Match Day Thread Preston North End v Coventry City Deepdale 20/10/2021

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LAST TIME OUT

PLASTICS 2 COVENTRY 2

MANAGER
MARK ROBINS

Rotherham United
Robins joined Rotherham United in June 2000 as a player and subsequently as assistant manager,[27] under manager Alan Knill. However, by the end of February 2007, the Millers sat 13 points adrift of safety, making the threat of relegation almost inevitable. This resulted in Knill being sacked on 1 March, with Robins becoming caretaker manager.[28] After a spell of three wins in six games while in charge as caretaker manager, and moving the club off the bottom of League One,[29] Robins' position was made permanent on 6 April 2007.[30] Robins gained much praise for his first two seasons with the Millers. The first saw Rotherham consistently in the automatic promotion places until a late dip in form, and the second almost brought promotion despite a 17-point deduction imposed by the Football League. Robins also attracted many high calibre players to the Don Valley Stadium, including League 2 player of the season Nicky Law and prolific goalscorer Adam Le Fondre.

Barnsley
Robins was appointed as the new manager of Barnsley on 9 September 2009, succeeding Simon Davey. After his first game in charge, the Championship club sat at the bottom of the table looking likely candidates for relegation. By Christmas, Robins had taken them a full nine points clear of the relegation zone and on a run of eight games unbeaten. This was followed by a poor spell towards the end of the season, and Barnsley finished 18th in the table. Robins resigned from his job at the end of the 2010–11 season, because of differences with the board.

Coventry City
On 19 September 2012, Robins was appointed as the new manager of Coventry City, signing a three-year deal. His first game was a 2–1 home defeat against Carlisle United at the Ricoh Arena.

Robins became a fan-favourite catapulting them up the league from relegation battlers to true play-off contenders all in the short time that he had been at the club.

Robins took the club to the Area Final of the Football League Trophy which left the club two games away from Wembley. Coventry City also had to face two Premier League clubs away from home during his time. The first, being Arsenal in the League Cup third round, which resulted in a 6–1 defeat and the second being Arsenal's North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur which ended as a 3–0 loss, knocking the Sky Blues out the FA Cup third round.

Robins was first linked with the vacant Doncaster Rovers position and various other clubs but nothing really came of this interest and he told the Sky Sports cameras before the JPT Semi-Final game against Preston North End that 'it's (Coventry City) in my blood'. However, on 12 February, Coventry City released a statement saying they had allowed Robins to go into talks with Huddersfield Town about their vacant managerial position.

Huddersfield Town
On 14 February 2013, Robins was unveiled as the new manager of Huddersfield Town on a rolling contract.[31] His first game in charge came three days later, a 4–1 defeat to Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup fifth-round at John Smith's Stadium.[32] On 19 February 2013, Robins took charge of his first league match as Huddersfield manager, a 6–1 defeat away from home against Nottingham Forest.[33] Robins earned his first win as Huddersfield manager on 26 February 2013, a 1–0 victory against Burnley at Turf Moor.[34] Robins made sure that Huddersfield avoided relegation to League One on the final day of the 2012–13 season after drawing 2–2 with Barnsley.[35]

After surviving the following season, Robins and Huddersfield mutually agreed to part company after the first game of the 2014–15 season, a 4–0 home defeat to AFC Bournemouth.[36]

Scunthorpe United
On 13 October 2014, Robins was appointed manager of League One club Scunthorpe United.[37] After a run of two wins in eight games, Robins was sacked by Scunthorpe on 18 January 2016, leaving the club six points above the League One relegation zone.[38]

Return to Coventry City
On 6 March 2017, Coventry City re-appointed Robins as manager with immediate effect, the day after the sacking of previous manager Russell Slade.[39]

Against all the odds, on 2 April 2017, Robins led Coventry to a 2–1 victory over Oxford United in the EFL Trophy Final at Wembley.[40] Robins won his first promotion as a manager after leading Coventry to a sixth-place finish in the 2017-18 EFL League Two, and winning the play-offs at Wembley.[41] Over the course of the 2017-18 EFL League Two season, Robins broke numerous records as Coventry City Manager including: first top six finish in 48 years,[42] first promotion in 51 years[43] and most points in a season.[44] Robins' achievements gained much plaudits from local press and fans alike,[45] when considering Coventry City had only moved down the Football League since relegation from the Premier League in 2001.

The win in the League Two Play Off Final, represented Coventry's third competitive win at Wembley and Robin's second trophy in just over a year.[46]

After an 8th-place finish in the 2018-19 EFL League One season, Robins signed a new contract with the club in October 2019.[47]

In the 2019-20 EFL League One season, Robins took Coventry City to the Championship after winning the league with just 3 defeats all season and unbeaten since 14 December 2019.[48]

Mark Robins won the LMA League 1 Manager of the year award.

On 8 May 2021, Robins guided Coventry City to beat Millwall 6-1 to secure a 16th placed finish, in the club's first season back in the Championship in 9 years.

FORM GUIDE

PNE 5 COVENTRY 10

MACS VIEW

Two league wins all season both in August and neitehr witnessed by me, one defeat in six draws one defeat in the last seven, could be worse like Cardiff but if we play like we did for the majority of the game like we did against Derby we won't be winning any time soon.
Suspect tomorrow's game against a decent Coventry side will be slightly more open than the game on Saturday, but a win is now a must.
Barkhuizen has had a pop in the media this week about we have not been good enough this season, he is right and it is now up to the plays to get their act together.
Doubts beginning to creep in about the head coach and it was rumoured that Robbins was said to be interested in the job when Neil got the DCM
Won't be 18000 tomorrow although some of those will be back for the cup tie next week, getting close to make or break time considering who we play on Saturday

 

Preston North End will look to extend their impressive record against Coventry City on Wednesday evening, going in search of a 16th game without defeat in the league against the Sky Blues.

PNE Team News

After missing the weekend’s draw against Derby County through injury, Frankie McAvoy is hoping he will be able to call on Sean Maguire for this fixture.

Those who will miss out though include Ali McCann, Ched Evans and Matthew Olosunde, the latter of which is now back in full training.

Club captain Alan Browne will be in line to feature for North End in what would be his 300th appearance for the club, only the 27th man to reach that landmark.

The Opposition

After finishing 16th in the Championship last season – their first back in the second tier for eight years – Coventry appear to have stepped things up this campaign, currently sat fourth in the table.

The Sky Blues, managed by Mark Robins, have been many people’s surprise package so far this term, and they arrive at Deepdale after thrashing promotion hopefuls Fulham 4-1 before taking a point away from Ewood Park.

Key Stats

PNE will be looking to extend their quite remarkable record against Wednesday night’s visitors, having gone unbeaten in the last 15 meetings with the Sky Blues.

It won’t be as easy as that, though, given Coventry’s impressive form. They’re looking at a major improvement compared to last season, currently sitting 14 points better off than at the same stage in 2020/21.

Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres has had a major part to play in that, having been directly involved in 11 of their 18 goals so far this term.

Our Last Meeting





PNE mathematically secured their Championship status towards the end of April 2021 with a 1-0 victory over Coventry.

The only goal of the game came from the penalty spot, as Alan Browne beat Ben Wilson in the home goal after Ched Evans was brought down in the area.

Man In The Middle

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Darren England will take charge of Wednesday night’s game, which will be his first Championship match of the season.

So far this term, he’s overseen two Premier League games, as well as Liverpool’s EFL Cup victory over Norwich City.

England’s last time at Deepdale came in February 2021, as PNE played out a goalless draw against Queens Park Rangers in front of the Sky Sports cameras.

 

Preston North End 2 Bauer Riis Coventry City 1 Walker

PNE line-up: Iversen; Storey, Bauer, Hughes; van den Berg, Whiteman, Johnson (Potts, 79), Browne, Earl; Sinclair (Barkhuizen, 79), Riis (Murphy, 86). Subs not used: Rudd, Cunningham, Lindsay, Ledson.

Coventry line-up: Moore; Hyam, McFadzean, Rose; Dabo, Hamer, Kelly (Sheaf, 75), O’Hare (Allen, 75), Maatsen; Gyokeres (Waghorn, 74), Walker. Subs not used: Wilson, Clarke-Salter, Kane, Shipley.

Attendance: 10,837 (1,198 away fans)

Referee: Mr D England

For the first time since before the first lockdown I have seen us win a league game as per usual we made it look hard work against a Coventry side who in the first half were very impressive. Equally impressive was Coventry's kit lack and purple halved shirts, cool indeed.
After Saturday's largely no show we were on the front foot for 10 minutes, Storey header forcing Moore into a save after the initial burst the only other was when Earl curled an effort narrowly wide but the first half was depressingly familiar as Coventry took charge, with the diminutive Hamer running the show, we were struggling to contain the high flying visitors. They were dangerous from free kicks and corners delivery of both from Hamer was excellent, defensively we were a little uncertain and did ride our luck thye had pleny of efforts on goal but all went straight to Iversen.
They took a deserved lead on the stroke of half time whether Walker meant the intial dummy only he will know but his strike flew past Iversen. Could have been worse a dreadful back pass wrong footed Iversen and only great last ditch defending by Hughes saved the day.
Boed off at half time just for a change, we didn't start brilliantly in the second half aimless crosses into the box and looked like another home game misery however things started to change two of the centre backs Bauer and Storey started to run with the ball into space in the Coventry half. We started to look in control and from the second phase from a corner Whiteman's excellent centre was headed home by Bauer the BFG's second goal of the season, instantly confidence returned Browne forced a save from Moore and Earl's wicked low drive into the area was cleared for a corner.
We took the lead following a quick free kick Browne to Riis, he cut in onto his right foot blasted the ball past Moore on his near post, the keeper would probably think he should have done better but it went in at speed.
Well in control, Coventry made a triple substitution, itstarted to dawn on us we may be in danger of winning a game and we began to drop deeper and deeper but defended well got bodies in teh way and survived could have made it three at the end, Barkhuizen down the right pass to Whiteman then Potts who in traditional style hit the defender.
It's a start but we need to play for 90 minutes and were better to start in the land of the Tangerines on Saturday

Preston boss Frankie McAvoy:

"We went a goal behind but the reaction the players gave us in the second half was magnificent.

"I spoke to the players at half-time and said we need to get more aggressive and in their faces and the players showed the attitude, hunger and desire that I know they have.

"The second-half performance was probably as good as we have performed during my tenure here and I'm really pleased with that."

Coventry manager Mark Robins told BBC CWR:

"We didn't ask enough questions of them after going in a goal up after scoring with a great strike just before half-time.

"Their supporters showed their displeasure at half-time, that galvanised them and they ended up getting on top - and we just seemed to run out of energy.

"A lot of niggly fouls went either unpunished or unseen but I needed to change it earlier and I didn't - and I have to take responsibility for that."

City's last win against us in the league was 16 games ago when this was number 1