Doug King sent emphatic transfer message as Coventry City’s play-off hopes questioned
Coventry Cty news from CoventryLive as we bring you the results of our early season survey assessing the way things are going so far for the Sky Blues
With nine Championship games done and dusted for Coventry City, we decided to take the opportunity during the international break to get an early assessment on how fans are feeling about the season so far.
Hundreds of you took part in our survey which asked fans who has impressed you most, the least, the strongest and weakest areas of the pitch and also what needs to be done in terms of Doug King getting the cheque book out and strengthening in the January transfer window. And it’s fair to say that most of you are feeling the same way at this stage of proceedings, many adjusting your expectations after a stuttering start that’s resulted in just eight points from the opening nine matches for the Sky Blues.
Mark Robins made seven new signings in the summer, albeit winger Raphael not having kicked a ball yet due to injury, so effectively six for now. Asked who has impressed the most, Jack Rudoni, not surprisingly, came out on top with a whopping 71% of the votes, with exciting centre-forward Norman Bassette in second place with 19% despite barely playing, limited to just three starts and one appearance from the substitutes’ bench. Striker Brandon Thomas-Asante, meanwhile – joint leading scoring with Haji Wright with three in all competitions – only got 8% of the votes, while winger Ephron Mason-Clark and goalkeeper Oliver Dovin were level on just 1%.
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No surprise then that Mason-Clark topped the list of players who have ‘disappointed the most’ so far from the whole squad, scoring 34% of the votes as he continues to adapt to Championship football after stepping up from League One Peterborough. To be fair to the exciting winger, he’s been in some terrific goal scoring positions and had he scored the chances that have come his way he would surely have fared better.
Of the others who have not really lived up to expectations so far, Ellis Simms 26% and Wright 18% came in second and third, while Victor Torp (10%), Dovin (5%) and Jay Dasilva (4%) came up the rear.
Talking of goalkeepers, we asked fans whether it was the right decision to change Dovin for Ben Wilson so early in the season, with half of you saying ‘yes’ (50%), 29% saying ‘no’ and 21% saying ‘don’t know’.
Switching attention to the back four, Robins has tried various central defensive combinations so far this term, having settled pretty much on Bobby Thomas and Liam Kitching last season. However, although the two centre-backs have been paired up for the last three games – during which City have shipped five goals – supporters believe City’s strongest central defensive partnership is Thomas and Luis Binks, with 79% of the votes, while Thomas/Kitching only scored 11% of votes. Joel Latibeaudiere/Binks scored 7% and Latibeaudiere/Kitching 3%.
Asked what’s the weakest part of the team, 61% said midfield, which would account for the absence of Ben Sheaf due to injury during the opening group of matches, while the defence was the next area of most concern with 31% of votes, while up front scored at just 7% and in goal only 1%.
Expectations were through the roof before a ball was kicked in anger this season that the Sky Blues would be strong contenders for promotion but, nine games in and those hopes appear to have fallen a bit flat with 80% of people voting saying they had adjusted their view, while 20% said they hadn’t.
