YOUR SHOUT - FROM THE RICOH ARENA
17.03 - Oh one more thing, I'll announce the winner of the signed photo on the messageboard thread a bit later.
17.01 - OK folks, hope you enjoyed this feature if not the result. Ask your friends who were here, I'm sure they will say City played well and could and maybe should have got at least a point today. But they didn't and I'm off to find out what Glenn and the players made of it. Thanks everyone who contributed. Joe
16.59 - That's it, Coventry 2, Norwich 0. The Canaries will look back on some excellent chances they had to get on the scoresheet that were not converted and perhaps we'll hear more about Mr Webster's award of the penalty which put the hosts in front.
16.57 - Face asks if anyone was at fault for the second goal. Not sure how Glenn will have read it but I thought it was more a collective issue. A slight lack of speed in reacting first to the presence of Morrison on the left and second to the rebound when his cross came back off the bar. But to be fair I didn't think 'defensive errors'.
16.53 - Paul Stephenson comes to the sideline to tell the Norwich players there are going to be six minutes of injury time and urge them to keep going.
16.47 - Disaster as Coventry stretch their lead. A goal all about Leon McKenzie as his nicely-weighted pass finds Morrison on the left and his chipped cross bounces off the bar and into the path of the former Canary, who bundles it home gleefully. Off comes the shirt. 2-0 feels very harsh, though chances taken and not taken has been the story of the game in my opinion.
16.46 - Freddy Eastwood goes off to a big ovation. I personally think he had a quiet-ish game.
16.42 - Glenn must have got psychic vibes from you Face. Rusty is coming on for Clingan.
16.39 - Penalty shout for Norwich waved away after Hoolahan goes down in the area - Croft's follow-up effort from Koroma's slick backheeled pass palmed over by Westwood.
16.35 - Attendance is 22,607 of which 2,421 are Norwich fans. They and the team deserve something from this.
16.32 - Brown leaves the field and a familiar face runs on in the shape of Leon McKenzie. Nice guy Leon, he won't mind me saying I hope he has a bad day at the office!
16.31 - Yes....no....aarggh! Koroma is through but with the ball bouncing awkwardly his effort is scrambled away by Westwood.
16.29 - Blistering pace from Koroma. Shame he was offside but that was quick.
16.26 - Two shots in a minute from Clingan as Norwich press forward. The first a real piledriver which would have carried the net into the fans behind if it hadn't been headed clear.
16.25 - Lupoli comes off to warm applause from the City faithful - Koroma makes his debut in Norwich colours.
"Got a gut feeling that OJ is going to come on for Lupoli and change the game in our favour. He is an unknown quantity to both us and Coventry."
thegreedy1
16.22 - Koroma and Drury both warming up, Glenn is giving OJ some quick instructions.
16.20 - No I wouldn't say there were Face. We've been playing quite well to be honest, but didn't get the break when it mattered. OJ Koroma getting ready to come on.
So why why why is Pattison warming up? We have to press forward we seem to be dominating and just need to make it count. Although I have to say you don't hear little Jamie's name much. So Joe are there any absentee players in your opinion? Anyone not really on form today?
face99
16.15 - A flurry of action in the Coventry box as Croft send in a teasing cross which Stephen Wright seemed to have maybe controlled with a hand. Penalty appeals waved away this time.
16.13 - Why Lee Croft didn't hit Hoolahan's delicious first-time ball into the box first time only he knows. He looks to the heavens as he runs away, a golden chance to equalise having gone begging.
16.09 - Elliott Ward hammers the Sky Blues into the lead from the spot. City need to respond to a very tough start to the second half.
16.09 - Penalty to Coventry, Clingan adjudged to have illegally impeded Beuzelin in the box. Harsh.
16.07 - Second half kicks off. Robbie Simpson has come on for Tabb at half-time. Norwich kicking towards the Yellow Army this half.
"We can be proud that our team bossed that half hope they can keep it up for second half."
jmyhill 14
Half-time - Interesting one hrsthenwc, I'll have to take a gander when the teams come back out again. You do all realise that I'm missing out on half-time grub in the impressive press room here at the Ricoh to stay on during the break? Yes, I do want a medal, since you ask... ;o)
Half-time - Hmmm, fan quotes in italics. Think I'll go with that for now. Thanks for all of your contributions during the first half. After today I'll ask for some feedback on this new feature - it's the first one after all. It's quite manic to produce, but fun too. I have a question of my own...why build a new stadium and design it so that when it rains it goes into the press box?
15.50 - Norwich now ending strongly. If Lupoli had hit that last effort first time instead of taking in touch he might have sent us in ahead. It's what I would have done, obviously!
15.47 - Three minutes of injury time announced in what has been an absorbing if goal-less first half to date. Lupoli again has a shot blocked as he cuts into the Coventry box from the left.
15.45 - City 'enjoying' a slightly shaky finish to the first half. Morrison was nearly in there, only to be denied by the speed of Marshall, racing off his line to hoof clear.
15.41 - Ooh. Stefanovic will be very relieved to see a yellow card in Mr Webster's hand rather than red after he fouled Jay Tabb with the Coventry man looking to break through for a one-on-one with Marshall. Kennedy was perhaps positioned behind him, fortunately.
15.40 - Hoolahan so nearly puts Cureton in but he is denied by a last-gasp block.
15.37 - Lovely interchange between Fozzy and Hoolahan sets up Lupoli, his angled effort from close range is toed behind at full-stretch by a defender. There's another shot for you Face!
15.36 - Playing some nice stuff so far though Face. Neither 'keeper has been too busy, though I'd say Westwood has been the busier of the two to date.
15.33 - Cometh the half-hour, cometh the 'your ground's too big for you' chant. Like an old friend dropping in. Can we have 'my garden shed...' next please?
"No shots on target for Coventry yet......or a shot at all for that matter....Good to see Eastwood is remaining unmentioned....again!"
canarydan84
15.29 - Clingan unleashes a howitzer. That's your first howitzer of the season. There's plenty more where that came from. Was it 25 yards or 30 yards asks a colleague '28' I reply with a stony face. I can read distances really well and stuff.
15.28 - Stephen Wright cleans out Lupoli, throws the ball away and has a debate with the ref after a free-kick is awarded. Ref keeps cards in pocket, ignoring my imaginary one I was waving in the press box.
15.25 - Noted the comment about live commentary - remember 'On The Ball' above this article on the website is live text commentary. You want that, go there. You want some kind of weird textychattymessageycommenteyquestionylive-ish thing then stay here! ;o)
"Stefanovic is what I really wanted a good experienced head at the back. Let's hope the youngsters learn from him."
face99
"Hi Joe great listening to the new season , sound good so far. Going to MK DONS on Tuesday really excited about it On The Ball City. Glad D URSO is not the ref today."
jmyhill 14
15.20 - Omosuzi goes up for a ball in the box with Gray - and Gray again ends up lying on the deck after a heavy collision. Good tussle developing there. Penalty? Do me a favour! One of those hopeful roars from the crowd I think.
15.19 - Clingan and Kennedy went for the same ball and as it looped up into the air I thought 'this is often how we concede goals...' But it's bundled behind for a corner which comes to nowt.
15.15 - Think he is Lisa as the Fred Ferrari who played in the 20s was from London I think? Yes Face I'm watching the match - crunching challenge from Omosuzi on Julian Gray there...no-nonsense.
15.12 - Kick it off, throw it in, have a little scrimmage...keep it low, splendid rush, bravo, win or die! First full loud one of the day rings round a pretty muted Ricoh.
"
15.10 - Whose bright idea was this feature? It's flippin' hard work! ;o)
"Dont think it is strongest team we could of put out, hope im proved wrong"
gldavey
15.07 - Ipswich are ahead someone tells me. Someone always delights in telling me what Ipswich are up to. Meanwhile where it matters City have started well, Lupoli and Hoolahan look lively.
"Fat Bottomed Girls'. Queen. Full blast. Class.
There's a typo in there Mr F - that should surely read:
'Fat Bottomed Girls'. Queen. Full blast. Crass.'
pmorgan 771
15.01 - And we're off! Come on City.
15.00 - Everyone in the press box getting excited by the presence of female fourth official Amy Rayner. Was she the one Mike Newell had some fairly harsh opinions about last season? Ahead of her running the line is S.Ihringova, another female official. Good to see.
"I'd rather have Shacks at LB than Matty Patty if neither Bertrand nor Drury are fit/available. He did ok against Colchester Utd - if you'd come to the game rather than going to see Dereham Town you'd have known that!"
pmorgan 771
14.57 - Kevin Phillips late winner for Birmingham earns them a home win over Sheffield United at St Andrews. Curses, he's not in my fantasy team but United defender Greg Halford is...
14.56 - To think at Norwich we agonise about what to play before kick-off. No such debates at Coventry. 'Fat Bottomed Girls'. Queen. Full blast. Class.
"I can't see that Drury on the bench is about fitness, it's about Roeder's confidence in him. It is worrying that history shows Shackell is not quick enough for left back."
Face99
14.50 - I tried shouting your question to Glenn Lisa but he couldn't hear me over 'Mama Mia' which is blaring out over the tannoy. Let's hope we're not broken-hearted since the day we started come final whistle...in all seriousness I guess what Glenn's decided to do at left-back is go for what he deems to be the best solution on the day based on who is available and comparative fitness levels. Maybe Adam is nearly there fitness-wise anyway, he works so hard up at Colney it's untrue.
"Hi Joe I'm happy with the attacking line-up for this, the opening game of the season but I do have a question. I think we can assume that Shacks is a stand-in LB, but if he's not fit enough for 90 minutes why is Drury on the bench? Surely you run the risk of Shacks going off injured in the early stages and Drury having to effectively play the whole game anyway?"
Lisa
14.42 - City end starting to fill up here at the Ricoh, with I reckon about just under a half of the 2,000-plus Yellow Army in their seats and cheering every City name as it's read out over the tannoy. I'm hoping the fact we missed our traditional KFC* at Cambridge Services on the way up isn't a bad omen.
* Other fast food outlets are available. Apparently.
14.39 - I'm sure a few will be thinking along similar lines to Ankles. I guess Jason is 100% fit whereas Adam has only a few practice matches under his belt. I've no doubt Glenn and Lee would prefer to play an orthodox left-back if fully fit. Last season Jay Tabb gave Juan Velasco a torrid time here and Shackell will have a good challenge marking him today.
"
Ankles50
14.33 - Well here we are for the first-ever 'Your Shout', the new feature for the 2008-09 Coca-Cola Championship season in which you get the opportunity to interrupt my ramblings with your own observations or questions. Assuming my technofear doesn't take over, your messages will look like the example posted above if they are used.
You may have seen the team news already in 'On The Ball', another of our new features. Six league debuts for us, Shackell at left-back, Adam Drury on the bench...great to see Adam back in the frame after such a long absence from the first team picture. Lupoli and Cureton up front with Portsmouth loanee Koroma as back-up firepower. Sure we'll see him at some stage in proceedings.
