‎‘There’s a danger’ – Frank Lampard sends clear message over Coventry City’s dreadful away form

Frank Lampard has cautioned his Coventry City players against complacency ahead of their Championship trip to West Bromwich Albion this weekend, stressing that league positions will count for nothing if his side do not approach the game correctly.

Coventry head to The Hawthorns as league leaders, while Albion sit fifth from bottom. But Lampard insists the gap in the table can be misleading, pointing to the recent goalless draw with relegation-threatened Oxford United as proof that such fixtures bring unique tactical and psychological challenges.

A key concern for the Sky Blues boss is his side’s recent struggles away from home. Coventry were formidable on the road earlier in the campaign, winning six of their first nine away matches, drawing twice and losing only once.

However, their form has dipped sharply since late November. They have failed to win any of their last seven away fixtures, losing four and drawing three, with their last away victory coming at Middlesbrough.

History does little to boost confidence either. Coventry have managed just one league win in their last 13 visits to Albion, a run stretching back to the early 1980s. A tough trip to Sheffield United follows, another venue where positive results have historically been hard to secure.

Lampard admitted the drop-off in away form is clear.

“We were very good up until we went to Middlesbrough away earlier in the season, and since then our form has been poor away,” he said. “There’s a mental aspect and there’s a tactical aspect. It’s something we’re very aware of and we want to put it right.”

Albion themselves have endured a turbulent campaign. Managerial change arrived in January when Eric Ramsay replaced Ryan Mason. Ramsay, previously in charge of Minnesota United and once part of Chelsea’s academy coaching staff during Lampard’s tenure, is still searching for his first win after a string of draws and defeats. Former Coventry coach Dennis Lawrence is part of his backroom team.

Despite their position near the bottom, Lampard expects a difficult contest. He believes Albion’s performances have not always reflected the goals they have conceded and describes them as compact and well-organised without the ball.

“Their league position brings a danger for us if we go there with any overconfidence,” Lampard warned. “It doesn’t matter where they are in the table. It’s about how we approach the game. They’ll be difficult to break down and we have to get our game right.”

Coventry travel with renewed belief following Monday’s impressive 3-1 victory over Middlesbrough, a performance Lampard hopes signals the end of their mid-season dip.

“It was a great result and a great performance,” he said. “To win like that against a top team gives you confidence.”

With 14 matches remaining, the challenge now is sustaining both intensity and focus as the pressure of maintaining an automatic promotion place grows.

“It’s a different pressure,” Lampard admitted. “Momentum is only what you make of it. We have to continue physically and mentally in the same way. The squad depth gives us real competition, and it’s in our hands to keep doing the right things.”

The message is clear: confidence is welcome, complacency is not.