Coventry 0 Arsenal 0 26/08/95

two reports

	att: 20,600ish

On the basis that good games at Highfield Road happen about as often as a decent Keown pass, it came as no surprise that this turned out as a real turkey. Unchanged from the Everton win only far more uninspired. Coventry looked the sharper and the more lively from the outset. Salako provided Dixon with many a problem. Luckily Coventry only have Dublin up front, who though a bit of a handful, dis no great finisher. Not that there was a lot to finish. The first half was fairly end to end stuff with both teams breaking in the acres of space in midfield only to give the ball away when it really mattered. Only two real chances of note. Dixon headed Ndlovu clean through the middle but Seaman manage to get a hand to the shot as he raced from goal. Wright had our best chance. Berkamp brialliantly controlled a high ball and played in the perfect cross that Wright headed narrowly over. Platt failed to get involved alongside Keown as the half aimlessly drifted along. Parlour's one note of action involved diving over theatrically when it looked like he had a good shout for a penalty. THe ref didn't help matters by being particularly rubbish. Koewn was booekd for the usual mistimed challenge and Parlour got booked for a foul having lost the ball. Lee Dixon was hacked into the air a couple of times. The second occasion looked particularly nasty but the ref saw fit to only book the offending player. Dixon limped off shortly into the second half. The second half was very poor. With Keown reverting to right back and Jensen coming into midfield we looked a lot more solid at the back and a lot more inept up front. Keown defended very well in my opinion. On one occasion he covered brilliantly behind the back four to cut out a clear run on goal. Dublin had a chance when clean through on Seaman but Seaman of course saved. Helder replaced the woeful Parlour allowing Merson to be rubbish on the right wing. Helder managed the odd decent cross but generally managed to give away more goal kicks than create any chances. Platt and Jensen both had good efforts from long range and Platt had a couple of terrible efforts from long range. Keown managed to enrage the Arsenal follwoing with his usual rubbish passing. This unfortunately overshadowed the good defensive job he was doing. At the end of the day a point was better than a defeat and at least Spurs lost. This seemed to be a game where the players didn't gel at all. I think Jensen is a better bet in midfield than Keown and Parlour is just not good enough in my opinion. I don't really see Helder setting the world alight either. Still the players looked generally happy and at least Isias didn't score.

report by Trev Collins

The game wasn't all that exciting, Coventry played five at the back and we didn't really throw too many forward. The Arse fans did not give very vocal support, despite their large numbers, whilst the Coventry fans gave a demonstration of what a home crowd is supposed to sound like.

Parlour, once again seemed a bit out of sorts, not helped by the fact that the arsenal travelling geeks booed him at every opportunity. Helder eventually came on to the delight of the Arsenerds and proceeded to whizz down the wings, usually failing to get a cross over, though he did win several corners, which, of course, were then wasted in time-honoured fashion.

Arsenals best chance came in the first half when Bergkamp set Wright up for a header on the edge of the goal area, unfortunately Satch sent his free header a couple of feet over the bar, with the whole goal to choose from.

Arsenal were utterly unable to control the midfield, with Plug and Platt (Microsoft copyright applied for) spraying mis-placed passes all over the place.

Dixon made one of his characteristic goofs when he inexplicably headed the ball back into the arsenal penalty area from the flanks, the surprised Coventry striker controlled the ball before hitting what seemed to be a certain goal, until seaman flung himself to his left to make an outstanding save. Indeed Spunky was caled upon to keep us in the match several times, and was not found wanting.

Coventry, with Richardson in the middle. played a very physical game, and were lucky to have such a lenient referee, though he did not seem to extend such sympathy towards the Arse players.

Arsenal seem to have difficulty deciding whether to give the ball to Parlour or Merson to hare down the flanks in order to cross the ball (futilely) to the diminutive Wright (Bergkamp tends not to get into the box very often) or to play through the middle, using the delectable ball-playing talents of Plug and Platt.

As an alternative Brucy can pull JJ (aging porn star) off the bench to replace Plug, or can bring on Glenda Helder to rocket down the wing in place of Parlour/Merson. (He tried both on Saturday to no avail.)

My prediction at the start of the season was that it would only be a month before all the un-arsenal like ideas of passing the ball would be forgotten about and we would revert to hoofing the ball up to a big man (Hartson) or over the back four for Satch to chase. As we have now got rid of the only two midfielders we had who were able to pass the ball (Davis, Schwarz) and have bought an expensive geriatric midfielder with two left feet and a Dutch superstar striker who seems to have a fear of penalty-areas, perhaps it might be about time to buy a proper midfielder?

report by Mick Winnett

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