Coventry City manager Mark Robins believes his small squad has played a factor in his team’s recent dip in form, which has seen them lose ground in the race for the play-offs.
The Sky Blues made the short trip west last night to take on fellow promotion-hopefuls West Bromwich Albion. It was a game which Coventry really needed to get something out of having slipped four points behind sixth-placed Hull City with last week’s defeat against Preston North End.
Despite a morale-boosting victory over Maidstone United in the FA Cup on Monday night, Robins’ side were unable to build on that success and found themselves on the losing end at The Hawthorns once again. It’s a stadium in which they have failed to record a win since 2007 and it didn’t take long for last night’s clash to follow the same route.
Micky Johnston handed the home side an early lead thanks to a stunning solo strike. The advantage was doubled in the 36th minute through Grady Diangana, although a second half penalty from Haji Wright led to a tense finish for West Brom boss Carlos Corberan.
Sensational finish from Mikey Johnston 😍#WBApic.twitter.com/twww8jvE7w
— The Real EFL (@RealEFLSocial) March 1, 2024
The result means that Coventry could find themselves seven points off the play-off places by this evening, with Hull travelling to Preston whilst seventh-placed Norwich City host Sunderland.
Speaking after the game, Robins stated that they now have to make sure their season doesn’t ‘fizzle out’ as they prepare to welcome bottom side Rotherham United to the CBS Arena on Tuesday night. Speaking to Coventry Live, the 54-year-old said:
“The bigger picture is that we need to do more, even though we are where we are at, you always want to do more. And what we have to do now, in the immediate future, is make sure that this season doesn’t fizzle out.”
Having to contend with an array of injuries to key players has also had an impact, as well as an already thin squad, a fact the ex-Huddersfield Town boss was quick to point out:
“Everyone is talking about us having to be in the play-offs but I think we needed, and we need help from other avenues, really. And when you have injuries from key players in a squad that’s the size of ours, and I say it every week, if we have got everyone fit then we are a match for anybody. But we haven’t and at times like this they need some more help.”
Writer’s View
Although there is still a lot of football to be played between now and May, it does appear that Coventry face an uphill battle to secure a second successive play-off spot. Mark Robins has performed a wonderful job with the Sky Blues and have been arguably punching above their weight, but last night’s defeat was a huge blow.
The quality of the teams above them puts them firmly in the ‘outsider’ category, although they did leave it late last season before they eventually snuck into the top six with a fifth-placed finish.
Head of Writing
