Sideways Sammy

A creditable performance away at Manchester City has given a reason for Coventry City to believe that they belong at Premier League level, but now is the time to get into the business of scoring goals and picking up points in this division. A home game against Brighton & Hove Albion is a theoretically easier game than at least two of three Coventry have faced thus far, emphasis on theoretically.

It may be early days, but the Sky Blues cannot afford to allow their search for their first win to go on much longer, and certainly not the search for their first goals. Brighton are an established Premier League club who qualified for Europe last season, any form of result that’s not a defeat would be a positive in the grander scheme of things, even if there is a level of expectation among the fanbase that this will be the team’s first win.

Expected Line-Up

There will be a lot to take from the Manchester City performance, chief among which being the switch to a back three which looked to stabilise the defence while making Coventry City more direct and threatening on the break. It seems likely that Frank Lampard will stick with the shape, even if there’s a desire to play more on the front foot at home against a non-Champions League team.

Lampard’s hand for this game is boosted by the availability of Stephen Mfuni and Yann Gboho. It seems unlikely that either will start this game off the back of the rest of the team doing so well against Manchester City, so may have to content themselves with roles off the bench.

It really would be surprising to any change to the starting line-up. While there might be considerations to make as to this being a home game Coventry might want to see more of the ball in, it doesn’t feel a convincing enough argument given that Brighton are likely to be happy to be allowed time on the ball here.

Last Time We Met

Coventry City. and Brighton & Hove Albion were at the opposite ends of the footballing pyramid when they last met back in 2018. Albion were starting to establish themselves as a Premier League outfit, while Coventry were looking to climb out of League Two at the first attempt. Off the back of dismantling Stoke City at the Ricoh Arena in the Third Round, the Sky Blues travelled to Brighton with a modicum of confidence, though aware this would be a test of a higher order.

The game was over within the first-half, with Anthony Knockaert setting up Jurgen Locadia to put Brighton ahead early on, then Connor Goldson scored from a corner to double the advantage. The gulf in quality was apparent as an Albion side playing at half-pace eased past their fourth-tier opponents, Leo Ulloa was left unmarked to seal the win for Brighton in the second-half, before Jonson Clarke-Harris seized on a loose ball to produce a delightful finish as a consolation effort.

Key Questions

Can Coventry City Call Any Game Winnable?

It’s all relative. Brighton & Hove Albion are exactly the kind of established Premier League club that have looked untouchable to Coventry City for nearly two decades, but it’s true, they are within the top 50% of easier fixtures thus far this season for the Sky Blues.

A positive performance in defeat to Manchester City has garnered belief that Coventry can win against Brighton & Hove Albion and that is a positive thing to have after three games without a goal or point. Truthfully, the Sky Blues are nowhere near close to being able to designate any game at this level – aside from maybe Hull City at home, and that went spectacularly well – as winnable.

If there are positives to take from last week’s performance it was in learning how to play as underdogs. Fans might be frustrated to see Coventry repeat elements of the Manchester City performance at home, but the mentality of playing without the ball for long periods and being direct in going forwards with it are what is going to help the Sky Blues pick up points this season in the long-run.

Brighton & Hove Albion are a strong enough opponent that even if Coventry City play exactly as they did against Manchester City could produce individual moments to win or claim a positive result from this game. Their squad is full of players who have plenty of Premier League experience – on top of all the bright young obscure talents they invest in.

The most deflating thing that could come from this game is that knowing that even Coventry’s best efforts can still come up short against an established top-flight side.

A Risk Of A Non-Goalscoring Complex?

For all the positives that came from the Manchester City game, Coventry City spurned some golden opportunities to score. While bad luck can happen in front of goal from time-to-time, when it’s that it’s the whole team not taking chances and there’s a weight of 25 years of waiting for that next top-flight goal, there is a danger of this building into a complex.

Taiwo Awoniyi has missed good chances against Manchester City and Hull City, while Jack Rudoni missed from inches out last week too, on top of the chance he spurned at Arsenal. That’s not to single those individual players out but to highlight that missing chances one week can begin to weigh on players’ minds in latter weeks.

These first three games have shown in different ways that toothlessness can be fatal. From falling behind early and having little response at Arsenal, to the team pushing way too high to search for an opener against Hull City, to letting Manchester City off the hook last week. Scoring, particularly when it’s the opening goal, changes how games play out, it generates belief more goals will come.

A 0-0 draw in this game would be a good result, but a 1-1 draw might be even better.

Open Space On The Left Flank?

Jay Dasilva may have adapted to Premier League football much better than most expected him to, but the change of shape last week left him isolated against a winger of the quality of Antoine Semenyo, leading to the game’s only goal, with only the offside flag denying further threat down that side of the pitch.

It’s not just Dasilva that was at fault for that openness down that side of the pitch but the entire set-up of the team. With Ephron Mason-Clark tucked further inside in the left-forward position, the midfield a man short due to the switch to a back three, and Ethan Pinnock narrow at left centre-back to defend the penalty area, Jay Dasilva was left with a lot of space to defend all on his own.

The wing-back role is meant to be about attacking more than it is defending, with the wide centre-backs taking up some of the defensive full-back duties. Coventry City were so deep against Manchester City last week that Dasilva ended up playing more as a full-back than wing-back, whether that will be the case at home to Brighton & Hove Albion may change that set of responsibilities, but also risks leaving Ethan Pinnock exposed against Brighton’s desire to double-up in wide areas.