Team News
The Reds squad has been hit by an illness virus this week but Stephen Foster is the only one doubtful for tomorrow’s trip to the Midlands. Manager Keith Hill may opt to freshen his side after the midweek defeat to Birmingham with 17 year old Paul Digby likely to be back on the bench. Stephen Dawson, Bobby Hassell and David Perkins remain sidelined.
Likely Line-Up:
Luke Steele
Jay McEveley
Rob Edwards
Scott Wiseman
Jim McNulty
Matty Done
Korey Smith
David Cotterill
Michael Tonge
Craig Davies
Chris Dagnall
Head To Head
Last Six Coventry v Barnsley Results:
1/10/11 Barnsley 2-0 Coventry (Championship)
3/1/11 Barnsley 2-1 Coventry (Championship)
23/10/10 Coventry 3-0 Barnsley (Championship)
9/1/10 Coventry 3-1 Barnsley (Championship)
15/8/09 Barnsley 0-2 Coventry (Championship)
21/4/09 Coventry 1-1 Barnsley (Championship)
Overall Record:
Coventry Wins: 25
Barnsley Wins: 16
Draws: 12
Coventry Goals: 91
Barnsley Goals: 67
At Coventry (five at the Ricoh Arena, 21 at Highfield Road):
Coventry Wins: 18
Barnsley Wins: 2
Draws: 6
Coventry Goals: 61
Barnsley Goals: 22
This Season
Last six 2011-2012 results:
Coventry:
18/2/12 Nottingham Forest 2-0 Coventry (Championship)
14/2/12 Coventry 2-1 Leeds (Championship)
11/2/12 Reading 2-0 Coventry (Championship)
4/2/12 Coventry 2-3 Ipswich (Championship)
31/1/12 Blackpool 2-1 Coventry (Championship)
21/1/12 Coventry 3-1 Middlesbrough (Championship)
W: 2 D: 0 L: 4 F: 8 A: 10 GD: -2 Points: 6
Barnsley:
21/2/12 Barnsley 1–3 Birmingham (Championship)
18/2/12 Barnsley 2–0 Portsmouth (Championship)
14/2/12 Burnley 2-0 Barnsley (Championship)
4/2/12 Watford 2-1 Barnsley (Championship)
31/1/12 Barnsley 3–2 Derby (Championship)
21/1/12 Barnsley 1–3 Millwall (Championship)
W: 2 D: 0 L: 4 F: 8 A: 12 GD: -4 Points: 6
Interesting Stats
Coventry may be marooned in the Championship relegation zone with just six wins to their name this season but they will host Barnsley in confident mood due to their recent record against them. Barnsley have only ever won twice at Coventry- the last of which came in 1923, and they have never won at the Ricoh Arena.
Barnsley have lost their last two trips to the Sky Blues and eight of the last nine.
Six of those defeats have come when conceding three goals or more with three of them seeing The Reds concede four times.
The Reds have though won their two most recent matches with Coventry- both at Oakwell – which are their only wins over them in the last 14 meetings home and away.
The Reds defeated Coventry 2-0 at Oakwell back in October but they have never done the double over them.
Coventry have had an abysmal season both on and off the field. Their financial woes have spread onto the pitch with the Sky Blues in real danger of dropping into the third tier of English football for the first time in 48 years as they sit second from bottom of the Championship, three points from safety. It is certainly a big fall from grace for a club that once spent 34 consecutive seasons in the top flight from 1968 to 2001.
Since their relegation from the Premier League 11 years ago, Coventry have only once finished in the top ten, when they finished eighth in 2005-2006 and have not finished higher than 17th in any of the last five years.
Those lowly finishes look like being eclipsed this season with Andy Thorn’s side winning just six of their 32 league games in 2011-2012 so far- all at home. Coventry are the only side in the Football League yet to win away from home, and along with Bath City who are bottom of the Blue Square Bet Premier, are the only club winless away from home in England’s top five divisions.
Both Barnsley and Coventry are on an identical run of form- two wins and four defeats in their last six matches and both seem adverse to drawing. Barnsley have gone a division high 23 league games since their last stalemate whilst Coventry have gone 14 matches since they last drew a game. Of the 23 The Reds have gone since drawing they have won 11 and lost 12 whilst Coventry have won four and lost 10 of the 14 since their last stalemate.
Barnsley have lost four of their last five matches on the road and have won four away all season- more than they won in the whole of 2010-2011. They still need two more to equal their 2009-2010 tally of six, which is their joint most at this level since 1999-2000.
Mad Sites
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Other Fixtures
12:45pm
West Ham v Crystal Palace
3pm
Birmingham v Nottingham Forest
Brighton v Ipswich
Bristol City v Blackpool
Burnley v Millwall
Doncaster v Peterborough
Middlesbrough v Reading
Portsmouth v Leeds
Watford v Southampton