Neil Banfield: 'It was a good lesson'

COVENTRY 1
ARSENAL 0
Reserve League
Rugby Town FC
Tuesday, August 16
Kick-off: 7pm
Match Report

NEIL BANFIELD


on the performance...
"It was a good lesson for our young players. They had a strong side out tonight and some of them saw the other side of the game. They've got to earn the right to get their game out. I was a bit disappointed with them in the first half, the second half wasn't bad. One or two need to pick it up a little bit but that's what this football is about. Some of them are 18 and they've had a year of it so they should deal with some of that better than they have done tonight."

on the positives he will take...
"They kept going and showed good spirits and they can learn from it and be better for it, so they won't make the same mistakes when they come up against it again."

on debutant Alexandre Song...
"I was very pleased with him, I think he looks a very good prospect. He is a good central midfield player, the manager's found another top-class young central midfielder. He came from Bastia through the manager's connections."

on Johan Djourou's injury...
"He's come off with a hip-flexor strain. He will be out for a week or two but we'll get him back in and go from there. It's nothing serious, just a bit of weariness in his legs. We'll assess him in a day and see how he is."

on Graham Barrett scoring against his old club...
"Graham's done ever so well, he plays with a great spirit. He is a great character and I'm pleased for him. He played well tonight and gave our young players a real test. Obviously he's going to raise his game against us but he's got a great attitude."