An own goal helped us towards mathematical certainty - can the bank holiday results make it certain?

The Sky Blues:

Current League Position: 12/24

Leading Scorer: Clinton Morrison 11lg

Manager: Chris Coleman

Kit Home: Sky blue shirt/Blue shorts

Kit Away: black shirts, Gold Trim/Black shorts

Last game: Coventry 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday

Quotes from the manager:

Chris Coleman speaking after the game against Wednesday:
 
"We made three changes and it got better - but we have to play from the first, not the 45th."

"We played here against Cardiff and, had we won, we would have been top six."

"That's taken its toll. We have to avoid a repeat of the end to last season when we didn't win for seven or eight games."

Current Sky Blue Squad:
 
No. Position. Player

1 Keeper Keiren Westwood
2 Defence Stephen Wright (captain)
3 Defence Marcus Hall
4 Midfield Sammy Clingan
6 Defence James McPake
7 Midfield David Bell
9 Striker Jon Stead (on loan from Ipswich Town)
10 Striker Freddy Eastwood
11 Striker Clinton Morrison
12 Midfield Gary Deegan
13 Keeper Dimitrios Konstantopoulos
14 Defence Chris Hussey
15 Defence Martin Cranie
16 Midfield Isaac Osbourne
17 Midfield Aron Gunnarsson
18 Midfield Carl Baker
19 Striker Freddie Sears (on loan from West Ham)
20 Defence Ben Turner
21 Midfield Michael McIndoe
22 Defence Leon Barnett (on loan from West Brom)
24 Defence Richard Wood
30 Midfield Adam Walker
31 Defence Curtis Wynter
32 Midfield Ashley Cain
33 Keeper Michael Quirke
34 Defence Jermaine Grandison
35 Defence Jordan Clarke
36 Striker Sean Jeffers
37 Midfield Jacob Blackwell
38 Defence Nathan Cameron
39 Midfield Connor Grogan
40 Striker Callum Wilson

The Rams:
 

Quotes from the Head coach:

Gary Crosby speaking after last Saturday's win over Leicester

"I thought the sheer endeavour was fantastic by all of them".

"I thought they fully deserved the three points."

Rams Squad:

No. Position. Player.

1 Keeper Stephen Bywater
3 Defender James McEveley
4 Midfield Paul Green
5 Defender Miles Addison (vice-captain)
6 Defender Dean Leacock
7 Midfield Lee Croft
8 Midfield Robbie Savage (captain)
9 Striker Rob Hulse
10 Midfield Kris Commons
11 Midfield Gary Teale
12 Striker Chris Porter
13 Keeper Saul Deeney
14 Defender Shaun Barker
16 Midfield Stephen Pearson
17 Defender Jake Buxton
18 Midfield Ben Pringle
19 Midfield Michael Tonge (on loan from Stoke City)
20 Striker Steve Davies
21 Defender Dean Moxey
22 Midfield Arnaud Mendy
23 Defender Mark O'Brien
24 Defender Nicky Hunt (on loan from Bolton Wanderers)
25 Midfield David Martin (on loan from Millwall)
27 Defender Russell Anderson
28 Defender Mitchell Hanson
29 Striker Greg Mills
30 Keeper David Martin (on loan from Liverpool)
31 Striker Tomasz Cywka (on loan from Wigan Athletic)
32 Striker Gilles Sunu (on loan from Arsenal)
33 Defender Mark Dudley
35 Striker Callum Ball
36 Midfield Ryan Connolly

What the Bookies think:

Home Win: EVS

Draw: 11/5

Away win: 11/5
 
First Scorer: John Stead 9/2, Rob Hulse, Chris Porter  7/1

Information for travelling fans:

Driving: It’s 54miles to Coventry and given that traffic and parking aren’t so good down there, I’d be tempted by the train. Best route is to take the M1 to J21 and then take the M69 to J2 where you join the M6.

Leave the M6 at Junction 3. Take the A444 towards the city centre and after about one mile you will see the stadium on your left.
 
Parking: It goes without saying that you shouldn’t park in the retail park unless you fancy a clamping. There’s little parking to be had close to the stadium though some industrial units etc, do offer parking for £5 in the area.

All of the street parking is ‘Residents only’ and the club encourages visitors to use various park and ride schemes where you book in advance.
 
The railway station is about an hour’s walk away but you can pick up a bus or taxi straight outside.
 
Drinking: There are several pubs located on the Longford Rd whit Footballgroundguide.co.uk reporting the JK English Pub as being the most welcoming. You can park there for £4.

The Black Horse between Longford and Exhall is also reported to be popular with away fans.

Mick's Preview:

It wasn’t pretty against Leicester - but we did the job. The defence was organised and dealt with most of the Leicester threat. Bywater was in fine form to save the rest. 

It's interesting to note that after last Saturday we'd scored the same number of goals as Leicester but conceded 18 more. If we'd started the season with a stable defence who knows where we might be? Probably in a similar position because the problem as always has been the midfield.

As Nigel Clough realised on Saturday, you need a five man midfield to accommodate Robbie Savage. As you've probably guessed, I'm not a fan of Savage.

Past misdemeanours and the suspicion that he's only using the club as part of 'Brand Savage' are the reasons. That said, he does give 100% on the pitch - it's just that his 100% is not that good anymore.

Leicester had a veteran playing for them in Chris Powell. He's 40 and in excellent shape but he was the first to admit that this was probably his last game at Pride Park. Hopefully Robbie will see it the same at the end of the season.

I would like to see Clough drop Savage to the bench – perhaps bring him on later in the game to disrupt Coventry’s play if we’ve sneaked a lead – or to rally the troops if it’s not going well.

Mick’s Team:

Bywater, Leacock, Barker, Anderson, McEveley, Green, Tonge, Pearson, Martin, Porter, Sunu

Subs: Deeney, Moxey, Martin, Hulse, Cywka, Savage.

Prediction:

Coventry 1 – 1 Derby

Photo: Action Images

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