Coventry City's exciting attacking midfielder Carl Baker has spoken about his desire to get on to the score sheet and to do well for the club.
Baker has been compared by some to the Sky Blue legend Tommy Hutchinson because of his ability to dribble with the ball and to get past defenders.
Like most of the team, Baker has suffered from a dip in form, but in his case, he thinks it is because he is trying too hard, taking too long to make a decision or taking too many touches before passing or shooting.
Baker says he is learning all of the time and will only get better over time. He said, “I think I am trying too hard. I spoke with the gaffer and said to him that I just want to do so well to impress."
"Obviously I haven’t scored yet and that’s a big burden on my shoulders that I want to get off as soon as possible, but sometimes you can try too hard and I think I have got to relax a bit more. I feel comfortable at this level and I am enjoying it but maybe I am taking too many touches or holding on to the ball too long because I am trying to get that goal."
“I know I can do it and I am feeling good but I just need to get myself back in the team and get that goal and hopefully in the last two games I can get some minutes on the pitch and do well.”
Talking about City's last away game of the season at Middlesbrough, Baker said, “Going to all these big stadiums, I am loving every minute of it. When I was at Stockport I used to hate away games because of the travelling but nearly every away game in this league I am buzzing because I know the grounds and pitches are going to be nice, so I am looking forward to going to the Riverside which I have only ever seen on the telly.”
Reflecting on the previous game at home to Preston, Baker said, “I think the draw against Preston has taken a lot of pressure off the lads because we needed that point and hopefully we can all relax and try to finish with six points from our last two games. I know it is going to be tough but we want to finish well and take that into next season.”
Talking about next season, the 27 year old he will be a much better player now that he has settled down and understands Championship football a bit better. He said, “I definitely think I will have benefited from my first three or four months at the club and I can’t wait for next season to be honest. I will go away and work on my strength and fitness in the summer and then come back firing."
"I know the set-up, the lads and the league now and I just want to come back stronger and fitter than I have ever been, and raring to go. The lads are bigger and stronger in this league, the tempo is quicker and if you give the ball away you usually get punished, so you have to be on the ball all the time rather than League One where you can get away with a bit more, but this three or four months has been a big learning curve for me and I have got to use that next season.”
Baker thinks highly of the current squad, but admits it needs strengthening in places. He is looking forward to welcoming new faces during the summer saying, “I think we have got a lot of good players here and hopefully the gaffer will strengthen again in the summer and bring in a few more to help us get to that next step and really push forward because we can’t go on runs of winning games and then follow it up with a run of not winning games like we have been doing."
“We have to get up there and maintain it with the bigger teams who have been doing it consistently this season rather than in fits and starts.”