Two steps forward and two steps back....
POISED to dip into the loan and transfer market, Coventry City are a million miles away from this time last year when the club were subject to a transfer embargo and staring administration in the face.
Twelve months on and the club is in seemingly good health in terms of the finances, with ambitious new owners and an impressive young manager in charge of the team, complete with a clear plan in place to take the club forward.
But when one looks at the form book, results and Championship table, there is a distinct feeling of deja vu about the Sky Blues that defies all logic.
After all, who'd have thought that the so-called dream team of Clinton Morrison and Freddy Eastwood would struggle to get going, and that despite big changes in personnel the team's infuriating inconsistency would continue?
One measly win in the last seven games doesn't make for good reading and, looking at the fixture list, it could well get worse before it gets better.
First up is Sheffield Wednesday, a club not dissimilar to City in many ways, but recent history tells us that the Sky Blues will get nothing from Hillsborough given their woeful record of having failed to win in all five visits in this division.
Add to that the Owls' exceptional home form where they have kept five clean sheets from eight to date, conceding just three goals in all, and only one in their last six in their own back yard, and Coventry are going to have to pull something really special out of the bag to come away with a point, never mind all three.
Next is a tricky home game with Championship new boys Swansea City, who are flying under the expert guidance of Roberto Martinez and clearly benefitting from the momentum of promotion from League One.
And given the fragile nature of the Sky Blues at the Ricoh Arena, it is a game that could clearly go either way.
Then, on paper at least, City face a huge task at in-form Reading in front of the Sky cameras.
But maybe that, like the inspired display at St Andrew's, will provide an unexpected pick-me-up to take the team into December.
Whatever happens, the one think that is almost certain to continue is City's inconsistency until, that is, the manager drafts in a few new faces in the window.
The return of Stephen Wright and Leon McKenzie will help, but the addition of a decent winger, creative midfielder and perhaps even a centre-back, could just tip the scales back in City's favour and away from the fear of last season's epic struggle.
It is frustrating to say the least as the club have come so far in many respects and yet appear to have stood perfectly still in others.
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