The £8m Coventry City question that is looming over Frank Lampard | OneFootball

Ellis Simms failed to deliver last season, and Frank Lampard will be hoping that it was just a blip for the 24-year-old

Coventry City were one of the best attacking sides last season in terms of chance creation, but underperformed their expected goals by six.

Whilst this likely wouldn't have won them the 31 extra points to go level with Leeds United and Burnley atop the Championship tree, it still provided a big frustration for plenty of Sky Blues fans.

Eyes are understandably looking at their £8 million Viktor Gyokeres replacement, Ellis Simms, to turn the page next season, after he endured a torrid year in front of goal, netting just seven times in 46 appearances in all competitions.

The former Everton man has shown that he can score at a good rate in the Championship, so there is clear potential that he could bounce back next season, but after an important play-off omission, perhaps Coventry boss Frank Lampard has already made his decision on the long-term future of Simms.

Ellis Simms must rediscover his 2023/24 goalscoring form next season

The 2024/25 campaign was a tough one in front of goal for Ellis Simms.

Despite Coventry creating the second-most big chances in the Championship alongside the second-highest total expected goals, Simms, who was their focal frontman for the majority of the season, only managed six league goals.

The Sky Blues topped the second-tier charts for big chances missed, and Simms didn't exactly help lower that tally.

The 24-year-old underperformed his own expected goals by over three across the entire campaign.

Luckily, the goals from Haji Wright and Jack Rudoni helped overshadow a disappointing year, but if Simms could have found more luck in front of goal likened to that of the previous campaign, Frank Lampard's side would have been even more dangerous going forward last term.

Simms has proven that he is a serviceable frontman with room to improve further during his two seasons at Coventry.

His debut campaign in 2023/24 started slowly, but 16 of his 19 goals in all competitions came in the latter half of the season, including two goals and an assist in their famous FA Cup quarter-final win over bitter rivals Wolves.

Whilst this season started slowly once more, Simms was unable to catch fire towards the end of the campaign, failing to score in the final 13 games of the season.

And his ineffectiveness in front of goal led Frank Lampard to make a bold choice when it came to deciding his sides for both legs of their play-off battle with Sunderland.

Play-off semi-final omission may already spell the end for Ellis Simms at Coventry City

Perhaps Frank Lampard's patience with Ellis Simms as his first-choice striker has already run thin, as the Coventry boss left the 24-year-old on the bench in both of the play-off semi-final legs against Sunderland.

These games were the most important of the club's season, and Lampard decided to start Brandon Thomas-Asante and Haji Wright in the striker position instead of Simms, which could infer a lack of trust in the 24-year-old as the starting frontman.

Now, with a full season ahead, it would be harsh for Lampard to completely omit Simms from his side, especially given that, from his expected goals tally, he knows how to get himself into goalscoring positions. Last season, it just didn't fully work out for him.

However, if Coventry were to be serious about a promotion push next season, they'll need their striker to net in the double digits.

Simms has proven he can, but if another campaign follows where he struggles in front of goal, there may be no way back for the former Everton man at the CBS Arena.