Coventry City look to re-establish the Coventry Building Society Arena’s fortress credentials with the visit of Stoke City

After two seasons away from the Coventry Building Society Arena, previously known as the Ricoh Arena, Coventry City’s homecoming was mightily impressive. However, it appears that the honeymoon period is well and truly over.

Mark Robins’ side won all of their first six league home games of the campaign, having played at Birmingham City’s ground St Andrew’s for the previous two seasons.

Scalps over Nottingham Forest, Reading, Middlesbrough, Cardiff City, Peterborough United and Fulham from August to October were the catalyst for an impressive start to the Sky Blues’ second consecutive Championship campaign as Coventry sat amongst the play-off places.

A 1-1 draw with Derby County at the end of October extended their unbeaten start at home to seven games, before Swansea City became the first team to take all three points from the Coventry Building Society Arena in early November.

Fast forward almost three months and the Warwickshire outfit have won just once at home in the league since and have not tasted success in the second tier on their own turf since November 6th when Robins’ side overcame Bristol City 3-2.

The Sky Blues’ record on home turf since the win against Nigel Pearson’s team is played five, won one, drawn one and lost three with the sole victory coming in the FA Cup against Derby.

Three consecutive home losses in the league against West Brom, Millwall and, in their most recent outing, Queens Park Rangers, have proven that the Coventry Building Society Arena is no longer the fortress it was in the early months of the season.

A pretty seismic drop in form on their own patch has also seen Coventry drop to 10th in the Championship after flirting amongst the top-six.

By no means would a top-half finish be an underachievement for Mark Robins having finished 16th in their first campaign back in the second-tier since 2012.

However, they can get their season back on track and establish their home ground’s fortress credentials as they host Stoke City on Tuesday evening.

The Potters come into the contest in underwhelming form, having won just two of their last eight league games, with five defeats in that period.

Michael O’Neill’s side are decent travellers, having picked up 18 points in their 13 away trips thus far, but are yet to face the Sky Blues this campaign.

Stoke have already added Phil Jagielka, Lewis Baker, a goalscorer last time out against Fulham, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Jaden Philogene-Bidace to their ranks this month whilst Coventry have signed left-back Jake Bidwell from Swansea.

With the visitors ninth, one place and one point above their hosts, with Coventry boasting a game in hand, the contest could prove vital as both sides look to make a push for a playoff place.

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