The Insider: Pompey man is natural finisher Sky Blues require

Coventry are continuing to pursue Conor Chaplin as a replacement for Marc McNulty.
Coventry regard Conor Chaplin as Marc McNulty's replacementCoventry regard Conor Chaplin as Marc McNulty's replacement
Coventry regard Conor Chaplin as Marc McNulty's replacement

Here Coventry Telegraph sports writer Andy Turner gives the lowdown on why Conor Chaplin is seen as the solution.

 

The Sky Blues lost their 28-goal leading scorer when Marc McNulty completed his transfer to Reading.

Clearly they need to replace him.

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Of the choices up front at present, Jonson Clarke-Harris and Max Biamou are number nines, big physical players who ideally can score 10 a season.

Then there is Jordan Ponticelli, a prolific scorer for the under-18s a couple of years ago, netting 27 goals in a youth season and definitely capable of finding the net.

However, at 19, he is still really a kid. He registered six times last year, although started only four league fixtures.

Despite such promise, it's a big risk to have him in your team at the beginning of the season to be your main goal threat.

And that is where Conor Chaplin comes in.

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Boss Mark Robins sometimes operates with a 4-4-2, but he does change things and has been known to field a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-4-1-1. It is quite fluid.

Last season he often played with a big man such as Clark-Harris or Biamou '“ the pair of them interchangeable '“ alongside a quicker more mobile goalscorer in McNulty. That worked very well.

McNulty was crucial from day one, although received a load of stick from some fans in the beginning because they didn't think he was up to it '“ and provided them wrong spectacularly.

His switch to Reading was announced as an undisclosed fee, but figures bandied around are between £1.2m and £1.5m with add-ons.

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They are not saying anything or admitting anything about interest in Chaplin, although Robins insist they won't be going out and spending millions on a replacement.

Interestingly, he likes most of his signings in place ahead of pre-season training, with nine having already arrived this term. 

It was the same last summer, with nine or 10 recruited '“ and then a couple on deadline day.

The Sky Blues today went to Spain for a training camp and are scheduled to return on Saturday. Meanwhile, fans await developments.

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