Coventry City news from CoventryLive as Sky Blues manager evaluates his team’s development up to Friday night’s match against Hull City
Mark Robins has had a chance to evaluate Coventry City’s start to the upcoming 2023–24 season thanks to the international break.
With six of the club’s 11 summer acquisitions having never played in the Championship, the Sky Blues’ new-look squad is still adjusting to the demands of the level. It is still early in the league.
City currently sits in 14th place in the table with six points after winning just one of their five games, losing three, drawing three, and losing one. This is despite having a busy schedule of games remaining before the next break for international football.
There are many advantages, not the least of which is up front where Haji Wright has performed admirably and Matty Godden has scored the most of the goals thus far.
When asked if the USA international’s early integration after his £7.7 million transfer is encouraging, Robins responded, “Yes, and for him also. There is no denying that he is someone you look at and finds exciting.
He is currently a little bit impromptu, which you don’t want to lose too much of but also want to add some fine tuning, in my opinion. But there’s no denying that he plays well.
“But Ellis Simms is also. He hasn’t quite received the same response, but he’s going to be an excellent player as well. Currently, Matty Godden holds everything together and is contributing goals. He is exactly that. He’s a good finisher who can find space and half a yard, and he earned his goal against Watford.
“We would have won that game,” he said, “if we had been a little bit better in our thinking defensively, rather than continuously turning that ball over or being out of position. We must become more adept at that. However, we’ll settle with that in the first couple weeks of the season.
When asked if he was sure that things will work out, he responded, “I have got to be because you may look at it and be negative, but there are loads of positives. We are playing some really nice football with a fresh group, which is quite encouraging.
One of those advantages is that City, despite losing outstanding players Viktor Gyokeres and Gustavo Hamer, still generates a ton of chances.
“Unquestionably, and you need to approach things differently because those two players were among the best in the division and among the greatest the division has seen in a while. Therefore, it’s a huge deal when you lose guys in that way, and you then have to take on the challenge of assembling a new team in a very challenging competition.
There is no doubt that this season will be more challenging than any other. There are teams that are currently so close.