By CovSid67
February 27 2010

What is going on?! Positive noises being made about Coventry City off the pitch, positive results on the pitch, and we finally got back into the top half of the table! I'm almost expecting the rail link the Ricoh so desperately needs to get the go-ahead and be ready in time for the next match .... or maybe not.

And it's amazing how much pleasure seeing Coventry City on page three of the tables on Sky Sports News brings, rather than on page four!

There are so many things to enjoy at the moment, with the exciting signings Ray Ranson said we would see at the club now arriving (Carl Baker, legend-in-waiting!), or, in some cases showing they were always here but not playing to their full capabilities, with the nearest thing to a negative being the sometimes less than watchable tactics.

Much as our current displays can be dull to watch, I guess I'll take the anti-football we sometimes resort to playing if such tactics bring us points. I would like to think the confidence that comes from being on a good run will eventually result in free-flowing football again though. We have the players to provide it, and it's the best way to get those 'missing supporters' back.

The test of whether or not we have finally turned the corner will come in the next three fixtures, as, having taken points off in some tricky games recently, surely there are points to be had from games against Scunthorpe, Peterboro, and Plymouth? Plymouth's pitch will provide a bigger test than Plymouth's players! I've seen better Sunday League pitches....

Nottingham Forest was a massive scalp; QPR, on the crest of a slump, is the sort of game we would have lost in the past; while our recent record against Crystal Palace has been dismal. Three excellent victories! Swansea away is always a tricky fixture too, while a point away at Bristol City, another game we would normally lose, is another positive (Though it should have been all three).

The 'p word' (As it is constantly being referred to), in reality, is a long way off though, as our place in the Championship table is likely to be slightly further down when everybody around us has played their games in hand. Also, the top six are likely to be out-of-sight when they play theirs too, unless Coventry City go on a phenomenal run of victories over the next month (Our negative goal difference could cost us too).

But how great would it be if for once the 'squeaky bum time' was because we were challenging at the right end of the table, rather than fighting relegation?!

That said, the idea of gaining promotion, and watching Coleman become even more defensive minded against better sides, is not something that excites too much! But the rewards for reaching the 'license to print money league' can only benefit the club while we have Ray 'Captain Sensible' Ranson in charge of the finances! Maybe next season....

Should we really threaten to join the race for the play-offs (I guess the eighteen point gap between us and second place is out of reach!), or even be safe from relegation before the final few weeks of the season, Ray Ranson will deserve a lot of credit for sticking with the manager through troubled times. I think only RR and Ipswich's board have shown such tolerance over the last few seasons!

Coleman looked to have moved closer to the exit door recently by labelling supporters 'neanderthal', because they supposedly didn't appreciate his patronising explanation that 4-5-1 becomes 4-3-3 when we're on the attack! Cheers for that, Mr. Coleman. Next you'll be explaining that when we take a corner, we opt for 2-0-8! (Though when we defend one, ridiculously, it's always 10-0-0).

The recent decent run has happened despite another one of our 'superstars' leaving, though I wasn't overly bothered about Leon Best moving for pastures new, and admittedly it's early days for him at his new club, but one or two Newcastle supporters are already questioning the decision to sign him!

There are some Coventry City supporters that think our fans are quick to turn against our own, but within five games? Harsh! For the record, I believe Jon Stead will prove to be a more than adequate replacement for Best, whose sly dig at his former team-mates was spotted in an interview given just after he had left Coventry City.

Despite Stead and Sears coming in on loan, should Chris Coleman still be looking to improve the squad for the final push, I hear there's a 'world class' striker called Michael Mifsud looking for a club (Though since writing this, I have read he's training with crisis club Portsmouth!).