Sky Blues versus Hornets: similar struggles

Coventry City take on Watford at the Ricoh Arena this Saturday with both sides looking to establish a foothold in the Championship table after bad starts to the season.

While the Sky Blues were losing in heartbreaking fashion to two injury-time goals at Crystal Palace the Hornets were hammered at home by promotion favourites West Ham and are experiencing some similar problems to their weekend hosts.

Having lost a star striker over the summer in Danny Graham, Watford have found goals hard to come by in their opening games and new signing Chris Iwelumo has yet to make an impression on the Vicarage Road faithful.

'rookie'

Andy Thorn will be up against another rookie boss on Saturday in the shape of Sean Dyche, promoted to the top job after the departure of Malky Mackay and, like Thorn, trying to work with a tight budget.

'We're looking to bring players in, we have a [financial] situation everyone's aware of,' Dyche told BBC Three Counties Radio.

'Certain clubs have raised the bar again in terms of finance and contracts, we have to challenge at our level.'

City have a host of injury problems to stretch their already thin resources but Carl Baker is available again after serving a three-match suspension. In and out of the side for various reasons since arriving at the club the talented former Stockport man needs to deliver on a regular basis given the inexperience of those likely to be partnering him in midfield.

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