It’s fair to say that Jake Bidwell’s first five months at Coventry City left the team’s supporters mainly unimpressed.
The opportunity to join the Sky Blues unexpectedly presented itself in January with Tyler Walker’s loan transfer to Portsmouth, with the latter agreeing to cover a substantial portion of the striker’s high salary.
In order to strengthen and compete for the left wing-back position, Mark Robins was able to quickly nab Bidwell, who had been made available as a free agent at Swansea, on a permanent contract thanks to the freed up money.
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Given his superb accomplishments during his incredibly amazing season-long loan from Chelsea, Ian Maatsen was the man in possession, and rightfully so. This meant that the 29-year-old newcomer was always going to play second fiddle for a while. Public impression was also influenced by the fact that they are quite different players, with Bidwell being a seasoned, more hardy, and cunning campaigner in contrast to Maatsen’s quick-footed, seemingly more dynamic attacking force.
To be fair to Bidwell, he had not played for two months when he arrived at the CBS Arena, so he was catching up on his form and conditioning while frequently filling in for Maatsen. But now that the entire preseason has passed, it’s possible that people are only now beginning to notice the player’s true quality.
It was anticipated that Tayo Adaramola, who joined on loan from Crystal Palace, would help fill the void left by Maatsen, but it has become clear that the teenager is more of a work-in-progress than an immediate like-for-like replacement prepared to step in and take over the attacking thrust on the left flank.
Meanwhile, Bidwell seems to have taken advantage of his chance to prove that he, too, is able to deliver high quality moving ahead and the best of both types. It was his assist for Matty Godden at Millwall, after sending in a fine pass for Jamie Allen to score in the previous game against Bristol City in the Carabao Cup, that best demonstrated his ability to bomb forward and put in a decent delivery. Defensively, he is aggressive, physical, and incredibly competitive, but he also has some speed and has demonstrated he can do so.
The verdict may not be in yet for some fans, but early indications point to the possibility that the player acquired during the January transfer window may be a genuine crowd favorite this season.
