Sideways Sammy

A fantastic win just before the international break has put Coventry City in a great position ahead of back-to-back games featuring their toughest remaining opponents. That victory over Sunderland has eased some of the pressure to take points out of the next two games, but with the play-off contest so tight, the Sky Blues can ill-afford to view these fixtures as completely free hits. At least one win from either this or the next game will keep Coventry in the top six.

A trip to Bramall Lane is going to be a significant test of this Coventry City side’s mettle. After proving against Sunderland last time out that this team has a big performance in them, repeating that on the road against one of the best home teams in the division really would be a boon for this side’s play-off bid. The Blades are chasing down automatic promotion and looking increasingly bullish in their belief that they may be the division’s best team.

Expected Line-Up

The decision to play Haji Wright at centre-forward proved to be an inspired move by Frank Lampard last time out. The American thrived in a free-roaming role up top, with the team dominating the ball and able to find space in the final third. The big question heading into this game is whether Wright can be as effective in what is likely to be a lower possession performance, where he may well need to battle physically with the opposing defence and hold the ball up.

That provides a possibility that Ellis Simms could start at centre-forward, with Wright probably moving to the left of the attack, however, it feels unlikely that Lampard will want to change things up for a player who produced one of the best individual displays of the season last time out. If there is to be any change to the team that beat Sunderland, it may be taking into account potential returnees from injury.

Ben Sheaf and Jack Rudoni are the names to look out for, with both having been spotted in training ahead of this game. The sense is that it is probably too soon for either to return to the starting line-up, but if they can make the matchday squad, that will be a boost in the wake of Josh Eccles picking up an injury.

The only other area for change may be at left-back, where Frank Lampard has been in a rhythm of picking Jake Bidwell for away games and Jay Dasilva at home. However, given how impressive Dasilva was last time out – or, perhaps, how poor Bidwell was in his last start – the incumbent at left-back looks set to earn a chance to nail down that spot, home and away, for the rest of the campaign.

Last Time We Met

It was the first home game following Mark Robins’ sacking back in November and Coventry City produced a spirited display against Sheffield United but lacked the killer instinct to come away with all three points. After starting strongly, the Sky Blues fell behind when they switched off and allowed Gustavo Hamer to play Jesrun Rak-Sakyi in behind to play a cross for Tyrese Campbell to score from. However, Coventry were level not long after, when a Josh Eccles cross was turned in, without many of his team-mates noticing, by the faintest touch from Norman Bassette – more to come from the Belgian later.

The Blades regained the lead when, again, Gustavo Hamer was given freedom around the penalty area to play in Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, with the latter finishing past Brad Collins. Despite those three first-half goals, the game’s inciting incident came just before half-time, when Norman Bassette got into a tumble with Sheffield United’s Anel Ahmedhodzic and drew a red card from the latter.

Sheffield United largely kept Coventry City at arm’s length for the rest of the game, but eventually let two points slip away from them as they left Bobby Thomas free from a corner-kick to head in a Jack Rudoni delivery.

The Opposition

The Manager- Chris Wilder

With one of the strongest squads in the division, Chris Wilder has done exactly what has been expected of him this season in getting Sheffield United challenging at the top of the Championship. Having moved on a lot of the old guard that had got the Blades twice promoted to the top-flight in recent years, Wilder has been able to build a new squad that has retained a ‘win at any cost’ mentality that has kept results ticking over this season despite oscillating levels of performance.

There remains a strange sense with this Sheffield United side that they haven’t quite played as well as they could be, yet with one of the best goalkeepers in the division and an array of excellent individual attacking players, they don’t have to play well to win. They are a team that can win games in a number of ways, from soaking up pressure, going direct or looking to dominate and control, if an opponent feels they are an top, the Blades always have a way of changing things up. That looks to be their biggest strength.

Who To Look Out For?

There is so much quality across the park for Sheffield United, but it is anchored by the brilliance of Michael Cooper in goal. The former Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper has proved an inspired signing at Bramall Lane since arriving over the summer after an injury-hit couple of years. A fantastic shot-stopper and dominant presence in the penalty area, while a lot of the rest of the Blades’ starting XI is interchangeable, Cooper’s brilliance always gives them a chance of claiming points from games.

The other key constants for Sheffield United this season have been Gustavo Hamer and Harrison Burrows’ creative threat down the left side. The latter is an attacking force from left-back who allows the former to float dangerously into central areas to open games up. While it remains a complaint from Blades fans that Hamer could be doing more if played in the middle, he has been a constant threat nonetheless. Burrows, meanwhile, has proved that any concerns over his defensive abilities in making the step up from League One have largely been unfounded.

The rest of Sheffield United’s attacking threat is a moveable feast. Callum O’Hare often plays in the number ten position to wreak further havoc between the lines, alongside Gustavo Hamer. Meanwhile, forwards Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Ben Brereton Diaz, and Tyrese Campbell offer running in behind. On top of that, Kieffer Moore provides a significant physical presence in the penalty area, while Rhian Brewster is finding some form after some injury-hit years, making the January signing of Stoke City’s top-scorer, Tom Cannon, feel almost superfluous.

Further back, Hamza Choudhury provides physicality in screening the defence, potentially boosted by Vinicius Souza making a return from injury for this game. If not, academy graduate, Sydie Peck, has proven a tyro with a touch of quality in that midfield area. In defence, Anel Ahmedhodizic is someone who provides both a presence, along with mobility and quality on the ball from centre-back that provides a platform for others to get forward.

Where The Game Will Be Won Or Lost

After a controlled, dominant display against Sunderland, the challenge here is for Coventry City to find a way to impose themselves against a Sheffield United side that will want to play on the front foot at home. The big concern is how that high defensive line copes against an opponent with plenty of pace in behind and the quality to pick out those passes in behind. If the Sky Blues can manage that threat, they’ll have a chance here.

This looks set to be a big game for the midfield pairing of Matt Grimes and Jamie Allen, who were so good last time out. Allen in particular provided that missing ingredient of tenacity in the centre of the park that went a long to preventing the opposition picking out those dangerous passes in behind. Allen’s task will be to shut down the likes of Gustavo Hamer and Callum O’Hare, with Grimes there to offer the composure on the ball to manage what could be a hostile atmosphere.

As mentioned earlier in the article, whether Haji Wright can do the same kind of thing to Sheffield United that he did to Sunderland is a key question for Coventry City. With Sheffield United looking to play on the front foot and get their full-backs high up the pitch, there should be room on the counter for Wright, and Ephron Mason-Clark, to pull into wide areas and cause problems for the opposition. The concern is if the Sky Blues end up with little of the ball and it forces Wright into playing with his back to goal and looking to hold the ball up to get the team into the game, which isn’t really his strength as a striker.