Chris Cohen believes City have all the ingredients to make their mark in the Sky Bet Championship, with the head coach eager to see his players continue showcasing their quality as the Imps prepare for Saturday's trip to Queens Park Rangers.
Having already produced a number of impressive performances in the second tier, including against Burnley earlier this month, Cohen is confident in the ability within his squad and believes there is plenty more to come as the campaign progresses.
For the coaching staff, the challenge is to help the players reach those levels as consistently as possible, starting with another opportunity to test themselves at MATRADE Loftus Road.
He explained: “We've had some really good performances and shown what we're capable of.
“There's always things that we can do better, and we're always looking at ways to improve, but the beauty of the world we're in is that you're always three days away from another game.
“Saturday will be a really tough test, but we go to QPR hoping to implement everything we can and knowing that will be enough.”
Despite the demands of competing in the Championship, Cohen remains convinced by the ability within his squad and believes the group have already demonstrated that they can do more than simply hold their own at this level.
For Cohen, the aim is to give his players the platform to showcase their full potential.
He said: “We see these players every single day, and I think the whole group, the new players and the ones who have been here longer, we always talk so positively about them because we see the ability and talent they've got.
“Throughout the course of this season, we've shown in so many moments, with the Burnley game being the prime example, that we're not just capable of surviving at this level. These players are capable of thriving.
“That's all you ever want. You want them to showcase themselves at the top level as often as they possibly can. If we can help enough of them to do that, and we're at our best as coaches, we know it's enough.”
Attention now turns to a QPR side Cohen knows will provide a significant test, particularly on home soil. The R's have demonstrated their attacking threat this season, including a 5-0 victory over Swansea City, and possess a style of play that the City coaching staff have been studying closely.
He continued: “They're a really good team, especially at home. We've seen some of their results and know how dangerous they can be.
“They play with an expansive shape and have a goalkeeper who can pick anyone out on the football pitch, so we've got to be really aware of their threat.
“We also know that the way we play, and the strength and aggression we have, can hurt anyone. We're hopeful of implementing as much of that as possible while understanding what a good team we're coming up against.”
