The club’s January loan acquisitions have given Coventry City supporters their first view. Who they are and what they are all about. Manchester City prospect Josh Wilson-Esbrand was given a 23-minute cameo off the bench. City were chasing the game at the weekend with the Canaries leading 4-2. Arsenal graduate Brooke Norton-Cuffy started both games against Burnley and Norwich City. Mark Robins has given his thoughts on
Despite being thought of as wing-backs, both players have played as wide or offensive midfielders. While being protected by either Fankaty Dabo or Jake Bidwell while they adjust to life with the Sky Blues.
Mark Robins started with Norton-Cuffy after his most recent performance against Norwich when Dabo was used at right-back in a flat four. And the teenager farther forward on the right of a midfield three when asked to evaluate his most recent acquisitions.
Mark Robins and Josh Wilson-Esbrand
“I thought he started off pretty well,”
the City manager said of the midfielder. He crossed for Coventry’s opening goal, which Viktor Gyokeres picked up and Kasey Palmer finished.
“His starting position wasn’t great because Fanky’s position was here (uses hands to indicate) and it left him outside him with space which we were trying to block off. We tried to get him in a position where he could go on a turnover. And make sure we were a little bit on the front foot.”
“Mark Robins did pretty well but when he believes in himself and understands how good he can be, that will be when he will come into his own. It’s about working his way through that but he’s only young, only 19, but he does things that you’re really happy with in that attacking third.”
“Defensively some of the things he does are really good but you have got to have someone behind him who you can really trust to then really defend. Fanky does that really well for the most part but when he tires it becomes pretty difficult.”
Wilson-Esbrand entered the game in the 67th minute. City switched to a three-man defense with Bidwell moving up to left wing-back and the loanee from Manchester City being used in midfield.
Asked how he thought, Robins said:
“Josh did all right actually, did really well in front of Jake Bidwell. Tucked inside a little bit because they (Norwich) started getting more of the ball. We weren’t physically capable of going after them. And that’s what happened.”
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