Frank Lampard joined Coventry City on the 28th November 2024 after the dismissal of Mark Robins three weeks prior, who oversaw the Sky Blues for almost eight years.
It came as a shock to many people across the EFL, not just Coventry fans; and while the appointment of Frank Lampard may have raised eyebrows for some, he really has got the Sky Blues ticking, playing some really attractive football as of late.
Lampard’s first game in-charge was at home to Cardiff City on the 30th November 2024, which ended in a 2-2 draw which saw Coventry dominate the attacking play with a 2.69 xg (expected goals), but struggled defensively.
His first win came the next week away at the Den, when his side defeated Millwall 1-0, thanks to a Mason-Clark tap-in.
The former Derby and Chelsea gaffer chose to transition to his favoured 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 since his appointment on the 28th November, but decided to change after a run of draws and a few defeats in-between, including a heavy 4-1 defeat away to Portsmouth.
Enough was enough for Frank Lampard when his side crumbled from two defensive errors in the final five minutes away to Norwich threw away his side’s 1-0 advantage and eventually lost the game 2-1.
Round 3 of the FA Cup beckoned for Coventry City as they faced Sheffield Wednesday; fans may have been surprised to see the names on the team-sheet wondering about the set-up.
This game was the beginning of Frank Lampard’s Coventry revival. He chose to line-up in a 3-1-4-2 formation, where his side looked a lot more controlled over the course of the game, however one issue still remained as another defensive error cost the Sky Blues a guaranteed entry to the next round, taking them all the way to penalties, where Coventry eventually prevailed.
After this game, Lampard went on to win four in a row, including an away win at Swansea City, which was Coventry’s first win in Wales against Swansea since the 21st of January 1950.
His next two games proved to be challenging, as they faced top of the table Leeds United at home, losing that 2-0, before another miserable home defeat, this time against Ipswich, 4-1 seeing last year’s FA Cup Semi-Finalists bow out in Round 4.
Lampard managed to regroup some momentum with two wins in tandem, a 1-0 home win vs QPR and a 2-1 away win against Danny Rohl and his Sheffield Wednesday side.
Now, you still may be wondering what all this means towards the Lampard effect; but quite simply, he has taken the Sky Blues from 17th place just two points clear of the relegation zone, to 7th, just one point off the play-off places.
However, as much as management is about results, the overall performance levels have risen since his appointment, and in recent weeks, Ellis Simms, who Lampard worked with at Everton, has turned into a real goal-threat, scoring four in his last five league games.
When Lampard joined, Coventry were under threat of potential relegation, now they are fighting for the playoffs and he has helped players find their feet and managed to motivate some good performances out of what was a struggling side.
So, by now, it should be clear to see what the Lampard effect is; flexibility and being able to motivate his players has led them to challenge for a way to the pinnacle of English football, the Premier League. That is the Frank Lampard effect.
Excellent piece Edward #pusb