Summer commitment Tatsuhiro Sakamoto hasn’t seen much play since joining from Oostende, but he might give what Coventry is lacking.
Coventry City would have been one of the favourites to finish in and around the top six with last season’s team after losing the Championship play-off final on penalties last season – but everything has changed at the CBS Arena this summer.
Their two top players, Viktor Gyokeres and Gustavo Hamer, were sold for £20 million and £15 million, respectively, providing manager Mark Robins and relatively new owner Doug King with a war chest unprecedented in Sky Blues history.
And spend it they did – Coventry spent over €30 million (£25.9 million), with the centerpiece signing being USA international striker Haji Wright from Antalyaspor for £7.7 million, shattering the club’s long-standing transfer record in the process.
A lot of money spent does not necessarily equate to rapid success, as Robins is discovering with City presently fighting to win three points.
After thrashing Middlesbrough 3-0 at home in August, Coventry have followed it up with four consecutive draws and only two goals from open play in that time.
Clearly, City still need time to gel, with a slew of moves implying that many players will be unfamiliar with each other’s game, but outcomes must improve at some point.
And perhaps all it takes is the use of one specific player, Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, who hasn’t had much of a chance since his summer arrival in the Midlands.
Sakamoto probably wasn’t well-known in England before joining from Belgian club Oostende, but the Japan international looked lightning quick in pre-season and hasn’t been utilized much by Robins thus far.
However, there is a case to be made that the 26-year-old should come in against Cardiff City on Tuesday night, or if not against the Bluebirds, then against Huddersfield Town on Monday night, in order to find that creative spark either out wide or in the centre.
What has Tatsuhiro Sakamoto done for Coventry so far?
Sakamoto has been in the Championship four times for Cov this season, however just one of those appearances has been from the start.
He made his debut in offensive midfield against Leicester City on the first day of the 2023-24 season, but saw more minutes against Middlesbrough before ultimately starting against Swansea City.
Sakamoto was back on the bench against Sunderland but didn’t make it into the play, but he did against Watford, appearing on the 71st minute – this time as right wing-back.
Sakamoto, who was not used by Robins in the 1-1 draw with Hull on Friday, will be fresh for the games ahead and will be hoping to impress.
Tatsuhiro Sakamoto’s position in Coventry City’s starting lineup is unknown.
Sakamoto is a really adaptable player, and looking at the 11 players that started against Hull last week, there are a number of various ways Robins may use the quick attacker.
Sakamoto has already started in the offensive midfield role twice, once in the EFL Cup and once in the league, and if Robins opts for a one striker system, he might form part of a ‘number 10’ pair alongside Kasey Palmer or Hassan Ayari.
His versatility also allows him to play at either wing-back position, with his primary job at Oostende as a left wing-back as a left-footed player, though he sometimes played on the right.
You could argue that Jay Dasilva’s starting spot is more attainable than Milan Van Ewijk’s given how much the Dutchman cost, so with that in mind, Sakamoto should be considered at left wing-back for Coventry’s upcoming matches – he could provide something in the final third that they have been lacking.
