Coventry City owner Doug King urged to fix 'major' Frank Lampard issue in January - 'stadium can't put on a pair of boots' | OneFootball

FLW's Coventry City fan pundit believes a lack of squad depth could be costly to Frank Lampard's side in their pursuit of promotion.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

It has been an outstanding start to the season for Coventry City in the Championship, but there is one issue that could hold them back in their pursuit of promotion to the Premier League.

Coventry have typically been slow starters in recent years, but they have had no such problems this time around, with Frank Lampard's men showing no hangover from their play-off semi-final defeat to Sunderland last season to emerge as one of the early pacesetters in the second tier.

It was a relatively quiet summer transfer window for the Sky Blues with only four new signings arriving at the CBS Arena in Carl Rushworth, Kaine Kesler-Hayden, Luke Woolfenden and Miguel Angel Brau respectively, as Lampard largely kept faith with the squad that achieved a fifth-placed finish last season.

However, despite the limited incomings, there were a few high-profile exits in the summer, with Luis Binks and Ben Sheaf departing permanently, while the likes of Brad Collins, Raphael Borges Rodrigues and Norman Bassette were among those to leave on loan.

After the closure of the transfer window, owner Doug King insisted that Coventry had a "really high-quality" squad, and while he admitted that it was "maybe a little bit thin", he claimed that having a smaller group was a positive as it "keeps people focused".

Lampard has also commented on the Sky Blues' lack of depth, conceding that "we are at the leaner end of a squad", but like King, he suggested it could work in his side's favour as "everyone’s here to be involved and to impact and have their part in it".

When asked which one issue at the club concerns him the most currently, Football League World's Coventry City fan pundit, Chris Deez, admitted that he is worried about the size of the Sky Blues' squad, and he urged King to bring in more depth and quality in the January transfer window.

"I think the only major concern that I have is that we have an incredibly thin squad," Chris told FLW.

"Don't get me wrong, we have a competent bench, but in terms of like-for-like quality, we just simply don't have it. I don't understand how any Coventry fan could be deluded enough to say we do.

"Look at every single player in our starting lineup, then look to the bench and try to tell me, hand on heart, that we've got like-for-like quality.

"I think the closest thing we've got is Kaine Kesler-Hayden at right-back, and I know we've not seen loads from him, but he's not at Milan van Ewijk's level, he's just not.

"But he's the closest thing we've got to like-for-like quality. With Jack Rudoni, he's spent the last few weeks injured, and we don't know if he's going to be back in the next few weeks either, Lampard doesn't seem particularly hopeful.

"We've coped well enough, but if he gets a long-term injury, we have not got an attacking midfielder or a playmaker who is going to chip in with 20+ goals and assists like he did last season.

"Ellis Simms has popped up with the occasional goal here and there over the last month or so, but he isn't like-for-like quality to replace Haji Wright if he gets a long-term injury.

"We absolutely need to strengthen in January. It's not a case of needing to bring players in to challenge for a place in the starting line-up, we just need good quality, experienced options off the bench, it's that simple.

"Buying the stadium in the summer was absolutely incredible, but the stadium can't jump in if Rudoni gets injured, the stadium can't put on a pair of boots and score 20 goals if Wright gets injured.

"I was screaming all summer for us to sign Oli McBurnie, and I was told that I was crazy and that he was injury-prone and on too much money.

"Look at what he's doing in a not particularly good Hull team. I love Jamie Allen, don't get me wrong, but it scares me that he is our best midfield option off the bench.

"I was absolutely fine with us letting go of Ben Sheaf. You can't turn down £6.5 million for a player who is always injured.

"We absolutely need to go out and get a free agent, spend a couple of million, or bring in a loan player. I don't care what it is, but we just need a bit of depth and quality depth."

Frank Lampard will have mixed emotions about Coventry City squad depth issue

Having only brought in four new signings this summer while letting a number of senior players depart, there is no doubt that Coventry are light in certain areas of the squad, and they look particularly thin on the ground in central midfield, out wide and up front.

It is difficult to disagree with Chris that the Sky Blues' small squad could be a problem this season, particularly if they were to pick up injuries and suspensions ahead of the busy winter period.

And with Lampard's men looking likely to be in promotion contention come the turn of the year, King should look to add more depth in January, as the last thing anyone connected with the football club will want to see is a promotion campaign derailed due to injuries and suspensions ravaging a thin playing squad.

However, it seems Lampard is happy to work with a slimmed-down squad rather than having to leave players sitting in the stands, and with a clear team spirit and togetherness at the club, he will be reluctant to disrupt that too much when the winter window opens.

But, he will surely be looking for ways to strengthen in the winter window, especially if the Premier League is within reach heading into the final few months of the season.

If that is to be the case, there surely won't be a shortage of players keen to sign on at the CBS Arena, as the Sky Blues are evidently one of the most talented and exciting teams in the Championship this term.