Coventry City’s 25-year wait results in poor start despite £130 million spend | OneFootball

The promise of a sunlit summer, backed by an investment of around £130 million in the transfer market, has turned out to be little more than an illusion so for. A bleak start to the season has brought a harsh dose of reality for the Sky Blues.

Managed by Frank Lampard, Coventry have lost each of their first four games on their return to the Premier League after 25 years away, and they have yet to score.

In the more than century-long history of the English top flight, the Sky Blues are only the fifth side to lose their opening four matches without scoring, after Derby County (1899/1900), Stoke City (1906/07), Preston North End (1924/25) and Crystal Palace (2017/18). Stoke and Preston were both ultimately relegated.

Last weekend, a 5-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion completed Coventry’s miserable run, following losses to Arsenal (3-0), Hull City and Manchester City (both 1-0). It has been a deeply unpromising start for Frank Lampard’s side.

Relegated in 2001 with just eight wins from 38 matches, Coventry waited 25 years to return to the elite of English football. In that time, they fell as low as League Two before rising again after Doug King took control as the new owner.

Ambitious in his approach, King opened the chequebook to help the Sky Blues back to the Premier League: around £130 million has been invested in building the squad.

Alongside the £22 million, potentially rising to £30 million, spent to keep goalkeeper Carl Rushworth at the club, Coventry also made major signings including the Frenchmen Sidiki Chérif and Loum Tchaouna, Ghanaian Caleb Yirenkyi and Swiss defender Aurèle Amenda.

Frank Lampard, who worked with a 'compact' squad in the Championship, needed greater depth for life in the top flight. But the team still has not clicked on the pitch.

This season marks Coventry’s worst start since 1919/20, when the team lost its first nine games in Division Two. That was the Sky Blues’ first professional season, and they did not win their first match until round 20.

The poor start raises a major warning sign, especially as only one club since the Premier League was founded in 1992 has avoided relegation after losing its first four matches: Southampton in 2012/13.

“We are not feeling sorry for ourselves. [The players] have to keep working and working. I’ve been in this situation many, many times,” said manager Frank Lampard.

The Carabao Cup will provide a distraction midweek with Aston Villa coming to town but this weekend's trip away to Nottingham Forest represents a chance get a first Premier League goal and, crucially, point of the season.