Frank Lampard's decision to put Ben Wilson back between the sticks on the final day of the season, after 208 days out of the side, shows the importance of being ready at any moment.
Coventry City manager Frank Lampard was delighted that his bold decision to change goalkeepers for the final league game of the Championship season paid off, as his team secured a place in the Play-Off spots.
Lampard brought in Ben Wilson, giving him his first start since October, in place of Brad Collins who had shared the starting spot with Oliver Dovin this season. The 32-year-old, who had been sidelined with a knee injury and had only recently regained fitness, delivered an impressive performance in the Sky Blues' 2-0 win over Middlesbrough. Wilson made six crucial saves, helping Coventry seal their spot in the play-offs, where they will now face Sunderland in the semi-finals. The first leg taking place at the CBS Arena on Friday evening.
Speaking to BBC CWR, Lampard acknowledged the risks of making such a late-stage change in goal. “It’s a big call,” he admitted. “When you swap goalkeepers for the last game, all eyes are on that decision. But Ben was calm, sharp, and made big saves—he should be proud of his performance.”
The decision came after Collins had made some costly errors in recent games, including conceding a late winner to Luton Town the previous week. With Coventry’s Play-Off hopes hanging in the balance, Lampard opted for the more experienced Wilson, who proved to be a reliable last line of defence.
Wilson's return was especially notable considering he had not played in 208 days and had only recently started feeling fully fit again. Lampard noted that goalkeepers recovering from injury face unique challenges in getting back to peak performance levels. “Ben’s a great character in the dressing room,” he added. “He’s been patient, supported the team, and his contribution today was exceptional.”
Wilson returns to the side ahead of Coventry's second Play-Off campaign in three seasons. In 2022/23, despite the side losing to Luton Town in the Play-Off final, Wilson had broken the club's clean sheet records, won the Golden Glove, and was in the Championship. Team of the Year.
Coventry goalkeeper coach Aled Williams reminisced, speaking to Goalkeeper.com. "That was a season where he achieved so much. It was probably something I was more proud of than anything.
“Three years before that, he was just released from a League Two team in Bradford City, and he's come back and done all that, and he went to Wembley, and, you know, the penalties were tough. We managed to correctly identify the correct diving side on most, but they were just fantastic penalties on the day."
Coventry will be hoping that Wilson comes up big once again as they enter the final lottery for a spot in the big time.
