Coventry City injury decision pending on man who ‘knits everything together’
Coventry City injury news from CoventryLive as manager Mark Robins provides an update on Ben Sheaf and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto
Mark Robins has two of Coventry City’s three injured seniors players back in training but will make a final decision on their availability for Saturday’s trip to Watford after today’s final preparation session at Ryton.
The good news is that Tatsuhiro Salamoto’s injury that he suffered against Norwich in the previous Sky Blues match is not as bad as first feared. The winger left the CBS Arena in a protective boot after being forced off at half-time following a tackle, but his ankle has repaired quickly enough for him to return to the training pitch this week.
Ben Sheaf, meanwhile, has also made progress since suffering a setback in training a fortnight ago, with the manager admitting that he needs the man who “knits everything together” back in his midfield as soon as possible.
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“He’s on the grass and he’s training so as that’s as close as he has been for a good few weeks,” said Robins, speaking about the influential midfielder who has only played 20 minutes of competitive football so far this term due to pre-season ankle ligament damage.
“Tatsu is the same, on the grass, training. So again, that’s really good news because we have missed the both of those. Tatsu has only missed half a game against Norwich but when they are out, you miss them, and in terms of the training sessions, you want them involved, so it’s a step in the right direction.”
Asked about the nature of Sakamoto’s injury, he said: “It was bad enough. He damaged his ankle but it has healed sufficiently for him to be on the grass. We have just got to run the rule over them and see how they do and they will be ready to go when I decide that they are ready to become in a matchday squad. So today I am going to see them again today and make decisions off the back of that. It may be too soon for the pair of them but I have got to look at that today.”
He added: “I have mentioned Ben Sheaf, and he needs to be available to knit things together in the centre of the pitch. That’s not to say the lads who are available aren’t capable, because they are. It’s just that we have got probably one of the best players in the Championship in that area who is missing at the moment and happens to be the captain, so for us it is a miss.”
The only other senior player who is currently out injured is winger Raphael, about whom Robins said he won’t be rushing the summer signing who needs to become physically “robust” before making a return.
