Kyle McFadzean is expecting a “tough” game against Bristol Rovers in Sky Bet League One on Saturday afternoon as the teams prepare to meet for the fourth time this season.
The Sky Blues were 2-0 winners in the reverse fixture back in August before defeating the Gas 3-0 in the Emirates FA Cup in mid-January, in a replay, after initially drawing 2-2 at the Memorial Stadium.
However, after a busy January transfer window for Rovers, the defender is expecting a slightly different proposition from the home side at the weekend and expects a tough match despite City having kept four clean sheets in a row in all competitions.
McFadzean said: “They’ve got a few new players, so I think they’ll be a little bit different, they play four at the back now instead of three, it’ll be a tough game, but if we get three points that point on Tuesday is looking even better. We’ve just got to take it one game at a time and see where it takes us.
“We’ve had some targets and we were a bit under those targets with regards to clean sheets, now we’ve had four in a row we want to keep going.
“We’ve been pretty solid from set-pieces overall, but we did concede one against Bristol Rovers and we don’t like to concede from them.
“I do enjoy playing in a back three, or a two, it’s working at the moment and it’s been really good especially with the full backs playing like wingers.
“I don’t think we’ve lost playing with three at the back, we’ve had four clean sheets in a row, sometimes it’s nice having two up front, but the players in midfield have been doing really well.
“Some of the lads have been unlucky not to be playing, they’re raring to go and we’ve got so many talented players that if you make a few changes we’re still strong which is really good.”
The 32-year-old is pleased to have recorded four shut outs in succession and admits cutting mistakes out of their game is one of the reasons the Sky Blues have been so tight at the back in recent fixtures.
“We’ve kept everything the same, sometimes you’ll go four games without conceding a goal and then you’ll give away an odd goal now and again, most of the goals we’ve conceded this season have been mistakes and I’ve made a few of them.
“Making mistakes does eat away at you, I don’t want to make mistakes, it’s just the way we play sometimes mistakes might happen, you’ve just got to forget about it and carry on and keep doing it otherwise I’m not going to play.
“The manager doesn’t just want someone to boot the ball he wants someone to try and play in the right areas and at the right time and sometimes that doesn’t happen.”
“Once you’ve made a mistake sometimes you think twice about a pass, but you’ve just got to carry on doing it and believe in what we’re doing, it’s working so why not keep doing it?”
McFadzean also touched on the departure of Sam McCallum to Premier League side Norwich City and was full of praise for the youngster who will remain on loan with the Sky Blues until the end of the season.
“It’s a well-deserved move and it’s good for both clubs, with Sam coming back here on loan, so it’s a win-win situation really.
“I’ve been really impressed with him, it’s been a good battle between him and Brandon because we’ve got two really good left-backs.
“Sam’s been really good and just grown into that position, he’s a young lad but he’s got an old head on his shoulders for a 19-year-old.
“He’s really composed and good in the air, it’s no wonder he’s got a move really, he’s a talented lad, it’s well-deserved, I’m really happy for him and I’m just not happy that he’s only with us until the end of the season.”
He also looked ahead to the FA Cup replay with Birmingham City next Tuesday and is relishing the chance of playing away to Leicester City in the next round should City see off their West Midlands rivals.
“It will be a little bit weird being in the away dressing room and wearing our away kit, but it will feel the same for us with the allocation we’ve been given.
“We’re looking forward to it because we’ve got a good chance of getting though, but more importantly we need to win on Saturday.
“If we get through, we’ve got a good tie at Leicester which is another derby, I’ve never played at Leicester so it would be nice for me and it’s good for all the fans as well.”