On-loan Chelsea player tops the tackling charts for his entire league after six matches
Ian Maatsen is already making a name for himself away from Chelsea this campaign in the light blue colours of Coventry City.
Maatsen lowered himself into the Championship whirlpool in the summer, signing for the Sky Blues on a season-long loan.
Having already dipped his toes into League One, the young full-back was ready to make a splash in the second tier of English football.
And his dive into life below the Premier League will have scored a near-perfect score from the judges so far.
Maatsen made of tough stuff
The 19-year-old has started all six of Coventry’s league matches, four of which have been victories.
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Stationed at left-back or left-wing back, the teenager is proving to be a very handy weapon for Mark Robins.
Especially in a defensive sense.
According to WhoScored.com, Maatsen has made more tackles per game (3.7) than any player in the Championship up to this point.
In total, opponents have been dispossessed by the Dutchman 22 times, another league-high.
Thanks in part to the addition of Chelsea’s Cobham prodigy, Coventry can currently boost the joint third meanest defence in the division.
They sit behind Lee Bowyer’s Birmingham City, who are wielding a Chelsea product in their ranks as well.
Juan Castillo also swapped blue for blue in July, yet hasn’t quite had the same impact as Maatsen.
He made a short substitute appearance on the opening day win over Sheffield United but has since been resigned to cup fixtures and Under-23 outings.
Both Castillo and Maatsen are left-sided defenders, both hailing from the Netherlands, so it will be intriguing to see who comes out on top at the end of the term.
