It was a mixed week for the Sky Blues with three points collected from two away games. Reading has always been a difficult place for City; they failed to win in 18 league and cup visits to the Royals old ground at Elm Park, even failing to win there in both the 1936 and 1964 promotion seasons and in the 1988 Simod Cup semi final when City were a top flight club. After Reading moved to the Madejski Stadium the Sky Blues won on their first three visits each time after going a goal behind. Since the last of these wins in 2005 City have picked up just one point in six visits before Saturday and scored one goal. In that context Saturday's 3-2 victory was a good one and in coming from a goal down meant that all four away wins in Reading have been from behind.
Ian Davidson posed a question on Saturday evening: when was the last time that three defenders scored in the same game for the Sky Blues. Whilst pointing out that Ian Maatsen was effectively playing in midfield I did check this out. The last time three goals came from defenders was in an EFL Trophy game with West Ham at the Ricoh in 2016. The goals that night came from Jordan Turnbull (2), Jordan Willis and Ruben Lameiras. There was another instance at Colchester in 2008 when in a 5-1 away win Elliott Ward scored two penalties and Danny Fox was also on the score-sheet. It also happened in a 3-1 home win over Crystal Palace in 1991 with Trevor Peake and Brian Kilcline (2) netting. I am unable to find any other instances.
The win on Saturday meant that not only have the Sky Blues done the double over Reading this season but in both games have come from behind. In the game at the CBS Arena a John Swift penalty in the 40th minute put the Royals in front but Jamie Allen and Matty Godden gave the City the points with Godden's goal coming in the eighth minute of added time. The last time City did the double over a side in similar circumstances was back in 1996-97 against Leeds United. City won the home game 2-1 with goals from John Salako and Noel Whelan cancelling an Andy Couzens first minute goal. In the return at Elland Road on Boxing Day Brian Deane gave Leeds a ninth minute lead but by half-time City were 3-1 ahead thanks to goals from Darren Huckerby, Dion Dublin and Gary McAllister (penalty). Whelan managed to get himself sent off after 67 minutes but City comfortably held on to take the points.
Knowl from gmkonline asked me which players had made most appearances for the Sky Blues in the 21st century.
The most appearances since 1st January 2000 in league and cup games including substitutes is as follows:
1.Michael Doyle 373
2.Gary McSheffrey 275
3.Jordan Willis 208
4.Marcus Hall 201
5.Richard Shaw 197
6=Dele Adebola 182
6= Carl Baker 182
6= John Fleck 182
9.Dominic Hyam 176
10.Lee Burge 160
(up to and including 15 February 2022)
Jordan Shipley's recent return to first team action has pushed him up to 159 and his next appearance will see him enter the top ten. It is heartening to see four home-grown products in the top ten plus players like Fleck, Hyam and Doyle who were virtual unknowns before coming to Coventry. In addition Doyle, Hyam, Willis and Shipley have all appeared for the club in three different divisions as well as Max Biamou and Liam Kelly.
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