Coventry City's senior striker Clive Platt believes that better communication on the field of play is needed to improve the side.
Platt is one of the more vocal players in the squad and has urged his team mates to talk more on the pitch during games which he believes will help turn possession into goals and therefore into points.
Speaking to the CT, the 34 year old striker who scored City's second and equalising goal against Southampton on Saturday, said, “I don’t think ability is in question at this club because up until 2-2 on Saturday I thought the best team I have seen this season were crumbling, so we have to take the positives from that.
“There have been a couple of away results which have been disappointing when we have crumbled as a team but every time we have played at home we have held our own.
“We have had vital turning points in games but I have not seen us turn one of those to our benefit yet and that’s something we have got to work on because it is costing us points every time and if we don’t address it soon we are going to be in a very, very difficult position.”
“Just watching all their team they were talking and helping each other and you could see why they are top of the league and we’re not. Sometimes talking is the simplest of things to do but it is very quiet out there. They had eleven players helping each other through but we are just a bit disjointed at the moment.
"There has got to be something wrong because we are losing games. Every player out there and not just the young lads, everyone needs help and information when they are on the ball because at times it is a very quiet place.
“At times you can bring the ball down on your chest and think you are fine but there is someone bearing down behind you, so you need a simple ‘hold it,’ just a bit of a shout.
"There are a lot of people trying their hardest on their own in all the different positions because there’s not enough communication. I was trying to talk to as many people around me to keep the pressure on because the pressure was on Southampton.
“They had been 2-0 up and then it was 2-2 and they were on the back foot and couldn’t get out of their half, and as long as we kept kicking it long and keeping them squeezed up then we picked up the second balls and we were back on them again.
“It was wave after wave of attack, chances and corners and we needed to keep that going, but we let them off and it all started when one of their midfielders dropped off, picked the ball up from a goal kick and was able to ease the pressure off for a few minutes.
“It may sound insignificant but it gave them time to regroup and get themselves back together.”
Platt's introduction as a second half substitute helped to turn the game round and City played some good football turning a 2-0 scoreline into 2-2 with Platt getting the second goal and his first of the season, after Jutkiewicz scored City's first goal.
He is now hoping he will be given a starting place in Coventry's next game at home to West Ham on the 19th November
Platt continued, “I tried to make an impact, as I try to do every time I go on whether it is 20 minutes to go or the last five minutes, just try to get as much out of the time I get out there to help us get points, which is desperate at the moment
“Lukas Jutkiewicz battled hard all game with no help from the referee, but I knew he would be fighting for that ball and I just wanted to make sure I was somewhere where I could capitalise on it and, luckily for me, it fell straight to me.
“I definitely think I can bring something to the team and want to fight to help us win points. I have been hoping for a run for ages and I’d love to play every week. All I want to do is my best for Coventry. I love it here. I think the fans, given the position we are in, have stuck behind us.
“I know they have issues with the board but they have stuck with the players and after half time they roared us on and that really helped. All I want to do is as much as I can because we have to start picking points and go on a good run to clear ourselves of the bottom three.
"We have to pick up a lot of points over Christmas and start the New Year very well to make sure we’re not fighting come March and April. It will be difficult because we have got a lot of young lads in a very small squad compared to most in this division, but we are capable of doing it.”
Source: FOOTYMAD
