lead-art-block.fullscreen-enterExpandCoventry manager Frank Lampard was pleased to take a look at his squad players
Coventry manager Frank Lampard was pleased to take a look at his squad players
Boss Frank Lampard used Coventry’s 4-2 EFL Cup win at Plymouth to run the rule over his squad ahead of Saturday’s Premier League match at home to Hull.
Goals by Taiwo Awoniyi, Jack Rudoni, Ephron Mason-Clark and Victor Torp (penalty) enabled City to ease away from their League One hosts, who levelled after 54 minutes following goals by debutant Oliver Irow and substitute Xavier Amaechi.
Lampard said: “You have always got to enjoy a win but at this point it is also looking at performance and individual and collective performances.
“We made a lot of changes and so for me it’s good to have a look at players that we didn’t start at the weekend (Friday) and are pushing for places.
“I expected it to be difficult, it’s not an easy place to come. It was a great start to the game, two really good goals, high quality goals.
“Exactly what we want running through back lines and just showing good capacity to run and good combination stuff as well.
“Maybe we relaxed or something but we didn’t put our foot down. When you get teams in that situation you should go and put your foot properly down and we didn’t.
“In an early round in the cup it can happen. Big mistakes for the goals, we must be honest about that, and then a good reaction to win the game pretty well.
“Ephron is a big player for us so it was good to see him looking strong. He wants to get better all the time.
“But of course a win is a big deal because it’s a nice feeling to take back on the bus for four hours.”
Argyle boss Tom Cleverley felt there were plenty of positives despite the defeat.
He said: “It was an entertaining cup tie. It was never in our plan to conceded two goals in the first four minutes.
“We showed a lot of resilience in pre-season, defensive records are what you can build results on so we need to be strong defensively.
“The reaction to that, losing two goals so early, was excellent. I couldn’t be happier with the players.
“I thought all four debutants were good. Oli Irow gives us something different. He wants to take players on, good pace and he’s direct.
“I thought Tyreeq Bakinson look assured and Joe Mwaro was excellent on his debut. It’s a night he will never forget against top opposition and James Storer in goal.
“Then you bring on Xavier Amaechi and he looked sharp, motivated. There were a lot of good performances out there.
“This is what you want from cup ties, I have got a healthy headache ahead of Saturday’s league game against Bradford.
“We have lost a game which I never want to do but we are in a healthier place. I thought as a team we showed more personality. We took the hand brake off.”