Coventry vs Notts County

[CCFC_Charlie]

This has gotten draw written all over. Nervy first half where we take the lead on 40 minutes, Notts County come out stronger in the second half and equalise on 80.

Our starting line-up will most likely be

Burge
Grimmer
Willis
McDonald
Stokes
Kelly
Doyle
Vincenti
McNulty
Jones
Beavon

 

[Youpies]

We don't really do opening day draws so you can bet there will be a result.

Not sure what team Nolan will play but it will be direct, 442 at home imo. Away, opening day, we may well play 451. I still think we will go with 442 as we only really have the players to play it.

Expect us to be physical and up for it

 

[william death]

Don't fancy us to keep a clean sheet, but do fancy us to score.

Quite like this team someone posted on NCM:

Collin/Fitzsimons

Tootle, Duffy, Brisley, Jones
---- Hewitt, Milsom --------
Allesandra, Grant, Hawkridge
-------- Ameobi ------------

You could swap Walker for Hewitt, but I think the latter offers more defensively, and Walker/Stead are decent options to have on the bench.

 

[Optipez]

Pretty sure we'll go 442.
Collin
Tootle, Duffy, Brisley, Jones
Grant, Hewitt, Milsom, Alessandro
Stead , Ameobi
as a guess.
Coventry win. It feels like we're a fortnight behind in preparedness for the season. Still signing players like it's mid July and last weekend's friendly matches and team selection seemed bizarre to me. more experimental than fine tuning.

 

[Youpies]

We have treated friendlies as training matches.

Nolan seems to take the opinion the system and the structure are the most key element. Players need to know what they do in all situations. When to move up, when to move across, when to drop off, when to press etc. If they can do that, the personnel you choose is less key. Proper Sam Allardyce, Pulis philosophy

 

[The Reverend Skyblue]

we normally start well and then when Xmas comes we go on a twenty game winless run. So for that reason I'm saying a hard fought 2-1 home win for the mighty skyblues, and Notts will get their revenge post Xmas

 

[West Terrace]

Like The Reverend says we usually start well (ignoring last season) so I'm fairly confident of a win. Pretty confident Robins will have the players fully fit for the start which would make a nice change. Think we'll struggle to break teams down at home this season so going forward I expect a few 0-0's!

1-0, Mcnulty.

How many Notts fans can we expect? Probably be 6/7k home fans.

 

[Youpies]

We normally travel well opening day, I'd guess 700 to 1000

 

[william death]

1000 sold already - hopefully 1500+

 

[JoeJoeJoeJoe]

O'Brien

Grimmer Willis McDonald Stokes

Kelly Doyle

Vincenti McNulty Jones

Beavon

3-1 City

 

[Carver]

My prediction.

Coventry 0 -∞ Notts County.

 

[Youpies]

If I'm not mistaken we haven't lost at the Ricoh in the league. Probably about time we did but Nolans teams are so organised, we don't tend to lose easily, few exceptions aside.

I can see a 2-1 to Coventry as there's a lot more quality in their side than ours

 

[jacobncfc]

We normally travel well opening day, I'd guess 700 to 1000

More than that - sold 1,300 in advance and reckon there'll be a decent contingent paying on the day, considering there's not been a home game to buy them at.

As ever, the first day is not about the result but about getting dangerously drunk for my birthday.

 

[Youpies]

So I have managed to convince the Mrs that Coventry is a short enough drive from the Cotswolds where we are spending our first year anniversary and that seeing the opening day of the season is exactly how we should celebrate.

Love opening day, can't wait

 

[PUSBCCFC]

Dreading the attendance, looks like many are staying away.

 

[RavenBish]

Nolan's gone full Moniz with that team selection.

 

[CCFC_Charlie]

Hyam and McDonald at CB makes me nervous but rest of the team is very solid.

 

[RavenBish]

Nolan Out

 

[The Reverend Skyblue]

Attendance not as bad as we all thought 10350

 

[CCFC_Charlie]

Keeping up with scores at a wedding in Devon, fantastic result and great for Jones to have got a hat-trick. Hope that doesn't create any interest in him though!

 

[PUSBCCFC]

Really good.

Doyle was outstanding, covered every blade.
Jones looks way too good for league 2, could really terrorise teams.

 

[Youpies]

Notts didn't really get going, far too easy in midfield. Bit worried that Walker looked like the game passed him by.

Stead lumbered as usual. Well off the pace.

Think the scoreline flattered Coventry. It won't be that easy every week. Jones was a cut above. Loved his second goal.

Dan Jones is getting a lot of stick post game but he wasn't at fault for me. Thought the first goal was a good switch of play. Second and third both counter attacks.

Notts have a lot of work to do ahead of Chesterfield. Credit where it's due to Collin. Thought he had a good game

Edit. Today really showed how fine margins affect a game. Don't think we would have lost today had Hawkridge hit the net not the post. Think it would have been quite different. We had no luck today. Balls just didn't stop for us

 

[Frostie]

Fair assessment Youpies.
We were clearly much the better side but 3-0 did flatter us. I thought your defending for all 3 was pretty poor although the third is understandable when chasing the game so late on. Had you scored rather than hit the post it could well have been a different game although that chance was from a lucky break against the run of play.

So pleased we dealt with the physical, direct style, Robins is the first Manager in a while to see & tackle that weakness.
The second goal was crucial as I always feared that Ameobi's physical presence may eventually tell against the untried Hyam.

To a man we were pretty good. Nothing really came off for the front 2 but they worked tirelessly & the 2 subs who replaced them both picked up assists. The new guys all settled in well, particularly McDonald, Kelly, Vincenti & the returning Doyle. O'Brien certainly inspires more confidence than Burge & Jones showed what we know he can do, he needs to maintain that though for us to have a successful season.

PUSB

 

[Optipez]

We looked nowhere near the standard pre season and nowhere near the standard today.
We didn't even put out our best eleven or strongest bench.
Today should be a wake up call while the transfer window is still open.

 

[Youpies]

I think Nolan is smart enough to learn from this. I can only assume Grant and Milsom were not fully fit. We are a lot better when both play

 

[RavenBish]

Stead lumbered as usual. Well off the pace.

Doesn't sound like him...

Got what we deserved by the looks of it. Hewitt & Walker as a 2 was asking for trouble and Ameobi & Stead shouldn't be a thing let alone away from home.

We'll see - I expect us to be much better with players like Grant, Milsom and Yates in the middle but I'm not optimistic - we're a striker short (although that's based on the idea that Stead is shite which is obviously something Hardy/Nolan don't subscribe to) and Brisley/Duffy doesn't seem quite good enough either. I'm not optimistic

 

[PUSBCCFC]

Jodi Jones second goal is just brilliant. That turn is impressive.

 

[jacobncfc]

Not entirely sure what Nolan was playing at here. Left our two best midfielders out, put dad's army upfront, left Alessandra out on the left so Jones just got done in by Jones.

He was ridiculous, though - one of the best individual displays I've seen in a long time. Cov were solid and organised as I expected, but if he can do that consistently then they'll be a real threat.

 

[West Terrace]

We didn't play that well but we were solid and organised which is a huge difference from last season. I know it's only the first game but I wasn't sure what to expect from us this season, I'm a lot more confident after this weekend.

This is a huge season for Jodi Jones. He has all the attributes to be one of the best players in the league but I still have doubts about his ability to be consistent for 46 games. Was unplayable on Saturday though, hopefully more to come.

 

[Youpies]

Isn't he like 20 years old? Watching him, he definitely has the talent. Consistency will come...