Match Thread Coventry City - Millwall FC Match Thread - Tuesday 20th Jan (34 Viewers)

[Brighton Sky Blue]

We could, but it doesn’t take much for it to become backs to the wall defending.

It isn't so bad getting hit on the break as opposed to having players waiting for the ball in the area like we do. Millwall were very good last night and there won't be many sides we face this season that have the same attacking ability.

Well we have Boro in a few weeks. Playing so openly against them just looks suicidal.

 

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[Hutch11]

Well we have Boro in a few weeks. Playing so openly against them just looks suicidal.

On the flip side, them committing too many men forward could also be suicidal

 

[shmmeee]

Yes, Lampard wants to play a high-risk-high-reward game.

As the games at Luton last year and Southampton this show, these players are solid in a low block.

Yeah because that’s the sensible thing to do with this squad that can’t defend.

 

[Oggysstarjumps]

Yes, Lampard wants to play a high-risk-high-reward game.

As the games at Luton last year and Southampton this show, these players are solid in a low block.

This is the point. We're only ever going to get automatic promotion by winning a lot of games and taking risks. We were never going to be a Burnley (and nor would I want us to be).

That's why we play such a high line, with full backs bombing on. Until teams got used to it, it meant we completely blew lots of them away, especially at home. Now, they're getting wise to it. It still works, but it does mean we're vulnerable to decent teams who can break, particularly because we're asking Grimes to cover for the full backs, and he doesn't have the speed to do so.

All this is why having the best goalkeeper in the division is so important and why Rushworth is my player of the season so far. We need 8 more wins and a few draws to get to 85 points - and although it's not great for the old ticker, I'd say this is the best way to go about it.

 

[SBT]

I know it wasn’t our most convincing win last night but the levels of anxiety on here and the calls to change tactics/shift out players who have been consistently good for us all season are very strange. It’s a home win against the team in 5th place to go eight points clear at the top, we have very few tougher home matches left all season, but some people are still in crisis mode.

 

[Evo1883]

I like to have a look at opposition viewpoints for games and every time we win there's someone talking about how we celebrate as if it's a cup final blah blah. Fuck me, if you can't enjoy a win what's the point in going?

Every game for us is a cup final now , so there is that

 

[Captain Dart]

A clip of the Millwall goal, that cross was sublime. I got a good view of the in swing from my vantage point.
That cross was virtually impossible to defend as it dropped just right for the attacker.

 

[Johnnythespider]

It could all have been so different.

In the 1963/4 season, aged eight, I wrote to Jimmy Hill asking if I could be a ball boy. I got a lovely reply, saying that my name had been put on the waiting list and that he would be in touch when my name reached the top. I'm still waiting and I turn 71 in four weeks time!

I'm generally a patient person but do you think that, after waiting for about 63 years, I should give Doug a nudge?

I think you should pretend you're a new fan flying in from New York, they'll let you be a ball boy and do kick.it for a ticket

 

[Gint11]

Im not as fussed about performances now. It’s about getting over the line however we can. Leicester played well first half, so what. Millwall played well, so what. We got 6 out of 6. Onto the next

 

[Cally Fedora]

Good delivery but look at the time he has. The lack of pressure on him. It’s woeful defending

 

[Lamps]

Well we have Boro in a few weeks. Playing so openly against them just looks suicidal.

It does but worked well against them last time.

The problem for me is we seem to be worse defensively when we invite pressure or give away set pieces. Most of the time we seem to keep the attempts against us to long distance shots. For those who believe in xG Millwall were 0.98 and we were 2.51 from a similar amount of attempts.

 

[coop]

Good delivery but look at the time he has. The lack of pressure on him. It’s woeful defending

Correct why doesn't he close him down and that came from Grimes terrible attempt at a cross.

 

[mmttww]

Like it or not, folks need to accept that the players (defenders, at least) are told to defend the box and not press or close down a player if it compromises that instruction. No one is bottling a challenge; they're just listening to the coaches who are listening to the analysts. Overcoaching? Maybe.

It's like having everyone back at corners. Data probably says we're less likely to concede from a cross in that situation than if JDS commits, gets beaten and the cross comes from behind the defensive line. It's frustrating to watch and it's not how I'd do it, but it's not all on the players.

 

[David O'Day]

Correct why doesn't he close him down and that came from Grimes terrible attempt at a cross.

Didn't it come from Rudi's terrible attempt at a dive?

 

[fernandopartridge]

Score was harsh on them. We were better than them, but scored our second when they were on top, and then could take them as they threw caution to the wind.

But in fairness they created nothing once we'd gone ahead, they had only one effort at goal in the remaining time plus stoppage time, a header from about 15 yards out.

 

[Johnnythespider]

Good delivery but look at the time he has. The lack of pressure on him. It’s woeful defending

We don't seem to make it a priority to stop crosses coming in but to deal with it when it comes into the box, our full backs are often outnumbered or caught up the pitch in attacking positions, this is obviously tactical and whilst it creates panic in the stands it's worked so far, Ipswich excepted, let's hope it continues.

 

[Johnnythespider]

Didn't it come from Rudi's terrible attempt at a dive?

That's how I saw it

 

[COVKIDSNEVERQUIT]

Because Thomas is vital for our long throws. He’s the best of a bad bunch tbh. My real issue is with Kitching who is just a very poor defender.

I know everyone's entitled to their opinion, but Christ.

 

[COVKIDSNEVERQUIT]

Yeah because that’s the sensible thing to do with this squad that can’t defend.

Just remind us which Defense has the most minutes of clean sheets at this club.

 

[Cally Fedora]

Like it or not, folks need to accept that the players (defenders, at least) are told to defend the box and not press or close down a player if it compromises that instruction. No one is bottling a challenge; they're just listening to the coaches who are listening to the analysts. Overcoaching? Maybe.

It's like having everyone back at corners. Data probably says we're less likely to concede from a cross in that situation than if JDS commits, gets beaten and the cross comes from behind the defensive line. It's frustrating to watch and it's not how I'd do it, but it's not all on the players.

I don’t doubt that it may be an instruction. So in that scenario what is the role of a full back? Just to loiter ineffectually in no man’s land?? They aren’t closing down or in a position to clear?

 

[SkyBluePower]

But in fairness they created nothing once we'd gone ahead, they had only one effort at goal in the remaining time plus stoppage time, a header from about 15 yards out.

There seems to be a narrative that says Millwall should have won or at least drawn and were the better side. They were lively and problematic and had 10 minutes in the second half when we were all over the shop but once the changes were made we were a class above.
Not our fucking fault they can’t shoot straight or get caught offside about 10 times.

 

[mmttww]

in that scenario what is the role of a full back?

No clue. You could drop Frank an email, though.

 

[Chris1987]

The last 3 seasons they’ve mostly come down our left, not d silvas fault it’s the way his told to defend, when we go up we’ll get murdered down that side, needs sorting

If we go up that side is likely to line up totally differently

 

[Jamesimus]

There seems to be a narrative that says Millwall should have won or at least drawn and were the better side. They were lively and problematic and had 10 minutes in the second half when we were all over the shop but once the changes were made we were a class above.
Not our fucking fault they can’t shoot straight or get caught offside about 10 times.

We created far more clear cut chances.

 

[robbiethemole]

There seems to be a narrative that says Millwall should have won or at least drawn and were the better side. They were lively and problematic and had 10 minutes in the second half when we were all over the shop but once the changes were made we were a class above.
Not our fucking fault they can’t shoot straight or get caught offside about 10 times.

Funnily enough, a lot of teams seems to have that mindset this season, that they should have won or deserved a draw.
None of them can quite understand how we're top and keep taking points from them. Most seem to think they should have battered us and we're nothing special. I was getting fed up of being a 'worthy loser' and being a good side who were nearly there.
I'm really enjoying all the meltdowns on other boards now because if we do go up, next season it will be true that we're getting battered and nothing special in some games.

 

[Hutch11]

I thought last night was a really good game between 2 good sides
We were just better than them

 

[David O'Day]

Millwall tried really hard and knackered themselves out well before the end, not our fault the couldn't carry on at the required level to beat us for 90 minutes.

For example the left back was dead on his feat in the last 10.

 

[shmmeee]

I don’t doubt that it may be an instruction. So in that scenario what is the role of a full back? Just to loiter ineffectually in no man’s land?? They aren’t closing down or in a position to clear?

To defend the box. Statistically crosses from wide are less likely to result in goals than balls into the space between fullback and CB.

 

[shmmeee]

Just remind us which Defense has the most minutes of clean sheets at this club.

I don’t even know what that question is supposed to mean sorry. What’s a minute of clean sheet?

We’ve conceded 4 fewer than Oxford and Portsmouth if that helps.

 

[Hutch11]

I don’t even know what that question is supposed to mean sorry. What’s a minute of clean sheet?

We’ve conceded 4 fewer than Oxford and Portsmouth if that helps.

And outscored everyone by leaving the defence exposed at times
It's what the manager wants i would guess

 

[Jamesimus]

I don’t even know what that question is supposed to mean sorry. What’s a minute of clean sheet?

We’ve conceded 4 fewer than Oxford and Portsmouth if that helps.

Do you acknowledge that the perceived defensive frailty is largely down to the way we are playing? High risk high reward etc?

 

[Jamesimus]

“Full backs out of position” is posted here all the time, when MVE and JDS are clearly under instruction to stay high up the pitch, which often leaves just Grimes and 2 centre backs at the back.

 

[Chris1987]

I don’t even know what that question is supposed to mean sorry. What’s a minute of clean sheet?

We’ve conceded 4 fewer than Oxford and Portsmouth if that helps.

Whilst deliberately not mentioning that we've conceded fewer goals than 17 clubs in this league.

 

[shmmeee]

Do you acknowledge that the perceived defensive frailty is largely down to the way we are playing? High risk high reward etc?

I think we select defenders who are good in attacking situations because of how we want to play. Or we select how we want to play because that’s the strength of our defenders. But it basically relies on the defenders not having to do any defending. Kitching is great when his rushes up the pitch work or his passes come off, Thomas is great at set pieces or throwing himself up towards the end. But these are not defending tasks. And we concede a lot for a team top of the league when it doesn’t work or we aren’t 100% on it IMO.

 

[Evo1883]

I don’t even know what that question is supposed to mean sorry. What’s a minute of clean sheet?

We’ve conceded 4 fewer than Oxford and Portsmouth if that helps.

Only 4 teams have conceded less than us in fairness and thats with us playing kamikaze football

You cant deny the way we play means we can get caught , i dont think stoke have better centre halves than we do of it helps