THIS WEEK’S Observer Fan’s View column has been written by Anthony Hornsby who has been impressed with the strength and depth of Tpony Mowbray’s Sky Blues squad:
“Adam Armstrong has been hitting the headlines for all the right reasons early on in the season. However, it shouldn’t be overlooked that it’s the team performances which have enabled him to deliver.
“The balance which we have in the squad is starting to show, along with quality this season.
“Whilst some of our preferred starting XI are not always available due to injury or international duty, we have a good selection of squad players who are more than capable of picking up where others left off.
“This compliments our teams overall ability, as shown through our recent win at Fleetwood where Ryan Kent and Armstrong were unavailable, two players who more than likely would have started. It also enables the football club to keep its momentum in the league, something that is vital if we are to achieve anything positive this season.
In the last four league fixtures we have managed to record an impressive 68 shots, an average of 17 a game. It’s this stat that highlights just how impressive our team performances are.
“The work from the midfield this season has been superb, the distance they will have already covered given our counter attacking style at times must be substantial.
“The mixture of pace and flair from Murphy, Lameiras and Kent is perfectly complimented through the hard work of Fleck, O’Brien and Vincelot, who through their endeavours allow the more attack-minded players and even full backs, Chris Stokes and Sam Ricketts, to cascade up the field creating a sea of sky blue which can penetrate defences and lead to the 17-odd shots a game.
“It is however, ultimately about putting the ball into the net and that is where the abilities of Armstrong, Tudgay and our other attacking options come in.
“The variety we have at the top of the pitch enables us to attack games in various ways because all of our strikers possess different abilities that can be utilised in order to create chances and ultimately score goals.
“Examples of this plethora of choice includes Armstrong’s ability to ghost past a defensive line and strike with either foot, Tudgay and Fortuné’s aerial abilities or even the more long-range of efforts from Jacob Murphy and Jim O’Brien.
“It’s this selection of firepower, added to the creativity and hard work of our midfield that enables us to be so fluid and dangerous this season. All put into place by the fantastic Mowbray and his team who have used their selection process when bringing players in terrifically.
“It must be mentioned that whilst waxing lyrically about our attacking capabilities, the last three league games has seen consecutive clean sheets for the Sky Blues, something that again is paramount in the hunt for promotion.
“Reice Charles-Cook has been exceptional since starting and I personally think one of our players of the season so far, Stokes, is putting in some really impressive performances.”
