The Swans, depleted but surely with fire in their bellies take on the Sky Blues this afternoon at the Swansea.com. This after a week of off the pitch news and some Swans fans learning a little bit more about loyalty.

Frank Lampard, the Coventry City manager would be foolish to play Matt Grimes today as much as Grimes would be foolish to play. Point one on that is that this isn’t a game for Grimes to be in. This isn’t about him nor his decision to leave Swansea City with some people somehow knowing all the reasons why he left when the real ones are staring them straight in the face. Today is a football fixture in the Championship, not a day for his ego to be massaged even more. And then there’s the way he left the Swans, we know there’s one or two Swansea players who would welcome the sight of Matt Grimes in a Sky Blue shirt today for a number of reasons.

In any event we now know he won’t be playing at any level or appearing today. Joining Coventry City this week means an agreement has been made for Grimes non appearance. In fact it would be better for him to stay away completely.

With that done, we see Ben Cabango (below) will proudly wear the Captain’s armband in this fixture. The right choice at the right time, Some would say it should have been given to Harry Darling, but he hasn’t indicated any loyalty towards the Swans with his own search for more money elsewhere. And despite the fact the Swans will be talking to him again on a new contract, holding out for hope on that is a very long shot. He also won’t appear for the Swans today sitting out game two of his three match suspension.

The obvious choice for head coach Luke Williams today is Jay Fulton in the hole left by Grimes working alongside Franco with Liam Cullen just ahead of them. We fancy Florian Bianchini to start up front, he is slowly (and we mean slowly) finding his feet. He just now needs a tap in to get him going. Good news that Ollie Cooper is close to selection again, the Wales international has been out for quite a while so to have him Josh Ginnelly and Sam Parker back is fantastic news.

The last time Coventry City won in Swansea in the league was in January 1950, a second division match, that day the Swans lost 2-1 in front of a crowd of over twenty thousand at the old Vetch Field. Since then the visitors today haven’t won on Swansea soil. That was back in the days when teams would select players in the wing half position, choosing outside right and inside forward and a season the Swans thrashed Cardiff 5-1 at the Vetch. Tottenham Hotspur also fell by the wayside defeated 1-0 again on home soil. There have been so many fixtures since then but the Sky Blues have failed at every attempt.

The following season the Swans walloped Coventry City 7-1.

The Sky Blues have a squad out today that Frank Lampard is ‘very happy’ with. They haven’t lost in their last four league and cup games, winning all of them. Their last three league fixtures saw them beating Bristol City, Blackburn and Watford. A tough test lays ahead.

Officials today from Gwyn, he is a stat machine.

SAM ALLISON (Referee): Has been Referee 3 times and 4th official 4 times at the Stadium

ANDREW DALLISON (Assistant): Has been an Assistant 5 times at the Stadium

BHUPINDER SINGH GILL (Assistant) : Has been an Assistant 3 times at the Stadium

DARREN DRYSDALE (4th official): Has been 4th official once at the Stadium

Today’s game kicks off at 3pm, tickets are still available.

Team news later.

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