Two points dropped at Oxford - Lampard published at 18:32 BST 30 August
18:32 BST 30 August
Image source, Rex Features
Image caption,
Coventry are the top scorers in the Championship with 14 goals in four games
Coventry City manager Frank Lampard admits his overriding emotion was disappointment after his side were held to a 2-2 draw at Oxford United.
The Sky Blues twice led, but could not go on to secure a third successive Championship win.
Victory would have taken them second, but they sit fifth after Cameron Brannagan's second half free-kick salvaged a first point of the season for the Us.
"I'm disappointed to drop points," Lampard told BBC Radio CWR.
"They made the second half difficult for us without doubt, but the first half was probably as good as you can play without being two, three, four up. Our play was brilliant.
"The second half was different, fair play to them. They put it behind us, were more direct, opened the game up and we couldn't quite wrestle it back and never got that control again.
"Then we had that massive chance at the end so for sure, we're disappointed to have dropped two points."
Lampard 'happy' with feeling around Coventrypublished at 13:34 BST 29 August
13:34 BST 29 August
Media caption,
Lampard ahead of Oxford United
Coventry City manager Frank Lampard says he is "happy" with his team's league performances and the feeling around the club, despite losing to Millwall in the second round of the EFL Cup.
The Sky Blues lost 2-1 to Millwall in Tuesday's cup game after a late penalty converted by Haji Wright wasn't enough to see them take the game to a penalty shootout.
Coventry are unbeaten in the league after winning two and drawing one of their opening three fixtures and visit Oxford on Saturday.
"Millwall was a game we never want to lose," Lampard told BBC Radio CWR. "We made a lot of changes which was important to do for different reasons, and it was a shame to lose it but we have to get straight back in to the mindset of the league and going into the international break.
"It is going to be a very tough match, and we felt that at Oxford last season.
"I'm happy with the league, other than the Hull game which we drew, which we probably should of won, but we probably weren't out at 100% - which can happen.
"Since then I have been happy with performance, with the attitude of the players and the feeling around the place.
"It is just the start, once we get through this game that is the first tiny block of the season done. I'm happy with what the players have put in, but it is always about the next game and not relying on things that have happened.
"At this point we are in a good place but we must stay on guard, as we need to stay motivated for every single game."
Coventry are the highest scorers in the division with 12 goals from their three games following a 5-3 win at Derby and 7-1 thumping of QPR last weekend.
"It is crucial to win football matches," added Lampard. "Scoring goals is great for the feeling in the game, like when we scored early against QPR and then we went on to score again - that feeling is great, but that won't always be the case."
Oxford United have won just four of their 13 EFL games against Coventry City (D1 L8), though three of those victories have come on home soil.
Coventry City have won their past two league games against Oxford United, and will be looking to win three in succession in the EFL for the first time.
Oxford have averaged just 35% of possession across their opening three Championship matches so far this season – the lowest share of any side in the competition.
As well as scoring the most goals in the Championship so far this season (12), Coventry also top the charts for most shots (57), most shots on target (21) and most touches inside the opposition's penalty area (114). Across England's top four tiers this season, Coventry's Milan van Ewijk has provided the most assists amongst defenders (3), whilst he's now recorded five across his last five appearances for the Sky Blues, including last season's play-offs.
Set-piece issues an 'easy fix' - Bidwellpublished at 13:13 BST 28 August
13:13 BST 28 August
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Jake Bidwell joined Coventry City from Swansea City in January 2022
Coventry City captain Jake Bidwell says the reasons behind the team's first loss of the season are "easily preventable" and should be a relatively easy fix.
If there has been a weakness, it has been from set-pieces and both of Millwall's goals at The Den resulted from corners.
Failing to dealt sufficiently with long throw-ins and free-kicks have also led to the Sky Blues conceding this season.
"It's not the first time it's happened this season [conceding from a set-piece] so it's something to work on," Bidwell told BBC CWR. "But it's easily preventable from our point of view.
"Obviously you don't want to do it but it should be an easier fix than if a team's getting ripped apart every two minutes and you're thinking, 'I'm not really sure what to do here'.
"You can pinpoint it and we need to get better at it otherwise we'll lose more games than we should."
Defender Bidwell says improving their record in that area is not simply down to working on specialised drills in training - players needs the right attitude.
"It's starts with desire to do your job in the box, there is an understanding of different set-ups and different roles but we're all aware of it and its something that needs to stop pretty quickly," he added.
Coventry travel to Oxford United on Saturday in the Championship.
Lampard demands Coventry brush off first defeatpublished at 10:16 BST 27 August
10:16 BST 27 August
Image source, Getty Images
Frank Lampard wants his Coventry City side to find their flow again immediately after suffering their first defeat of the season.
Free-scoring Coventry, who have netted 12 goals in their last two Championship games, were beaten 2-1 by Millwall in the EFL Cup on Tuesday evening.
Lampard, who made eight changes to his team for the second round tie, says the Sky Blues cannot allow the loss to linger.
"We've had a good start in the league and we need to carry that on. This can't break the rhythm - I've said it to the players. We have to get back to where we were before this game," the Coventry manager told BBC CWR.
"We made changes because we have to because we don't have a big, big squad. We're early in the season and we have to be careful at this stage with the players to be able to play three games in a week.
"Maybe that's some part of why the performance looked like it did. That's for us to digest a little bit.
"We need to improve on that front. If players come in they have to keep the level and we didn't quite do that.
"Yes, we can make the excuse of changing the team but the game has now gone and we have to move back on to the league."
On Saturday, third-placed Coventry travel to Oxford United who are still looking for their first point of the season.
Using my celebration a nice touch - Jorgensenpublished at 12:31 BST 26 August
12:31 BST 26 August
Media caption,
Claus Jorgenson reacts to CCFC goal celebration
20 August 2005. Coventry City midfielder Claus Jorgensen scores the first goal at the newly opened Coventry Building Society Arena to put his side 1-0 up against Queens Park Rangers.
He celebrates with a bouncy, loping skip towards the corner flag.
23 August 2025. Coventry City's Haji Wright and Viktor Torp each score a double in the 7-1 demolishing of Queens Park Rangers as the club celebrates ending the 20-year wait to call the CBS Arena home.
They celebrate by skipping toward the jubilant fans inside the arena in homage to Jorgensen.
Doug King has brought the stadium and the football club under the same ownership and that should secure the future of each, for the benefit of existing fans and those in the years to come.
The dark days of ground-sharing at Northampton and Birmingham, and being beholden to the likes of Wasps Rugby, are finally consigned to history.
The city now has what the arena was built for in the first place - a stadium for The Sky Blues to call "home" at long, long last.
Lampard savours Coventry's 'great day'published at 18:52 BST 23 August
18:52 BST 23 August
Media caption,
Lampard post QPR win
Frank Lampard praised his Coventry City players after they hammered QPR 7-1 on a momentous day for the club.
The stunning victory came hours after City announced they had completed the purchase of their stadium, the Coventry Building Society Arena, describing it as a "pivotal moment" in their history.
"It's a great day. This club has a great history and tradition and been through so many things. To make this feel our home is really special," Sky Blues boss Lampard told BC CWR.
"I'm delighted for everybody. We have this officially as our home. Then the onus was on us to put in a performance and the boys certainly did that - from the first minute.
"It was a performance of quality, mentality and attitude. They were at it in every single way.
"We want to take the template of today. We won't always play with so many great things but we must always have the attitude and mentality we had today."
'Consistency is tough' - Lampard on extending good startpublished at 14:48 BST 22 August
14:48 BST 22 August
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Coventry are fifth in the Championship
Coventry City manager Frank Lampard says it is difficult to find consistency because of the quality in the Championship.
The Sky Blues have made an unbeaten start to the season, winning one and drawing one of their opening two games.
But Lampard is wary of over confidence ahead of Saturday's game with Queens Park Rangers.
"Consistency is tough to find for a lot of teams," Lampard told BBC CWR.
"Some of that is credit to opponents. There are a lot of different styles in this league. You always come up against different challenges week to week, that is why we don't lean too much from last week."
Meanwhile, QPR are winless so far this term but Lampard has noticed a change in the club after Julien Stephan replaced Marti Cifuentes.
"QPR are a different team with a new manager, quite intense, some different players from last year. It is important we do our job.
"We have to prepare for the best version of them. It is a focus on us; if we are at our best, we back ourselves."
Pick of the stats: Coventry City v Queens Park Rangerspublished at 12:02 BST 22 August
12:02 BST 22 August
Coventry City will aim to maintain their unbeaten start to the Championship season when they take on Queens Park Rangers on Saturday (15:00 BST), having begun with a 0-0 draw with Hull City and a 5-3 win at Derby County.
QPR will look to build on a draw and a loss in their opening two Championship fixtures as manager Julien Stephan's side remains "under construction".
Coventry City have won four of their last six league games against QPR (D1 L1), as many as in their prior 13 encounters.
QPR have lost five of their last eight away league games against Coventry City (W3), doing so 1-0 in last season's meeting.
Remaining unbeaten in the Championship so far this season (W1 D1), Coventry City will look to go unbeaten across their opening three games of a league season for the first time since 2019-20.
QPR have lost seven of their last 10 away league games (W3), while in 2025, only three sides have lost more Championship games than their 11.
Coventry City have recorded more touches in the opposition's box than any other side in the Championship this season (73), are second for non-penalty expected goals (3.9) and third for possession won in the final third (10).
Gossip: Town snub Sky Blues approach for Woolfendenpublished at 11:02 BST 21 August
11:02 BST 21 August
Coventry have seen a bid for Ipswich defender Luke Woolfenden rejected, with the Tractor Boys keen to keep the 26-year-old at Portman Road. (Sky Sports, external)
Coventry belief key to win at Derby - Torppublished at 10:13 BST 18 August
10:13 BST 18 August
Media caption,
Victor Torp following Derby County win
Belief was key to Coventry City's victory at Derby County on Saturday, says midfielder Victor Torp.
The Sky Blues came from 3-2 down to win 5-3 at Pride Park and record their first Championship victory of the season.
"It was a crazy game - throughout the game we had a feeling we could win, in the dressing room at half-time at 2-2, and we believed if we did well we could win it," Torp told BBC Radio CWR.
"We were really good winning second balls and we scored five goals which should be enough to win and it was - (scoring) five goals isn't something which happens in every game so we should enjoy that."
The 26-year-old Dane scored his first goal of the season after latching on to a Milan van Ewijk pass to notch Coventry's fifth of the afternoon and is pleased with their unbeaten start to the campaign.
"It's a decent start - we go into every game with a mindset we want to win but with the first game (a 0-0 home draw with Hull City), if you can't win then don't lose and we put in a good performance here."
Coventry are next in Championship action at home to QPR on Saturday, 23 August (15:00 BST)