You've Hadji your Chippos
Coventry 3 Burnley 0, 8 January 2000
Whitto
You can spot class a mile off. You certainly
could here anyway. The Clarets travelled to Highfield Road hopeful of causing another
upset, but in truth Coventry were never going to be another Derby.
Certainly Burnley were again toothless as they
have been on too many occasions this season. Ternent started with the usual team playing
the usual formation and after the debacle at Notts County it can be assumed that Gordon
Strachan’s men weren’t exactly quaking in their boots. It was obvious from the
start that we wouldn’t get a goal here if we had played until midnight; Coventry
simply had too much class. Don’t get me wrong here, Burnley did well, they passed the
ball around well and generally matched Coventry in the middle of the pitch. The only
problem was that the sky blues didn’t really appear to be breaking into a sweat. It
was really no surprise when they took the lead. The Coventry midfield played a high ball
to the edge of the Burnley area, Davis won the ball and chased it out wide but his
clearance could only find a blue shirt. Chippo received the ball, took it around Davis and
the rest of the Clarets' defence, before thumping a shot across Crichton and into the top
corner from 20 yards.
It was a goal which summed up the true gulf
between the two teams. Burnley probed and got the ball out to Glen Little on the wing but
Coventry had done their homework and two men were dispatched every time the winger
received the ball. Little, on a stage where he could impress, didn’t shine; far too
often he turned back or passed into the congested midfield. On the occasions when he did
manage to beat his men and get the ball across, he almost uncannily found the safe gloves
of Hedman. The Swedish international keeper can rarely have enjoyed a quieter afternoon.
It would be difficult to think of a save he had to make all game; his ninety minutes was
spent comfortably plucking the ball out of the air. Little often flatters to deceive, he
has ability but too often he has decent games instead of good or excellent. His
goalscoring record for such a talented attacking player is abysmal; at this level he
should be quite simply destroying teams.
Half time arrived without any further scares.
Ternent kept faith again with the same eleven as
the second half began, and it was now that the Clarets enjoyed their best spell. Coventry
looked content to keep their one goal advantage whilst Burnley passed the ball around.
Payton had a shot on the turn which flew just high, but again Ternent’s reluctance to
gamble put the seal on the game. Now was the time to get Smith on down the left, switch
Little to his favoured right and really ask some questions of the Coventry defence, but
the former Bury boss was content that his team were outplaying the premiership side
without really threatening their superiority. This lack of attacking spirit has already
cost the Clarets dear this season, with far too many away games ending in draws. While
this would normally be an admirable state of affairs, all the other teams in the top six
are picking up regular away victories and in turn we are falling behind.
All the passing and superiority counted for
nought when a terrible clearance by Armstrong found Chippo and he curled the ball past
Crichton. Now Ternent changed things, Branch replaced West and Little moved to the right.
It was all too late, Coventry made a change of their own, Whelan replacing Cedric Roussel,
and with his first touch ended the Clarets' cup hopes with a splendid finish from the
through ball.
It is difficult to be too harsh to the Clarets,
but in truth Coventry strolled it. We played well, but ultimately Coventry were too strong
- but with five internationals in the side, so they should be.
It is important that Ternent realises that we
rely far too much on Andy Payton. Having only one striker who can score goals can only put
pressure on the defence and that has shown over the past month. We must now enter the
transfer market and spend well. That, I believe, will either make or break the season.
Team:
Crichton, West (Branch 75), Armstrong, Davis, Thomas, Mellon, Cook, Little, Mullin, Cooke,
Payton. Subs not used: Jepson, Johnrose, Smith, Weller.
London Clarets Man of
the Match: (1) John Mullin, (2) Mitchell Thomas.
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