Premier League updates from the 8pm BST kick-off
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“Newcastle’s starting XI shows that they are determined to get a satisfactory result today,” reckons AnhTuan Nguyen Huynh. “They just need to go out there and play their natural game with the shackles off.”
I’m a little disappointed with the team Jaissle has picked. This is the kind of game he should feel able to go with a little more flair, whether it’s Steur in midfield, Touré out wide, or both. If I was Frank Lampard – which, for avoidance of doubt, I’m not – I’d be heartened by the XI that’s been picked because the class differential isn’t as wide as it might’ve been.
As for Newcastle, they’ve gone for solidity in midfield and a centre-forward in the no 10 position. That makes me think they’ll be relying on their full-backs and wingers for creativity and, good players though Miley and Hall are, I’d like a bit more quality in attacking areas. I can see Coventry being able to frustrate them, unless Barnes has a good night or Fernandez-Pardo is now acclimatised to the league.
So where is our game? Coventry will want to use their wide attackers to get them up the pitch. Down their left in particular, I’d expect to see Dasilva and Mason-Clark ganging up on Miley, who isn’t a full-back, with Rudoni and Yirkenkyi making late runs to give them presence in the box. I also wonder if Cherif will look to run off Botman, who isn’t the quickest, with Thomas-Asante and Van Ewijk looking to supply him with crosses.
Email! “I say this is a perfect fixture,” writes Mary Waltz. “To get back to semi normal football. We have had a week to focus on the City problem but let’s get real. Whatever happens to them it will probably months before the lawyers get all their billable hours in and we don’t know what the final outcome will be. I for one am tired of speculating when it is pointless until the powers that be make up their minds. Let’s play ball.”
I actually wonder if the events of yesterday will have persuaded the suits that they need to act sooner rather than later. I can’t see that, given how long process can take, they’ll wait for the appeal to be heard to administer any punishment, should there be one.
Back to our game, I’m a little surprised Coventry have changed back to a formation that saw them lose five in a row. Not just because they won, but because three at the back and a packed midfield is a good way for a team to make things difficult for those better than them. Opponents are forced go around the outside to create, and there are men up front to cause problems.
On the other hand, if you match formations against a superior team, usually you lose.
Now we know where V for Vendetta got their idea.
Here he is!
Given Coventry have gone back to the blue and white stripes, here’s some reading to get you in the mood for a game some old folk are calling the Killer Kilcline derby.
As for Newcastle, Gonzalez returns from the bang on the head he sustained at Leeds, with Steur dropping out; Miley is at right-back. Otherwise, it’s as you were from the win against Hull.
Er yeah, about that midfield battle I trailed. Coventry bin the 3-4-2-1 that worked at Forest to restore the 4-2-3-1, and bring in Van Ewijk at right-back for Mfuni at right centre-back, while up front, Onyeka drops out of midfield, with Cherif, a summer signing, making his first start up front.
Coventry City (4-2-3-1): Rushworth; Van Ewijk, Pinnock, Thomas, Dasilva; Yirenkyi, Grimes; Thomas-Asante, Rudoni, Mason-Clark; Cherif. Subs: Bentley, Sakamoto, Simms, Mfuni, Onyeka, Latibeaudiere, Torp, Gboho, Hamer.
Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Hornicek; Miley, Thiaw, Botman, Hall; Gonzalez, Willock; Murphy, Wissa, Barnes; Fernandez-Pardo. Subs: Pope, Schar, Joelinton, Bamba, Osula, Steur, Toure, Burn, Dedic.
I don’t know, it kind of feels like a fight to focus on this game, doesn’t it? Yet, at the same time, there’s loads to look forward to about this game because why shouldn’t there be? Such is the current state of the Premier League, Coventry reaching it after toiling through some of the worst mismanagement and neglect ever endured by a football club … for this?
But here we are so here we are; let’s dive in. Coventry won’t have relished the timing of the international break having snapped a run of five straight defeats with a win at Forest. I’m especially excited to see how Caleb Yirenkyi performs tonight – he’s a proper talent and a brilliant get, his game perfectly suited to competition it now feels much more comfortable to snark at as “this league” rather than “oor league”.
Opposite him – and Matt Grimes, playing in the top division for the first time aged 31, one of those lovely stories you get with promoted clubs – will presumably be Lewis Miley and Sean Steur, two terrific talents of complementary qualities. Their battle will go a long way towards deciding the outcome of this game.
However it won’t be lost on Mathias Jaissle that Coventry’s winner in Nottingham was their first league goal of the season, which is to say Frank Lampard must find a way of offering greater threat while maintaining some semblance of defensive security. Easier said than done, of course but, similarly, it won’t have escaped him how comprehensively Newcastle were outmuscled by Leeds and, if his side can use their similar formation to lean on them in similar fashion, they might just find similar joy – even if they lack similar goal-threat.
Or, in other words, though the overall picture isn’t good, there’s every chance this is.
