FRANK Lampard sees the positive side of working with a small squad as Coventry City prepare to face Norwich City following an international break.
The Sky Blues will take to the pitch for the first time since the summer transfer window closed.
A dramatic deadline day saw Coventry sign defender Luke Woolfenden while captain Ben Sheaf departed the club to join Championship rivals Wrexham.
The club’s business leaves Lampard with just 23 senior players, including three goalkeepers, until the January transfer window opens.
But Lampard believes a lean squad will improve his side’s togetherness on and off the pitch.
Lampard said: “We’re at the leaner end of a squad. There’s some positives to that. It means everyone is here to be involved and impact and have their part in it.
“We understand where we’re at. I’m not searching for a huge squad. I don’t think the club is. We’re not like some other teams in the Championship that can carry bigger squads.
“I’m very happy with the players we have here to work with and try and show what we did last year in the second half of the season.
“It showed the effects of how when you work together, push, drive, train and prepare then you can do things people don’t expect.
“The league is even more competitive this year, can we do that again in our own way, work hard to keep improving and bring everyone together.”
Coventry have appointed midfielder Matt Grimes as the club’s new captain, replacing former skipper Sheaf in the role.
And Lampard believes Grimes, who previously captained Swansea for more than five years, will bring the required attributes to the role.
Lampard added: “The first thing is to respect what Sheafy [Ben Sheaf] did at the club. He was an important player for us and part of a lot of things.
“Sometimes situations arise which maybe interest the player. We have to see whether it can work for us and it was one of those situations.
“We thank him for everything he gave to the club and we absolutely wish him all the best.
“There’s competition in there [for the captaincy]. Matt Grimes and Liam Kitching provide a good balance as captain and vice-captain.
“We also have other captains and captains that are hopefully growing within the squad.
“It wasn’t an easy choice but I think it’s the right choice. Grimsey has impressed everybody on and off the pitch since he’s been at the club and has experience of being a captain.”
Coventry head into the clash unbeaten in the league this season while opponents Norwich boast the league’s top scorer Josh Sargent in attack.
And Lampard admits his side must prepare to take on a different style of opposition in the form of Liam Manning’s Canaries.
He said: “They are one of those teams that didn’t get to where they wanted to last year.
“Liam [Manning] is a very smart coach, they’ve invested and will be a very difficult opponent.
“We absolutely have to be at our best. It’s a different opponent to what we’ve faced in terms of style which will challenge us.
“We [want to stay unbeaten] because its feeling and it’s consistency.
Coventry host Norwich on Saturday, September 13 with kick-off at 3pm at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
