Our ‘Promoted’ series has already looked at Ipswich Town and Hull City, so let’s check out second-tier champions Coventry City, led by Frank Lampard.
They’re naturally backed for relegation, but Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers are curious about their Gameweek 2 home match against Hull.
To provide a fan’s perspective, we’ve included insights from Coventry supporter Lenny, who is a long-time user of the site.
THEIR 2025/26 PROMOTION
Football fans from the 1990s might have a soft spot for the Sky Blues. Back in the top flight for the first time since 2001, supporters have experienced some tough times during these 25 years.
And while losing in the 2024/25 playoff semi-finals hurt, the players channelled that pain into winning the latest Championship season with three matches to spare.
A goalless opener versus Hull preceded 5-3 and 7-1 wins. In the top two from Gameweek 7 onwards, they never let go, remaining unbeaten across their first dozen encounters.
Although a sticky December and January brought five defeats, Lampard’s side recovered well to then lose only one of the remaining 16.
WHAT TACTICS DO COVENTRY PLAY UNDER LAMPARD?
Above: Coventry’s XI versus Portsmouth in match 44, says Transfermarkt
“Lampard will play a 4-2-3-1. Grimes will be the quarterback and receive everything from the defence, and Rudoni (when fit) may play behind the striker. He is best when roaming but, when out of form or lacking in fitness, he drifts left. But you want him arriving late in the box.” – Lenny
Although likely to stick with 4-2-3-1, Lampard leaned towards a 4-3-3 (4-4-2 off the ball) in their final friendly versus Monaco. Each of Frank Onyeka (£5.0m), Matt Grimes (£5.0m) and Caleb Yirenkyi (£5.0m) started.
“He played with five at the back once or twice last year and, while winning games with ten minutes to go, would take off an attacker and put on Woolfenden to deal with the opposition pumping in high balls. But 4-2-3-1 is his go-to formation.” – Lenny
WHAT STYLE OF FOOTBALL DOES LAMPARD FAVOUR?
The eye test reveals that Lampard doesn’t instruct his players to exclusively be a possession team, a direct one, or an outfit that relies on transitional situations.
Indeed, they’re adaptable enough to switch between all three for whichever occasion. They can pass the ball around, go for the satisfying crossing-header combo, yet sometimes get a centre-back to play a long diagonal pass.
“His style of play is very attacking, and the aim is to give the ball to the two wingers as quickly as possible. Both full-backs go forward, and one gets into the box when the other crosses the ball. Because of this, Grimes will drop into a back three. We can’t be as attacking as last year, but we can’t sit back and let good teams punish you.
“Look at our 2023/24 FA Cup semi-final versus Manchester United: we sat back and did not play our normal game and then found ourselves 3-0 down. We then changed back to no fear and went at them and nearly pulled off a remarkable result.” – Lenny
In 2025/26, Coventry were the highest scorers in England’s four tiers (97), ranking as the Championship’s best for attempts (745) and shots on target (255). Their 29 set-piece goals averaged a high 0.63 per game.
At the back, Lampard’s lot kept six clean sheets in their first 10 outings, then just one in the following 10. However, by the end, they conceded the division’s fewest goals (45), despite being only fifth-best for expected goals conceded (xGC, 50.2).
DOES LAMPARD LIKE A SETTLED SIDE OR WILL HE ROTATE?
| Player | Primary position in 2025/26 | Starts (sub apps) |
|---|---|---|
| Carl Rushworth | GK | 46 (0) |
| Matt Grimes | CM | 46 (0) |
| Milan van Ewijk | RB | 43 (1) |
| Jay Dasilva | LB | 41 (1) |
| Liam Kitching | CB | 37 (1) |
| Ephron Mason-Clark | AM | 36 (6) |
| Bobby Thomas | CB | 33 (0) |
| Haji Wright | CF | 31 (9) |
| Tatsuhiro Sakamoto | AM | 29 (6) |
| Victor Torp | CM | 25 (14) |
| Jack Rudoni | AM | 24 (6) |
| Brandon Thomas-Asante | AM | 21 (11) |
| Josh Eccles | AM | 19 (15) |
| Ellis Simms | CF | 15 (28) |
| Joel Latibeaudiere | CB | 15 (0) |
| Frank Onyeka | DM | 13 (1) |
| Luke Woolfenden | CB | 11 (6) |
| Romain Esse* | AM | 8 (9) |
| Kaine Kesler-Hayden | RB | 5 (17) |
| Jamie Allen* | CM | 4 (19) |
| Jake Bidwell | LB | 3 (8) |
| Miguel Brau | LB | 1 (8) |
| Kai Andrews | CM | 0 (7) |
| Jahnoah Markelo* | CF | 0 (5) |
| Yang Min-hyeok* | AM | 0 (3) |
| Raphael Borges Rodrigues | AM | 0 (2) |
| Ben Sheaf* | CM | 0 (1) |
Four individuals – Grimes, Carl Rushworth (£4.5m), Milan van Ewijk (£4.0m) and Jay Dasilva (£4.0m) – started at least 41 of the 46 league games.
“He only changed players when they were injured and had a fixed XI, although with any team there would always be one or two injured. Sakamoto and Rudoni missed quite a few games and we did not have a holding midfielder until Onyeka arrived in January, so Torp and Eccles filled in.” – Lenny
HOW DOES LAMPARD HANDLE THE PRESS – AND WILL HE GIVE US HONEST TEAM NEWS?
The well-known Lampard meme has him giving a jokey ‘banter’ answer to interviewers, before turning serious for a proper one. That might be tougher to pull off when the team is in relegation form.
“Lampard is always smiling and laughing, which is what you expect from somebody who has appeared on so many TV programmes and comedy shows to be comfortable with the media. Though he is used to being in front of the media while winning, it will be interesting to see how he reacts after getting beat 5-0.” – Lenny
Unfortunately for FPL managers, he sounds rather tight-lipped when it comes to pre-match team news.
“You will never know who is injured and even after a game, when a player has not been included in the squad, he will not let you know. Right now we know Rudoni is injured but he has not told anybody about Mason-Clark or Wright. None of the three were in training, as of last Thursday. The fan forums are saying that Wright has been seen on crutches and is out until November.” – Lenny
WHICH PROMOTED PLAYERS MIGHT LOSE THEIR PLACE?
As expected for their situation, a bunch of new players have come in. There’s Yirenkyi, Gustavo Hamer (£5.5m), Loum Tchaouna (£5.5m) and Aurele Amenda (£4.0m), plus a fresh-off-the-press Taiwo Awoniyi (£5.5m) transfer that weakens the appeal of centre-forward Ellis Simms (£5.0m).
“Kitching and Dasilva will be replaced. As for Grimes, he has the best football brain in the team and rarely gives the ball away, but he lacks pace and can’t tackle. We are not going to have more than 40% of possession this year so, while I expect him to start, this could be a problem. We are looking at left-backs and a left-sided centre back – hopefully one who is quick.
“Yirenkyi should take Onyeka’s place in the side and I expect one more winger. Hamer will improve our squad but, for me, he is best where Grimes plays, and not stuck on the wing where Sheffield United played him.
“Lastly, I think a striker is needed. Knowing what a 15-goal-a-season forward will cost, I think they will be looking at the loan market.” – Lenny
FPL PLAYERS TO CONSIDER
Safer picks include Rushworth, van Ewijk and Bobby Thomas (£4.0m) at the back. That’s ideal for Gameweek 2 against Hull, whether using a Bench Boost chip or not.
Further up, it’s harder to say who is nailed-on – especially when Haji Wright (£5.5m), Jack Rudoni (£5.0m) and Ephron Mason-Clark (£5.5m) are initial injury doubts.
“Van Ewijk for attacking returns. I think we will score some goals from his throw ins but, for someone with so much pace, his crossing lets him down. Thomas for defensive contribution (DefCon) points and the odd goal, but clean sheers are not going to come easy.
“If you look at last season then non fans will be looking at Torp and Thomas-Asante but we have strengthened in midfield and they will be further down the pecking list.
“I would probably go for van Ewijk against Hull, as I don’t think DefCon points will come into it and I expect Hull to sit deep like they did last year.” – Lenny
