All-action style draws comparison to Robbo

COVENTRY’S Ben Sheaf is a player who rarely commands headlines yet according to OPTA is the best central midfielder in the Championship.

- Chris Dunlavy

Is this a statistical anomaly? Or a true reflection of his quality? And why does the 26-year-old rank so highly?

Sheaf is now in his fourth season at Coventry, including an initial loan spell in 202021. He had come through the ranks at Arsenal and, despite not making a Premier League appearance, was highly valued by ex-Gunners boss Arsene Wenger.

“There is something in him that I believe will allow him to progress,” said the Frenchman. “He analyses well what’s happening to him, he assesses well what is going on and that’s why I believe he will have a good career.”

Wenger also remarked that Sheaf was “always ahead of the game” and that “his anticipation quality is absolutely huge”.

Those skills frequently saw him deployed in defensive positions for Arsenal’s youth and Under-23 sides, but midfield was always Sheaf’s preference and that is where he has made the majority of his 136 appearances for Coventry in all competitions.

Though he occasionally opts for a three-man backline, Mark Robins tends to use Sheaf as one-half of the defensive double pivot in his 4-2-3-1 system.