Match Thread Coventry City - Millwall FC Match Thread - Tuesday 20th Jan (27 Viewers)

[Jamesimus]

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.

But it’s exciting isn’t it?

 

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[Brighton Sky Blue]

What’s a minute of clean sheet?

 

[Jamesimus]

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

We were rolling the dice even at 2-1 up yesterday

 

[shmmeee]

But it’s exciting isn’t it?

Yeah it’s great but it doesn’t make Liam Kitching a good defender.

 

[Jamesimus]

Yeah it’s great but it doesn’t make Liam Kitching a good defender.

Pretty sure he’s just doing what he’s told, which I’m happy about. He’s a good footballer and if we have to play in a way that suits the players we have, then that should be the way.

 

[clint van damme]

Yeah it’s great but it doesn’t make Liam Kitching a good defender.

But it does excuse some of the defending when we're so gung ho.
When we played 5atb for a period of games last year we were far tighter defensively with the same players and a far worse keeper.

 

[Evo1883]

You can sit with your midfielders chasing everything infront of your CBs and you can sit in a low block and concede less


Or you can take risks and get promoted to the premier league

I get sometimes its mental but weve lost 4 games

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

But it does excuse some of the defending when we're so gung ho.
When we played 5atb for a period of games last year we were far tighter defensively with the same players and a far worse keeper.

We defended brilliantly at Southampton with 10 men, it's not as though the defensive skills aren't in the side.

 

[Hutch11]

We defended brilliantly at Southampton with 10 men, it's not as though the defensive skills aren't in the side.

Just opened the door to "yeah but kitching didn't play in that one"

 

[Jamesimus]

We defended brilliantly at Southampton with 10 men, it's not as though the defensive skills aren't in the side.

Exactly this. Kitching and Thomas can play in a low block, but they can also play forward thinking football and that’s their strong point.

Latibeaudiere for example would be / is really good in a team playing a low block, being a ball playing centre back in a high line however is not his strong suit.

 

[shmmeee]

Pretty sure he’s just doing what he’s told, which I’m happy about. He’s a good footballer and if we have to play in a way that suits the players we have, then that should be the way.

But it does excuse some of the defending when we're so gung ho.
When we played 5atb for a period of games last year we were far tighter defensively with the same players and a far worse keeper.

Yeah I think it makes sense to use him/set us up like that. I just think Kitching is a poor defender who often loses both his man and his head and it costs us. He should have cost us two goals last night and both were rushes of blood not about his instructions. I also think him and Thomas can’t defend their box and often loses both their man. Also not related to being broken on. I actually think last ditch defending suits them both the most probably.

 

[shmmeee]

We defended brilliantly at Southampton with 10 men, it's not as though the defensive skills aren't in the side.

Might want to look up the lineup for that game

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Might want to look up the lineup for that game

Don't need to, I was there.

 

[Ccfcisparks]

Christ the whingeing is pretty tiresome. We can sit in all games, but I can guarantee we probably wouldn't be top if we did that.

 

[Shannerz]

You cant deny the way we play means we can get caught

Not just that, but we are often guilty of giving it away very cheaply, either in advanced areas and getting caught on the break, or with poor, risky clearances.

Millwall played very well last night, but the majority of the danger they posed was the result of lackadaisical play from us.

The goal itself was pure stupidity; not from the defenders, but Rudoni throwing himself to the floor rather than protecting the ball.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

But it does excuse some of the defending when we're so gung ho.
When we played 5atb for a period of games last year we were far tighter defensively with the same players and a far worse keeper.

Check the xG for the games we played 5 atb. The strength of schedule wasn’t all that either. Ultimately, who cares if you concede just over a goal a game if you’re creating chances to score 2-4? We also scored considerably less goals back then too.

Millwall’s goal against us was pretty unstoppable, great cross and finish. The defence was set and wasn’t because we were hung ho.

The incident most frustrating was the JDS header that went straight to Azeez and he shanks it wide.

 

[Cally Fedora]

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

But they don’t do either.

 

[Rodders1]

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.

100%. The other point is we’re committed to this ultimately now. Which is stressful and fun and the same time!

 

[covcity4life]

Yeah it’s great but it doesn’t make Liam Kitching a good defender.

Being a good defender is what makes Liam kitching a good defender.

 

[mmttww]

But they don’t do either.

well it works to an extent, because we've got a reasonable defensive record and we score a lot of goals. It could be better defensively but we are a chunk of points clear at the top so I'm not sure the situation is as bad as you seem to want to make out.

 

[SeaSeeEffCee]

Yeah it’s great but it doesn’t make Liam Kitching a good defender.

Lampard must be an incredible manager to have us on autos form throughout his tenure while starting shit defenders every week.

 

[covcity4life]

Lampard must be an incredible manager to have us on autos form throughout his tenure while starting shit defenders every week.

He didn't rate lampard as a manager either

 

[shmmeee]

Lampard must be an incredible manager to have us on autos form throughout his tenure while starting shit defenders every week.

I feel like we’re going round in circles here but yeah he’s been smart in how he sets us up so it’s not such an issue.

 

[COVKIDSNEVERQUIT]

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.

I suggest you take a look at how many conservative clean sheets we have kept, Rushworth holds the record.