City New Boys Hailed By Boothroyd

Last updated : 28 July 2010 By Covsupport News Service/RD

Coventry City manager Aidy Boothroyd hailed his latest signings after last nights game at Shrewsbury.

The game was a dreary goalless draw but Bothroyd saw enough of Carsley and Jutkiewicz to confirm that he had signed two very good players.

Both players made their debut's for Coventry City and although it was the first game for either player since last season and they were still a little rusty, Boothroyd was delighted with their quality.

Bothroyd said to the CT: "It was Lee Carsley's first game in pre-season, as it was Lukas Jutkiewicz, so I was really pleased with their contribution. I think we could see straight away with Lee, he uses his voice and he doesn't go chasing the game, it comes to him.

"He has got a great habit of slowing time down and getting on the ball, and he will make us tick and he also sees danger early and slips into the back four and picks up balls that less experienced players don't and Lukas, we could see, has a terrific touch and is willing to run in behind."

"He is good in the air and he had the centre-half elbow and kick him a few times, and as a centre-forward you have got to get hold of it and he did that. Not only that, when there are two or three people around him he keeps it in tight areas and sets us off playing."

"He has got a goal in him. His timing is nowhere near yet but I thought he showed some wonderful touches out there and that's what we brought him in for."

Coventry were restricted to very few chances in the game at The Greenhous Stadium last nigh, but the defence were given a a good work out by league two outfit, Shrewsbury.

"I thought Shrewsbury were fantastic and will obviously be strong contenders this year, so it was a good game for us on a big pitch," opined Boothroyd.

"I thought we were perhaps the stronger team until the two new boys ran out of steam and then Shrewsbury were very good and we had to be shifted around and gave away a penalty, but we kept a clean sheet because Keiren saved it, and it was good for us because we had a real game with them."

"All the pre-season games have been away so far and therefore tough, and we have had to make sure we have defended for our lives, and that's all part of the Championship. It is good to go so long without conceding but that means we are due to and we are playing West Brom on Saturday, so that's always a worry, but we are not conceding because of good individual defending and I still think that each game we have got better as a back four and defensively as a team.

"I'd like us to be a little bit better in the second half when retaining the ball but we changed a few things round and the boys are very fatigued so they are going to have a steady couple of days now for the first time because they have worked so hard."

Speaking about Westwood and the penalty save, Boothroyd said: "Keiren is a confident guy and he has every right to be because he is a fantastic goalkeeper, and it was a good penalty save."

"I was also really pleased with the young boy, Laurence Thomas, who went on for him because he looked very composed and he is the next wave of player coming through and I was really pleased with Nathan Cameron who looks like he can play at any level any time."

"I think I will have to check his birth certificate because for an 18 year old he looks like he can cope with anything."