Reserves Reminder

Just a reminder of what we told you last week - that the next two reserve games will now be played at Upton Park.

That means this Tuesday's game against Wimbledon has switched to the stadium, as has the upcoming fixture with Tottenham on Tueday, 26th November.

A reminder, too, that the first team game with Stoke City, originally scheduled for 15th November, is now on Tuesday, December 9th.

As far as first team matters are concerned, Alan Pardew feels that a full week of training without a game will be advantageous.

And, with the Stoke game postponed, there is a little more time for recovery after the West Brom game before the trip to Watford on November 22nd.

"We've got a week without a game now and hopefully that will do us the power of good; we looked a bit 'leggy' on Saturday, which was probably due to our midweek exertions in the Carling cup, whereas Coventry had had a week off and they looked a lot sharper than us, especially in the middle of the park - which is the key area.

"But I've got to be honest and say I think we should have won that game, especially after having taken the lead.

"We just didn't seem to keep the ball very well and all in all it was a bit of a mish-mash; I want to get my first win as manager, and the draw has now put us under extra pressure for the home game against West Brom on Saturday.

"The fans showed their displeasure at Coventry at the end - and they're quite right to do that because it should have been better.

"But we had lost Don Hutchison and Michael Carrick before the game which was a major blow; we have had so many matches so quickly and we've lost so many bodies it's basically been a question of putting a side together and sending them out there."