End of Season Player Report Card

Who has made the grade?

Goalkeepers

Oliver Dovin - C+

Surprisingly dropped early in the season despite not doing an awful lot wrong, was reinstated by Lampard. 28 starts in the league with 30 conceded. Incredibly calm in possession, and his shot stopping was key to our revival in the 2nd half of the season. Long-term ACL injury cruelty curtailed a promising season. The Sky Blues appear to have a found a genuine No 1. Save percentages of just under 70% with a goals prevented metric of 0.03 are rock solid numbers.

Brad Collins - E

Calamity Collins played 15 matches conceding 23 goals. With a save percentage of 56%, lots of errors and a goals prevented metric of -5.3, it’s hard to see how comes back from this. It’s hard to restore trust from players and fans alike. Remains good with the ball at his feet, and will likely go on and be a good keeper somewhere else. Hard to see him recovering here.

Ben Wilson - N/A

Can’t be graded on just 4 league starts, with an injury hit campaign. Excellent in his comeback game against M’Boro, and the fans do let him off with mistakes that Collins would be slated for…..but that comes back to trust. Strong personality, and ideal back-up keeper.

Full-Backs

Milan van Ewijk - B

The Flying Dutchman has had another strong campaign. 45 starts in the league, overcoming an early season dip to return to his normal level. Continues to link-up well with Sakamoto, and his speed often gets him and his team-mates out of trouble. Lacks the ability to go past a man. Likely to have plenty of suitors.

Jay Dasilva - C-

Ended up making 20 starts. Form in the first half of the campaign was a real concern, often caught out of position. Many were beginning to give up on him only for him have a really strong end to the season. Exceptionally good in tight spaces really suits the Lampard system (84% pass completion), was beginning to make some really interesting runs on the inside of EMC. Defends well against technical wingers (Patrick Roberts types) but can be exposed against real athletes.

Jake Bidwell - D

Just 23 starts, the lowest of entire career (15th season). Remains solid in the air, and defending 1 vs 1. Good crosser too. Is making less than 2 recoveries per game, due to a lack of pace to get back. Has always lacked technical ability on the ball in tight spots. With nearly 44,000 minutes on the clock, is he starting to play like somebody who is older than 32?

Centre-Back

Bobby Thomas - B-

A step forward from Thomas. 37 starts, and 5 crucial goals. Has been mostly reliable defensively, and his athleticism helps him in duels and makes him a big threat from set-pieces. Positionally has improved too, with a back-line that often played quite high and applied a fairly successful offside trap. A can still be erratic in possession, although Grimes has eased the burden a little here.

Joel Latibeuadiere - C-

Over 2,500 minutes played for the Jamaican. Useful utility man who’s best at CB, but can fill in at CDM or RB (definitely not RWB). Reliable as ever, and is also very neat but quite safe in possession. Lack of pace can be exposed. Competes with Target-Men better than you’d expect for his size. Important squad player.

Liam Kitching - D+

Struggled for minutes in the first-half of the season with Binks often preferred, and looked to be on his way out in January, only to regain his place and reignite his partnership with Thomas. Better on the ball than people realise and a real competitor. Can be very erratic defensively and without the pace to get himself out of jail. His duel and aerial stats remain very moderate. Always feel there’s a big mistake coming.

Luis Binks - D

Did fairly well in a struggling side at the start of the campaign, and then seemed to lack a bit of a confidence (possibly down to a lack of minutes) when spotted in the 2nd half of the season. His on the ball numbers are really positive and progressive. Defensively the numbers are ok but there is something in the eye test that suggests he needs to toughen up and mature. Is at a bit of a cross roads.

Centre-Midfield

Matt Grimes - B

The January signing has instantly become the oil in the Sky Blues engine. Metronomic in possession, often cleverly dropping into the back line to allow the full-backs to progress. Wand of a left-peg. Does a huge amount of unseen work preventing opposition counter-attacks. 91% pass completion rate is phenomenal. Leader too.

Ben Sheaf - C-

Failed to hit the heights of last-season in an injury hit campaign. Looked like he was forced back early due to a lack of options / league position, which didn’t help the rest of his campaign. Started just 50% of the games, but was beginning to foster a strong partnership with Grimes in the latter part. Gets through tonnes of defensive work, although can lack creativity/ looked exposed in the final third.

Josh Eccles - C-

Our best player in a struggling side at the start of the season, clearly less fancied by Lampard than Robins. Combative and energetic, but can lack technically which doesn’t suit a role in a double-pivot in a side seeing plenty of the ball. Solid all-rounder who needs to improve his ball-carrying ability. Prefer him on the ball further up the field than in deeper central areas.

Jamie Allen - D

12 starts and 21 appearances in what seems to be Allen’s final season for the club (175 appearances). Some important cameos, particularly at the start of the year. Works incredibly hard, is sound technically and doesn’t give the ball away (87% pass completion), but his lack of size and speed can see some games pass him by. Loyal servant and model professional.

Attacking-Midfield

Jack Rudoni - A (player of the season)

Struggled initially, but went through the gears to have a fantastic first season. 9 Goals and 12 assists in 40 league starts is some return. His ability to drift wide to link up-play superbly in tight areas is supplemented with his box crashing runs very much in the mould of his manager. Works hard off the ball too, and his in-swinging left-footed corners have been a threat all season.

Victor Torp - C

Niggling injuries continue to hamper his progress (25 starts), although there were some really encouraging signs this season that he’s about to really break out. Highly technical, and our best at unlocking a defence with a pass, carries a goal threat too. Competes well in duels. Doesn’t really ball carry. Will be a key cog in a side that sees plenty of the ball. More to come if he can stay fit. 2.09 chances created per 90 is only bettered by Finn Azaz from the same position.

Out-Wide

Tatsuhiro Sakamoto - C

Disappointing start to the season on the back of a horrible injury, and at times left out to adcoomdate a back 3. Returned to the player we know and love under Frank Lampard. Continues to turn full-backs inside out and deliver well of either foot, and is excellent in tight spaces. Works incredibly hard and a 52% duel win percentage for a player of his build is fantastic, clearly puts his body on the line. Whilst very good at taking players on, his league of speed and power mean he can be ineffective if you can’t get the ball to him high up the pitch. Very much suits Lampard way of playing.

Ephron Mason-Clark - C-

Just 17 starts, but another winger who clearly improved for Lampard. A couple of niggly injuries just as he looked like he was about to light the touch paper. 0.35xG and 0.29xA per 90 means only Ramazani, James and Soloman are ahead of him in the whole division for expected goal involvements. Strong as an ox, and technical enough that he can thrive in both high possession and counter-attacking styles. More to come.

Jamie Paterson - N/A

Just 73 minutes played but no-one will forget his winner against Pompey. Fulfilled every Cov kids dream. Wish him well at Plymouth

Raphael Borges Rodrigues - N/A

Mustered just 8 league minutes. Important preseason to come for the young Aussie.

Up-Top

Haji Wright - C

It’s rare for your top-scorer to only get a C, but there’s always a sense with him that there’s more in the locker. 21 starts and 12 goals, another impacted by injuries. 0.55 goals per 90 is only bettered by Ramazani, Campbell and Latte-Lath. 0.52xG per 90 only bettered by Ramazani and Latte-Lath. Exceptional numbers for somebody who spent more of the season on the LW than up-front. 7.35 touches in the opposition box per 90, 6.15 duels won per 90 and his aerial duel percentage all have him right at the top of players in this league from a perspective. We should ignore his languid persona and focus on what his results are.

Ellis Simms - E+

Just 6 goals in 2,300 minutes for Simms. For a striker who doesn’t contribute a lot else, that’s really concerning. 3 aerial duels won per 90 at 41% is not a bad return, but outside of that the data doesn’t make for good reading. Not to play a single minute across the play-off games tells you where Lampard is at with it.

Brandon Thomas-Asante - D

14 starts and 7 goal contributions, he had some important moments. Works tirelessly off the ball. Good ball carrier, ideal striker to bring on when you’re ahead, or to start when you’re not expecting to see much of the ball. Will struggle as a lone forward in a high possession set-up. Good squad player, who’s very different to our other options, although his constant attempts to shoot through bodies is infuriating.

Norman Bassette - C-

Already a full Belgium international at 20, and made 25 league appearances in his debut season. There’s clearly potential. He’ll be disappointed by his goal return, but his xG of 0.48 per 90 suggests a 1 in 2 striker. Uses his body well to win free-kicks, and makes runs in behind that Torp may well be able to unlock. Works hard out of possession but not necessarily effectively. Interesting to see his development.

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