“Needs addressing” – Coventry City and Mark Robins given clear message on area for improvement
FLW’s Coventry City fan pundit Neil Littlewood believes that for the club to mount a promotion challenge next season, several key areas need addressing: improving squad depth, securing a new first-choice goalkeeper, arranging a more rigorous pre-season schedule, and most importantly, making a stronger start to the campaign.
Neil expressed his views, stating, “I think there are a few areas that require attention. We need to tackle our lack of depth in the squad. There have been instances this season, like when Sakamoto was injured, where we struggled to find suitable replacements.”
He highlighted the impact of bench strength, noting, “Opposing teams often made substitutions that elevated their performance, while we couldn’t match that level, which ultimately cost us.”
Reflecting on the team’s fatigue, Neil pointed out, “The cup run left us exhausted, evident when we faced Hull just three days later, with eight players from the Wembley game still starting. More depth and quality would have allowed for rotation, reducing mistakes.”
Neil emphasized the necessity of a new first-choice goalkeeper, but stressed, “Above all, we need to improve our pre-season and start to the season.”
He critiqued the previous pre-season opponents and advocated for more challenging matches against top-quality teams. Neil welcomed rumors of a match against Everton, viewing it as a significant test.
Neil stressed, “We can’t afford another slow start and late push towards the playoffs. With a strong core squad and some quality additions, we should aim for automatic promotion or a top-four finish.”
He concluded, “I want us to comfortably secure our postseason spot by April, rather than wondering if it’s still possible. We’re capable of more, and next season, we need to demonstrate that.”
