Turner Wants More Clean Sheets
Last updated : 05 October 2010 By Covsupport News Service/RD
Ben Turner, Coventry City's huge rock in the middle of their defence, has demanded his side keep more clean sheets tis season.
Coventry City have only prevented the opposition from scoring on two occasions this term. The first was the on the opening day of the season at home to Portsmouth in the 2-0 win and the second was last Saturday in the goalless draw at Hull.
It is a matter of pride for the 22 year old defender, who is also the club's current joint top scorer with three goals to his credit, to leave the field at the end of a game in the knowledge that his side have prevented the opposition from scoring.
Turner has to be one of the revelations in the Coventry side this year. He has matured into a confident and competent defender who dominates his patch of the turf, but despite his impressive run of form and his goal scoring ability, his place in the squad is not assured.
His place is under threat from Nathan Cameron James McPake, who has returned from injury and both players are eager to push Turner for a starting place in the team.
"I am happy with my own form, although I know I can play better," said Turner to the CT. "I am looking to go out there each week and lay down a performance that is solid and dependable."
"I want to become that man at the back who demands a place in the team because he is solid and doesn't take chances and, ultimately, keeps clean sheets. Obviously I was happy with Saturday's clean sheet at Hull and long may those continue, along with strong performances that keep me in the team."
"We haven't kept a clean sheet since the start of the season so two clean sheets from ten games is not good enough and we need to improve on it. I think we have deserved a few more but we can't keep saying we are defending all right and they will come, you have got to go and do it and make it a clean sheet for the strikers so that they know if they score it means something."
Until Saturday's goalless draw, Coventry had scored in every league game they had started. Preventing the other side from scoring safe in the knowledge that your strikers will be likely to find the net can only be good for their confidence.
Looking back on the point earned at The KC, Turner said, "It was a tough game and we knew that because they have got a good home record this season, so it was a good point for us."
"They continued their record of clean sheets at home but we didn't concede either and that takes us into the little break in the right half of the table. We have come through a difficult set of fixtures to be fair and now we have got a rest and hopefully we can go again."
"We are in a good position, closer to the top than the bottom and just three places away from the promotion zone so if we can get in the play-off places and stay in there that will be great. We have got to continue to be hard to beat like we have in some games."
"We went to Bristol and got a win and then up to Hull and got a point. We should have beaten Preston and got away with it a bit against Doncaster when we took the three points, but I think the signs are there that we are starting to get the right results, but performance wise, there is still a lot more to come."
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