38 wins: How did Viktor Gyokeres perform alongside Gus Hamer at Coventry City? | OneFootball

Coventry City had a memorable 2022/23 campaign as they reached the play-off final under Mark Robins.

Whilst it ultimately ended in huge disappointment, as the Sky Blues lost on penalties to Luton Town, it continued the excellent progress that the club have made in recent years.

Of course, it’s a big team effort to finish in the top six, but there’s no doubt that Gustavo Hamer and Viktor Gyokeres were instrumental to Coventry last season.

Given their performances, and the fact the duo were entering the final 12 months of their contracts, keeping Gyokeres and Hamer beyond the summer was always going to be a challenge.

Therefore, Coventry were always going to have to consider suitable offers, and they ended up selling Gyokeres to Sporting CP in a deal worth around £20m, with Hamer signing for Sheffield United for £15m.

Gustavo Hamer and Viktor Gyokeres’ Coventry record

Those who watched Coventry in the two-and-a-half years that Gyokeres and Hamer had together will have immediately seen the quality the pair had.

Yet, despite their excellent output, it’s perhaps surprising to see that they were only involved in nine direct goal contributions to each other in 101 games.

Naturally, Gyokeres was the one who scored the most, finding the net six times thanks to assists from Hamer. Meanwhile, the ex-Feyenoord man managed three goals from assists from the striker.

There were some crucial contributions from the duo though, with Hamer scoring the goal at Middlesbrough that took the Sky Blues to the play-off final thanks to a Gyokeres assist. Then, he repeated that in the final at Wembley, although it wasn’t enough to take Coventry to the Premier League.

Gustavo Hamer and Viktor Gyokeres made Coventry a force

Even though the direct goal contributions weren’t really high, there’s no doubt that both Hamer and Gyokeres benefited from having each other in the side, which was reflected in the results.

In the 101 games they played together on the pitch at the same time, the Sky Blues won 38 and drew 29, making for 1.42 points per game.

They also allowed each other to flourish with their respective styles of play. With his physicality and ability to run in behind, Gyokeres was the ideal focal point for midfielders, as he gave them an outlet, and he created space for the likes of Hamer.

As a striker, Gyokeres would have appreciated someone with the technical ability of Hamer, and it’s no coincidence that the two best seasons of his career came when Hamer was in the side. That form saw him earn a move to Lisbon, and there’s now talk of the Swedish international joining a Premier League side this summer.

In total, Gyokeres managed 38 goals and 16 assists in the 101 games with Hamer, and the Blades man found the net 14 times, and he set up 21 goals, highlighting how Robins found a system that allowed them both to shine.

Pleasingly for Coventry, the club have managed to kick-on after losing Hamer and Gyokeres, with the recruitment team making some shrewd additions with the money they brought in.