Crisis, concern or context needed? Coventry in a slump before ‘make or break’ Boro clash

Cycle back to the final weekend of November and things looked very different for Coventry City.

A 3-1 win over Charlton saw them go 10 points clear at the top of the table. They had lost just one game all season, and won 11 of their last 12.

Frank Lampard, as always remained grounded, but the talk around Coventry was more a case of what records they could break, rather than whether they might not even get promoted.

Monday 16th February 7:00pm


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Then, a 3-0 defeat at Ipswich. Since the start of December, they have won just four of 13. Leads have been chucked away, a once relentless stream of goals has dried up.

The theory was that Coventry’s thin squad had run out of steam, and a few additions in January would kickstart things again.

It was a hypothesis that looked solid as they won back-to-back games from behind in the middle of last month against Leicester and Millwall.

But since then, just a point from three games. Two leads lost in defeats at Norwich and QPR, and a failure to break down Oxford at home last Saturday. For context, the U’s conceded 20 seconds into their next game at home to Norwich in midweek.

Put that in contrast with Middlesbrough’s remarkable form. They have won six on the spin, and 10 of the last 14 games, when Coventry have won just five.

Boro will visit the CBS Arena on Monday night – live on Sky Sports – top of the Championship table. A position Coventry had occupied exclusively since October 4.

‘Early form was unsustainable’

But how worried should Coventry be? Is this a long blip, or a sign of genuine decline?

“I’d say it’s concern rather than crisis,” Andy Hinchcliffe told the Sky Sports Essential EFL podcast. “We’re comparing the last 13 games to the first 18 at Coventry, when they scored 50 goals.

“That’s not going to continue for a full season. You’re not going to average close to three goals a game across an entire campaign.

“They had a blistering start and deserved to be top of the table for a long time because of the football they were playing. There was always going to be a bit of an easing off and I think that’s what we’ve seen over these 13 games.

“When you look at the performance data, they could easily have won six or seven of those matches, but they didn’t. Results are what matter.

“They’re not playing terribly. It’s not as if the wheels have come off and everything has suddenly gone wrong. They’ve had some tough fixtures. They played Ipswich twice and lost both. They’ve had difficult away games like Preston. It hasn’t been easy.

“If you had said to Frank Lampard, the players and the fans that after 31 games they’d be second in the league, they’d have taken it. The concern comes from how they’ve got there. They’ve gone from looking unbeatable to looking a bit vulnerable. That affects confidence and belief more than anything else.

“They’ve shown resilience before and they have to do it again. That’s what a league season tests: quality, resilience, squad depth and mentality. You only get promoted if you tick those boxes.”

‘Confidence an issue in the squad’

In that early part of the season, you always felt that Coventry would win. Even when they weren’t steamrolling opponents, there was a belief they would come from behind, and they would always score a goal.

Across five wins in November, they came from behind three times, nicked a late winner in one and scored two late goals in another to win 4-2 after letting an early lead slip.

Now, they look a lot more vulnerable.

“Confidence is certainly an issue,” Curtis Davies told the Sky Sports Essential EFL podcast. “They’re still just outside two points per game, which is fantastic and usually promotion form. It’s just that because of the start they had and the run they’re on now, it’s difficult to take.

“It’s always better to finish a season strong than start it strong. If they do fall into the play-offs, you need to be playing with confidence and momentum. When you look back and think you were once 15 points clear of third and now you’re in the play-offs, that’s tough to take.

“There’s still a long way to go and 15 games left. It’s about getting back to winning ways as soon as possible.”

A crunch clash with Middlesbrough on Monday night

It is perfect timing on Monday night. Coventry in a slump, Middlesbrough in the ascendancy. All attention, and all eyes on the CBS Arena.

Kim Hellberg’s Boro have won six in a row, and he’s won 10 of his 14 in charge since he took over. The final game before the start of his tenure was Coventry’s win at the Riverside in November – when he was watching on from the stands.

“It’s about whether Coventry can respond,” Hinchcliffe added. “They’ve only lost one game at home, to Ipswich. Confidence and belief are huge in football. Winning breeds confidence.

When games start to slip away, mistakes happen, players get suspended or injured, it chips away at you. That’s when your experienced players have to step up. You’ve got Matt Grimes and other strong characters. They need to stick together because that’s what gets you results.

“Middlesbrough are the best side in the division at the moment. They will go to the CBS and attack Coventry like they attack everyone. Why would they change when it’s taken them to the top? The question is whether Coventry can keep them out and rediscover that attacking belief from the first 18 games.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Coventry win because they have the capability. But they have to make it happen. Middlesbrough have forced the issue to go top. Now it’s down to Coventry to do the same. It’s the biggest game of the season at the top.”

‘It feels make or break’

Victory for Coventry, and they are back on top of the table. Confidence and belief surely restored. Defeat, and their promotion fate is out of their own hands. Ipswich lie five points below them, and by that point they would have two games in hand.

“If confidence is slightly fragile, playing the team directly above you can feel like make or break,” Davies said. “If you win, you’re level on points. If you lose, they could be six ahead and you’re looking at Ipswich with games in hand. That’s where mentality comes in.

“At home, they’ll back themselves against anyone and they have the players to beat anyone there. It will be interesting to see how Middlesbrough approach it.

“They can outscore teams but they can also be more defensive if needed. Maybe they sit back a little and play more on the transition to try to nick three points.”

Whatever the result, you can’t help but feel that come early May we will be looking back on Monday night’s game as a key moment in the promotion race.

Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: skynews.com