False 9!?!?

COVENTRY CITY 1-2 Blackpool

EFL Championship

29th October 2022

CBS Arena 18,924

What the fuck!? Where are the strikers? With Godden out injured for what could be 4 months with an ankle injury and Waghorn now nursing an injury to his other hamstring, Tavares is out due to illness and Gyokeres recovering from illness only he and Walker make the bench, Walker only just returning to full training from his ACL injury. This leaves a small squad very short. The prospect of the link up play between Hamer, O'Hare and Palmer was enough to whet my appetite.

Early on Blackpool had the best of possession and in the 2nd minute Gary Madine had his first chance firing wide. Wilson with the ball in hand kicked a long ball to O'Hare on the right he plays inside to Allen back to O'Hare but his cross is cut out by Carey. Carey again was involved in the action in the 6th minute playing a through ball to Madine that cuts through the City defence, Ben Wilson made himself big, stayed on his feet and saves for a corner. In the 13th minute Sheaf picked up his 6th yellow of the season for a late trip on Patino, deserved. A minute later Madine had his third opportunity on goal and Blackpool's best chance so far, a looped cross into the box from Thorniley after a Bidwell clearance met at the far post by Madine who stretches but he can only put it over the bar. Madine looked destined to put one away soon.

A constant thread throughout the first half was the constant fouls on Palmer who would hold the ball up on the half way line, Blackpool nullifying Palmer's threat with four fouls in the first half. In the 16th minute O'Hare bounced off a tackle passed to Hamer who beat his man and found Kane who's low cross along the floor found Allen who got in front of the defender to get a shot away on the near post but it was blocked for a corner. Maxwell saved a looped ball from Allen and bowls it out Cononley on the right who cuts inside to shoot and he hit the post. Hamer put in great defensive work covering for his defence and blocking a Hamilton shot. In the 33rd minute O'Hare picked up a loose ball by Yates on the half way line he found Palmer back to O'Hare who shoots from outside the box looking for the far corner but it's saved by saved by Maxwell. O'Hare was once again involved running onto a lovely through ball from Sheaf and cutting it back for Palmer who was leaning back for a shot that goes over the bar.

A mistake in the 39th minute from Doyle gifting possession trying to force a ball forward, Connolly's shot goes high and wide. The breakthrough came in the 40th but not from who you'd expect, Doyle and Kane between them playing out of trouble, Hamer broke forward and found Allen in space on half way, Allen's pass was slow and behind Bidwell but he cut inside for Hamer who with his head up had already found the through ball to O'Hare who was pointing right where he wanted it and that's exactly where he received it, his deft backheel flick found Palmer who beat Thorniley nutmegging him in the box to score his first Coventry City goal. 1-0 Sky Blues.

On half time Blackpool had a free kick near the right touch line, Dougall played it towards the far side of the 6 yard box to Madine who's header hit the back of the net but it was ruled out for off side for Hamilton interfering with play. Half time 1-0 Sky Blues.

 Minutes into the second half Wilson trying to get an attack going quickly threw the ball towards Kane but he completely misjudged it and it's picked up by Hamilton neither he nor McFadzean can control it but Madine plays it over to Yates who beats Hamer sliding in dangerously in the box, Yates' shot only hit the side netting. Blackpool's breakthrough finally came in the 53rd minute, Doyle with his back to goal was put under pressure he looked over his shoulder for Wilson who he believed was the safe option if he looked over his other shoulder he'd have seen Kane in support but Madine intercepted the pass he playes back to Hamilton to Husband on the over lap and his cross found Madine's head and the back of the net. Sky Blues 1-1 Blackpool.

Minutes later Hamer broke but was pulled back he carried on Allen finding space yet again found Hamer's pass he passed out right to Kane to run onto his plays a clever cross back to Allen who's volley is inches wide. The inter play between Allen, Palmer and Panzo was sublime, Hamer's subsequent long range effort was too high. On the hour mark the Vocalists of Singers Corner could be heard singing Gyokeres' song they wanted to see the big Swede despite his illness, but they'd have to wait. O'Hare failed to track Husband and Doyle vacated the space for him to get a cross from the byline which Madine headed wide. Yates who hadn't the best of games misplaced a crossfield pass with the outside of his foot, Kane had a long range effort which came very close. The persistant fouls on Palmer didn't stop in the second half none of them truly punished. Sheaf played a ball through to O'Hare who's shot was wide, a great opportunity.

In the 72nd minute Singers Corner got their wish granted by Robins, Gyokeres replacing Palmer who despite the constant fouls on him had a good game and he took his goal well. Gyokeres was involved early on, Hamer played a long ball for Gyokeres to run onto but he was judged to have fouled Thorniley. This is where the Sky Blues threat would come from and knowing Gyokeres you'd be right to believe that this would be lucrative. Another long ball was played for Gyokeres this time from O'Hare, Gyokeres chased it down all the way to the byline to keep it in even though some would have believed it was in vain it sadly turned out it was as the linesman flagged him for off side even though Thorniley played him on, both O'Hare and Allen were in support. The toll of Gyokeres illness was plain to see when Sheaf played it forward to Gyokeres to run at the defence pushing Ekpiteta back but he was tackled by two as he tried to cut inside. But Gyokeres endeavoured, Sheaf to Allen passed to O'Hare back to Sheaf to Bidwell with a high looping cross which Kane cushioned into the path of Gyokeres who's shot was straight at Maxwell. Ten minutes from time Hamilton who was given too much space by Allen and Sheaf crossed for Yates who had an easy header, neither Bidwell, Panzo, McFadzean or Wilson dealt with it. 2-1 Blackpool.

Hamer tried his magic and his luck scoring direct from a corner but it was palmed away by Maxwell. In the 85th minute Robins made a double change Burroughs replacing Bidwell and Walker replacing Allen. The Sky Blues were determined for an equaliser, Gyokeres held the ball up and threaded a through ball to O'Hare who's shot was blocked. In stoppage time Sheaf found Hamer who picked his spot but he spotted wide. The last action of the game saw Walker with a very difficult opportunity with a cut back half volley wide.

My man of the match was Gustavo Hamer who dictated play, linked up play and tracked back to help the defence.