Pundit Raises Coventry City Issue Ahead Of Watford Clash

EFL pundit Sam Parkin has claimed that poor finishing has been a big factor behind Coventry City’s underwhelming start to the new Championship campaign.

The Sky Blues were tipped by many to push for promotion to the Premier League again this year after coming ninth in the table in the previous campaign.

However, Mark Robins’ side sit 17th after the first four games of the season, having won one, drawn one and lost two.

A 1-0 home loss to Norwich City prior to the international break was a particularly disappointing result in front of their own supporters.

Coventry’s two main forwards, Haji Wright and Ellis Simms, have scored a combined two goals from these four games, with Wright bagging both in a 3-2 win over Oxford United (all stats from Fbref).

Sam Parkin raises Coventry City issue

Parkin believes that Coventry are doing a lot of things right in attack, but that poor finishing has let them down so far.

He has also highlighted the absence of Ben Sheaf as a major concern, claiming that the team must improve in midfield in order to turn their results around.

“It’s been a disappointing start I think for them when you consider how good they were at the tail end of last season, especially in the forward positions,” said Parkin, via the What the EFL?! podcast.

“I think everyone who followed the Championship would have anticipated Haji Wright and Ellis Simms starting the way that they finished, and that’s not really been the case.

“Haji Wright got the two against Oxford, but Simms yet to get up and running.

“I think statistically, not too much to be overly concerned about, defensively looking pretty strong.

Don Goodman has put his trust in Mark Robins after the Sky Blues boss let Kasey Palmer join the Tigers in transfer deadline day

“But the finishing, I would suggest, when you look at the touches of the ball in the opposition box it’s pretty high, they’re ninth for xG for, they’ve missed seven big chances, and only scored the four goals.

“So I think that they’re just not converting as frequently as they were at the back-end of last season, that should probably level out once they get a little bit more rhythm, cohesion with new players.

“At Coventry this season, new staff as well, I don’t think that can be overrlooked.

“But new coaching team, new methods, new players in there as well, and also probably greater than any of those little factors: no Ben Sheaf at the moment.

“I think they were too open against Norwich in the midfield, too much time afforded to the Canaries’ midfield players, if that happens again then it could be a long afternoon for Coventry [against Watford].

“So they need to improve in midfield, and those two strikers need to recapture what they were doing in the back-end of last season, and I’m sure Coventry will be fine.

“Whether it’s a season of another promotion challenge, I probably am doubtful at this stage but we’re talking very, very early at this stage and one handsome away victory could turn those confidence levels around.”

Coventry’s promotion ambition

A 17th place position in the table at this stage of the campaign isn’t anything to be too concerned by, but supporters still would’ve hoped for better going into the new season.

The 3-2 victory over Oxford is their only win from the first few games of the new term, so it will be important for fans that they get some positive results between now and the next international break.

Coventry have started slow in both of the last two campaigns, but finished fifth and ninth respectively, so they know that these things can be overturned.

Next up for the Sky Blues is a trip to face Watford on 14 September in a 3pm kick-off.

Coventry cannot afford too slow of a start to the season

Coventry overcame a slow start in 2022/23 to reach the play-off final, but at some point they need to start hitting the ground running.

A couple of wins over the next few weeks will help keep them within touching distance of the top sides, and prevent them from needing to go on a miraculous run later in the year to catch up.

Watford have started well, so this weekend will prove a test for Robins’ side.

Goals from Simms and Wright would go a long way to easing supporters’ concerns, as the team will need both of them firing on all cylinders if they are to fight for promotion this year.