Thank God that’s over.
There’s so much to talk about when looking back over the season, and quite frankly it’s a task I’ll leave mostly to my peers. I would however like to go over each player in the squad and sum up their respective campaigns. This time out, I’ll be waffling on about our goalkeepers and defenders; starting with the men between the sticks.
Oliver Dovin
Following fan disgruntlement and clamour towards the end of last season over the goalkeeping situation at the club, most if not all supporters were pleased to see the recruitment of Dovin. Young and promising, with Swedish caps at senior level; it has been a season that for Dovin will have both frustrated and encouraged.
Starting the season as the first-choice goalkeeper, Dovin failed to catch the eye as the team as a whole struggled for any semblance of form. It wasn’t until November, in his tenth start, that he was able to keep a clean sheet, in a 3-0 away victory at Middlesbrough. Even before that, Mark Robins had experimented with bringing Ben Wilson back into the fold, in an attempt to provide a more vocal presence between the sticks in the hopes of organising the defence.
Not long after getting back in, Dovin succumbed to injury just after Robins’ sacking, leading to the recall of Brad Collins. Dovin would have to wait his turn, but seven weeks later, and following Collins’ bad day out at Portsmouth, he found himself back in contention, and he took his chance with two big, gloved hands.
Dovin finally began to show what he was truly capable of, and was later able to produce what could be considered a match-winning performance away at Blackburn. It could be argued that in terms of his ability to make reflex saves and get down to the ball, we haven’t had anyone at the club as good as him since the halcyon days of having Kieren Westwood. Dovin also displays confidence with his feet, and likes to play short passes out of defence. Conversely, it can be said that his kicking when going long could still be improved; if not in accuracy then in distance. If this can be worked on when he returns to training, then we could be looking at possibly one of the outright best goalkeepers in the division next season.
Sadly, his season came to an abrupt end at Bramall Lane. A quick turn on the ball combined with something of a naughty challenge from the Sheffield United player resulted in an ACL injury that means we sadly won’t be seeing Dovin in action until roughly around Christmas time. On the positive side, it means that he will at least be here next season. It ultimately is testament to his improvement and perceived ability that following his injury, many fans had written off our season, such is his emergence as a key player in this side.
Brad Collins
If Dovin has been a victim of circumstance this season, then it would be perhaps better to call Brad Collins a beneficiary of circumstance. Out in the cold all summer, with seemingly little to no interest in his services during the transfer window, it looked like Collins was dead weight and a burning hole in the wage bill. However, as luck would have it, injuries to Dovin and Ben Wilson meant that he was Johnny on the spot for the first match following the sacking of Mark Robins, away at Sunderland. Collins was able to retain the gloves for the remaining two matches of Rhys Carr’s interim spell, and as a result was the first choice for Frank Lampard upon his arrival; perhaps due to the manager not wanting to rock the boat too much after coming in.
A player who had lost his way towards the end of last season, there was hope that a run of games might see Collins regain some confidence that had deserted him over the previous months. Sadly, despite the boon of his excellent distribution, especially when going long, Collins continued to make the sort of errors that would make anyone hate to be a goalkeeper. The aforementioned performance against Portsmouth was the first death knell for his season, but once again Collins was given another shot, this time following Dovin’s ACL injury. Two of his three clean sheets of the season came in the following period, but it should also be mentioned that both came in games that meant he probably didn’t need to wash his kit afterwards. Following an earlier mishap that led to the team’s defeat at home to Burnley, it had been very pleasant to hear the supporters singing his name in the next match. Sadly, his performance against Plymouth and rush of blood to the head against Luton meant that Lampard had finally had enough; resulting in Ben Wilson’s return to the fold for the final match of the regular season and play-off matches.
If ever there was a player in this squad who needs a fresh start, it is Brad Collins. On his day he can be a competent Championship keeper, but sadly at Coventry City those days seem to be few and far between. A lower Championship or League 1 move would make the most sense, and it wouldn’t be remiss to suggest that the club won’t begrudge taking a loss on him currently.
Ben Wilson
Marko Marosi. Simon Moore. Brad Collins. Oliver Dovin. From League 1 winners to Championship play-off runners-up and semi-finalists. It’s quite remarkable to reflect on who Wilson has had as competition and how long he has been at the club, all whilst being considered the back-up. Wilson’s personality and attitude has meant that he has been more than happy to bide his time whenever necessary, and has been able to mostly repay the faith shown in him over the years.
Despite never really being the most commanding goalkeeper in his box, and with a horrible habit of getting down to make saves at a rate slower than helium, Wilson has always been competent enough to keep around, although as seen during his remarkable Golden Glove season two years ago, he probably looks better with a good defence in front of him (but to be fair that can be said of most if not all goalkeepers).
It took until the final day of the regular season for Wilson to get a chance in front of Frank Lampard, and he did a bang-up job. In fact, had it not been for Jack Rudoni’s exploits at the other end of the field, he would have easily claimed the Man of the Match award, such was his performance, which included one incredible save scrambling back across his box to cover an otherwise open goal. In that match, and the two play-off matches against Sunderland, we were pretty much given a full reminder of what Wilson is all about. Some blinding saves that come out of nowhere, and great pace to rush off his line and sweep up when necessary; balanced out by arguably the poorest footwork and distribution of the squad’s goalkeepers, as well as not being able to make saves that his peers possibly would.
Ben Wilson is a player that would be happy to stay at the club, even as a third-choice goalkeeper, for next season at least. Dovin’s injury means that should the club replace Collins for the first half of the next campaign, they would probably want someone to cover the first-team berth, and rotate Wilson in for cup matches. Should they decide to stick with Wilson as first-choice until then, you would hope that he can produce the performances to back up that decision, and not make the sort of errors he is capable of making (albeit at a lower rate than Collins), and leave fans and management wishing they should have acted differently.
Jay Dasilva
A player who frustrated many fans last season, and one that those fans would have been happy to see leave over the summer, Jay Dasilva could be argued as being the player who has benefitted the most from the change in coaching staff. Be it the change in tactical approach, the coaching he has received, or a combination of the two; Dasilva has won over many of his critics following his perfomances in the second half of the season.
A full-back who likes to play on the front foot, with good footwork and a teasing delivery, Dasilva has supplemented these attributes with better ball retention in tighter spaces, and a doggedness in the tackle. His lack of height is still targeted by opposing sides, but he has done a better job of winning the ball on the second touch to help combat his lack of aerial presence. He however can still be caught flat-footed during quick opposing transitions; as evidenced by the pass that led to his unfortunate sending-off at Kenilworth Road.
A popular dressing-room figure, Dasilva will likely be here next season. Whether he remains a starter depends on the club’s activity in the summer months. Whatever role he plays, he has demonstrated that he can provide an outlet down the left flank, and has shown enough defensively to calm some nerves amongst the supporters.
Jake Bidwell
Otherwise ever-dependable, it has been an underwhelming season for Jake Bidwell. A solid defender that always gets forward whenever possible, it does however feel that Bidwell’s limitations have been reached. Never a player to take on his opposite number when one-on-one, nor with the technique to pull something different out of the bag; you always know what to expect when attacking down the left with him. His delivery can be very good, but if he isn’t in a position to provide said delivery, then he cannot do much else. That said, he has seemed to add a back-heel to his game, which has always excited this writer at least whenever it has been demonstrated! Defensively, his physicality means that he wins duels on a regular basis. However, there have been times this season where he has been exposed for a declining level of pace; especially following a counter-attack where he has been high in the opposing half.
As Jay Dasilva’s form improved over the season, Bidwell’s waned. It could be fair to say that there were few games this season where Bidwell genuinely impressed; a possible step back from last season. That he signed a contract extension earlier this year does little to suggest that his time at the club may be short, and if anything means we may at least make a little bit of money should he depart. Bidwell is emblematic of where the club wants to be next season, as if we want to be considered a truly high-level Championship side, it is players such as himself that need to be looked at moving on. A good servant to the club, but one whose transfer would be mostly accepted.
Liam Kitching
A Marmite defender in the squad, at least at the start of the campaign. Liam Kitching found himself being frozen out for the most part under Mark Robins; be that for a perceived lack of discipline, or perhaps the manager trying to justify the transfer of Luis Binks. It seemed that apart from a smattering of appearances, including one at left wing-back, Kitching was the forgotten man in the Coventry defence. This initially continued into the burgeoning Frank Lampard era. However, an impressive perfomance in a back three at Carrow Road heralded a return to the XI; a position he only relinquished once for the rest of the league campaign, and that was through illness.
Eventually rekindling his partnership from last season alongside Bobby Thomas, Kitching’s inital return to the side and return to form was marked with his typical aggresive approach to defending; stepping up to make the initial challenge, and never shirking an aerial battle. What was most notable however, was his usage of the ball; showing some delightful raking passes out wide, as well as vertical passes through the midfield. ‘Kitch’ also added a level of dynamism on occasion when dribbling the ball forwards out from the back, which is something he tends to do more often and generally better than his other centre-halves.
Where Kitching lets himself down is in what would also be considered his best attribute; his aggresion. As mentioned before, he likes to step up when defending, and is very much on the front-foot when a ball is played into the defensive third. However, should he not win the ball in doing so, or if his teammates can’t pick up any subsequent loose balls, he leaves himself out of position, and places a burden that is usually carried by Thomas to sweep up. The quality of his heading can often defy his initial winning of the header also, and this is something that I for one would like to see an improvement in. He is a very vocal and scrappy player, and will forever toe the line of discipline. It is perhaps commendable that although he collected seven yellow cards this season, he managed to avoid getting sent off. There will always be that element of risk with him though, although every squad needs a player with that level of aggression. Where he can take the next step is in channeling that aggression and only using it when necessary, and knowing when to take a step back to help maintain a good defensive shape, the effectiveness of which will be shown even more in Lampard’s high line.
Joel Latibeaudiere
I like Latibeaudiere as a centre-back. I don’t like Latibeaudiere as a right-back.
When central, Lati has generally been solid. A good tackler of the ball and with a decent passing range, he has rarely made mistakes or been the direct cause of goals conceded. This is counterbalanced with a lesser height to his contemporaries, and lack of pace, the latter of which being all the more reason why he terrifies me when forced out wide.
When played out wide, no other game shows his shortcomings than his nightmare game in the FA Cup against Ipswich. Playing in a right wing-back role which he probably shouldn’t have been considered for at all, he was constantly done for pace, and a lack of positional awareness for the role meant he never once compensated for said lack of pace by dropping an extra five yards deeper. He managed to score in that game with a trademark header from a corner, but such was his performance for the rest of the game, it would be considered a footnote.
As one of a number of players to wear the Captain’s armband this season, I think it would be best to keep Latibeaudiere around. His willingness to play a number of positions aids his case in that regard, but I’d rather see him back in defensive midfield (where he looked decent) before being seen at full-back. I would consider him to be a squad player at best for the next campaign.
Luis Binks
Despite a loan spell at the club last season that did little to suggest he could be a real asset to the squad, Luis Binks became the clubs’ first signing of the close-season. As hinted earlier, perhaps Mark Robins was desparate for the move to pay off, as Binks was the first-choice left-sided defender for much of the first half of the season.
Binks however has not really provided the performances to suggest that the transfer has been a successful one. Very much a defender who is most comfortable when the ball is coming straight at him, he struggles the moment the ball gets to the side of him and beyond. While perhaps brought in also for his ability on the ball as Robins tried in vain to move towards a possession-heavy system, Binks did little to demonstrate why that would have been. Being the most regular starting defender during our poor start to the season – while correlation doesn’t necessarly imply causation – the fact that Binks never really regained his place following Liam Kitching’s return to the side (outside of a brief spell which Lampard’s hand was forced to playing five at the back), perhaps shows that he may not be the solution to a problem which has plagued this side for two years now. His zenith this season was a solid perfomance in victory at home to QPR, but even that was a 7/10 at best.
Bobby Thomas
My favourite player at the club – perhaps surprisingly so given some of the personnel we have currently – it has pleased me to see Bobby Thomas build on a promising previous season to become a player that has caught the eye of neutrals and pundits as the season has progressed. However, Bobby still has his moments where he gets inside his own head and his performance over a 90-minute spell or a two to three-game stretch suffers as a result. This becomes even more noticeable when you consider just how good he has been on occasion this term.
Our best outright defender, Thomas has shown good all-round ability when undergoing his prime directives. With a deceptive turn of pace, Thomas has often produced several last-ditch recoveries that have gotten his teammates and himself out of potential mires. What has been most noticable however, is his continuing improvement in possesion.
During the team’s purple patch in January, there were whispers that his passing had improved tremendously. Sadly, this then regressed over the next few matches. Often seen as his biggest drawback and quite frankly a liability, his passing still remains the area of his game with the most room for improvement. This is most noticeable when he tries to attempt passes forward through the lines to the forwards – something that Kitching and even Latibeaudiere to an extent are capable of – but Bobby manages to dawdle that second too long, telegraph the pass to the opposition, or just lose concentration when playing the ball. It has often been the killer of good spells of possesion or just singular moves. This is where the addition of Matt Grimes in January has offered a solution. By offering Thomas a simple pass at all times after which he can then turn and play the pass that is needed to move the ball forwards, Grimes was sorely missed in the first half of the season, where the team was prone to moving the ball sideways across the back four for extended periods, often due to teams simply letting Thomas have the ball for longer than anyone else.
There was then a second renaissance of Thomas’ passing game towards the end of the season, yet this once again deserted him right at the end of the campaign, most notably in the second leg against Sunderland, where in the first half he was guilty of some quite frankly honking pass attempts leading to turnovers in possesion.
What has been good, and such a fun thing to watch, is seeing Bobby go forward late in a game where we’re needing a goal. The winner against Stoke – the last in a streak of three goals in three consecutive home games – was perhaps the best example of it. Afforded time by the defenders making a hash of clearing the previous chance and being occupied by the actual attackers, Thomas was able to take a couple of touches before unleashing a remarkable left-footed half-volley to win it at the death. Up until that moment I don’t think it was a goal anyone would consider him to be capable of.
Bobby Thomas can still improve. That is the biggest positive to a campaign that has already seen Thomas establish himself as the first-choice defender. A calming yet leading influence alongside him in the back line would be the best thing for him, to help get him out of his mental funks he is still prone to.
Milan Van Ewijk
Another player who suffered as the team endured a poor start to the season, Van Ewijk was able to bounce back and return to the form that had earned him plenty of adoration last season. This is in spite of playing another season where he has not had the luxury of being able to be rotated out of the side in times when he really looked like needing a rest.
At this level, a player of his absurd pace and willingness to go forward would often be beset with a crippling inability to defend, but the fact that he is also a very difficult player for opposing wingers to beat makes him such a special player in this division. What actually does hold Milan back is a surprising lack of ability to truly beat a man one-on-one, instead relying on one-two passes with his midfielders – usually Tatsuhiro Sakamoto – to make the best use of his pace as a tool to get in behind; that and the fact that sometimes his finishing deserts him despite getting in good positions. But that these are the only two nitpicks in him as a player just goes to highlight his overall quality as a player.
It will be a real shame should he move on in the summer, as he is such a well-liked player both on and off the pitch, and that his last real big moment will be the mistake in the home leg against Sunderland (which will be remembered more than his two assists across both legs) seems like such a disappointing way to sign off his Coventry career. If he does stay, he will be out of contract at the end of the upcoming campaign, and it seems crazy that the club would defy their transfer strategy to let go for free a player that could and probably should demand a substantial amount of money in this summer’s window.
That about wraps it up. Hopefully soon I’ll get onto the melting pot that is our midfield.
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