Cardiff City are back on their travels as they face Frank Lampard's Coventry.
The Opposition:
Coventry were the fairy tale story of the FA Cup last season, reaching the semi-finals before losing to eventual winners Manchester United. This would falter the Sky Blues' Championship run-in, with a poor end to the season seeing Mark Robins' side finish ninth.
Robins oversaw his seventh summer transfer window, bringing in Brandom Thomas-Asante from West Brom, Jack Rudoni from Huddersfield, Norman Bassette from Caen, Luis Binks from Bologna, Oliver Dovin from Hammarby and Raphael Borges Rodrigues from Macarthur. Due to a slow start to the season, Robins was dismissed and replaced by Frank Lampard.
Over the seasons, Frank Lampard's style of play has been flexible in formation choice, but in the earlier days of his managerial career, he would tend to switch between 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 formations. During his time at Derby and his first spell at Chelsea, his sides were possession-heavy and were known for fluid attacking movements.
Lampard would look to create a balance in the attacking phases and utilise the width of the pitch. There's a heavy impetuous on crosses into the box.
The Bluebirds:
Cardiff come into this one on the back of a defeat to QPR. An underwhelming performance that exposed The Bluebirds' problems. City now find themselves with one win in six, and now have the tricky task of a talented Coventry being led out by a new manager for the first time.
Riza has already hinted at a more cautious approach, whether that will withstand remains to be seen. Cardiff will have to be clinical in what is bound to be a difficult afternoon.
Team News:
Cardiff City - Anwar El Ghazi joins long-term absentees Aaron Ramsey, Isaak Davies and Kion Etete on the sidelines.
Coventry City - Jay Dasilva available for the hosts. Haji Wright, Raphael Rodrigues and Ben Wilson out for the hosts.
Preferred XI:
GK - Jak Alnwick
RWB - Perry Ng
RCB - Dimitrios Goutas
CB - Jesper Daland
LCB - Calum Chambers
LWB - Callum O'Dowda
RCM - Alex Robertson
LCM - Manolis Siopis
CAM - Rubin Colwill
RS - Callum Robinson
LS - Wilfried Kanga
Prediction:
Coventry City 3-0 Cardiff City
The script has already been written.
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