Atkinson positive in trouble

Coventry City 2 West Ham United 2

In every aspect except one, Ron Atkinson's reign at Coventry is a story of hope and ambition rekindled. A squad dramatically improved on paper are serving up entertaining football, epitomised by the impact of Noel Whelan, while support from the paying public and business community is booming. Shame about the results.

Some 13 months have passed since a home win over West Ham launched the second coming of what Jimmy Hill, in a previous incarnation as a progressive manager, dubbed the Sky Blue revolution. Atkinson has finally fulfilled John Sillett's promise to shop for players at Harrod's rather than Woolworth's, spending at a rate of more than pounds 1m a month. In that context, failure to beat the same opponents must rank as a severe disappointment.

Or so one might have imagined. Whatever Atkinson said behind closed doors, for public consumption he was accentuating the positive. "We played with passion, drive and commitment. I have to be satisfied with that kind of performance - if we show that attitude for the rest of the season we should have plenty in hand."

The danger for Coventry, like Sheffield Wednesday when they went down under Atkinson in 1990, is that the consensus about their attractive style might be blinding them to the gravity of their plight. They have now played 42 games under the new regime - the equivalent of a full season before restructuring - but won only 10. And half those victories came in the final 14 fixtures last season.

West Ham, their safety virtually assured, represent the kind of opposition clubs in Coventry's predicament supposedly relish. But then so did Middlesbrough the previous weekend, and they left with their only point from nine games. Despite the perception of progress, Atkinson's revamped line-up (10 of the 14 on duty here were his signings) have won one of their eight games this year.

It is too glib to say that Coventry, typically for one of Big Ron's teams, have good forwards and bad defenders. In a first half so open that one wondered whose testimonial match it was, three of his midfield were prone to charging recklessly ahead of the ball, leaving Kevin Richardson as the only holding player.

Suddenly it was clear that the Coventry manager's tongue had not been entirely in cheek when he said that only when they went 5-0 up on Blackburn did he feel safe. The appearance of Paul Williams as an extra buffer against West Ham's quickfire one-two's not only gave the back players greater protection, but demonstrated that Atkinson's idealism has its limits.

Prior to Williams' arrival, West Ham carved through at will. Even the impressive Croat defender, Slaven Bilic, was through one-on-one against Steve Ogrizovic, who had to draw on all his experience to prevent Coventry going in 6-2 down. Much as the game turned on its head thereafter, all the home pressure could not conjure a goal to add to those created and executed so opulently by Whelan against the run of first-half play.

If all Atkinson's buys were as bright as the former Leeds striker - and the jury is still out on Eoin Jess, a thoughtful but uncombative midfielder, and Liam Daish, strong in the air but lacking mobility in central defence - Coventry might by now be as comfortable as West Ham, with whom they could have gone level by winning at Upton Park on 31 January.

Yet whereas Harry Redknapp hopes to savour the "new sensation" of a top 10 finish, Coventry's inability to reconcile a desire to attack in swarms with the need to provide adequate cover is likely to take their season down to the wire again. As the fixtures have been published over the past three decades, their fans have learned not to look at the opening day, Christmas or Easter, but at the last game.

This time, as Whelan has no doubt noted, it is Leeds at home on 4 May. For all the new money and fresh faces, some things at Highfield Road do not change.

Goals: Cottee (2) 0-1; Salako (8) 1-1; Whelan (15) 2-1; Rieper (23) 2-2.

Coventry City (4-4-2): Ogrizovic; Borrows, Shaw, Daish, Burrows (Williams, h-t); Salako, Richardson, Jess, Ndlovu; Whelan, Dublin. Substitutes not used: Telfer, Filan (gk).

West Ham United (3-5-2): Miklosko; Bilic, Rieper, Dicks; Potts, Williamson, Bishop, Hughes, Rowland; Cottee (Harkes, 88), Dowie. Substitutes not used: Dani, Sealey (gk).

Referee: M Bodenham (E Looe).

Bookings: Coventry: Burrows. West Ham: Dowie.

Man of the match: Whelan.

Attendance: 17,459.