Frank Lampard identifies Coventry City's 'positive bounce' ahead of QPR test
Matt Grimes is expected to be handed his full debut on Tuesday night when Coventry City face Queens Park Rangers at the CBS Arena.
The Sky Blues get back to Championship action after their 4-1 defeat to Premier League Ipswich Town in the FA Cup at the weekend when Grimes had to sit out due to being cup-tied. The match came hot on the heels of a bruising 2-0 home loss to league leaders Leeds United, during which the January signing went on from the bench for the remaining 30 minutes.
During that time, however, the 29-year-old gave a glimpse of the quality he’ll add to the side and the former Swansea skipper will clearly help Frank Lampard’s men get back to winning ways with his ability to control the midfield. The head coach is confident Grimes’ move to Coventry will be a seamless transition for the player, revealing he’s quickly fitted in at Ryton.
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“He’s settled in really well,” said the City boss, who knows from personal experience that a change of club doesn’t always run smoothly.
“It is difficult. I remember doing it at the back end of my career, going to Man City and I was 35/36 and I found it challenging in a new dressing room in those early days. But the beauty of Matt is probably, A; he knows some players and has played with them and has some friends in the group already, and B; he’s a very chatty and amiable character and he’s integrated straight away.
“He’s easy to talk to and he’s come here with a really positive bounce; says the right things, wants to come here and be part of something. So that’s been really good, which has made it a really easy settling in process, and I think he already feels very comfortable, I hope.”
Grimes played with both Jake Bidwell and Joel Latibeaudiere at Swansea, as well as free agent Jamie Paterson who is currently training with the Sky Blues while hoping to earn a contract until the end of the season.
Asked about Grimes’ influence on the training pitch and if the Sky Blues squad has been boosted by having such a good player come into the group, Lampard said: “Yes, and I think it lifts the level of training because people rise to that. Again, I remember that feeling and that’s important that it rises competition.
"There will be some players that also need to take that as competition, in a good way, not a bad way. It’s a case of we want to improve and that means we want to add good players which means the stresses and pressures to try and get in the team can be more in that area of the pitch. That’s a good thing that players have to take positively as well.”
