Coventry have been dealt an extraordinarily tough opening hand, playing four of the current top five as introduction to their first Premier League campaign for 25 years, the top two away from home.
Arsenal, Man City and Brighton are among the top-flight’s established elite. Brighton are currently the league’s top scorers, albeit five came against Coventry last weekend. High-flying Hull City are perhaps the only outlier where achievable points were dropped.
Frank Lampard’s side remain pointless and without a goal heading into matchweek five. “We went one down from a moment of quality. Welcome to the Premier League,” he said after defeat to Brighton, the step up in class obviously overwhelming for a squad who could only boast five players with any meaningful Premier League experience (measured as 20+ appearances).
But the city of Coventry knows all about adversity. Supporters have felt its brute force many times since slipping out of the Premier League in 2001. Four defeats is not enough to break them. Fans at the CBS Arena on Saturday made a demonstration of defiance; they will not turn their backs having fought so hard just to be here. That helps Lampard’s cause immeasurably.
Coventry are competing – but only sporadically. They are aerially dominant but seem to be losing the battle on the ground. Their press is quick and co-ordinated in some areas of the pitch and not others. They create chances but do not score. Adapting to the demands in every department will be key to survival.
The physical profile of their squad should at least ensure they will not be bullied out of this division. Becoming more bullish and imposing themselves, with the conviction that they belong, is the next step. Leeds are a relevant example to draw inspiration from.
Daniel Farke’s side pressure and duel their way to victories, with success rooted largely in what they do against the ball. They are hard to beat because of it. Jamie Carragher’s summary of Leeds’ most recent win over Newcastle on MNF tallies with that: “Newcastle have been beaten up by a really good Premier League team.”
As a newly promoted side, Coventry need to get to grips with a compact shape and be aggressive with its implementation. Stylistically, it’s why the club targeted giants in the summer transfer window. Winger Loum Tchaouna was the only new recruit to arrive for a significant who stands below 6ft.
Saturday 19th September 5:00pm
Kick off 5:30pm
If Lampard can establish a collective robustness that meets the physical demands of this league, the absence of individual star quality should matter less. Teams who rarely get outrun or outfought are often among the survivors when May rolls around.
Creatively, the Sky Blues are better than their non-existent goal tally suggests. According to expected goals (xG) data, they should have scored four already. When analysing xGOT, which evaluates the quality of an on-target attempt, that total increases to five.
Unsurprisingly, then, it stands to reason that opposition goalkeepers have played their part in such a miserable start. Gianluigi Donnarumma kept Man City alive at the Etihad, as did Konstantinos Tzolakis in defeat to Hull. Coventry lost both games by a one-goal margin.
Despite being comprehensively beaten by Brighton after Taiwo Awoniyi was sent off, player of the match Bart Verbruggen was forced into six saves. When Lewis Dunk is scoring screamers from 30 yards, his first goal from open play at the grand age of 34, you know luck has landed elsewhere.
Coventry have conceded three goals from outside the box overall, more than any other side. That suggests an issue with pressing distances, allowing opponents too much space in striking zones, but could just as easily be explained by the increase in level and tempo. The Premier League is full of tormentors. Lewis Dunk apparently among them.
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Lewis Dunk scores SUBLIME goal of the season contender for Brighton against Coventry in their Premier League match!
But Lampard’s experience should prevent any imposter syndrome setting in. The former Chelsea midfielder knows the league intimately, as a coach and a player. He understands how unforgiving it can be and will not be downtrodden by what has already happened – most of it expected.
As he prepares his side for a trip to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, live on Sky Sports, he can point to who they have played and how they have competed in parts. There is something to be said for getting visits to the Emirates and the Etihad out of the way while the scrap for points is far less consequential.
The City Ground, however, is where potential lies. Forest are yet to score a league goal at home this season. In fact, since last Christmas, the only ever-present side with fewer home points than Forest is Spurs. Coventry travel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next month. Both are games with the possibility for points.
Not the moment for a crisis of confidence, then. Lampard will be hoping one win is all it takes to release his players from the harshness of the Premier League. They badly need a boost.
Watch Nottingham Forest vs Coventry City live on Sky Sports Main Event on Saturday; kick-off 5.30pm
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