Coventry City VS Crewe Alexandra Wednesday 01st October 7:45pm |
MATCH DAY |
Crewe visit Coventry tonight with a view of getting back on track after 2 defeats in a row, for the first time since February. Our league form, though, currently read WDWLWLWL so we should win.... shouldn't we? Coventry haven't started well in their third season in Division One, since relegation from the premiership in 2000. Having won just two league games, against Stoke and Reading, they have drawn against Walsall, Ipsiwch and Wigan. meanwhile they lost to Sheff Utd, Forest and PNE. Coventry though have a game in hand on all of the division after, in unfortunate circumstances, not playing on the first day of the season. They were due to play Watford but the match was called off at mid-day when sadly Watford's loanee, Jimmy Davis, died in a car crash. Tonight will see the 9th meeting between the two clubs. The last meeting was a disaster for us. After the high of the FA Cup run our league form was suffering. The week before the Everton clash in the FA Cup 5th round Coventry inflicted the biggest defeat in Dario's 20 years. Clown Bankole was in goal as he conceded 6 defensive mistakes. The only consolation was Hulse's goal as we couldn't even score a penalty in the last minute, but did Shaun Smith ever score a penalty that season? That defeat in a few fans eyes started our free fall down the league. Despite at one stage having 5 games in hand we failed to pick up more than 1 point. We slipped into the relegation zone before our last day relegation. That season Roland Nilsson was in charge of the sky blues but was sacked in the summer of 2002. It left the door open for former Coventry legend Gary McAllistair to take charge. McAllistair took charge with little money available but just two players remain in the starting 11 since the last time we met. Namely Safri and Konjic. McAllistair remains player manager and with summer signings Arphexad(L'pool), Steve Staunton(Villa), Suffo(Sheff Utd), Mansouri(Le Harve - Loan), Andy Morrell(Wrexham) & Jorgensen(Bradford). They joined a couple of former Alex players. Dele Adebola scored 40 goals in 100 appearances for Crewe before a £1million move to Birmingham. Dele had a half sucessful spell there but a serious knee injury kept him out for a year and saw him out of favour. He spent last year at Crystal Palace before making a free transfer move to tonights opponents. Also we see Graham Barrett, who played 5 games on loan from Arsenal 2 years ago. Coventry will play the same team that drew with Wigan on Saturday, after conceding in injury time after scoring in injury time(Confused?). They are without Suffo and Doyle who are both serving suspensions. So their probable team for tonight... Shearer ,Whing ,Konjic ,Staunton ,Shaw ,Barrett ,Safri ,McAllister ,Mansouri ,Adebola ,Morrell We though have more injuries than welcome. David Wright and Chris McCready are both doubtful for tonight and neither will probably be risked. It leaves stand in managers Baker and Holland the choice to either risk youngster Adam Yates or put the ever fantastic David Vaughan at right back, from the left. Also out is captain fantastic David Brammer. Bram's picked up a groin strain and will be out for tonight and touch and go for Saturday, he will be replaced by either Sorvel, Rix or Bell. Moses and Smart are still out but Moses should return on Saturday whilst striker Smart isn't that far away from fitness. Steve Jones returns to the line up up front, replacing Paul Edwards. Baker admitted yesterday that Jonah adds more than everyone thinks to the squad. The probable squad, or atleast the one i hope it is: Ince, Yates, Foster, Walker, Tonkin, Lunt, Bell/Sorvel, Cochrane, Vaughan, Ashton, Jones. COME ON!!! |
ONE TO WATCH |
Andy Morrell signed from Wrexham on a bosman. The 29 year old didn't make his name in proffessional football till last season, at the age of 28. Morrell helped Wrexham back into Division Two with over 30 goals.He attracted the attention of a few clubs and since it was the end of his contract Morrell took the opportunity to further his career and signed for Coventry. He didn't start the season that well with no goals in his first 5 games but he's now scored a goal in the last 4 league games for Cov. |
HEAD TO HEAD |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CREWEALEX.COM PREDICTION |
Coventry City 0-2 Crewe Alex post your prediction on beat the manager |
DIVISION ONE TABLE |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ALSO PLAYING |
01 October 2003 |
INTERESTING LINKS |