City boss Steven Pressley has praised the squad's fitness levels after a long pre-season week...
Coventry City manager Steven Pressley believes his City squad are ready to attack the 2013/14 League One season despite the 1-0 defeat against Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium.
Despite the Sky Blues controlling much of the game, it was James Constable's low strike 20 seconds into the second half which separated the two sides.
Leon Clarke and Franck Moussa had some of City's best chances and Pressley says he has been encouraged by the way City have played during pre-season.
The City boss said: "I have been really pleased with the way the pre-season has gone as I believe the squad is in good shape to attack next season.
"It was frustrating for the players today as we created several opportunities but lacked the finishing needed in the final third.
"We have scored plenty of goals in pre-season though so it doesn't worry me. We won last night and we mixed the teams up again today and had a positive performance.
"But all-in-all, I have been really pleased with how the squad has come through pre-season. We thought at this time we would have more players in but it wasn't meant to be so we have found solutions during this week."
Pressley's side won two out of the four games this week which has seen the squad travel to Cheltenham, Fleetwood, Mansfield and Oxford.
He continued: "We have had to play a lot of young players this week and throughout pre-season and that has been a real positive.
"Academy players have come in and taken the chance well. The fitness levels in the squad are excellent which we saw today as everyone played the 90 minutes and were still going until the final whistle.
"I am really pleased with the progress I have seen from the side and I believe we are ready to get off to a good start next Saturday."