Coventry City player could suffer badly from Frank Lampard’s cold shoulder

Coventry City has had a rocky season in the Championship, but they now appear to be on the right track under head coach Frank Lampard.

In November, Coventry parted ways with manager Mark Robins after seven-and-a-half years. Fans were cautious about Lampard’s appointment as his replacement.

Lampard had an inconsistent start to his stint at the CBS Arena, but there have been strong hints recently that the 46-year-old is making a difference, with the Sky Blues winning five of their past six league games, with their only setback coming against league leaders Leeds United.

Coventry returned to winning ways with a 1-0 home victory over Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday night, with Bobby Thomas’ 94th-minute header securing a critical three points for Lampard’s side. They now lie eighth in the table, only one point away from the play-off places.

Despite their initial reservations about Lampard’s appointment, Sky Blues fans are currently enjoying life with the former Chelsea manager in charge, although striker Norman Bassette has not benefited from the managerial change.

Norman Bassette will surely be frustrated by lack of Coventry City game time

Bassette, who had only one goal in 15 senior games for Caen, joined Coventry for a speculated amount of £2.1 million to £2.98 million in the summer.

Former manager Robins predicted Bassette would be a “brilliant addition” to the Sky Blues upon his arrival at the CBS Arena. After progressively easing into Championship play, this prediction appeared to be coming true.

Bassette made an impression in the EFL Cup against Tottenham Hotspur in September and scored his first goal for Coventry in a 2-2 draw with Sheffield United in November, under interim manager Rhys Carr.

The 20-year-old initially retained his place in the team under Lampard, and was on the scoresheet again in the 4-1 defeat against Portsmouth in December. However, he missed a golden opportunity just minutes after netting at Fratton Park, indicating that he still has room for improvement.

While Bassette did not consistently deliver for the Sky Blues in the early stages of his time there, he certainly showed glimpses of his potential. After making his senior international debut for Belgium in November, it was reported the following month that Newcastle United had sent scouts to watch him in action.

Bassette’s potential was expected to increase in the second half of the season. However, he has only made six substitute appearances in the last eight games across all competitions.

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