Source: FOOTYMAD
Clough: Central defenders need to do better
Rams boss urges his defenders to tighten up Coventry City's next opponents Derby County, who visit the Ricoh Arena for Saturday's televised early kick off game, have been urged bu their manager Nigel Clough to tighten up to prevent City from breaking through. Derby have had a mixed start to the season. They opened their account with a 1-2 win at Leeds, then crashed out of the League Cup to Crewe Alexandra and then lost 2-1 at home to Cardiff. Coventry City also opened the season with a 2-0 win at home to Portsmouth, but then lost 0-2 in the League Cup at Morecambe, then drew 2-2 at Watford. Nigel Clough admitted his side offered their opposition too many attacking opportunities and is keen to prevent a repeat on Saturday. He said, "We have to tighten up a little bit but it is more about the individuals. I think the centre-halves have to take more responsibility, first of all in tightening up and then in dealing with situations better." "I don't think we are getting outnumbered, I don't think anybody is breaking on us four on three or anything like that. We just have to deal with things better. We were too deep at times against Cardiff, which is the centre-halves' responsibility." "We want them to get out. They should be kicking Robbie Savage and James Bailey up the backside to get them out and Savage and Bailey should be kicking the next three. That is the how we should be closing the opposition down." "I think our centre halves were a little bit wary of Cardiff strikers Michael Chopra and Jay Bothroyd and so maybe dropped 10 yards too deep. We are committing the front three as well as the striker to go and see if they can get us a goal." "The full-backs also join in the attacks, so it is the ones that are left who have got the responsibility to make sure teams don't break against us. We were a bit tentative and nervous at times and, in some ways, it is a bit easier playing away because there is a bit more freedom, like we had at Leeds, but the players have to learn to cope when teams make it tough at Pride Park." "We were disappointed because we know we can play better than we did against Cardiff but we will do. We had games like that last season and the next step is not to lose those sort of games, to come off with a 1-1 draw, take the point and say, yes, we could have done this and that better but we didn't lose." "That is the sort of mentality we are trying to instill. Even when you are not at your best, get a draw, especially against one of the best sides in the League like Cardiff."
