|
I don’t think Coventry were that good and we have certainly played far better sides this season and picked up points but the simple answer is they didn’t need to be good to beat a Burnley side who turned in a performance that was more inept than I thought was possible.
We returned from Spain with all the players apparently, but some of them didn’t bother turning up at Highfield Road this afternoon. The 4-0 scoreline was to be fair somewhat flattering but it flattered us and just how Coventry didn’t at least double that is hard to work out.
The starting line up was as expected but with Alan Moore filling the left back position and Paul Weller in front of him on the left hand side of midfield. The game got underway in warm sunshine and with the total lack of any atmosphere it had the feel of an end of season game when neither side have anything to play for.
That was all to change with ten minutes on the clock with a trade mark Burnley goal (conceded that is). Down the left, Dean West left for dead by Gary McSheffrey and there was Julian Joachim at the near post getting in front of Mark McGregor to score.
The Clarets then got on top for the next twenty minutes or so and created a number of opportunities and a couple of real chances. The first fell to Paul Weller but with his left foot for standing he tried to hit it with his right and was unable to turn it in at the far left hand post.
Then Ian Moore nearly got on the end of a ball from Glen Little but didn’t make it. It was as close as Moore was to getting anywhere near the ball all afternoon.
It really did look as though the Clarets could get back into it but then it struck again, the Brian Jensen nightmare, gifting Coventry a crucial second goal. It was a cross from the right that they got in far too easily but he totally misjudged it, got nowhere near it and McSheffrey said thank you very much.
This really was dreadful goalkeeping and it just about ended it as a contest with Burnley never getting back into it at any time afterwards.
There was sympathy for the Burnley keeper shortly afterwards when he was adjudged to have brought down Joachim but it looked very much as though Joachim might have done a Ricardo Fuller.
He got into that position via the Burnley defenders waving him through, there certainly seemed on attempt to try and stop him. Jensen didn’t bother moving for the penalty as it went in to his right and at that point a number of Burnley fans decided enough was enough.
Many of those who stayed booed as the half time whistle went but they had seen nothing yet. In the first 15-20 minutes of the second half we were well and truly battered although there were rumours that our central defenders were busy waving white flags.
Jensen made another poor error in dropping the ball at a forward’s feet but this mistake seemed to inspire him. He reacted quickly to save well and then made three more excellent saves to keep the score down. They missed chances, they hit the woodwork and we could have not complained if they had added another three.
It all seemed to calm down after a while and we even got some possession, only for about ten seconds but beggars can’t be choosers. There was certainly not going to be a way back for us.
It was all reduced to pure farce when Dean West went down injured. Back on his feet he was clearly struggling so Glen gave him the ball. Fred could do nowt about it and David May had to come across and stop the Coventry player from breaking through. The resulting yellow card leaves him one short of a two match ban. Well done Glen.
May was having a mare and he was duly replaced with Neil Wood coming on in a shuffle that saw West go into the centre of defence.
Then to the biggest cheers of the day as firstly Paul Scott and then Ryan Townsend were given their debuts with Coventry scoring a fourth in between the two changes through Mo Konjic to complete the scoring.
Neither let themselves down and Ryan twice let Dele Adebola know that he would stand no nonsense.
How bad was it? Think as bad as it gets and this was worse. It wasn’t just the fact that we played badly. We didn’t really play badly, we just didn’t play at all. There was a real lack of commitment and desire everywhere you looked.
We should be scrapping for our lives, we need to be scrapping for our lives. Today we just couldn’t be bothered and got what we deserved, there was no sign of anyone even looking as if they wanted to go out and win the game.
Be very worried because much more of this and we won’t be playing First Division football next season and that won’t be a threat it will be a promise.
The customary end of match booing came to an end with supporters hardly able to take in what they had witnessed. What the hell went on in Spain we don’t know but they certainly didn’t come back with any real willingness to go and try and win a game of football.
We did not have one shot on target this afternoon, Coventry could have managed quite adequately without a goalkeeper, his only serious piece of action so him present us with that early Weller chance.
If Derby win their game in hand we join BRBC and Franchise in the bottom three, it is as simple as that. We cannot afford to lose at the City Ground on Wednesday and even a draw might not be considered a good result now.
Yes, be very worried.
The teams were,
Coventry: Scott Shearer, Peter Clarke, Callum Davenport, Steve Staunton (Mo Konjic 76), Martin Grainger, Bjarni Gudjonsson, Eric Deloumeaux (Graham Barrett 80), Micky Doyle, Stephen Warnock, Julian Joachim (Dele Adeboa 73), Gary McSheffrey. Subs not used: Gavin Ward, Richard Shaw.
Burnley: Brian Jensen, Dean West (Ryan Townsend 80), Mark McGregor, David May (Neil Wood 59), Alan Moore (Paul Scott 77), Glen Little, Richard Chaplow, Tony Grant, Paul Weller, Robbie Blake, Ian Moore. Subs not used: Nathan Abbey, Luke Chadwick.
Referee: Tony Bates (Stoke-on-Trent).