Grimsby vs Coventry

[CCFC_Charlie]

Our first away game of the season and it's against the man who got us relegated, I'm sure a lot of Cov fans will be keen for us to get one over on Ol' Russ. Both teams recorded good opening day wins and will going into this tie feeling like they can pick up another 3 points. I'd imagine we'll play the same XI that started on Saturday against Notts County, not many of those given a chance last night against Blackburn did enough to force their way into the team.

Hard to call but I'll try and be positive and go 1-2 Coventry.

 

[Clarkey_GTFC]

Not sure why Mitch Rose was left on the bench against Derby but if it was purely to rest him then I hope he'll be back in the 11 as a midfield duo of Summerfield and Berrett will see us get run over. We've got a comfortable (but slow) defence and with the two attackers we've just signed we've got plenty of options going forward now to compliment Jones and Dembele. I'm hoping we can give Coventry a good game. I would take a draw but it's too early to say in terms of any real prediction. As a guess I'll go with 2-2.

 

[les.gtfc]

Our first away game of the season and it's against the man who got us relegated, I'm sure a lot of Cov fans will be keen for us to get one over on Ol' Russ. Both teams recorded good opening day wins and will going into this tie feeling like they can pick up another 3 points. I'd imagine we'll play the same XI that started on Saturday against Notts County, not many of those given a chance last night against Blackburn did enough to force their way into the team.

Hard to call but I'll try and be positive and go 1-2 Coventry.

Nothing to do with the owners then?

 

[BlackHaddock]

2-1 home win. Fortress Blundell this season (I hope).

 

[GTFCfish]

Shame for me this isn't away as were in Milton Keynes for the weekend so I could've gone but won't be making it at home.
Fancy a 2-1 or a 3-1 win.

 

[Son of Cod]

Nothing to do with the owners then?

Or the fact that they were 23rd when he came in at Christmas?

 

[CCFC_Charlie]

Or the fact that they were 23rd when he came in at Christmas?

He won 3 in 16 (only 1 of which was in the league), took us from being 1 point off safety to 14 in three months and played the worst football I have ever witnessed a Coventry side play. Mowbray and Venus also take a lot of the blame for their awful recruitment, and naturally SISU are ultimately to blame for our fall down the leagues but had we appointed someone other than Russell last December I think we'd still be in League One right now.

 

[PUSBCCFC]

Russell Slade is the worst Coventry manager in history taking the crown from Andy Thorn.

 

[Son of Cod]

He barely had a chance, by the sound of it. He's not a quick fix manager, his squads generally take a season and two transfer windows before they start performing. Regardless of whether or not the football was shit (again, not exactly renowned for beautiful passing tikka takka), bringing him less than 2 weeks before January to inherit a crap squad and expecting him to keep you up was a terrible decision by your board. Maybe if they'd have chosen more wisely for the situation you would have had a fighting chance.

 

[CCFC_Charlie]

That's fair, but we can only judge him based on what we saw of him and it was awful. He was backed reasonably well when he first came in and was able to bring in Clarke, Beavon, Reilly, Rawson, Yakubu, Vernam, Foley and Folivi and the majority of those flopped badly. Appointing him was clearly a mistake, and I hope it works out for you with him in charge, he always seemed a nice enough guy even if his post-match interviews were often a bit strange, but there is no denying he was awful here whether he was the right fit or not.

Back to the game at hand though, having a look at our forums seems like a lot of our fans are expecting an easy game, mainly due to the Slade factor, but I would be hesitant to agree with them. Grimsby have shown on the opening day that they're not a team to be taken lightly and definitely have some decent players. Games like this are always hard to predict as it's the first home/away game of the season for both clubs, and therefore we have no real way of knowing how each side's tactics will suit this. Under Robins in his first spell we were very good away from home, but he's not had much time with a decent team to show whether that is still the case. Slade, while he was with us, favoured a more defensive set-up, both home and away, although that could have been due to situation we found ourselves in, and I'm not sure how we'll face up against that. We seemed to do well enough against that style on Saturday, ut by all accounts Notts County were poor. I'll stand by my 2-1 prediction for optimisms sake but I wouldn't be shocked if Grimsby take all three points.

 

[Son of Cod]

That's fair, but we can only judge him based on what we saw of him and it was awful. He was backed reasonably well when he first came in and was able to bring in Clarke, Beavon, Reilly, Rawson, Yakubu, Vernam, Foley and Folivi and the majority of those flopped badly. Appointing him was clearly a mistake, and I hope it works out for you with him in charge, he always seemed a nice enough guy even if his post-match interviews were often a bit strange, but there is no denying he was awful here whether he was the right fit or not.

Back to the game at hand though, having a look at our forums seems like a lot of our fans are expecting an easy game, mainly due to the Slade factor, but I would be hesitant to agree with them. Grimsby have shown on the opening day that they're not a team to be taken lightly and definitely have some decent players. Games like this are always hard to predict as it's the first home/away game of the season for both clubs, and therefore we have no real way of knowing how each side's tactics will suit this. Under Robins in his first spell we were very good away from home, but he's not had much time with a decent team to show whether that is still the case. Slade, while he was with us, favoured a more defensive set-up, both home and away, although that could have been due to situation we found ourselves in, and I'm not sure how we'll face up against that. We seemed to do well enough against that style on Saturday, ut by all accounts Notts County were poor. I'll stand by my 2-1 prediction for optimisms sake but I wouldn't be shocked if Grimsby take all three points.

All fair enough too. It just seemed like a bad fit all round, Slade at Coventry.

How was Clarke for you last season? I'm feeling relatively confident in our creaking oldies at the back.

Also, I was surprised at Jordi Jones' lack of goals when I checked his stats at Cov. The way he took his goals last weekend would suggest that you probably saw glimmers of talent but that it was kind of quashed in a poor side last season? Does he play on the left all the time or does he get moved about? Ben Davies will be at right back for us, as Zak Mills is banned, so it could he quite an interesting/pivotal battle in this one.

You're also right that this is a really difficult one to call. We obviously had some fortune in defence last weekend and it sounded like Nolan dropped a tactical clanger for Notts County against you, so it's not wise to take too much from those opening day scores.

Should be a decent away following. Any update on that? I think you were at 1000 or so last I'd heard?

 

[CCFC_Charlie]

All fair enough too. It just seemed like a bad fit all round, Slade at Coventry.

How was Clarke for you last season? I'm feeling relatively confident in our creaking oldies at the back.

Also, I was surprised at Jordi Jones' lack of goals when I checked his stats at Cov. The way he took his goals last weekend would suggest that you probably saw glimmers of talent but that it was kind of quashed in a poor side last season? Does he play on the left all the time or does he get moved about? Ben Davies will be at right back for us, as Zak Mills is banned, so it could he quite an interesting/pivotal battle in this one.

You're also right that this is a really difficult one to call. We obviously had some fortune in defence last weekend and it sounded like Nolan dropped a tactical clanger for Notts County against you, so it's not wise to take too much from those opening day scores.

Should be a decent away following. Any update on that? I think you were at 1000 or so last I'd heard?

Clarke had good games and bad games, but more bad than good. Not sure if he's up to L1 standard anymore, but probably wouldn't have been the worst option at this level if we'd decided to keep him. We're probably missing a big CB in his ilk.

As for Jones, he usually plays on the left but Robins will swap the wings over frequently throughout the game, as seen with his 2nd on Saturday. He's always struggled with a lack of end product and an unwillingness to do what he did well on Saturday, which was get in the box and cause defenders problems. Robins has made it very public knowledge that he's taken Jodi aside and really worked with him to improve that side of the game, and on very limited evidence, it's worked so far.

I'd say while Nolan has a shocker tactically it's also worth noting that Robins addressed this in his post-match and said they play exactly as he'd expected and exactly how we'd been preparing to face them, so there is some merit in the result even if they were poor. In Doyle and Kelly we have a very good midfield two who will do a physical job on pretty much anyone in this league and should be well set-up. I worry about Dembele for you as our full-backs are either not fully fit or lacking defensively so will have to be at their best.

I believe it was 1100 sold as of yesterday, bit surprised we've not sold more with it being the first of the season but I guess that's what relegation does to a fanbase.

 

[PUSBCCFC]

I'm shocked we haven't sold out.

 

[CCFC_Charlie]

We've signed attacking mid Tony Andreu today from Norwich, be interesting to see if he makes the XI. I imagine a sub appearance is more likely.

 

[les.gtfc]

We've signed attacking mid Tony Andreu today from Norwich, be interesting to see if he makes the XI. I imagine a sub appearance is more likely.

We've just signed a 19-year old lad from Norwich too this week on a season-long loan. Goes by the slightly more exoctic name of Diallang Jaiyesimi and is described as an attacking midfielder/winger.

Be interesting to see if Slade throws him straight in on Saturday or will bring him off the bench, which I think would be more likely.

 

[SkyBlueElephant]

I fully expect Grimsby to be Russell Salde's last ever club at a professional level

 

[les.gtfc]

I fully expect Grimsby to be Russell Salde's last ever club at a professional level

He'll probably retire in 5 years time after he's led us to The Premiership.

 

[ccfctommy]

There was various factors for our relegation. Mowbray not winning one of his first ten games was a big one. The clubs shocking recruitment was another.

Looking forward to this. Any decent pubs for away fans?

 

[ccfctommy]

Also it was announced that away tickets were taken off sale today with no POTG. Strange.

 

[PUSBCCFC]

Sold 1350 but they have taken tickets off sale for pay on the gate. Looking at the replies to the tweet, a lot of people are now unable to go.

 

[The Reverend Skyblue]

That's a very strange decision to take tickets off sale.
Loads leave it to the day to pay at the gate, but that's not an option now.
Lack of police is what I've read.

 

[PUSBCCFC]

Lots of tweets about going in the home end. Shocked how many have left it till the last minute.

 

[les.gtfc]

There was various factors for our relegation. Mowbray not winning one of his first ten games was a big one. The clubs shocking recruitment was another.

Looking forward to this. Any decent pubs for away fans?

Not much around the ground I'm afraid. Only The Blundell Park Hotel just across the road from the ground but that's really just a hotel with a bar rather than a pub, is fairly small and does get quite busy.

Your best bet would be Cleethorpes High Street or Market Place where there are plenty of pubs, including a Wetherspoons. It's about a 15-20 minute walk to the ground.

I too am a bit baffled at the decision to stop ticket sales to away fans too.

 

[GTFCfish]

Looking forward to this. Any decent pubs for away fans?

No. Milkshake at McDonalds it will have to be.

 

[pontoonlew]

Can't get home for this one, still chuffed with last week and the performance as a whole, funny how Coventry fans on their forum think this will be a walkover.

I do still think we're lacking a striker with a good track record mind. Dembele will inevitably run most defences ragged and Sam Jones will chip in with plenty of goals.

A bit miffed at stopping away ticket sales, we expect clubs to accommodate our large followings, not sure why we can't do the same?

 

[Gladders]

Reading the Coventry statement, this is a police/safety issue at it says both Grimsby and Coventry anticipated sales on the day. So nothing to do with us.

As far as I'm aware we haven't not sold tickets to away fans on the day before so not sure why the police are getting involved now, we have had more than 1300 in there before now too.

 

[The Reverend Skyblue]

Can't get home for this one, still chuffed with last week and the performance as a whole, funny how Coventry fans on their forum think this will be a walkover.

I do still think we're lacking a striker with a good track record mind. Dembele will inevitably run most defences ragged and Sam Jones will chip in with plenty of goals.

A bit miffed at stopping away ticket sales, we expect clubs to accommodate our large followings, not sure why we can't do the same?

Very few apart from the braindead few who think we would beat Real Madrid,home and away, if we played them, think this will be easy.
Its always a difficult place to go, most level headed fans would bite your hand off if they were offered a draw before the game.

 

[The Reverend Skyblue]

As I say a lot of fans, me included pay on the day, so this will cost not just us but Grimsby a sizable wedge.
I just don't know why apart a lack of policing/stewards.
Every club has mindless idiots, we have a few believe me, but this cant be down to a likely trouble. the majority of our fans enjoy away games more than home as its a great day out if going by train/coach

 

[PUSBCCFC]

Doesn't help that Coventry make it so difficult (and expensive) to buy tickets these days.

Thankfully I didn't take the risk and purchased online, despite the added costs.

 

[Limerick Mariner]

Seems an odd decision to take tickets off sale at 1,350 when the Osmond accommodates 1,890.

Police advice apparently. There is history; but it's 28 years ago! League Cup game at Gy - playground stuff at the Leaking Boot (now closed down) and elsewhere. I'm not sure whether it continued for the second leg. There was more serious stuff in Cov in the mid 80s for another league cup game. Still I can't recall away ticket sales ever being restricted to less than the Osmond capacity so some intelligence is perhaps the reason.