Tyler left isolated up front - but Sky Blues successfully keep it tight at the back
| Date | 23 November 2020 |
| Published date | 23 November 2020 |
The Sky Blues managed just one shot on target over the entire 90 minutes, with Blues only managing one better than that in a scrappy Championship contest when both teams effectively cancelled each other out.
But the clean sheet is something on which to build as City begin their run to the festive period.
Welcome back Liam Kelly made a welcome return to the Sky Blues line-up, making only his third Championship start this season on his 100th appearance for the club.
And the City skipper added a wealth of crucial experience alongside Ben Sheaf at the heart of the midfield battleground against a far more experienced Blues side.
Fans had been calling on social media for Kelly to return and that wish was certainly vindicated as the 30-year-old dictated the early play and played some delightful passes to spark attacks, not least when he sent a lovely ball over the top for Tyler Walker in the box for City's best chance of the game.
His calm head, assured touch on the ball and tackles undoubtedly helped Coventry earn their much-needed point to steady the side going into this next block of eight games to Christmas.
Five sub rule Coventry's Sky game was the first of the weekend fixtures to see the introduction of the five substitutes rule.
Mark Robins was able to name nine on the bench but with so many injuries he was forced, with all due respect, to name youngsters Jordon Thompson and Will Bapaga to effectively make up the numbers at this delicate time of the season when the club are desperately trying to get a foothold in the division.
Interestingly, despite a vastly experienced bench by comparison, and arguably considerably stronger, Robins's opposite number, Aitor Karanka, opted to make just one change over the course of the 90 minutes, all of which leads one to question the need for introducing the rule change in the first place, other than to pander to the bigger clubs with superior and stronger squads.
Flat back four With the Sky Blues having the worst defensive record in the division with 23 goals shipped going into the game, something had to change.
So as well as four changes in personnel,
Robins also switched away from wing-backs and deployed a flat back four for the first time this season and, for several months.
And while it worked...
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