From play-off finalists to relegation woes, it has been a tough start to the new season for the Sky Blues, but what is the answer to ongoing struggles?
Coventry City have felt the unique pain of oh-so-nearly reaching the Premier League but missing out by the narrowest of margins.
Few tipped the Sky Blues to get to Wembley last May to contest the Championship play-off final, but get there they did – only to lose on penalties to Luton Town.
Defeat after that glorious progress to the play-offs was hard enough to take. The additional downside was that it highlighted some of the brilliant talent at Mark Robins’ disposal. So the “double-whammy” of defeat at Wembley was not only another season in the second tier but having to endure it without the likes of goal hero Viktor Gyökeres and playmaker in chief Gustavo Hamer.
Yes, both players brought in big money – Gyökeres from Sporting in Portugal; Hamer from Sheffield United just up the M1 in South Yorkshire. But as they say, money is not everything – and while it is important for Sky Blues’ longer-term future, it was never likely to be a guarantee of instant success this term. Sadly, so it has proved.
As things stand, in the midst of the third international break of the season, Sky Blues are 20th on 16 points, a far cry from where they ended last season – and where many pundits expected them to be this term.
Players were brought in, and lots of them – Brad Collins, Jay Dasilva, Milan van Ewijk, Bobby Thomas, Joel Latibeaudiere, Luis Binks (loan), Liam Kitching, Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, Yasin Ayari (loan), Ellis Simms, Haji Wright – but bedding in has taken its time, while the late departure of Hamer has left Robins still short of a key ingredient in his team’s make up.
So, is this season a write-off for Sky Blues? Maybe not – after all, remember their slow start last term, a situation compounded by pitch problems at the CBS Arena. But one thing is for sure, manager Robins and City owner Doug King need to be sure-footed during the transfer window if they are to revive their ailing team.
That’s our take on City’s issues so far this season, but what is your view? We have put together a few questions we’d be delighted if you could answer so that we can get a supporters’ perspective of City’s woes…
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