Performance wasn't THAT good

[Bluefoxtim]

So, why do the majority not accept we are no longer any better than out league positions suggests? People expect MON era postions and glory times,

Just because they were once there, it does not mean we are entitled to them.... just ask forest!

Eh? A real fan wants the club to do well. You need to be ambitious and push all the way. I'm not content with 2 wins and then another dire performance, I want us to win every game .

We are sh*t, but do you think other teams have seen repeated promotions and success by being content with being sh*t? Course they haven't.

Anyway this is getting boring now. We are both repeating our points.

[Leonisco]

Some people are never happy. In the first half, we were brilliant. The second half we wernt good, but we scrapped away and fully deserved our win.

Spot on.

For those moaning about the second half, no we weren't great, but we didn't need to be. Cov were poor, they were never gonna pull the game back if we just sat tight and kept it simple. It'd have been stupid going out all guns blazing, it would have left us more open at the back.

[Geo V]

I dont get some people!

We win 2-0 away at Ipswich and people were making excuses that they had loads of players missing and yesterday we kill off a Cov side and are victorious by the biggest margin for us this season and again people moan.

Only the dillusional think that we have now cracked it and dont need any work for next season. Im sure no one on here thinks that. But FFS let the fans who have had bad days due to bad results or bad performances smile a little without all this reality check crap. We know who we are but lets celebrate the wins and the fact that we just sent Cov nearly D1 and stop looking for excuses to somehow put your own club down.

[Simi]

People may moan about it been a bad second half performance but there were alot of good individual performances yesterday.

Johnson, much improved on all his previous starts and shows that he can still do a good job for us in the centre.

Jarret - Did alot of running all of the game and looked decent when he was on the ball and maybe even should of scored in the opening moments.

Yeates - Looks very skillful on the ball and although his crossing wasn't that good he got on the ball and did alot more than all our previous right wingers have done lately.

Same old quality performance from McAuley and Kisnorbo which will only continue for the rest of the season.

We may of not of played well in the second half but we won 3-0 at home against our local rivals, surely something postive has to come out of that.

[Thracian]

The big thing for me was that Kelly sent us out in a positive frame of mind and maintained the impetus for much of the first half.

Second half we failed to maintain the same pace and tempo - something which might have cost us but for Henderson and some poor finishing - but that's pretty easy to forgive from 3-0 up.

There's still lots to improve in our team - both individually and in terms of fluidity. But there's a bit more balance now and that's a start.

There's not so many Mickey Mouse selections for a start - the voluntary weaknesses we gave ourselves for months on end.

Maybury's where he should be at right-back. McAuley where he should be at centre-back. One big, one nippy striker. Positive, try-to-make-something-happen wingers where they should be instead of ineffective make-do's.

It all helps. And it all provides the basis for proper progress now. The only depressing thing is why it's taken so long to stop shooting ourselves in the foot by playing people in daft places.

[Stinkenzo]

But when you consider what has happened to Cov over the past month

Sacking their manager

The training ground punch-up

The poor form in general

And we had won our last match

Had a new owner

Better team maybe?

[Daggers]

The biggest delight of yesterday was to witness a fundamental shift in the implementation of tactics:

We have been guilty of giving away the ball too easily all season, crap passes and slow thinking have lumped us into trouble time and time again.

Yesterday was the first game of the season where the players were supporting each other. Despite losing the ball far too frequently we actually had players in the right position to cover and fight back to win it...which we did again and again.

It was that improved positional sense coupled with a feisty attitude that made Coventry look worse than they were.

Again, it's too early to start predicting a sea-change in our fortunes, but...

[Monk]

Oh do turn it in, it's all about debate and the future of LCFC.

The facts are we won but the performance wasn't the best and against better sides than Coventry, of which there are plenty in this division, the result would be different. Is that not something to be concerned about?

It was a performance which outweighed our league position before kick off. We took a positive outlook, scored 3 goals, got 3 points. I wasnt expecting to be watching brazil 3 days after the takeover. That will take at least.... 2 weeks OK!

[Thracian]

Spot on.

For those moaning about the second half, no we weren't great, but we didn't need to be. Cov were poor, they were never gonna pull the game back if we just sat tight and kept it simple. It'd have been stupid going out all guns blazing, it would have left us more open at the back.

I know what you're saying Leonisco but pressing up is a safer way to defend than falling back. We demonstrated that against Ipswich but I don't think we intended to ease off yesterday - I just think players put so much into getting 3-0 up with pass and move that some simply ended up knackered. It'll be something we need to work on.

[MC Prussian]

I'd never moan about this 3-0 win in general. I concur, the first half was brilliant and we completely outplayed Coventry. Nice, fast combinations. Everybody was at the ready, stood right and showed 110 % effort.

But, in all honesty, the second half was pure crap. I can't really tell whether it was a fitness issue, a lack of fighting spirit or because Coventry actually started to show some resilience.

[MBK]

I'd never moan about this 3-0 win in general. I concur, the first half was brilliant and we completely outplayed Coventry. Nice, fast combinations. Everybody was at the ready, stood right and showed 110 % effort.

But, in all honesty, the second half was pure crap. I can't really tell whether it was a fitness issue, a lack of fighting spirit or because Coventry actually started to show some resilience.

Kelly however must use the squad well. I hate idea that Weso is frozen out despite the fact he scored a better goal than Johnson against a much better team. Complaints that his squad is too small is bloody unjustified if he leaves players to rot and then expect them to come up and have a decent game.

What about Cadamertari, is he being relegated to the bench because of his drug prob? He is showing some qualities that would be worth a good look.

And Fryatt, what does one with him? He needs confidence and games.

[Thracian]

Kelly however must use the squad well. I hate idea that Weso is frozen out despite the fact he scored a better goal than Johnson against a much better team. Complaints that his squad is too small is bloody unjustified if he leaves players to rot and then expect them to come up and have a decent game.

What about Cadamertari, is he being relegated to the bench because of his drug prob? He is showing some qualities that would be worth a good look.

And Fryatt, what does one with him? He needs confidence and games.

There's lots in what you say there. Kelly is no Sir Alec. Then he's not got Sir Alec's insurance.

Leicester put so much into that first half that, what with the added emotion of the occasion, they gradually started running on empty.

Just the time to use other talent and people with fresh legs. What RK doesn't always seem to realise is that results aren't everything. He needs knowledge too. And more than just an 11-man team of match-fit footballers.

Squad manipulation is a delicate skill. But the more you take chances to use the squad the more you learn, the greater the options, the more team members are involved and the more confidence the manager has that all his squad members will fit seemlessly into whatever situation presents itself.

Coventry last 25 minutes was a prime opportunity to use the squad constructively. The big picture is just as important as the immediate task.

[harpendenfox]

Apologies if I'm repeating what has already been said, but the first game of the Craig Levein era was a 3-0 home win versus Cov, so buyer beware!

I'm delighted with two wins on the bounce, but our next two games over the next few days will give us an opportunity to provide some real assessment on Saturday evening / Sunday morning.

I am both nervous that we'll slip back into old ways, and dangerously excited that we might just kick on.

And to define what I mean by kicking on, I'd take a win and a draw in the next two games.

[Bloomer]

I have had to suffer some pretty appalling performances and results over the past few seasons. Forking out more dosh than I can really afford to watch my beloved Some performances so poor I have been in despair about our future. No way out. Saturday was a great result, a first half performance that was good to watch and great to support, I wanted more goals in the 2nd half, but I wanted 3 points more. Nothing anyone says will prevent me savouring a good afternoon out at the Walkers, toppped by a wisp of optimism for the future provided by MM. I don;t want sober posts today, save them till we need them.

[harpendenfox]

Apologies if my post is too sober, but it is 10am on a grey Monday morning! Like you I loved Saturday. It's just that I now have this worrying emotion called hope in my heart!

[Bloomer]

Apologies if my post is too sober, but it is 10am on a grey Monday morning! Like you I loved Saturday. It's just that I now have this worrying emotion called hope in my heart!

That's good though, its a little while since I dared have any hope. I don't expect miracles, I'm not sure what I expect really, perhaps just that things get better, we win more than we lose and we start to look like we could have something worthwhile in the not too distant future.

I suspect the Cov boards contain more sobering thoughts than you could shake s stick at!

[Leonisco]

I know what you're saying Leonisco but pressing up is a safer way to defend than falling back. We demonstrated that against Ipswich but I don't think we intended to ease off yesterday - I just think players put so much into getting 3-0 up with pass and move that some simply ended up knackered. It'll be something we need to work on.

Ah, I never said we fell back, I said we stayed tight and kept it simple. Not quite the same thing.

If anything I agree with you that attack is the best form of defence, but only if you've got a good attack - we haven't really so going all-out attack would've left us vulnerable.

[cisono]

Sobering post.

In my opinion, it was more of a case of Cov being absolutely SH*T, rather than us being great...

On each of our goals, you'll notice the time and the space and the fact that we had chickens around our attackers.

I haven't seen a defence that poor since the Walkers opened.

Ok, the game was won at 3 - 0 and obviously we didn't push as much, but pretty much after the third goal we went back to the usual long ball rubbish and aimless passing.

I'm sure most of you will agree that the talk of getting into the play-offs is ridiculous. Countless people were seriously discussing it around me, what planet are they on?

Still, a great day out and in the end an easy win, but we are still a poor side and most certainly not world-beaters. We just beat an absolutely abysmal Cov defence.

I know I should be happy after the takeover and an easy 3 - 0 win, but keeping my feet on the ground.

Remember, a better defence would never have allowed us to score any of those goals, and they had a fair few chances themselves. If that had happened this was certainly not a good performance.

Goals don't make a good performance, they easily mask a poor performance, which I believe is what has happened on this occassion.

I'm normally very positive and optimistic but today I was still not happy, getting really p*ssed off in the second half with the poor balls and poor decisions.

I hope i'm wrong, guess the next couple of games will show our true colours, and whether or not we go back to our usual inconsistancy.

Blue army

What was that famous quote like?

You can only beat the opponents you have on the day...

The may have been sh*t, but we were better than them!

[Barry Trotter]

Sobering post.

In my opinion, it was more of a case of Cov being absolutely SH*T, rather than us being great...

On each of our goals, you'll notice the time and the space and the fact that we had chickens around our attackers.

I haven't seen a defence that poor since the Walkers opened.

Ok, the game was won at 3 - 0 and obviously we didn't push as much, but pretty much after the third goal we went back to the usual long ball rubbish and aimless passing.

I'm sure most of you will agree that the talk of getting into the play-offs is ridiculous. Countless people were seriously discussing it around me, what planet are they on?

Still, a great day out and in the end an easy win, but we are still a poor side and most certainly not world-beaters. We just beat an absolutely abysmal Cov defence.

I know I should be happy after the takeover and an easy 3 - 0 win, but keeping my feet on the ground.

Remember, a better defence would never have allowed us to score any of those goals, and they had a fair few chances themselves. If that had happened this was certainly not a good performance.

Goals don't make a good performance, they easily mask a poor performance, which I believe is what has happened on this occassion.

I'm normally very positive and optimistic but today I was still not happy, getting really p*ssed off in the second half with the poor balls and poor decisions.

I hope i'm wrong, guess the next couple of games will show our true colours, and whether or not we go back to our usual inconsistancy.

Blue army

We kept possesion and were all over Coventry, Goals well deserved.

[l444ry]

There's some bright sparks on here who would moan if we'd just won the Champions League Final 2-1, saying it should have been 3-1. I suggest they go and manage a park or village team and get a reality check on football. Might knock some sense into them.

[Bluefoxtim]

What was that famous quote like?

You can only beat the opponents you have on the day...

The may have been sh*t, but we were better than them!

True

[Bluefoxtim]

There's some bright sparks on here who would moan if we'd just won the Champions League Final 2-1, saying it should have been 3-1. I suggest they go and manage a park or village team and get a reality check on football. Might knock some sense into them.

Seeing as I created the topic, some of that is directed at me?

However my post SEEMED to come across, I wasn't critisising the team, I was merely pointing out that we hadn't suddenly turned brilliant, we were just playing a really sh*t side who we pissed all over. I thought that it may have curbed some of the ridiculous posts and numerous threads about us having a chance of getting into the play-offs and going on a long winning streak, but looking on here the past few days, that has obviously not been the case.

[l444ry]

Seeing as I created the topic, some of that is directed at me?

However my post SEEMED to come across, I wasn't critisising the team, I was merely pointing out that we hadn't suddenly turned brilliant, we were just playing a really sh*t side who we pissed all over. I thought that it may have curbed some of the ridiculous posts and numerous threads about us having a chance of getting into the play-offs and going on a long winning streak, but looking on here the past few days, that has obviously not been the case.

Don't mean to offend you Bluefoxtrim. However, some of the nonsense (in my opinion) that passes as criticism on here has obviously been made by people with little or no experience of how to win football matches or of the problems a manager has in so doing. The simple fact is that Kelly is on a hiding to nothing. I think that in hindsight he will look better than he does now in many people's eyes.