Sports Blog 07/02/2017: EFL Trophy Semi-Final Preview – Coventry City vs Wycombe Wanderers, Tuesday 7th February 2017

Can Wycombe overcome Coventry when the 2 sides meet in the EFL Trophy at 7.30pm on Sky Sports 1?

The Wanderers have had quite the season so far. A dismal 3 months last year saw them pick up a measly 4 wins in their first 15 matches in League Two, at points causing them to lurk perilously close to the relegation zone. However, since then they have seen a dramatic improvement – in fact, between mid-November and 2nd January they won 8 out of their 9 league games, drawing their Boxing Day visit to Plymouth. That leaves them in 6th place on 46 points but, crucially, with a game in hand that if won would push them towards the automatic promotion spots.



This turnaround fed into their FA Cup, where Wycombe were heartbreakingly knocked out in the 4th round by Tottenham in the 97th minute having led 2-0 and 3-2 at various points. In the EFL Trophy, meanwhile, they came 2nd in their group behind, aptly enough, Coventry, before beating Millwall, Blackpool (on penalties) and Mansfield Town on their way to the semis.

As for Coventry, they are in the midst of a truly disastrous season. Since mid-November the Sky Blues have failed to pick up a single League One win, losing 11 and drawing 2. That kind of form unsurprisingly leaves them at the bottom of the table, 5 points behind Chesterfield just one place above them.

The EFL Trophy has been their sole source of joy, beating the West Ham, Brighton and, most recently, Swansea academy sides on the way to the semi-final. That run sits in stark contrast to their other Cup appearances; in both the EFL and FA Cups they crashed out in the 2nd round in abject fashion, losing 6-1 to Norwich and 4-0 to Cambridge United respectively.

A lot has changed since these 2 sides met back in November, a game which Coventry won 4-2 after coming back from 2-0 down. Despite a staggeringly bad run in the league the Sky Blues will still fancy their chances on Tuesday, with Spreadex offering a Coventry/Wycombe Goal Supremacy spread of 0.1-0.3 alongside a Total Goals spread of 2.45-2.65.