Sideways Sammy

Coventry City edged out Bristol City at the CBS Arena to claim a vital three points that helps draw the team towards the comforting bosom of mid-table.

The clean sheet looked unlikely early on, when Bristol City continually got in behind the Coventry City defence, leading to some big chances that drew the best out of Oliver Dovin in the home goal. The Sky Blues settled into the first-half and had some decent chances of their own, leaving the game on a knife-edge heading into the break.

Coventry City emerged in the second-half as the more dangerous side, with Ellis Simms both having and setting up some great opportunities for the team to take the lead that weren’t quite taken. That front-footedness was eventually rewarded when Brandon Thomas-Asante was played in by Jack Rudoni, with his wild, powerful attempt on goal from a narrow angle catching Max O’Leary in the opposing goal out for the game’s winning goal.

The Sky Blues remained the likelier team to score for much of the remainder of the contest, with Thomas-Asante spurning a good chance to make the final score more comfortable, before the inevitable late surge from the opposition at 1-0 down. Thanks to some determined defending and great goalkeeping, Coventry City kept their fourth clean sheet in 10 league games under Frank Lampard to hold onto the win.

Dovin Makes Some Saves

Coventry City managed to keep a clean sheet amid what was a largely sloppy defensive performance thanks to Oliver Dovin stepping up in goal to produce a statement showing for the club. The Swede has looked a bigger presence between the sticks since returning to the side over the festive period and this display built on what have been increasingly commanding performances that suggest he has something about him.

The opening ten minutes in particular made it look like a matter of time until Bristol City would score. Between their constant targeting of Jay Dasilva under high balls and their ability to find space between Coventry City’s disorganised and frail back three, the Robins found it easy to drag the Sky Blues’ defence around and get in behind. An strong save from Oliver Dovin after Nahki Wells had easily outpaced Luis Binks was all that stopped the away side taking the lead and potentially setting themselves up for a routing that looked to be in the offing.

It had been a combination of reasons that had kept Oliver Dovin out of the team over the first half of the campaign, but the Swede has shown lately that he has learned lessons from that. Dovin has been notably more vocal of late – albeit, there was one moment during the first-half where Luis Binks conceded a corner under no pressure because he didn’t get a shout from the goalkeeper – and has also developed greater confidence to show some initiative in goal and make some big interventions.

It’s not just that Oliver Dovin started making some big saves, but it’s also his willingness to come off his line and show some authority to prevent danger building. It started in the Cardiff City game on New Year’s Day, where he charged off his line somewhat recklessly to produce a key intervention at a time the team were wobbling at the back. In the second-half here he produced similar, albeit less heart-stopping moments, which helped empower the defence to maintain the high-line, rather than drop back into their bunker.

It’s the combination of those saves and making those kind of interventions that is engendering a sense of authority about Oliver Dovin. While he wasn’t much less than solid in his initial stint in the side, a lack of big moments made it hard to project a sense of trust in his abilities. Three clean sheets and just four goals conceded in the five games since Dovin has returned to the side marks a sea change for Coventry City this season and perhaps a sign that this team can begin to resist its fatal habit of leaking soft goals.

A Busy Attacking Duo

This was a victory for Coventry City that was as much about the efforts of their front two as it was Oliver Dovin’s actions in goal. Brandon Thomas-Asante and Ellis Simms haven’t exactly been the most popular figures at the CBS Arena this season but they showed here that they can make things happen in attack through their sheer work-rate and that they deserve a run together as a partnership to build on that.

The duo look a perfect complement for each other’s abilities. Brandon Thomas-Asante being all pace and almost zero physicality, with Ellis Simms almost the exact opposite. With both being united in their willingness to put in hard yards, often for little reward, they wore the Bristol City defence down, leading to the space that opened up for Thomas-Asante’s eventual winning goal and for further chances after that which should have made the final score more comfortable.

It’s been a difficult season for Ellis Simms and it’s hard to unpick whether it’s down to him not having been handed a consistent run of starts in the side – this was the first time he’s started back-to-back games since September – or down to him not doing enough with the minutes he’s played to nail down a place in the team. Here, he showed why he is deserving of an extended run in the side.

When he is enabled to be involved in the game, Simms’ physical presence makes him a valuable outlet to get the team up the pitch. Winning six headers and setting up three chances, Simms’ ability to battle with the opposing defence and to quickly release team-mates was crucial in giving Coventry City a threat from playing forward more quickly than they have been of late. He was aided in no small part by Brandon Thomas-Asante making some great runs around him to feed on his flick-ons.

In a week where Brandon Thomas-Asante has been linked with a move away from Coventry City, he showed here just why he was signed in the first place. Energetic, enthusiastic and not scared of getting shots away, Thomas-Asante added urgency in attack that was eventually rewarded with a goal. While he lacks the physicality and skill in tight areas to excel when the team plays slower, possession-based football, the increased tempo the Sky Blues played with here enabled him to get into good areas around the penalty area where he was only a touch or two away from getting a shot off.

While Brandon Thomas-Asante isn’t always going to be the best choice for every game, as someone who can come into the team, work his socks off and look to get shots away, he is someone who could be invaluable as part of a rotation of forwards. Finances may dictate otherwise, but it would feel foolish to get rid of someone so soon who may well have a role to play as the wildcard among the team’s attacking ranks.

A Front-Footed Midfield

A midfield trio of Jamie Allen, Jack Rudoni and Victor Torp may not have been quite what anyone would have imagined Coventry City’s first-choice in that area would be, but they showed in this game just what they can offer the team in combination. It was far from a perfect midfield performance, but their front-footedness enabled Coventry City to play in an energetic fashion that contrasts from recent showings at the CBS Arena.

That ropey first ten minutes or so highlighted why Jamie Allen, Jack Rudoni and Victor Torp as a midfield three is probably sub-optimal long-term. Allen, playing in the centre of the three, was too easily bypassed by Bristol City as they continuously were able to isolate the back three. Meanwhile, Rudoni showed at various moments why it can be a risk to get him playing in his own half and Torp was perhaps a little too lightweight as well.

As they settled down, they began to set a platform for playing quickly to open the game up for Coventry City. Jamie Allen was particularly impressive in his ability to receive the ball in front of the defence, draw opponents towards him and then release the ball to team-mates who were now in space. That set up several dangerous counter-attacks, often with Jack Rudoni being set free to carry the ball up the pitch.

For the goal, it was Jamie Allen intercepting the ball up the pitch and quickly playing it to Jack Rudoni that opened up the space for the eventual through ball that saw Brandon Thomas-Asante finish from a narrow angle. It was the kind of opportunity to play quickly in the opposing half that has been in short supply recently with Coventry City having looked to play a more deliberate and slow possession-based style under Frank Lampard. The change in the midfield dynamic enabled the team to play more energetically and dangerously here.

Whether this midfield set-up will last long-term seems unlikely. At the very least, Jamie Allen, will probably be the one to drop out once Ben Sheaf becomes available and there’s then the question of what impact having Haji Wright and Ephron Mason-Clark available again will do to the team’s shape. With those three key players out, it’s a nice problem to have that back-up players have stepped up and may potentially make the head coach’s decision-making process difficult when he has a full squad to pick from.