Coventry must be 'more productive' in transfer window

Frank Lampard took charge of Coventry in November

We are exactly halfway through the transfer window, and so far, there are no incomings or outgoings in CV6.

Coventry head coach Frank Lampard has again spoken about the size of his squad, saying, "It isn't huge, and we need players to play well, stay fit and compete well."

This indicates he wants to add to what owner/chairman Doug King mistakenly called a "top six deck" at the now-infamous post-Mark Robins-sacking fans' forum.

Leadership, or lack of it on the field, remains an issue, and, in Lampard's own words, they are missing some big players.

Haji Wright is not especially close to a return, by the sounds of it, and the fact he remains this season's top scorer with seven goals, having not played since 9 November, tells you plenty.

Ephron Mason-Clark, who was bang in form when he was injured on Boxing Day, is not likely to be around for a couple more weeks either, increasing everybody's frustrations about a season of potentially lost opportunities.

Lampard's apparent dismissal of interest in Brandon Thomas-Asante is another hint that he wants to add, rather than subtract, bodies from his group.

Not too much should be read into 33-year-old Coventry-born forward Jamie Paterson training with The Sky Blues, with Lampard stating he was just training with them while he was without a club.

Recalling Ryan Howley and Jack Burroughs from their respective loan spells in Scotland gives Lampard a chance to look at them firsthand before deciding the next move for them.

Inevitably, the rumour mill is in overdrive, but Lampard insists half the stories linking them with players are "nonsense", and he admits they are looking in both the permanent and loan markets.

Put it this way, for me: the second half of January (and into February 3 at 11pm) needs to be far more productive than the first half has been.

We will all just have to watch this space.