Liam leads the way as Kyle makes case for City defence
WALSH PULLS STRINGS AS SKY BLUES’ REARGUARD HELP MAKE KEY POINT
COVENTRY City couldn’t manage to make it four away wins on the spin but they extended their impressive unbeaten run to nine games in all competitions with a valuable point at Fleetwood Town.
Chances were few and far between for both sides on a night when Mark Robins fumed after the Sky Blues were denied a late penalty. Here are some of the big talking points from the goalless draw at Highbury:
■ Shut-out success
One of the biggest positives from the night was an outstanding fourth consecutive clean sheet – no mean feat against Fleetwood’s prolific front two Ched Evans and Paddy Madden who have 25 goals between them.
Both are wily competitors and masters of the dark arts of the game but fair play to Kyle McFadzean who ensured that Evans, in particular, met his match in a hard-fought battle between the pair.
The centre-half showed all his experience with another dominant display at the heart of City’s impressive back three where Michael Rose and Dom Hyam continue to impress either side of him on a consistent basis. Marko Marosi, too, played his part on the night with decent saves in each half to deny Evans from a point-blank header and a near-post attempt.
■ Just gets better
Liam Walsh just gets better and better and is clearly benefiting from a sustained run of games at Coventry.
The Bristol City loan midfielder is getting real consistency to his game, displaying superb technical ability along with bags of energy and tenacity in the tackle. His ability to move the ball swiftly and cleanly in tight areas is a joy to watch, and he produced the one bit of quality on the night when he somehow turned on a sixpence while facing his own goal and set off towards the Fleetwood box, leaving a defender in his wake before unleashing a powerful shot to force the keeper into his only real save of the night. The 22-year-old is the type of player City could do with on a permanent basis but, sadly, his parent club manager Lee Johnson has already made clear that he rates the lad highly and is looking forward to reaping the benefits of the player getting 40-odd games under his belt in League One this term ahead of next season.
Although the player is out of contract at Ashton Gate this summer, the club have an option in their favour to
extend it by another 12 months which would appear to scupper any chance of the Sky Blues nabbing him on a free.
■ Changes afoot
Mark Robins, rather surprisingly, went with an unchanged side against Fleetwood despite having plenty of options at his disposal.
And for a second game running, the combined talents of Max Biamou and Callum O’Hare served to pep things up considerably when they went on midway through the game.
Biamou added some much needed physicality in both boxes while O’Hare once again provided a spark with some lively running with the ball and should, by rights, have been awarded a late penalty from which City would surely have snatched victory.
With games coming thick and fast with Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday for the next couple of weeks, the manager will almost certainly begin to rotate his impressive squad.
Having got 45 minutes on Tuesday night, one would expect O’Hare to start at Bristol while Jamie Allen is an immensely talented player whom we’re still yet to see get a run in the side.
The manager made five changes for the 3-0 FA Cup thumping of Rovers last week without weakening the side, so there’s no reason to suggest he won’t do similar for Saturday’s trip to the Pirates.