Sky Blues are specialists at scoring late, late goals
Historian Jim Brown continues his look back at City’s 2021-22 season
■■Best run:
The Sky Blues’ best league run was four unbeaten which happened twice, in September and November.
■■Worst run:
The worst run was six without a win between a home win over Bristol City in mid-november and a victory at Peterborough in January. That run did include four draws including shared points at Sheffield United, Bournemouth and Huddersfield.
■■Hat-tricks:
No player scored a hat-trick for the Sky Blues. Gyokeres (2), Godden (2), Sheaf and O’hare all scored braces. Gyokeres was the first City player to score braces in successive home matches since Adam Armstrong in 2015-16.
■■Opposing hat-tricks:
For the third season running no opposing player scored a hat-trick but five scored braces: Adebayo and Cornick (Luton), Obafemi (Swansea), Solanke (Bournemouth) and Etete (Northampton LC).
■■Former Players:
Three former City players (all loanees) scored against the Sky Blues – Danny Ward (Huddersfield) for the second season running, Gary Madine (Blackpool) and Gary Gardner (Birmingham).
■■Own goals:
For City: (4) Thomas Kaminski (Blackburn), Nathan Thompson (Peterborough), Harry Pickering (Blackburn) and Tim Ream (Fulham) all scored in their own nets.
I believe the instance of players from the same team scoring own goals at home and away in the same season – ie. Blackburn – last occurred in 1962-63 when Millwall’s Dennis John scored for City at the Den and Tom Wilson put through his own net in the return at Highfield Road.
By City: (2) Kyle Mcfadzean put through his own net twice, in the home games v Fulham and West Brom. In the latter game Mcfadzean scored at both ends and became the first City player to score at both ends in a game twice having done so versus Millwall last season.
■■Penalties:
For City: 4
Four awarded, three scored (all by Godden at home) v Fulham, Derby and Bristol City. Gyokeres’ penalty at Barnsley was saved.
7
Seven penalties conceded in league games (six less than 2020-21. The following scored: Swift (Reading h), Adebayo (Luton a), Martin (Bristol City h), Johnson (Preston h), Lawrence (Derby a) and Anjorin (Huddersfield). Ben Wilson saved one penalty (Grant at West Brom). The breakdown of the culprits is: Dabo (2), Clarke-salter, Maatsen, Sheaf, Wilson and Rose (1 each).
Against City: ■■Fastest goal scored:
Two goals were scored in the ninth minute – Gyokeres at Millwall and Blackburn Pickering’s own goal in the home game.
■■Fastest goal conceded:
Luton’s Adebayo netted his penalty after three minutes at Kenilworth Road.
■■Late goals:
The season started with an addedtime winner when Mcfadzean netted in the 96th minute to seal the points against Forest.
It continued in the same vein with 11 goals in added time during the season – many of them to secure victories or draws.
We thought that Fabio Tavares’ 98th-minute equaliser against Preston couldn’t be topped and then came Gyokeres’ 99th minute equaliser against Blackburn!
In addition there were a further seven goals after the 80th minute including the winner from Viktor at Ashton Gate in the 89th minute. By contrast no team scored against the Sky Blues in added time and only
four were conceded after the 80th minute.
■■Red cards:
Coventry: (3): A much better season, discipline wise, after six sendings-off in 2020-21 with City having three red cards.
Fankaty Dabo picked up two (Cardiff and Preston at home) both in the last few minutes, and Maatsen received one (Bristol City h). The latter game was the first time since 2004 (Cardiff a) that City have scored a winner in a league game after having a player sent off and you have to go back to 1999 and a home game with Charlton for the last time City came from behind to win with 10 men.
Dabo has now received three red cards since joining the Sky Blues. The record is held by Paul Williams who was sent off four times.
Opponents: (4) Four opponents received red cards: Woods (Birmingham h), Lerma (Bournemouth a), Hoilett (Reading a) and Lindsay (Preston h).
■■FA Cup:
The Sky Blues beat Derby in the third round – their first win at the CBS since Stoke were defeated in 2018. They lost at Southampton in the fourth round after extra-time – the fifth time that the team have gone to extra-time since the 1987 final and they have lost all five.
■■League Cup:
The Sky Blues fell at the first hurdle suffering defeat at home to League Two side Northampton with an under strength side. They have not won a game in the competition at the CBS Arena since defeating Portsmouth in 2016.