What Frank Lampard 'didn't like' about FA Cup display as Coventry City eye swift recovery in league
Coventry City were knocked out of the FA Cup by an Ipswich Town side taking respite from the rigours of their Premier League relegation battle.
The Sky Blues, on the other hand, were hoping to show their top flight credentials as they took a break from their Championship campaign which, under Frank Lampard, has turned from being three points off the bottom three to within three of the top six promotion chasers in just over two months.
City’s resulting 4-1 CBS Arena defeat served as a timely reminder that there is still much work to be done to bridge the gap to get ever closer to the required levels to take what appears to be a giant leap. Here we take a look at some of the big talking points from the fourth round exit.
READ MORE: Coventry City FA Cup player ratings v Ipswich Town
Gulf in resource and personnel
There were clear mitigating circumstances for the Sky Blues going into a game in which Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna was able to make eleven changes to his second from bottom top flight team that lost at home to bottom of the league Southampton the previous weekend. His side was still packed full of talent, showing the strength in depth of the Premier League strugglers compared to their Championship opponents.
A measure of that gulf could be seen by a quick look at City’s bench which included two goalkeepers and an Academy teen to make up the numbers. Add in the fact that Coventry had played last Saturday, had a tough game against leaders Leeds on Wednesday and Lampard has to manage his squad to be able to face QPR on Tuesday night before the next weekend fixture, and it’s clear that the squad is somewhat stretched at the minute.
Picking the positives
Frank Lampard was keen to pick out the positives of the performance, highlighting that his side “edged” possession (53 percent to 47) and chances in the game (14 shots, six on target compared to 11 attempts and six on target for the visitors). The fact that Oliver Dovin made two saves and Town keeper Alex Palmer, five, added weight to the argument that the Sky Blues competed and were very much in the game.
Indeed, they showed great character to get themselves back in the game after giving away possession from the kick-off and promptly conceding a penalty from the resulting counter attack. Joel Latibeaudiere’s near post header from a Jack Rudoni corner immediately lifted the crowd, making for a terrific cup tie atmosphere which ran into the second half when, despite trailing 3-1 at the break, City attempted to mount a fightback as the visitors sat off more, soaked up the pressure and played on the counter. But when the fourth goal went in just after the hour, it was effectively game over.
What Lampard ‘didn’t like’
Lampard was loath to be too critical of his players, not least given the circumstances of trying to pick a team amid a hectic schedule, mounting injuries and managing fatigue. But like the entire fanbase, he was clearly frustrated at the manner of the goals which, again, came largely from his players’ mistakes.
The first goal came as a direct result of giving the ball away and conceding a penalty; the second was a brilliant bit of quality and finish from Jack Clarke who should really have been stopped en-route to goal. The third saw Luis Binks give up possession with a stray pass straight to a pink shirt, resulting in some quick feet and City being punished, and the fourth came after a poor pass that was snapped up to spark an attack.
Having tightened things up over the last two months, it’s now crucial that the players don’t slip back to old habits when they return to the bread and butter of the league on Tuesday night, having come up short against one Premier League team and another ready to join the elite.
Square pegs in round holes
The City boss admitted after the game that Milan van Ewijk desperately needed a rest due to fatigue but most fans are in agreement that Joel Latibeaudiere is not a wing-back. And while one can understand Lampard’s decision not to start Jack Burroughs – a relatively unknown quantity to him, having only been back from Scotland for a couple of weeks – the 23-year-old would arguably have been a better option in the position, not least because of his pace and athleticism.
Further up the pitch Tatsuhiro Sakamoto was deployed in an attacking midfield role at the expense of a striker, namely Ellis Simms who, again, may well have needed a break. Providing an extra body in midfield, the Japanese winger was also played out of his natural position but, to be fair, was one of City’s brighter performers on the day when Norman Bassette, with his fresh and rapid legs, had to be content with going on for the last 20 minutes rather than starting ahead of Brandon Thomas-Asante.
Recovery crucial
The important thing after two really tough and testing games against, effectively, two Premier League quality teams is that City should be playing on more of a level playing field against QPR on Tuesday. And, significantly, they will be able to welcome back Matt Grimes to the side – the January signing expected to be a bolt-on starter.
It will be fascinating to see his influence in the middle of the park in what has to be a bounce back performance to get the Sky Blues back on track for their play-off push. Throw in the hopefully refreshed pair Ellis Simms and Milan van Ewijk, and chance of Ephron Mason-Clark being back on the bench and there’s plenty of reasons not to be too despondent about the blip in City’s momentum that had been building before the Leeds game.
