The Sky Blues return to the Coventry Building Society Arena this weekend, as they take on Russell Martin’s Swansea City side in Championship action.
Last time City were at home was before the World Cup break, when they beat Queens Park Rangers 2-0 in the middle of November.
A chance to play in front of the Sky Blue Army again is one City boss Mark Robins and his side are looking forward to, as they begin their festive run of fixtures before New Year.
Swansea are the opponents this weekend, as they head into the fixture a point above the Sky Blues in the league, having played two games more.
Robins is aware of the threat the Swans possess and is expecting a difficult challenge this weekend.
The weather disrupting preparations…
“It’s been frustrating to say the least. We managed to get some training on Tuesday, but today we won’t be able to and yesterday we weren’t either.
“We will be training indoors, which isn’t ideal, but we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do.
“Ideally, we would have liked a full training week this week, but it hasn’t happened, but the players are in decent shape and good nick and they will be looking forward to the game.”
Returning to the Arena…
“It’s always good to be back, I’m looking forward to it and the players are.
“It’s a really good game against a good opponent and I like the way they do things. Russell Martin is a good coach who is making an impact in the game at the clubs he’s been at.
“They play an attractive style of football which is possession based and they are by far and away the team with the most possession in the division.
“You can except we will be without the ball for periods of the game but hopefully when we get the ball back, we can hurt them.”
Playing Swansea this weekend…
“They played last week against a really good Norwich team, and they ran them close, and they had plenty of chances and they moved the ball really well.
“It will be an interesting game, but it’s one I know we can do some damage. Last season when we played them, we didn’t start the game quickly enough and from that point of view you give them the impotence and Norwich got at them last week and they gained the initiative taking the lead early on.
“They don’t stop doing what they are doing, and they get into spaces and try and pin you deep and they try and get the ball high up the field because that’s where they’re most comfortable and that’s where they want you and we have to try do things to counter that.
“They’ve got good players. Joel Piroe is a really good striker who drops into spaces well and when he gets the chances to shoot, he does and hits the target a lot.
“Matt Grimes in the middle with Jay Fulton they have forged a good partnership and they have some good attacking players, and they will always try and play and move you around and we have to try and limit the opportunities they get.”
Matty Godden injury update…
“He’s walking around without a boot on so the meeting with the specialist went according to plan and he has to work really hard now.
“He’s one of the first in every day and with the boot being off he has that mobility back now and he can start to rebuild that calf muscle and the muscle around the ankle, and it won’t be long before he’s back on the grass and when that happens, he won’t be too far away.”
Update on Tyler Walker, Kyle McFadzean and Fankaty Dabo…
“It’s as you were with Tyler and with Fadz, it will be what it will be.
“We’re looking to see if we can get Fadz to a stage where he can move freely, but at the moment he’s still tentatively putting his foot down, but he’s still on crutches even though he’s out of the boot and he’s had an injection and he has another one next week.
“Fanky wasn’t ready last week, and we have to get to a point where we’re happy with the work he has completed before he can join back in and as soon as that happens, he can be part of things again.”