Coventry City have received some more unwanted news with a string of first team players potentially missing their final three games of the season.
The Sky Blues would need a miracle to make the play-offs this season but it is still mathematically possible given they sit nine points behind Norwich City with three games still to be played. Three losses in a row has certainly hampered their chances and the FA Cup tie against Manchester United has potentially been in the players’ minds the past few weeks.
Wednesday night saw them host fellow play-off chasers Hull City but they’d be edged out after twice coming from behind before Noah Ohio struck for the Tigers in the 78th minute, with Coventry then having no response. It seemed as if Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final, which went to penalties, has knocked some of the players and the result all but confirms their place in the Championship.
To make matters worse, four players have picked up injuries in the last week which could well see them on the sidelines for the rest of the season. With three games still to be played in the next ten days, the Sky Blues have one of the most congested run-ins in the second tier and rotation will no doubt be present.
That has been made harder with Fabio Tavares and Victor Torp, who both missed the game against Hull on Wednesday night, unlikely to return to the set-up in the next ten days, especially the former.
In an interview with Coventry Live, Robins went through the injury list after the loss to Hull City.
“Fabio (Tavares) has got to go for a surgical opinion on his ankle. He’s got ligament damage and we have got to see whether he needs surgery or not. I think that’s getting done tomorrow (Thursday).
“Victor has torn a stomach muscle and was in too much pain to be involved (against Hull). I think it’s where there’s an attachment to his hip.”
Both Luis Binks and Joel Latibeaudiere were forced off on Wednesday night, posing further selection problems to Robins.
“Binksy (Luis Binks) had a tight Achilles at half-time and then just felt it in the game and had to go off. I don’t know how bad that is yet. Joel Latibeaudiere picked up a calf problem a while back and has been managing it, and today it has caught up with him a little bit.”
Of the four, it seems as if Torp is the most likely to return to the squad, yet at this point in the season and potentially with nothing to play for after Saturday, he may well not be risked.
Writer’s View
It’s been a disappointing couple of weeks for Coventry who have seen their play-off chances go up in flames as well as being on the wrong end of a crushing FA Cup defeat. Nonetheless, the players can still hold their heads high after this season and they’ll be back fighting again next year.
With the games coming thick and fast now, the Sky Blues are going to struggle with a depleted squad, and their run-in is by no means easy. There’s been signs of excellence this season just potentially not on a consistent enough basis. With the Championship potentially looking ‘easier’ next season, they may well thrive and get a place in the top-six.
