Just back from the Valley of Despair

First of all it was a fantastic turn-out by the yellow army - 3000 or so for a cup tie in a horrible ground, in a horrible are of London. Credit to all 3000 of you - bar one, and you sat next to me in the first half, banging on that effin drum.

Luckily for the Drummer?s safety Dan and I swapped places in the second half, otherwise there would have been a good chance you may have had to go to A&E to get the drumstick removed from a part of your anatomy from where the sun rarely shines.

And to the game.

Predictably no Lupoli, but unpredictably no Bell, and even more interestingly Elliott Ward did not play for Coventry today. Matty P was on the left, worked hard, but we needed his industry in the middle. Fozzy was centre mid, but as usual the game passed him by, he was ineffective, and contributed only one decent ball into the box in the whole game. Super Sammy was just Sammy today, but he?s a class act even on a quiet day.

Our attack was one-paced and predictable, and the Charlton back four had little to worry about in the first half. Although there was plenty of hoofing, we won nothing in the air. Only Croft posed a threat, but his crossing was erratic.

The goal was typical Norwich. Some tidy play with little threat, then an aberration as Elliott Overrated, now back at right back was miles out of position, allowing a cross to the back of the box which was finished very well.

Drury did his best at centre-back, but looked very uncomfortable there. The Doc was a rock, looking very solid. It took a wonder save just before h/t from Marshall to keep it at 0-1.

There were shouts for Lupoli all through the first half, and he would have surely done better than the pedestrian Sibierski or the fish out of water Russell. There were no channel running, little movement and zero pace from our front two. Boy did we miss Lita.

Elliot Overrated got subbed off at h/t (prediction - with Roeder no doubt saying he had a knock) and Matty P, and immediately Hoolahan looked lively, wanted the ball and gave the Charlton defence something to think about. Semmy, over his mare last week, was much better, and used the ball well.

Marshall made three very good saves early in the second half, and we settled down to look the better team.

The chorus for Lupoli was now deafening and he came on to a huge cheer. He scored his goal and looked a threat with his movement. As we were cheering I waved a V sign towards our bench, in frustration at Roeder?s ridiculous intransigence over Lupoli. Ten minutes and a goal. Nuff said.

The last twenty minutes was exciting stuff, with both sides trying to win it but not having enough guile and subtlety to score.

My man of the match was David Marshall

Obviously is that life without Lita is going to be very bad, and we need a striker NOW, and not some panic buy (or even Ade PanicBuy) on the 31st January. We have a series of crucial games in January which we need more firepower for.

On today?s form ? League 1 awaits, but at least we are in the hat (or bag) for the 4th round draw.

Posted By: KentonCanary on January 3rd 2009 at 19:46:09

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