Has someone made the landlord vs tenants joke yet? You know that funny joke they said when we first played Coventry in the cup last season. Well, it’s time for them all to return as Blues found themselves as the home team this time around (sigh). Blues were looking for their first home win since October, yes it really has been that miserable.
I’m not going to lie to you, I really wasn’t feeling confident ahead of this one and fancied us to be turned over on our own patch again.
Blues made to 2 changes to the team that lost out to Preston over a week ago – one enforced change due to Kieftenbeld joining Millwall and the other was a bit of a head scratcher as George Friend has been levels above Pedersen this season.
The game was underway and it was the standard approach from most games this season, ease your way in and try to get a foothold and keep the ball – despite the pitch reminiscing no-mans land. Neither side were looking like world-beaters and it was a moment of rarity which opened the scoring. Blues were actually given a penalty during a game of football, which saw Bela step up and despatch it with conviction, despite the keeper going the right way.
Could it be? Could Blues finally see a game through and build on a goal to get that first home win in months? No they couldn’t. Another individual error, this time from Adam Clayton who was adamant the ball went out of play, despite it still being 2 yards on the pitch. The rest of the defence were ball watching and Coventry hammered in the equaliser.
The rest of the first half lacked any real sort of quality, which was expected if you were to go off the basis of the first league meeting between the two sides earlier on in the season.
To no surprised we went in level at the break and a big performance was needed in the second-half to ensure we got that much needed win.
There were 2 changes at the break, Clayton (deservedly so) made way for Gary Gardner and Marc Roberts entered the field for Jon Toral (who really struggled to get himself into the game).
Despite it being a new half, more of the same followed and the standard of football on show was really eye watering at times. Coventry trying to play right up on the last man and a ball over the top, whilst Blues were happy just step up and catch them offside. Blues really didn’t look like they were going to concede again during this game, but the main problem was we didn’t really look like scoring another and when goals are hard to come by you need to take any half chance that falls your way.
Bela and Sanchez were again the danger threats throughout, the former mainly during the second period. He put in a teasing ball towards the back post and all it needed was a touch to restore the Blues lead, unfortunately no one was there, once again.
The scrappiness continued and it was Blues who were pushing more to find the winner, with Karanka making further adjustments and changes as the minutes ticked by.
Another half chance fell Blues way as the ball bounced to Harlee Dean who found himself free on the edge of the 18 yard box, however he lashed his effort wide in classic centre-half fashion and it was looking like “another one of those days”.
One last throw of the dice saw Jutkiewicz come on for Hogan and the moment we were all waiting for finally happened. The ball bouncing around Coventry’s box and it lands to Jutkiewicz, all he had to do was pass the ball 4 yards across the Harper who had an open goal to aim for and undoubtedly make it 2-1. Instead, he decided to go alone and try to get a shot off, despite 2 Coventry defenders being in front of him and the ball trickled wide for a corner-kick. It’s moments like that and Adam Clayton’s in the first half that are costing us frequently this season.
In the end Blues had to settle for a draw and share the point as well as the ground with Coventry for the rest of the season, meaning there was even more impetus on Tuesday nights game to get a result against Wycombe, who were thumped 7-2 by Brentford.
There may be a few much needed additions before Tuesday night and that could spark a performance and result which hopefully can put Blues in good stead as we enter the second half of this season.
A disappointing Saturday again, but we now hope to put that right on Tuesday.
Keep Right On!
