* EFL Championship: Foxes v Sky blues. 12 seasons. 24 miles. KO 12:00 *

r00fie1

r00fie1

Well-known member
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Twelve seasons, 24 miles and the M69 separate Leicester from Coventry. Over the last twelve seasons - the Sky blues have been to hell and back: different owners, losing their stadium, sharing St Andrews with Birmingham City, Six Fields with Northampton Town and returning to sharing at home with a once senior Rugby Union club. They`ve had no money for investment and a group of players only held together by the desire to play football. Mark Robins has done a superb job and as we know, Cov were within a penalty kick of joining the Premier League last season.

The Foxes have had an incredible journey during that time: a Championship promotion team built from players who cost very little. Vardy was the most expense at almost £1M to form the nucleus. It was Nigel Pearson who laid the foundations for the team which won the Premier League title in 2016. City have also won the FA Cup and been in the group stages of the Champions League.

But none of that counts today: some of the big players have departed whilst others contracts had run down. It will be a different feel around the King Power today. the pitch is pristine and the facilities are those of the Premiership. But Coventry are a team of battlers. They wont show any respect for either the pitch or their opponents. Its a learning curve - more for the Foxes.

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Vardy is now in his thirties and hasnt got that trade-mark pace which put him on the map. But he has a vital part to play this season. He may be playing deeper, but he stil has an eye for goal.

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(y)
 
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I must say that Leicester side is weak looking on paper compared to the side Southampton put out. Meanwhile Coventry look very strong in paper again they've done brilliant recruitment. Shame we never spent the Tavernier and Spence money as well. We wasted it all on loans who are no longer with us
 
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Andy Turner from Coventry Live believes there is excitement in the opposition camp ahead of Leicester City’s first game of the 2023/24 Championship season at King Power Stadium this Sunday.

The new Championship season dawns for the Foxes this weekend, who face local rivals Coventry at King Power Stadium, and reporter Turner has given an insight into the mood of the Sky Blues, stating that there is belief, following play-off heartbreak at Wembley last season.

“Coventry fans are, rightfully, excited about the upcoming season,” the journalist opened with. “There’s been a summer re-build with quite a few changes, and they’ve lost a lot of players. Twelve have left and nine have come in.

“There’s still some work to do in terms of recruitment, and it’s been happening quite late in the summer – probably later than the manager would’ve hoped.

“We only had two new players involved in our pre-season tour; a time that the manager wants to get to know his new players, and even heading into this weekend, there’s a few who have only played around 35 minutes, and a couple who haven’t featured at all.”

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Probably the most high-profile piece of transfer business from Sunday’s opponents has been the departure of Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres, who netted 21 times during last year’s campaign.

But despite losing their star man up front, the Coventry Live reporter claims there is belief in the team, who are funded by an owner keen to repeat last season’s accomplishments with a happier outcome.

Turner added: “It is going to be a work in progress, but there is genuine excitement, because even though they’ve lost Gyökeres, who’s gone to Sporting Lisbon, we have still spent money, and a significant amount of money, for the first time in many years.

“The new owner is investing in the squad, and there is a belief that the club are trying to progress and become a side that can push for play-offs, and even hopefully promotion.
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It’s a dream fixture to start with for the Sky Blues.
Andy Turner Coventry Live ​
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“Coventry are usually slow burners anyway, and they started last season very slowly, and were bottom of the league come mid-October, and we still finished at Wembley, so the team showed that they can recover.

“The fans are optimistic that they can have a good season and potentially push for the play-offs, whether the momentum is there or not, I’m not sure, as there could be seven, eight or even nine new players come Sunday.

“Any sort of momentum from the players that got them there last season could’ve dissipated I would’ve thought, but there’s certainly a feel good factor, and the new players will be aware of that, and will be hoping to drive the club forwards.”

Amid their outgoings, the Sky Blues have reinforced their ranks by bringing in an abundance of players, including American striker Haji Wright from Antalyaspor, who joins a new strike force with ex-Everton forward Ellis Simms, who signed for the Midlands club on a permanent deal this summer.

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But Turner believes the biggest news so far is the fact that midfielder Gustavo Hamer is still wearing a Coventry shirt, sharing his admiration for the player, who is currently attracting interest from numerous clubs including Leeds United.

He continued: “They’ve just signed USA international, Wright, who is such an exciting player and he’s come over from Turkey – they paid a lot of money for him, over £7M, so there’s promise there. As well as Simms, who joined from Everton.

“If Hamer is still at the club, he’ll start and be the dangerman for sure. He is a cut-above in this division. He was labelled as one of the best midfielders in the Championship last season, and I have to agree.

“I haven’t seen a Coventry player in a long time who is as dynamic as he is. He can play every role in midfield and in any given game, he fulfils his role and operates all over the pitch.

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“He can defend, he can pass, he can create goals and score goals. He’s a real talismanic figure and a joy to watch. He’s very influential for us so he’ll be the main man to watch.”

Sunday’s match will be the first M69 derby to take place in over a decade, and even though Coventry fans will head into the game as the underdog, Turner claims that there is no one else that they’d rather face in the opener.

“Being a local rival, it’ll add spice to the game for sure,” the reporter continued. “Coventry have lacked a real rivalry for quite some time, I don’t think they’ve played at Leicester for 11 years. They don’t have a good record at Leicester, but it’s one that the fans were hoping for.

“It’s a dream fixture to start with for the Sky Blues, and they’ve sold out their allocation so the fans will be in fine voice, but it will be a tough game, and we know that.”
www.lcfc.com

‘Optimism Ahead Of The Opener’ – The Word On Coventry City

Andy Turner from Coventry Live believes there is excitement in the opposition camp ahead of Leicester City’s first game of the 2023/24 Championship season at King Power Stadium this Sunday.
www.lcfc.com www.lcfc.com
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Last Time Out:

Foxes last met the Sky Blues in either a cup or league game back in the 2011/12 season on 3rd March at the King Power Stadium.

The Foxes won 2-0. Beckford and Nugent on the scoresheet.

Sol Bamba was on the bench that day for the Foxes.
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Must admit I didn't realise this was a derby! My geography of the Midlands patchy at best.

That Leicester should have enough for promotion but may have some outgoings yet? Think Cov will regress this season.
 
changingman said:
Must admit I didn't realise this was a derby! My geography of the Midlands patchy at best.

That Leicester should have enough for promotion but may have some outgoings yet? Think Cov will regress this season.
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Half that side are from the Prem and there`s still a good few on the bench. Foxes sold Maddison for £46M to Spurs and Harvey Barnes to the Toon for £44M. Harry Winks from Spurs and Connor Coady from Wolves cost a combined £20M. Altogether, the value of those who left City was £149,000,000. The value of all their arrivals was £47.5M

Altogether, the estimated market value of the club is almost £293M. Some BIG numbers there. Puts our club into perspective. (y)
 
Matt Piper on BBC Leicester commenting how it feels "strange" not having VAR to challenge decisions.
Sounds like Cov are playing a holding defensive game.
Just waiting for Foxes to push up high and leave spaces open for Cov attack.
Leicester will have to learn what the Championship is all about.
Perhaps Jamie Vardy will have a role to play with the kids.....
 
I think both these teams look pretty decent right now. Leicester might still lose a few players though, and hopefully Coventry will lose Hamer.
 
TheYorkshireTerrier said:
Coventry look good when they’re on the ball and without it.

I’m not sure Simms will replace the goals they’ve lost though.
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Cov need a bit of time to bed in and settle down. Simms is a good player but Gyokeres is some asset to replace. Dont think it will be the same story this season for Cov, but Robbins is one shrewd gaffa. (y) [Not as good as Carrick though!]
 
Leicester look absolutely shocking at the back. Feels like every time Cov go forward they're cutting through them with ease.
 
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