Coventry City manager Steven Pressley has said his side are out to win the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy this season. Last year, the Sky Blues reached the northern area final only to lose out to Carlisle.
With the first round of the competition on Tuesday night at Leighton Orient’s Brisbane Road ground, Pressley will have to juggle his side to cope with a mounting injury list.
Pressley said: “We’re going there to win it, that’s our attitude towards every game and Tuesday certainly won’t be any different.”
He will be without the services of club captain Carl Baker, who is still recovering from a calf strain and influential defender Cyrus Christie is a serious doubt after twisting his ankle during the 1-0 win at Stevenage on Saturday. Christie left the ground with his ankle in a protective cast.
Pressley explained:, “He rolled his ankle, we hope he’s fit because he’s an important player for us but we’ll have to see how it settles down. Carl had a scan on Friday and he wasn’t close for Stevenage. Tuesday will probably be too soon again but we’ll definitely be looking towards the Sheffield United game on Sunday.
Pressley does not necessarily see the absence through injury as a negative thing, in fact he sees more positives in that it give the opportunity for the junior members of the squad to prove what they have to offer the club.
He said, “You have to live with injuries and it meant that we were able to give another Academy youngster, Louis Garner, his debut and give a 16-year-old, James Maddison, a place on the bench. Louis did very well when he went on and we think that James has got a really bright future as well.
“That’s what I love about this club, the young players coming through and the energy they give the group.”
For the story click http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/football/football-news/sky-blues-struggling-injuries-ahead-6148346