Sideways Sammy

The winger signed for a side that hasn’t played with wingers for over three years, the challenge Tatsuhiro Sakamoto has faced in his early months at Coventry City has been in finding a role for himself in the team. The Japan international has delighted with his ability to twist defenders inside out by turning on the spot with incredible agility, it’s just been a case of Mark Robins finding the best way to harness that. Ten games in and Sakamoto has yet to find that definitive role in the starting XI but he looks to be of a talent to demand a spot over the longer term.

Having been tried at either wing-back berth, just behind the strikers and in a slightly deeper role, Tatsuhiro Sakamoto has been able to make an impact just about wherever he’s been utilised. That dribbling ability is probably best utilised in wide areas where he can isolate defenders and open up space as a result, the issue in letting Sakamoto loose in what is closest to his best position is that involves the defensive duties of a wing-back in Mark Robins’ current preferred 3-4-1-2 system. While Tatsuhiro Sakamoto has the work-rate to track back as a defender, his lack of physicality and positional awareness makes a vulnerability in the role which is why he has only been used there later on in games or when the team is expecting to dominate a game. In a central role, Sakamoto can struggle to get involved, especially as he wants to naturally drift into wide areas to take defenders on. The ideal for Sakamoto would be if the team’s tactics shifted to lend him a more natural role in the side – the question is whether he is good enough to demand that.

Tatsuhiro Sakamoto has genuinely made an impact since signing for the club in a way few of the other new additions have, even without a natural position for him in the side. However, there is still a next step for the winger to take from looking eye-catching I’m short bursts to grabbing the goals and assists that will ultimately force Mark Robins to tailor his tactics to Sakamoto. Right now, the player is a useful option for the manager to have up his sleeve to change games up but Tatsuhiro Sakamoto’s time at Coventry City will be judged by whether he can become the match-winner that these early glimpses offer some level of promise that he might.