Coventry City

Image source, Rex Features

Coventry City first-team coach Rhys Carr has left after seven months working for the Championship club.

Carr joined the Sky Blues' coaching staff in June from Wolves as part of then boss Mark Robins' summer backroom reshuffle.

He then took over as interim boss for three games between the sacking of Robins on 7 November and Frank Lampard's appointment three weeks later, when Carr returned to his position as first-team coach.

But, in a statement, the Sky Blues said that "the club and Rhys have now mutually decided to part ways".

The statement added: "Coventry City would like to wish Rhys the best of luck for the future and thank him for his contribution to the club, including his work with the players and staff day-to-day at Ryton and his period as interim head coach.

Prior to joining City, Carr had been elite player development coach for two years at Wolves, spent six months as lead professional development phase coach with Bristol Rovers and almost two years as individual development coach at Sheffield United.

City currently sit 12th in the Championship, six points shy of a play-off place, having lost just three of their first 13 games under Lampard.

Coventry City travel to Swansea City on Saturday afternoon, looking to extend their three-game winning run.

The Sky Blues are 12th in the Championship and six points off the play-off spots, having lost just one of their past seven games (W4 D2).

Swansea have slipped to 17th, seven points above the drop zone, after a run of five games without victory (D1 L4).

• Swansea City are unbeaten across their past 18 league games against Coventry City (W8 D10), since a 3-1 away defeat in October 1981.

• Coventry City have failed to win any of their past 12 away league games against Swansea City (D6 L6), failing to score more than one goal in any of those matches.

• Swansea have lost each of their past three league games and will be looking to avoid losing four in succession for the first time since April 2021.

• Coventry have won each of their past three league games and could win four in succession for the first time since November 2022.

• Since a 1-0 away win over Cardiff in August 2007, Coventry have won just one of their 17 away league games against sides from Wales (D7 L9).

The potential arrival of Swansea City captain Matt Grimes is "exactly what Coventry City need" to bolster the midfield, according to Sky Blues fan Anthony Hornsby.

Coventry have seen two bids for Grimes knocked back but have returned with a third offer and remain hopeful of signing the 29-year-old before the transfer window closes on Monday.

"You want him on your team rather than against you every single time, don't you? And what a fantastic intent of signing that is as well," Hornsby told BBC CWR's Sky Blues Fancast.

"I'm just waiting for the news for him to come. I'll be very disappointed if he doesn't. It's exactly what we need.

"He's very similar to the capabilities of [Jack] Rudoni but he just sits that little bit deeper, so it fills that midfield amazingly and you just pick the third player to go with him and it compliments the other two.

"He's about ball retention and getting the team moving. We've spent years and years chasing the ball around against Swansea, not being able to get it off them and thinking 'why can't we play like this?'

"Yes he is 29, but I don't see that as a negative. I see that as an absolute necessity in what we need."

On Coventry's strong run of form, winning three Championship games in a row, Hornsby added: "How many times have we played well and not won?

"At the minute, while the build is happening, take the three points because all that is going to happen is it's going to snowball. The confidence is going to come."

Listen to the Sky Blues Fancast in full on BBC Sounds.

Coventry City have submitted a third bid for Swansea City captain Matt Grimes, 29, who is valued at around £4m by the Welsh club. (WalesOnline), external

Want more transfer news and rumours from the EFL? Read Wednesday's gossip column here.

Coventry City defender Jake Bidwell said the team spirit is improving after a "great couple of weeks" with three wins on the bounce in the Championship.

The Sky Blues beat Watford 2-1 at the weekend to follow on from league victories over Blackburn and Bristol City, as well as progressing from the FA Cup third round against Sheffield Wednesday.

"Everyone is really pleased," Bidwell told BBC CWR.

"That spirit you get, there's nothing like winning games to produce that really. There's nothing like coming through those last few minutes when you're grinding it out together.

"These things are massive to help build momentum."

Bidwell, who signed a new two-and-a-half year contract with Coventry last week, said he is "enjoying" a slightly different role of being deployed at left wing-back under Frank Lampard.

"As I've said before, I love playing whether it's wing-back, left-back, centre-back," the 31-year-old added.

"Wherever it is, I'm just happy to be out there contributing with the lads and when you're winning games, it's even better."

Listen to Jake Bidwell's interview on BBC Sounds

Coventry City manager Frank Lampard called Victor Torp the "man of the day" after the midfielder scored both his side's goals in their 2-1 victory against Watford.

The Dane tapped in Jack Rudoni's low cross in the 32nd minute lead to give the hosts the lead before accurately lofting in a free-kick into the top-left corner with 15 minutes remaining.

"I told him he'd score today, I just had a feeling," Lampard told BBC Radio CWR.

"He's playing so well and he's technically so good. His all round game is so good at the minute, on and off the ball.

"He's been a pleasure to work with in terms of how he trains, his low maintenance, and I think everyone in the ground when that free kick came, and it was closer, expected it to go in."

Prior to today, Torp had only managed two goals and two assists since moving to the Midlands a year ago but the 25-year-old reminded the Sky Blues faithful that he has the quality to give plenty more in a Coventry shirt.

"He's the man of the day, without a doubt and deservedly so," added former Chelsea and England midfielder Lampard.

Torp's contribution means Coventry move into the top half of the Championship table on 38 points after 29 games, with Lampard's side having won the last three consecutive matches.

Rob Gurney
Sports editor, BBC CWR

Image source, Rex Features

We need to move on as a fanbase from Mark Robins - there, I've said it.

That's not in any way to diminish his achievements; I know he brought the club back from the brink, and that should always be remembered, and hopefully will be at future Legends Days, but he works for Stoke City now.

Sniping about whether he'd have achieved the same results as Frank Lampard is counter-productive and pointless.

The facts are, defensively, the team has improved under Lampard.

Twelve goals conceded in 11 Championship matches is a definite upgrade on 19 in 14 under Robins.

Lampard has talked about defensive solidity, and keeping more clean sheets was the "main focus" when he took the job.

Five shut-outs since he arrived, compared to two prior to 28 November, also adds weight to the improvement argument. As does the obvious betterment of the press from the front which, as Lampard points out, is where more impenetrable defending starts.

His switch to 3-5-2 in recent weeks is undoubtedly reaping dividends as well. Interestingly he points out that the players have adopted the system: "how we want it played; an aggressive not passive shape."

Things are far from perfect and clearly they were second-best in the first half at Blackburn on Tuesday as the much-improved Oliver Dovin in goal pulled off some tremendous saves, including one absolutely top drawer stop, to keep the opposition at bay.

Successful teams are always built on solid foundations – clean sheets in each of the last three Championship matches at the CBS Arena is a significant step forward.

The fact they haven't kept four in a row in home games for four years is another reason to be cheerful right now.

In the words of the anthem: "Let's All Sing Together" - that's what it's about, folks, surely?

Norwich, Coventry, Swansea and Peterborough are among the EFL clubs keeping tabs on teenage Wales midfielder Joe Andrews, who plays for non-league Chippenham. (Football Insider, external)

Oxford United won't cash in on 21-year-old Tyler Goodrham during the transfer window despite interest from the likes of Coventry, Leeds and Sunderland. (Oxford Mail, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column.

In-form Coventry City welcome Watford to the CBS Arena on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Despite their contrasting fortunes over the season so far, a win for Frank Lampard's side could haul them into the top 10 and within three points of Tom Cleverley's Hornets.

• Coventry have lost one of their past 11 league games against Watford, a 3-2 defeat in November 2020.

• Each of Watford's past four away league games against Coventry have ended in draws, as many as across their prior 32 matches combined.

• Coventry have kept a clean sheet in each of their past three home league games (W2 D1) and will be looking to keep four in succession for the first time since January 2021.

• After beating Derby County 2-0 in their last league game on the road, Watford will be looking to win successive away matches in the Championship for the first time since December 2023.

• Brandon Thomas-Asante has scored in his past two league games, having scored once in his first 25 league appearances for Coventry. He last scored in three consecutive Football League appearances in January 2022 for Salford City.

Image source, PA Media

Coventry City boss Frank Lampard has told BBC CWR that their win against Blackburn Rovers was "a step forward" for his camp having beaten the play-off chasers to move up to 13th in the Championship table.

"It was a difficult first half, we weren't at our best. But we got the goal and I think we deserved a moment like that. Sometimes we've not got what we deserved. We had to take the opportunity to be one up at half-time," he said.

"Our second goal was a really good goal and we had other chances as well. We did some of the difficult stuff you have to do on a night like this. We dug in, defended well and we saw out the game really well.

"Our impact subs did really well so it was a good night and a step forward again.

"They had a couple of moments and that's when we started to make changes. We made some changes for freshness and the players that came in gave us a good solidity.

"These things are important for building feeling, that we can come to places like this and win two games on the trot. Now we have to recover and go again.

"Winning games like this in midweek and coming away like this, is really important for feeling and the lads have to understand what it takes to win."

Image source, Getty Images

Coventry City striker Ellis Simms will reproduce his goalscoring form from last season once he regains confidence, according to fan and podcaster Matt Cattell.

Simms has netted just twice in 24 Championship appearances so far this season at a rate of 0.08 goals per game, compared to 13 goals in 46 games last season - a rate of 0.28 per game.

"I thought he had a great game," Cattell told the BBC's Sky Blues Fancast, with reference to the 1-0 win over Bristol City.

"Obviously Frank [Lampard] has been working on him to get to hold the ball up, show his strength a bit.

"But he's a pure confidence player, Simms. Like he did last season, once he gets a goal or two, he'll go on to do it."

At the same stage of last season, Simms also had only two goals from 24 appearances, but went on to score 11 times in a 16-match run between December 2023 and April 2024.

Cattell believes Simms also needs time to adapt to the change in shape since Lampard took charge, playing up front alongside Brandon Thomas-Asante who arrived in the summer from West Bromwich Albion.

"With this formation, we're playing two up front which is a lot different. For years we've gone with that lone striker," he added.

"Those two [Simms and Thomas-Asante] need to gel as well. In the first half, I think Simms and Asante weren't quite clicking. But in the second half we started to see it and that will come with games."

Listen to the Sky Blues Fancast in full on BBC Sounds.

Coventry City, QPR, Millwall and Stoke City are battling for the signature of Crystal Palace's Jeffrey Schlupp. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Tuesday's gossip column here.

Blackburn Rovers host Coventry City in a bid to stay within the play-off spots on Tuesday evening (19:45 GMT).

Rovers lost to a buoyant Oxford United last time out, while the Sky Blues beat Bristol City to edge further away from relegation danger.

Coventry striker Brandon Thomas-Asante was the one to deliver the winner in their victory over the Robins and the Ghana international also has fond memories of playing against their weeknight opponents.

• Blackburn Rovers are winless across their past eight league games against Coventry City (D5 L3), failing to score in each of their past three matches against the Sky Blues.

• After winning the reverse league fixture 3-0 in October, Coventry City are looking to complete a league double over Blackburn Rovers for the first time since the 1966-67 season.

• Each of Blackburn's past six home league wins have ended with them keeping a clean sheet, while 11 of their past 12 league games at Ewood Park have had at least one side keep a clean sheet.

• After winning their first away league game under Frank Lampard at Millwall in December, Coventry are winless in their past four away league matches (D1 L3).

• Coventry's Thomas-Asante has scored three goals in his past two league games against Blackburn, though failed to score in his only league game against Rovers at Ewood Park in August 2023.

Leeds United, Sunderland, Coventry City and Swansea City are all tracking Oxford United midfielder Tyler Goodrham. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Sunday's full gossip column.