out

[dalumpimunki]

Against what teams has he been unavailable for? We do look much better defensively with him in the side

He missed the last couple of games in which we drew with Fleetwood 2 all and beat PVale 1-0, the Colchester 2-2 and the 3-2 defeat to Rochdale through suspension following the sending off against Yeovil, and the 1-1 draw against Coventry back in August.

[Frigby Daser]

Yet the Town End was a livelier place to be under PDC. In part due to the comparative costs changing between the side stands and Town End.

[Simon Pieman]

Yet the Town End was a livelier place to be under PDC. In part due to the comparative costs changing between the side stands and Town End.

That happened way before the PDC 'era'.

[timmyg]

Yet the Town End was a livelier place to be under PDC. In part due to the comparative costs changing between the side stands and Town End.

I think it was livelier because of PDC geeing everything up all the time, and the style of play which was all about breaking quickly, over-powering the opposition and forcing goals, rather than patiently picking passes and runs to unlock teams with a well worked move.

I actually had more fun watching the PDC team, especially with the "no-one likes us, we don't care" spirit that having PDC as manager brought with it.  Great fun.  This current team don't foster that same crowd participation and involvement for the most part, but they're great to watch as footballers and you can't argue with Cooper and Power doing it on much more limited resources with a young team full of potential either here or with sell on value.

[Gnasher]

That happened way before the PDC 'era'.

The atmosphere in the TE has been on a downward spiral since I started going in 1990. I blame myself  . Obviously the seats didn't help, but is it more than that? The Sky generation, or because there's less local (and vocal) working class folk in attendance these days?

[@mwooly63]

The atmosphere in the TE has been on a downward spiral since I started going in 1990. I blame myself  . Obviously the seats didn't help, but is it more than that? The Sky generation, or because there's less local (and vocal) working class folk in attendance these days?

Seats deffo didn't help
Everyone who wanted to sing used to congregate around the tunnel so were together, now ppl are spread out due to seating .

Not only that but the DRS enticed ppl away from the TE so actual numbers in there dwindled.

Unless I think there will be any sort of atmosphere in the TE I will go DRS.
View > silence

Unfortunately its rare there is much of an atmosphere these days 

[Gnasher]

True, you have to be pretty dedicated to go in the TE these days with its shit view and facilities. Folk move to the side stands as they become more mature (whatever age that may be).

Seats deffo didn't help
Everyone who wanted to sing used to congregate around the tunnel so were together, now ppl are spread out due to seating .

Not only that but the DRS enticed ppl away from the TE so actual numbers in there dwindled.

Unless I think there will be any sort of atmosphere in the TE I will go DRS.
View > silence

Unfortunately its rare there is much of an atmosphere these days