TONY Mowbray admits the injury to James Maddison may have affected the Sky Blues’ style of play after watching his side slip to their first league defeat of the season.
Midfielder Maddison was forced to withdraw from Saturday’s game at the Bescot Stadium on Saturday after picking up a foot injury in the tenth minute.
And the Sky Blues went on to lose 2-1 with Anthony Forde firing the hosts in front before Tom Bradshaw doubled Walsall’s lead after the break.
On loan winger Jacob Murphy showed fans what he can produce by scoring a stunning 30-yard screamer to get the Sky Blues back into the match but Mowbray’s side were unable to find an equaliser.
“We weren’t as fluent as we have been before and I think everyone could see that,” said Mowbray. “Was it because Maddison went off early? Maybe.
“He’ll go for a scan. If he’s got a bad one, not sure he has, but if he has then we’ve got to find another way to get through.
“He’s done really well at the start of the season but we can’t be dependent on one player.
“We conceded some poor goals. The first one we tried to hold a line and we didn’t track the runner. That’s disappointing.”
The Sky Blues are not in action again until Bank Holiday Monday when they host Southend at the Ricoh Arena.
The last time the two sides met was back on December 2006 in a match that ended 1-1.
And Mowbray is looking forward to spending more time with his players on the training pitch this week in preparation for Monday’s clash.
“We’ve got a chance to breathe now,” Mowbray added. “We’ll be able to get out on the training ground and work a bit on our shape, and the way we play.
“It’s been difficult since the start of the season as it has been Saturday, Tuesday games and difficult to do any work on the training ground.
“Look, a defeat was on it’s way and now it has came, we’ll learn from it and improve for the Southend game on Monday.”
