Luton boss declares basement side Coventry are in a 'false position' ahead of midweek meeting

Town chief Nathan Jones wasn’t reading anything into the poor start to the season by tonight’s opponents Coventry City, which sees them languishing at the foot of the table, declaring the Sky Blues are in a ‘false position’ ahead of their trip to Kenilworth Road.

Following a campaign in which Mark Robins’ side threatened to break into the play-offs at times, ending up finishing in a respectable 12th place, hopes were high at the Coventry Building Society Arena for another successful season.

A 1-1 draw with newly-promoted Sunderland on the opening day wasn’t the worst start, before City were hammered 4-1 at home by Bristol City in the Carabao Cup.

Results then went from bad to worse for the Sky Blues, losing their next four league games to sit bottom of the table, already eight points away from safety.

There are mitigating circumstances though, Robins’ men having to cancel three home matches after their pitch was deemed ‘unsafe’, with investment promised into the playing surface not materialising and Commonwealth Games Rugby Sevens matches also being played at the venue adding to the problem.

They were finally back at home late last month, beaten 1-0 by Preston, but despite a 3-0 reverse at Norwich City in their last outing, the first time they had lost in the league by more than one goal, Jones expects the visitors to come good soon, saying: "They’re in a false position.

“They’ll be in a better position come months down the line, so I wouldn’t be worried if I was a Coventry fan.

“It’s a really tough game, they play with real energy, it’s always a tough game against Coventry.

“Mark’s done a fantastic job there as we know, pretty similar to our journey, albeit from a different starting point.

"It’s a real, real tough game and we’ve seen that with Championship games, every game is tough, every game is different and a new challenge.

"We have to make sure we’re ready for it, but we’ll concentrate on us, we have to be the best version of us, and if we’re the best version of us, that’s all we can ask for.”

When asked whether Coventry will be an even more difficult opponent due to their determination to get a maiden victory of the season, Jones, whose side are yet to win at Kenilworth Road, continued: “We’re desperate to get our first three points at home, so it’s two desperate teams.

"They won’t be any more dangerous than we are, they want to get points and we want to get points, so it’s going to be a scrap and a fight to get those three points.

"They don’t want them anymore than we do, so that’s what it comes down to.”

Although there wasn't a huge amount of investment in the playing staff by the Sky Blues in the summer they still possess a strike-force containing Matt Godden and Viktor Gyokeres, who have contributed four goals between them so far this term.

Jones knows they have a number of players able to cause problems on the evening, adding: “They’ve got a very good squad.

"You look at their midfield and there’s energy and a real good side, so they’re a very dangerous side to play against.

“They’re in a false position, what we’ve got to make sure is they’re still in a false position.”