News Archive

Three priceless points, and an escape from relegation looks to be very much on the cards.

The lack of firepower from our forwards doesn't matter if the midfielders can bang in goals, and Jay Tabb's performance today in particular highlights just how important he has been for us this season. Defensively we look stronger than we have for years and if we can stay up, we'll be a force to be reckoned with next season.

It would have been nice to keep a clean sheet, which would have equalled a club record, but the points are far more important, and 3-1 is better than 0-0!

Because of today's result we can breathe slightly easier ahead of Tuesday nights six-pointer at Sheffield Wednesday.

RELEGATION WATCH

We move up to 18th place, now with 48 points from 40 games, but there's still a hell of a scrap going on.

Colchester are all but mathematically relegated now, and Scunthorpe might need to win all their remaining games to do so..

Our opponents on Tuesday night, Sheffield Wednesday make up the bottom three, but will fancy their chances of escaping as they have played fewer games than everyone else, and have a relateively good goal difference. Their 1-1 draw at home to erstwhile Championship leaders Stoke means that they have 45 points with seven games to play.

Southampton went down 1-0 at Cardiff today, and are just a point ahead of Wednesday, but they've played two games more and have a worse goal difference than any side bar the bottom two. Worrying times indeed at St. Mary's and they don't have the luxury of games against other struggling sides, so their destiny may be out of their hands.

In 20th place, ahead of the Saints on goal-difference and with a game in hand are Barnsley and their 2-1 defeat at Burnley today leaves the FA Cup semi-finalists in severe danger.

We are also keeping ahead of Leicester who beat Scunthorpe 1-0 today. Our rivals have five games remaining and 47 points in the bag, but the best defence in the division helps with their goal difference which, amazingly, is +1, only one goal worse than the divisions leaders Bristol City.

Just above us are Norwich, who are not safe having lost 2-1 at the league leaders. One point ahead of us, they have played a game more, and a difficult run-in could test them.

The last club that currently looks vulnerable is Blackpool on 50 points following a goalless draw at Crystal Palace today - the seasiders last five fixtures are challenging, but they have a positive goal-difference, and in 16th place probably only need one more win to be safe.

There is then a three point gap to Preston, who are surely safe now following a recent good run, and are as close to the play-offs as they are to the drop-zone.

INTERNATIONAL ROUND-UP

He might be struggling to find form for us lately, but Michael Mifsud ended his goal-drought in style for Malta, scoring five goals (including a brace of penalties) as they thrashed Lichtenstein 7-1.

Hopefully this will feed his confidence when playing for us on Saturday, as Miffy has yet to net a league goal for us in 2008.

For the England Under 21s, both Scott Dann and Dan Fox made their debuts - the two defenders having a bright future ahead of them in the Internaional game if we carry on keeping clean sheets the way we have been since they arrived at the club.

The game against Poland finished 0-0 - just like our last two games.

HINES MEANS BUSINESS

The club have made one signing on loan deadline day, with teenage striker Zavon Hines joining from West Ham until the end of the campaign.

And with Leon Best now suspended for two games, he will go straight into the squad for Saturday's crucial game against Plymouth.

But the signing is a low-key one as our intended target Freddy Eastwood from Wolves fell through late in the day.

A number of other loan signings will continue to the end of the season: we have Kasper Schmeichel and Richard Duffy on loan, while on the outbound side, Kevin Kyle will remain at Wolves, Dimi Konstantopoulos has gone to Nottingham Forest, Colin Hawkins to Chesterfield, Wayne Andrews to Bristol Rovers, and Donovan Simmonds to Gillingham.

Before leaving, Hawkins and Andrews both lined up for the Reserves this week, as they defeated Port Vale 5-0. Goals came from Chris Birchall, Robbie Simpson, Michael Hughes, Arjan De Zeeuw, and Andrews.

EIGHT GOING...

Chris Coleman has reached a decision on the future of several Sky Blues players who will be out of contract in the Summer - and most of them are going to be released by the club.

Unsurprisingly, Arjan De Zeeuw's one-year deal will not be extended. The veteran defender looked like a great signing last Summer, and was made Captain by Iain Dowie, but he has struggled with injuries, and even when playing looked a shadow of his former self. The latest in a long line of great players to lose the plot when playing for us.

Michael Hughes is another veteran signed on a one-year deal last Summer, and another who will not be staying any longer. The Northern Ireland international is a good player, but not getting any younger, and surely the plan must be to field Osbourne in the midfield holding role next season, perhaps with a younger new signing competing for the position also.

Also finally heading out is Wayne Andrews, a Micky Adams signing who never quite made it here. He's banged in plenty of goals for the reserves, but just doesn't look Championship-standard in the first team.

Coventry kid Stuart Giddings came through the ranks, and had the makings of a great career. This may yet happen, but he's been almost permenantly injured for the last two years, and we have three other left-backs.

Another homegrown player departing will be Liam Davis, despite some good performances in the first-team from the midfielder this season, and fans will be sorry to see him leave.

With far less first-team experience is Lee Hildreth, and having singularly failed to establish himself beyond a single sub appearance at the end of last season, will unsurprisingly be on his way.

Fans might be shocked that Colin Hawkins is to leave, given his performances last season, but like so many of the players above, he's just been too injury prone to be relied upon.

And the same can be said of Summer signing Ellery Cairo, who perhaps should have been given more of a chance to wow us in the first-team, but who also lacks fitness, and is seemingly never available.

...FOUR STAYING

But some players will be offered new contracts:

Marcus Hall has been a faithful servant in two spells with the club, and perhaps surprisingly he is going to be rewarded with a new offer.

Since the arrival of Coleman, Stephen Hughes has upped his game, been appointed Captain, and become one of the new managers favourites, and it's less of a shock to see him given a deal.

Andy Marshall's howlers this season haven't prevented him from being a candidate for a new contract, and this is perhaps indicative of the dearth of quality goalkeepers available at present.

And young goalkeeper Danny Ireland is also going to be allowed to stay on at the club, completing the quartet of new contract offers on the table.

The jury is still out on David McNamee - he's a good player, maybe a very good one, and we have no other out-and-out right-backs at the club, but on the other hand he is yet another permanently unfit squad member. A decision will be made on him in the Summer.

And there are also plans to offload players who are not out of contract in the Summer - Dimi Konstantopoulos is set to join League One falterers Nottingham Forest on loan with a view to a permanent move, and Gary Borrowdale and Kevin Kyle, currently on loan at Wolves, are also set to be transfer-listed.

A goalless draw might not have done either side too many favours, but just as Sheffield Wednesday would have been happier to get the result at our place last week, so we should probably consider this a point gained rather than two lost - not least because we have lost our last eight in a row on the road, and this is our first away point of 2008!

Things are still very close with seven games remaining, in the most competitive Championship for a great many years, and next weekend the visit of Plymouth to the Ricoh will see pulses racing yet again.

Chris Coleman has undoubtedly turned us into a hard-to-beat team, and we are not shipping goals like we were under Dowie. The trouble is, we're now not scoring them either, and haven't netted from open play away from home since the FA Cup victory at Blackburn back at the very start of the year.

With Mifsud and Best both dried up, McKenzie injured, Kyle loaned out, and Andrews and Simpson never prolific goalscorers for us in the first place, a loan signing will likely come in before next weekend.

And if we can avoid relegation the signs for next season, building upon a strong defence, would seem to be pretty good.

RELEGATION WATCH

The division remains as unsettled as ever, and last weekend's big winners are today's big losers.

Colchester and Scunthorpe both lost in midweek, and today suffered further defeats, which makes it seem very hard for them to stay up at this stage.

Both sets of fans at St. Mary's today greeted with the news of Crystal Palace's stoppage-time equaliser at Sheffield Wednesday. The 2-2 draw keeps Wednesday in the drop zone, with 44 points and eight games remaining.

Just outside the bottom three now are Leicester, who won at West Brom unexpectedly last time, but lost 2-0 at home to promotion-chasing Hull today, and who only have six games left. They still have by far the best goal difference, which keeps them ahead of Wednesday, but the Sheffield sides two extra games (one against us of course) could prove crucial.

We are ahead of Leicester with 45 points, seven games to play, and an inferior goal-difference, while a point ahead of us, but with a game fewer remaining and an even worse goal-difference are the Saints who we played today.

Then come FA Cup heroes Barnsley in 18th place. With 46 points, they are deep in danger too, and lost 1-0 at home to Sheffield United today.

There is then a three point buffer to Norwich and Blackpool with 49 points, and Preston with 50, but it could be that the actual figure required to stay up this season will be more than that. On 52 points, Cardiff are a team that could still concievably make the play-offs or get relegated.

DUFFY IN FOR FOURTH STINT

Portsmouth right-back Richard Duffy has joined the club on loan for the fourth time - becoming, surely, the most loaned-to player in our history.

Over the last three seasons, Duffy has made a total of around 50 appearances for us - and will go into the squad for tomorrow's crucial game at St. Mary's.

ENGLAND BECKONS

Defenders Scott Dann and Dan Fox have both been called up into the England Under 21 squad for a game against Poland next week.

The pair who recently signed from Walsall are two of the brightest young defenders in the game, and the England set-up will hopefully help improve their respective games for the Sky Blues too.

RESERVES TO QUIT LEAGUE

City Reserves will not play in the Pontins League next season, and instead will play a series of friendly matches.

Chris Coleman and Ray Ranson have reached the decision because they believe games scheduled at more convenient times against mostly local opposition will be of greater us, and the move is reminiscent of Micky Adams a few seasons ago who took us out of Reserve competition for a season.

Despite this, the Sky Blues are currently 2nd in the league, and this week drew 2-2 at West Brom, coming from two goals down.

The goals were scored by wingers Ellery Cairo and Liam Davis, and both Colin Hawkins and Stuart Giddings played a part in the match as they bid to return from injury.

Eight games to go, and the relgation battle is going right to the wire, as we slump to fourth from bottom.

Once again we dominated, without scoring, and while a sixth straight clean sheet at home in the league puts us on the verge of equalling a club record, we badly needed three points today.

We have 44 points already, which would have been enough for survival last season, but with every team down there scrapping for their lives, it certainly won't be this time.

RELEGATION WATCH

Things are getting worse...

Colchester now seem doomed; A 1-1 draw with Cardiff at Layer Road leaves them on 33 points with eight games to play, and they are ten points from safety, and mathematically need a minimum of 13 just to have any chance of staying up, due to other sides playing one another.

With 38 points, Scunthorpe do have an outside chance of staying up, which looked more than this when they were leading at QPR, but they ultimately went down 3-1.

Occupying the last crucial relegation place are todays opponents Sheffield Wednesday, with 43 points. We are a point ahead of them, but have played a game more, and have an inferior goal-difference.

The sickener today was Leicester's unexpected 4-1 win away at West Brom which catapulted them out of the bottom three. Ahead of us on goal-difference (the best goal difference in the bottom half), they have crucially played a game more than us, but have the best defence in the league and do look too good to go down.

On 45 points with only seven games left are our next opponents Southampton, and next Saturday's game at St. Mary's is looking very important indeed. They have a worse goal-difference than us now thanks to today's 5-0 drubbing at Hull.

Norwich are far from out of it either, with 46 points and seven games to play - currently out of form, they lost 2-0 at Sheffield Utd today. Barnsley were beaten by the same scoreline at Palace, and are only narrowly ahead of Norwich on goal-difference but have eight games left.

In recent weeks Preston have been a team transformed, and today's 0-0 draw with local rivals Blackpool will have been relatively disappointing. Preston have 47 points, Blackpool 48, and neither side can rest easy with seven games to play

Above the 50 point mark, sides might expect to be safe, but this season that is no guarantee at all.

SCHMEICHEL SIGNS ON LOAN

Manchester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has joined us on loan, becoming - amazingly - our first loan signing of the season.

With both Andy Marshall and Dimi Konstantopoulos requring operations in the near future, and having looked equally dodgy this season, the son of legendary goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel is surely a good signing.

Schmeichel goes straight into the squad to face Sheffield Wednesday tomorrow.

On Saturday we lifted ourselves from the mire, and this evening defeat at Brammall Lane leaves us right back in it.

God knows how many points will be required to stay up this season, but it's likely to be a lot, and other results this evening did not go our way.

The home game on Saturday against Sheffield Wednesday has now taken on critical importance, with relegation a very real possibility.

RELEGATION WATCH

The latest twists and turns have not been good news...

It would have been better for us if rock-bottom Colchester had beaten Sheffield Wednesday at Layer Road tonight. Unfortunately, the visitors won 2-1, which leaves Colchester on 32 points - ten points behind Wednesday and safety.

Scunthorpe remain second from bottom, but a vital home win against play-off chasing Plymouth moves them up to 38 points, and safety is in their sites, though it's a long shot.

Leicester dropped into the bottom three with a 1-0 defeat at Southampton, and while the Saints move two points ahead of us, on 45, Leicester are still only two points behind us on 41.

Falling into trouble now, and playing at home to Hull tomorrow are FA Cup semi-finalist Cardiff who are now two points and two places ahead of us, and who have played two games less, while 17th place Norwich lost 1-0 at home to Stoke, and cannot rest easy themselves either.

And level with Norwich on 46 points are Barnsley, 4-1 winners over Ipswich and in-form Preston who defeated Wolves 2-1.

With every round of fixtures, the situation is changing, and there are teams that could easily make the play-offs or go down, depending on their form in the run-in. After tonight's bad results, we really do have a fight on our hands.

WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN

If only we hadn't lost that FA Cup game 5-0 at home, we could be having a really interesting season now.

Had we got through against West Brom, we would have been dealt arguably the best possible draw in the Quarter-Finals, and with no disrespect to Bristol Rovers, could have had a great day out, won, and set up a semi-final at the new Wembley.

While at the same time, the biggest threats were dropping like flies, thanks to upset after upset after upset. Come on, a final four in the FA Cup of West Brom, Portsmouth, Barnsley and Cardiff!?! It doesn't get any softer than that.

And we could have been there, but we're not. Bugger.

For the second time this season we find ourselves in complete control against nine men! This time - thankfully - we're actually able to get the result we deserve, and it lifts some of the immediate pressure on us.

At least until Tuesday's equally important game at Sheffield Utd, that is.

The win lifts us three places to 18th in the table, but it's still rather too close for comfort.

RELEGATION WATCH

This years Championship is shaping up to be one of the closest for years - at both ends of the table. Almost every team in the division could still conceivably go up or down, and we're well into March.

We're in the relegation battle rather than the promotion chase, so we'll be looking at the results of the teams around us...

Colchester always looked like they would be in for a tough season, and today's 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace has left them bottom of the table - effectively ten points from safety with ten games to play. It will be very difficult for them to stay up now, and they could be buried before we go to Layer Road in one of the last games it will host.

Last weekend it was Scunthorpe beating us to move off the bottom, but a 2-0 reverse at Hull today leaves them six points from safety (seven really as they have the worst goal-difference in the division by far)

Sheffield Wednesday have been improving of late, but still can't get out of the bottom three. They beat QPR 2-1 today, still have 11 games left, including two against us, And yet with 39 points, they are four behind their nearest rivals.

The fourth-bottom spot is now occupied by Leicester City despite a creditable goalless draw against leaders Bristol City. They have 41 points, a goal-difference of zero and the tightest defence in the division, but only nine games remaining, and could very well go down.

A point ahead of Leicester, but with a far worse goal-difference and leakier defence is Southampton, who managed to draw 2-2 at Blackpool today, and have now drawn four in a row. But they haven't won for ages and also have only nine games left. We travel to St. Mary's in two weeks time.

While Barnsley were enjoying FA Cup heroics against Chelsea, other teams results that they fell down the league table, and are below us on goal-difference tonight.

The team immediately above us, by goal-difference of just one is Preston who have been on a very good run this year. They have played a game more than ourselves, but are continuing to move in the right direction and impressively won 2-1 at Charlton today.

And in 16th place after winning 1-0 at Plymouth today, but no means safe yet are our next opponents, Sheffield Utd on 44 points with ten games to play.

Beyond that, QPR will probably feel almost safe, with 45 points, but it's so close that Sheffield Wednesdsy would go above them if they won our their two games in hand,

It's exciting, not a little scary, and there's still everything to play for over the next two months.

A draw wasn't really what we wanted, but surely some encouragement can be taken from the performance tonight? Well, no, it's all about results.

We're now unbeaten in four home league games without conceding a goal, which is the type of run we couldn't put together earlier in the campaign.

But just the point against Rangers leaves us in a precarious position in the league - though we'd gladly take fourth from bottom at the end of the season.

Saturday's home game against Norwich is another chance to move onwards and upwards, and the final couple of months of the season are looking nervous at best right now.

The one thing we really didn't want to happen was to lose games to the teams below us, but that's exactly what happened here.

Scunthorpe - bottom of the table going into the game - are now just four points behind us, and as has happened so often in recent seasons, we've lost to one of the divisions real strugglers.

It would be easy to think that - because we avoided Administration and then brought Chris Coleman on board - we are now too good to go down. That would be a mistake. After all, we were 'too good to go down' in the season we actually went down from the Premiership.

We've lost seven successive away games in the league, which hasn't happened since that relegation, and we're closing in on the 82 year-old club record of 11 away defeats in a row.

Can our home form keep us up? We now face two home games this week, against improving QPR and Norwich City, the two clubs who for so long propped up the rest of the division, but are now above us.

'We're shit and we're sick of it' was the song today. Can Coleman stem the tide before things get worse? There are only 12 games to save us now.