Bird Frustrated With Coventry Defeat

Midfielder Max Bird was understandably frustrated following Derby County’s 1-0 defeat against Coventry City at St. Andrew's Trillion Trophy Stadium in the Sky Bet Championship.

Striker Max Biamou scored the only goal of the game in the 11th minute for the hosts, capitalising on a mistake in the Derby backline and finished well past Kelle Roos.

The Rams came back into the game but found clear cut opportunities hard to come by as the Sky Blues slowed the game down.

Manager Wayne Rooney made changes to try and get back into the game but unfortunately the Rams fell short.

Bird felt the Rams weren’t at their best against the Sky Blues and knows they need to be better moving forward.

“It was a difficult afternoon, ultimately we weren’t good enough,” he told RamsTV. “We were speaking in the changing room after the game that our game management has to be better.

“Coventry's was very good today and we have to show a better reaction to going down a goal so early.

“Mistakes happen in the game and we have to show a better reaction, be braver to do the things we are good at and go from there.

“At the end of the day we didn’t create a really positive goalscoring opportunity. We had half-chances and we got in decent positions but our delivery wasn’t good enough, we didn’t play to our strengths, which is using Colin Kazim-Richards enough, in my opinion.

“We have to look back on that and what we need to improve on and then go on to the training pitch and take it into Wednesday at Barnsley.”

It’s the Rams’ second defeat in as many games following the 4-0 loss to Cardiff City on Tuesday night.

There is still a lot of football to be played between now and the end of the season, 12 matches in total, and Bird believes there is still a lot of confidence in the squad.

“I wouldn’t say it has knocked confidence but we have to show a better reaction to going a goal down,” he said. “We are a good group of players, we trust each other and we are close-knit on and off the pitch.

“We have to be better when we go a goal down, we have to be braver and pay to our strengths and the game management.

“Coventry went a goal up and managed the game very well, we have to have more of a desire to get into good goalscoring positions. We will look back on the game and go again.

“We are fortunate we have another game so close. We will have a rest tomorrow and go again.”

The Rams now face a trip to Oakwell on Wednesday night to take on an in-form Barnsley side who are now in the top six.

“I have just been asked a question about what Barnsley are going to do, and that’s not the case – we have got to focus on what we can do better, what we can we improve on and we go with the attitude of getting three points at Barnsley,” he admitted.