Taiwo Awoniyi did not sugarcoat it. After his first Premier League start in sky blue ended in a gutting 1-0 loss to Hull City, the Coventry striker issued a blunt warning: survive in this league, and the level has to rise — fast.
The defeat at the Coventry Building Society Arena leaves the newly-promoted Sky Blues with back-to-back league losses to open the season.
One moment of ruthless counter-attacking from Hull was all it took to silence a roaring home crowd, and Awoniyi knows Coventry let the game slip through their fingers.
“In the Premier League, Only Goals Count”
Awoniyi, who spent the last five years battling relegation scraps with Nottingham Forest, has seen this movie before. He knows how thin the margins are.
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“For all of the play, we have to up our level,” the Nigeria international said, frustration etched in his voice. “We did well in terms of having the ball but in the Premier League only goals count.”
He opened his Coventry account in the Carabao Cup, but league points are a different currency. Hull sat deep, struck once, and left. Coventry had possession, but not penetration.
“They had a great counter attack and they took their chances and it’s on us to take our chances as well,” Awoniyi added. “We have to penetrate with the ball more in the box and create more chances. It was a disappointing defeat for us.”
It was a harsh lesson for a squad still learning the speed and cruelty of England’s top flight.
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Survival Mission Begins Now
Despite the stumble, Awoniyi insists the mission hasn’t changed. He has played in all three of Coventry’s games so far, and his target is crystal clear.
“As a player, it’s a fantastic club, it’s a wonderful club. My achievement is for us to stay in the league,” he said. “The Premier League is the most difficult league in the world and the goal for every player is to be a Premier League player.”
He saved praise for the fans who roared for 90 minutes. “The fans were amazing from the start of the game until the end. It’s on us as players to make them happy.”
With no time to dwell, the test gets bigger. Coventry travel to the Etihad on Saturday, September 5 for a 3pm kick-off against Manchester City. For Awoniyi and Co, the time to ‘up their level’ is now — or the season could spiral before it truly begins.
