| The 2026 recipe: Intensity; Confidence in control/passing; Selection; Finishing 10:46 - Dec 31 with 355 views | unstableblue |
Loads of discussion of how Coventry ‘suited us’ as we put in a dominant, heartening, season-best display on Monday.
And there’s merit in that. They were not only lacklustre (smaller squad tiredness, post illness bout?) but Frank set their press up wrong, Wolfenden struggled, and there was space in midfield and wide we rarely get.
But there were a number of factors we got right, and if we get right for the remainder of the season we can take an automatic in my view.
One thing we did that was different to earn the victory, not only did every player turn up and give an 8+ performance (Egeli perhaps the weakest display in the fist 3rd) but every player had confidence in their close control and passing - this has been an issue throughout the season. Our squad quality means this should be a differentiator for us. But in many many games player have been snatching passes, going back or just not looking sharp on the ball - Matusiwa has been the exception, with excellent touches and passing (albeit he does make errors, and sometimes the first touch is loose).
But Monday the players were just on it, with sharp control and fast, positive passing. For me this is all about confidence, not feeling pressure, and playing to our ability. Fans can help by backing not groaning/shrieking when we pass around the back, or when one positive passing goes astray.
We matched this with an energy and intensity that’s been sadly lacking, we were on it and were picking up the second balls, ALL the time. And that energy feeds into the speed of passing.
I also think the selection, combined with players turning up, was key. Taylor was in the mood and perfect as compared to Cajuste for the game.
The Davis illness meant the Greaves / Clarke partnership blossomed, again helped by some Coventry positional weakness. And Azon was right to run the line and stretch them, and Wolfie. Over Akpom (although he did some good stuff in his cameo).
Finishing is the final thing from Monday to consider, that we’ll need to improve and wasn’t perfect is finishing. Yes Taylor’s blast was superbly saved. But Clarke was a bobble in. And given the dominance of our display we should have had more clear cut chances. We had zero in the stats. Azon although excellent made chances that were unlikely to trouble the keeper. And we do need a striker to take us up a level. Harsh on the Spaniard, but he and Hirst’s form has not been right through half a season.
Another heartening display tomorrow against (for me a tricky) Oxford and 3 points, well backed by the PR faithful, get some of the factors above sorted and it could be a good 2026!
COYFB |  |
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| The 2026 recipe: Intensity; Confidence in control/passing; Selection; Finishing on 11:01 - Dec 31 with 307 views | NthQldITFC |
Azon had one good shot (looked like it would go in off the far post) very well saved by the excellent Rushworth who just got down faster than 9/10 keepers would have been able to. He also sprung very well for that header for a not so tall lad. He's getting in some very good positions and he's due a bit of luck with his finishing - that will come soon.
I think he's worked hard since he's been here on learning the pressing and harrying role which we all ought to understand by now is our no. 9's main purpose under KMc, and I was well impressed with how he did that for 60 odd minutes at Cov.
I like him.
Would also love a Delap style striker who scares the sh!t out of defenders if we can find one in a foreign field.
Early unlocking of deep defending bus-parkers is our next big challenge, and I suspect some master blasters from the likes of Kippers and maybe Furlong from balls laid back into space when the opponents have got everyone on the edge of their box might bear fruit. |  |
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| The 2026 recipe: Intensity; Confidence in control/passing; Selection; Finishing on 11:06 - Dec 31 with 286 views | Jon_456 |
I don’t want to put a downer on it as it was comfortably the best performance of the season, however I do feel that a big part of that was how sluggish Cov looked.
They were pretty much second to every ball all over the pitch. We certainly looked sharper on the ball but they gave us so much space, even when we did have a bad touch we were still able to recover it. The amount of times I saw Jack Clarke tuck inside and have at least 10yards of space around him in all directions, something he would not normally have in any other game.
It’s in this period where we’ll probably see the benefits of the rotation earlier this season. Hopefully we can make the most of it. |  | | |
| The 2026 recipe: Intensity; Confidence in control/passing; Selection; Finishing on 11:16 - Dec 31 with 249 views | unstableblue |
| The 2026 recipe: Intensity; Confidence in control/passing; Selection; Finishing on 11:06 - Dec 31 by Jon_456 |
I don’t want to put a downer on it as it was comfortably the best performance of the season, however I do feel that a big part of that was how sluggish Cov looked.
They were pretty much second to every ball all over the pitch. We certainly looked sharper on the ball but they gave us so much space, even when we did have a bad touch we were still able to recover it. The amount of times I saw Jack Clarke tuck inside and have at least 10yards of space around him in all directions, something he would not normally have in any other game.
It’s in this period where we’ll probably see the benefits of the rotation earlier this season. Hopefully we can make the most of it. |
Agree Coventry’s shape and energy, or lack of it, was a major reason why we prospered.
But the crispness and confidence of our passing and control from the get go (barring) Egeli was down to us and not Coventry. Taylor, Greaves, Matusiwa, Clarke combining in tight spaces. Combined that with some serious fight from the likes of Furlong. And Coventry’s weak factors got amplified, and heads dropped.
But let’s see how we turn up against Oxford. And test whether Coventry was only one step forward, or the beginning of a sprint.
COYFB | |
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