There’s a reassuring similarity between the two strikers
HIGHLIGHTS
- Viktor Gyokeres had a slow start at Coventry but impressed the manager enough to earn a permanent transfer and later became a star.
- Ellis Simms has the potential to replace Gyokeres, as he has shown promise in previous loan spells and possesses physical attributes that trouble defenders.
- It’s been a slow start but the Swedish striker’s rise for the Sky Blues is proof that patience is needed.
Viktor Gyokeres has gone down as one of the finest players in Coventry City’s recent history.
The Swedish frontman supplied the requisite firepower to get the Sky Blues dreaming of the Premier League after so many years in the wilderness, scoring on no less than 21 occasions while also adding another 10 league assists to his repertoire.
Those dazzling displays fired Coventry all the way to the showpiece play-off final against Rob Edwards’ Luton Town, whom they unfortunately lost out to on penalties.
There was scarce surprise when Gyokeres, who scored seventeen times the season before, finally moved on from the Midlands over the summer, ending a draining transfer tug of war by signing for Sporting CP for a club record £20m fee.
Intriguingly, Gyokeres has been on fire since making the move to Lisbon too and has eight goals in his first nine games for the club, including two in the UEFA Europa League.
It’s only right that he’s remembered fondly in Coventry for his exploits in front of goal, but that wasn’t always the case – particularly at the start of his stay – and supporters must keep that in mind when running the rule over replacement signing Ellis Simms.
Viktor Gyokeres’ slow start at Coventry City
When he first made the move to Coventry, initially on a half-season loan from Brighton, Gyokeres was truly a far cry from the goalscoring dynamo he is today.
After only scoring once in the FA Cup from 12 appearances for Championship rivals Swansea City, he didn’t pick up all that much by adding three goals to his tally in 19 matches until the end of the season.
Nonetheless, though, he clearly did something to impress Mark Robins, who made his spell a permanent one that summer and the rest is history.
And there’s a school of thought that suggests Simms can follow the same ascension in due course, he just needs the same license of patience.
Ellis Simms can replace Viktor Gyokeres
Simms has notched to date in 13 outings since signing from Everton for £8m so it may feel a stretch to state that he will fill the void left by Gyokeres.
Now, he may not necessarily turn out to be quite as good as the Swede, but there’s still evidence that he’ll hit the ground running before long and vindicate Robins’ faith in him replacing the 25-year-old in the first place.
He scored seven times in just 17 matches while on loan at Sunderland for the first half of the previous season and possesses menacing physical attributes that routinely render him a real nuisance for opposition defenders,
Sure, his current goal tally doesn’t make for great reading at this stage, but Gyokeres’ return in his first stay also left plenty to be desired and that’s worth remembering.
It’s no secret that strikers are reliant on confidence and Simms needs that right now, as it will only prove more of a morale boost if he’s afforded some leeway in light of the fact that it was a similar situation with Gyokeres to begin with.
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