Sky Blues earn their (short) break

Coventry City's extra-time Carling Cup defeat by Newcastle United at least gives the Sky Blues a free midweek ahead of more tough Championship fixtures beginning at Blackpool next weekend.

There's still plenty to work on for Chris Coleman of course but staying unbeaten over the past seven days was a good achievement and whatever criticism could be levelled at City, lack of commitment is not one.

Every player involved against Preston, Sheffield United and QPR gave it absolutely everything and those involved in all three looked on their last legs in the second-half on Saturday.

'We have got five points from the last three games against teams who have been doing very well in this league,' Coleman told the Coventry Telegraph after the narrow win over QPR.

'We could have beaten Preston, we should have beaten Sheffield United and we won on Saturday and have kept two clean sheets out of three.

'In my short experience as a manager in this league you have to be hard to beat and we have played seven games and got three clean sheets. We have played four games here at home and got three clean sheets so we are hard to beat.

'There is a long way to go but if we emulate what we have done in the last seven in the next seven, we will be progressing the right way.'

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