Coventry City

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.

Image source, Rex Features

Coventry City head coach Frank Lampard was pleased with the 'character' his side showed in Saturday's hard-fought 1-0 home win over Bristol City.

"It was a very good result to get," Lampard told BBC CWR.

"I am very pleased with the mentality and character of the team.

"We are missing some bodies, but players are coming in and doing their job.

"We had to fight to get the clean sheet and we got a goal we deserved through the pressure we put on them.

"It was a real moment of quality from Brandon Thomas-Asante," said the Sky Blues boss.

"It wasn't a beautiful game. There was some good stuff, but some moments of turnovers, misplaced partners and bad decisions in there as well.

"I was happy how we managed the game towards the end so I can't complain. There were some real work ethics hidden in the performance too."

After moving up to 14th in the table, City now face a tough trip to Sky Blues old boy John Eustace's Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday night - nine points shy of the play-off places and six points clear of trouble,

Listen to Lampard's full interview on BBC Sounds

Rob Gurney
Sports editor, BBC CWR

Image source, Rex Features

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.

Coventry will seek to extend their unbeaten streak at home to seven games as they welcome Bristol City on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Sky Blues have registered back-to-back clean sheets at home whereas the Robins have kept one in eight games on the road and only ended a three-match losing streak on their travels with a point at basement boys Plymouth in their most recent away game.

• Coventry City are unbeaten across their past four home league games against Bristol City (W2 D2), since a 3-1 loss in October 2014 in League One.

• Bristol City are unbeaten across their last five league games against Coventry (W1 D4), last enjoying a longer run against the Sky Blues between October 1979 and February 2010 (seven games).

• Coventry City are unbeaten in five Championship home matches since Mark Robins departed in November (Rhys Carr - D1, Frank Lampard – W2 D2), their longest run since February last year (9).

• Bristol City have won three of their last four league games (D1), as many victories as they managed across their previous 12 (W3 D4 L5).

• Bristol City's Scott Twine has either scored (3) or assisted (2) in five of his last seven Championship appearances, assisting in his last two in succession (v Plymouth and Derby).

Blackburn Rovers have made a £1.75m bid for Coventry City striker Brandon Thomas Asante, with the Ghana international only making the starting XI once this season for the West Midlands side. (Sky Sports, external)

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

Image source, Getty Images

Coventry City had to face a tense penalty shoot-out before finally overcoming Sheffield Wednesday in Saturday's FA Cup third round at the CBS Arena.

After the match ended 1-1, the Sky Blues came back from missing the first spotkick to go through 4-3 on penalties - and earn another home tie in round four against Ipswich Town.

After Olaf Kobacki's fifth penalty for the Owls had been saved by a full-length dive from keeper Oliver Dovin, Belgian striker Norman Bassette was unfazed by the supposed pressure of clinching victory, converting a low left-foot shot into the bottom left corner.

"In my head, I am 100%," Bassette told BBC CWR. "I score for the fans and for the team. No pressure, I'm a striker."

With Coventry still missing injured top scorer Haji Wright, Bassette has played in all 10 matches so far under new boss Frank Lampard, starting all but three of them, and is feeling positive.

"The team has good potential," he said. "The new staff that has come is better than before.

"I don't have a negative feeling. I have a good feeling for the future.

"The new gaffer has confidence in me and I have good confidence in the new staff always. Every time I walk on this pitch, I work hard and I'm very happy."

You can listen to the full post-match interview on BBC Sounds.