Coventry City 0 Preston North End 0
COVENTRY City supporters have been frustrated over the past few seasons with the amount of managers who have played just one man up front.
So when Chris Coleman started with four strikers against high-flying Preston, there could be no complaints about the Sky Blues boss' tactics not being positive enough.
But even with a plethora of riches in attack they failed to get on the scoresheet for the third league game running despite playing some of their best football of the season - particularly in the first half.
Even Preston manager Alan Irvine had to admit that he'd struggled to work out before the game how Clinton Morrison, Freddy Eastwood, Leon McKenzie and Leon Best would fit into the same team.
Coleman's plan was a continental style 4-2-1-3 with the outstanding Eastwood in the hole between midfield and attack - with Best as an out-and-out front man.
It started brightly and the City fans thought they were going to be in for a treat as they dominated one of the
Championship's form sides early on.
But in the end, Coventry could be thankful for a point because, in spite of their dominance in territory and possession, it was Preston that went closest to scoring but were denied by both the woodwork and the classy goalkeeping of Keiren Westwood.
The goalless draw may not have not have been the ideal result but acted as a pick-me-up after the Sky Blues' last league outing saw them lose at Doncaster in disappointing style.
Coleman said: "That was a lot more positive than our previous game and we have to remember that Preston are a good side.
"We were on a run of three defeats and it was important that we stopped that.
"We're disappointed not to get the win but I Alan Irvine will say the same too.
"But we have to be level-headed throughout the season. Whether we are winning, losing or drawing, we have to look at the bigger picture.
"If we are where we are now or a little bit higher by Christmas we will be moving in the right direction.
"I have played that formation before I came up against it a lot in Spain.
"Freddy's used to playing in that little hole - even if you play two men up front, he will often drop off there and he did well for us.
"Whether we will play four strikers when we go to Sheffield United on Tuesday is a different matter - I might play ten defenders!"
One defender that won't make up the eleven when City travel to Bramall Lane in midweek is Ulises de la Cruz - who was set to join Coleman's team last week.
The Ecuadorian has rejected a shortterm deal with Coventry so Isaac Osbourne will fill in at full back as he did against Preston yesterday.
The young midfielder was part of a young defence that coped with the visitors for the majority of the clash but the occasional slip could have been costly.
Eastwood looked every bit the class act that Coleman proclaimed when he signed the Welshman. He carved Coventry's best opening in the first half on 28 minutes when he ran 40 yards with the ball before setting up Best.
The former Southampton striker should have shot with his left but instead tried to cut back on his right and lost the ball.
City were almost made to pay for wasting that chance when St Ledger met a corner with a powerful header after half an hour but it crashed against the bar.
Neil Mellor brought a world class save out of Westwood straight after half time with the former Carlisle keeper tipping over when the ball looked destined to dip just under the bar.
Eastwood then set Best away down the right with a perfectly weighted pass and the former Wolves forward raced into the box in an attempt to meet his teammate's cross only to be denied by a fine interception by Lonergan.
Eastwood could do no wrong.
Even when he scuffed a shot on 63 minutes it turned into a killer pass for Morrison, but the striker's shot was palmed wide by the Preston keeper.
There were chances for both sides to win it before the end but City's luck in front of goal was summed up at the death as sub Michael Mifsud and Morrison got in each other's way as the ball dropped invitingly in the box.
COVENTRY (4-2-1-3): Westwood; Osbourne, Dann, Ward, Fox; Beuzelin (Tabb 85), Doyle; Eastwood; Morrison, Best (Simpson 82), McKenzie (Mifsud 73). Subs: Marshall, Hall.
PRESTON (4-4-2): Lonergan; Jones, Mawene, St Ledger, Hart; Nicholson, McKenna (Carter 73), Chaplow (Davidson 87), Sedgwick (Wallace 82); Parkin, Mellor. Subs: Neal, Elliott
STAR MAN: Freddy Eastwood
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