Match Thread Coventry v Sunderland Championship Playoff 1st Leg Friday 9th May (109 Viewers)

[StrettoBoy]

I can't find one newspaper/preview of the game where anyone predicts a Sunderland win. To all intents and purposes Coventry City are the overwhelming favourites here and Sunderland's chances have been totally written off.

That’s ridiculous though. I reckon it’s a 50/50 call.

If we are at our best we can win but some of our recent performances, particularly against teams in and around the relegation zone, have been poor.

We do seem to rise to the occasion against the good teams - of which Sunderland are one - so we have a decent chance.

PUSB

 

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[StrettoBoy]

We have no idea whether that was the best you have played or not - we don't watch you other than twice per season. what we do know is that you deservedly thrashed us and we were played off the park; whether that was your second string midfield, your third choice goalie or whatever - we were second best - no question.

You didn't need your best performance or best team to beat us because we were fucking shit, as we have been for weeks/months now.

I'll be perfectly clear to you and all the coventry fans on here. there seems to be some of you keen to project the SAFC support as arrogant or treating you as "little old coventry".

Lets completely blow that one out of the water.

we have a terrible record against you going back decades, we are perfectly aware of it and I haven't heard one SAFc fans making disrespectful comments about either Coventry City as a club or your team. I havent read or spoken to any SAFC fan who thinks that we are going to win, bar the usual brave hearts who would predict us beating Liverpool with 10 men (every club has them).

This is going to be a massively difficult task for Sunderland - there is no doubt about that - and the way we are playing we are vulnerable at coventry and on Wearside.

If we don't find some form in these two games then Sunderland have 2 very long nights ahead of us.

I wouldn’t write your chances off.

Our form was poor towards the end of the season, even though we had all to play for.

It didn’t surprise me that Sunderland dipped because you have been cemented in fourth place for a long time. I think that they will rise to the occasion for the playoffs, as hopefully we will as well.

We could be in for a couple of cracking games

 

[steve101]

I would probably start Simms. If you are going to end a barren spell, no better than against former team.

 

[fernandopartridge]

I was just thinking about our play off experience.

Wilson
Bidwell
Kitching
Thomas
Sheaf
Grimes
BTA
Allen

Have all played in them in this league or the one below.

Lati was on the bench in one final that Bidwell and Grimes played in.

This is significantly more experience than last time, though I don't think we've got a player who has won the championship play offs yet

 

[Liquid Gold]

This week is dragging. Still two sleeps to the match.

Could do with a nice easy mid table next year where results don’t matter for the final few weeks. In the premier league obv.

 

[coop]

Going to be a very tough game form goes out of the window.Scumberland have been on the beach for weeks resting for the play offs so we need to start fast and get at them same as we did against West Brom especially. I think we will need at least a two goal head start for the return leg.Big crowd FL will have them ready,I would of took survival after 17 games so to get to now and still have Wembley in our sights is great season in the end.

 

[Otis]

I'm not buying this "we should win" and "Sunderland are in dreadful form" stuff.

This is a whole new ball game, the playoffs. It's knockout territory

Yup, we should win based on current form (our home form), but I think it could prove to be a very difficult game. Form does indeed go out of the window at this point. It's cup football and anything can happen.

Hopefully, we should do it, but I think it could be q very tight encounter.

Hoping everyone is fit and we can play the same lineup as against Middlesbrough.

 

[SIR ERNIE]

I'm not buying this "we should win" and "Sunderland are in dreadful form" stuff.

This is a whole new ball game, the playoffs. It's knockout territory

Yup, we should win based on current form (our home form), but I think it could prove to be a very difficult game. Form does indeed go out of the window at this point. It's cup football and anything can happen.

Hopefully, we should do it, but I think it could be q very tight encounter.

Hoping everyone is fit and we can play the same lineup as against Middlesbrough.

Tend to agree 4-0.

 

[tom88]

Friday can’t come soon enough now. This week has dragged so much.

would love us to win by a healthy score line to take pressure off the away leg

 

[Gint11]

I'm not buying this "we should win" and "Sunderland are in dreadful form" stuff.

This is a whole new ball game, the playoffs. It's knockout territory

Yup, we should win based on current form (our home form), but I think it could prove to be a very difficult game. Form does indeed go out of the window at this point. It's cup football and anything can happen.

Hopefully, we should do it, but I think it could be q very tight encounter.

Hoping everyone is fit and we can play the same lineup as against Middlesbrough.

Agreed. It will be hinged on moments.
An early goal either way or a red card for example.

We could easily pump these 4-0 or equally 0-0. It will be nervy and right. Let’s just enjoy it.

Regardless of what happens, I’m looking forward to seeing who FL brings in, in the summer

 

[Ashdown]

I don’t see this as a done deal. Same as if we got past Sunderland. Sheff U are the big danger to everyone else but football is hard to predict. It only takes a rash challenge or a twat for a Ref .

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

I don’t see this as a done deal. Same as if we got past Sunderland. Sheff U are the big danger to everyone else but football is hard to predict. It only takes a rash challenge or a twat for a Ref .

Well, the last bit is a given

 

[Liquid Gold]

There is no easy game in the playoffs, it's a complete lottery.

 

[shmmeee]

,I would of took survival after 17 games

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

That’s ridiculous though. I reckon it’s a 50/50 call.

SherlockBoy

 

[Captain Dart]

It's an excellent forum but, as with most, there are posters who say things they probably wouldn't in real life. One of the best things, about Sunderland, is that away fans can go into any pub, there are no designated home only places so everyone is welcome. I've noticed posts, on here, about Scumderland and Stadium of Sh*te, etc, which just encourages a response and is a shame. Both clubs have suffered a few relegations recently and now seem to be making progress, one of us, perhaps neither, will go up to the PL so let's enjoy it while we can.

Expressing things in a way you'd be reticent to or never say in real life, isn't that half the point of anonymous forum.

Bet.. but maybe not quite like that! Forum tourettes.

 

[martincov]

Tight game (s). Just an observation but Patterson is weak on crosses and shots low to his left.

 

[napolimp]

This week is dragging. Still two sleeps to the match.

Could do with a nice easy mid table next year where results don’t matter for the final few weeks. In the premier league obv.

Yeah, CBS is going to be buzzing on Saturday.

 

[Macca]

There isn't really a bad outcome in my mind. Its either a novelty season in the Premier League for those who haven't experienced it before or another season at the business end of the Championship.

 

[CBS16]

Hard to focus on anything else, so nervous/excited for it. I have a feeling it's gonna be a right ding dong, like the Notts County league 2 play offs. Need the big moments, decisions and rub of the green to go our way, fine margins swing the pendulum and momentum. Cannot wait for kick off

 

[thekidfromstrettoncamp]

Yeah, CBS is going to be buzzing on Saturday.

Think not try Friday.
Don't be late.

 

[Captain Dart]

Yeah, CBS is going to be buzzing on Saturday.

 

[Ashdown]

Problem with a play off is that even with a first leg lead, unless its by about 3 clear goals there could still be a turnaround

 

[Briles]

I'm actually quite excited for tonight's game too, reckon we could have a match thread? I'm guessing a lot of us will be watching it rooting for Bristol

 

[napolimp]

I'm actually quite excited for tonight's game too, reckon we could have a match thread? I'm guessing a lot of us will be watching it rooting for Bristol

You can open one match thread tonight, but you'll have to wait until the morning for the rest of your match threads.

 

[clint van damme]

Problem with a play off is that even with a first leg lead, unless its by about 3 clear goals there could still be a turnaround

Wednesday over turned a 4 goal lead 2 or 3 seasons ago in L1 play offs.

 

[alexccfc99]

You are absolutely sick in the head if you enjoy this, this week is dragging and the wait is excruciating - Nothing fun about it at all

 

[Macca1987]

I thought last week was bad, the waiting until Saturday, this has ramped it up even more for me, just want Friday evening to arrive, PUSB

 

[Super Frank]

If Coventry City goes up, what does club need to spend money on most??

I’m assuming players? The stadium looks very nice to me as a new supporter (who has never been there). I don’t know anything about the training grounds. Also, what players do you think are quality enough to stick around for PL? Again, assuming the best happens.

 

[shmmeee]

If Coventry City goes up, what does club need to spend money on most??

I’m assuming players? The stadium looks very nice to me as a new supporter (who has never been there). I don’t know anything about the training grounds. Also, what players do you think are quality enough to stick around for PL? Again, assuming the best happens.

We 100% would need a new training ground. Ryton has had a makeover since Doug came in but is still miles off even upper Championship quality for a modern club. I’m hoping some deal with Warwick Uni would be possible.

I’d like to see us get the academy to Category One as well. But that may be more nostalgia than business sense.

 

[napolimp]

If Coventry City goes up, what does club need to spend money on most??

I’m assuming players? The stadium looks very nice to me as a new supporter (who has never been there). I don’t know anything about the training grounds. Also, what players do you think are quality enough to stick around for PL? Again, assuming the best happens.

Depends if club wants to stay up or not. If so, need to spend min. 150 mil on players. Or recruit very wisely and get lucky.

 

[shmmeee]

Depends if club wants to stay up or not. If so, need to spend min. 150 mil on players. Or recruit very wisely and get lucky.

Before Luton went down I’d have argued that first time up we spend on infrastructure over players. But clearly you can’t do that exclusively to the detriment of the team. I think you’ve got to recruit almost with an eye to giving young players a shot at proving themselves to they sell for a profit when you go down, cos you almost certainly will without FFP busting amounts like Forest.

 

[Liquid Gold]

If Coventry City goes up, what does club need to spend money on most??

I’m assuming players? The stadium looks very nice to me as a new supporter (who has never been there). I don’t know anything about the training grounds. Also, what players do you think are quality enough to stick around for PL? Again, assuming the best happens.

WE should be ok because we'll be picking first in the PL draft

 

[TomRad85]

We 100% would need a new training ground. Ryton has had a makeover since Doug came in but is still miles off even upper Championship quality for a modern club. I’m hoping some deal with Warwick Uni would be possible.

I’d like to see us get the academy to Category One as well. But that may be more nostalgia than business sense.

Surely we could buy up the Connexion land with Prem money. That's a fairly sizeable chunk of land. Could even buy some land over the road and have a little footbridge going over if you were feeling really fancy.

 

[napolimp]

Before Luton went down I’d have argued that first time up we spend on infrastructure over players. But clearly you can’t do that exclusively to the detriment of the team. I think you’ve got to recruit almost with an eye to giving young players a shot at proving themselves to they sell for a profit when you go down, cos you almost certainly will without FFP busting amounts like Forest.

Yeah. Either prepare to go down, or spend wildly and hope for the best.

If the latter, 20 mil each on 7 players + cover in certain positions.