Sideways Sammy

Oliver Dovin has very quickly grown into the reliable presence in goal that Coventry City have been missing for quite a while. The Swede had a slow start to life with the Sky Blues, not really making many mistakes but doing little to suggest he could be relied upon to help a shaky defence hold onto results. Since returning to the side over the festive period, Dovin has started to make the kind of big interventions that has won him the confidence of both the players in front of him and the Coventry fanbase. Firmly established as the number one choice in goal, Dovin now looks to be one of the best goalkeepers the club has had since relegation from the Premier League.

The best that could be said about Oliver Dovin’s first spell in the Coventry City side was that he was good with the ball at his feet. Able to receive the ball under pressure and keep play ticking over, the issue had been that Dovin simply hadn’t had the opportunity to make the kind of big saves he’s now associated with. His first big moment was in coming way off his line to prevent Cardiff City making it 2-0 in a game the Sky Blues went on to draw, from then on, he’s put in a series of performances that have won the team points and been central to this excellent run of form Coventry have been in this calendar year. Even when Dovin makes mistakes – such as dropping the ball at the feet of Jayden Bogle during a defeat to Leeds United – he’s able not to let it affect his overall performance, a crucial quality in a goalkeeper.

Regular goalkeeping heroics may not be the sign of a great team but Oliver Dovin having shown that he can produce them when required has helped Coventry City settle down at the back over the second half of the campaign. Statistically one of the best goalkeepers in the division, Dovin is showing himself to be an integral figure in this team. At just 22, there is scope for him still to improve. Whereas it looked a curious decision earlier in the season to bring in such a young goalkeeper into an already youthful back-line, Dovin has proven to be an incredibly shrewd signing for the club.