Andy Cook (with Poll)

I thinks there have been a few this morning , eating that pie! Me included. I’m more than happy.

 

Fair play.

 

Trying to do too many jobs at once mate whilst keeping one eye on the forum and still in shock at Saturday's result.
Can not imagine how scrambled my brain will be if we manage to follow up with a home win on Tuesday

 

It's not just on here mate, i'm guilty of it at times. Amazing what a list minute goal does, if Cook hadn't scored.that goal the perception of him on here would have been vastly different, Smallwood would have labelled shite like every week and Alexander should be looking for another job. Infact Cook when from overweight to skinny in about eight minutes lol.

 

We need to build on Saturdays second half performance especially at Valley Parade, a hard call to get ourselves back in with a chance of 7th as looking at the table that's the only player off place available. even though there's only 3 points between 6 and 7th games are running out fast.

 

I tend to think of it a little like if you read nothing but negativity you react in a similar way and become negative with your replies, but with what we've been through the last 5/6 season it's not hard to become negative

 

I can see that point of view. But at no point has Jake Young been disruptive, he admits it was one managers view of him. I'm not even saying Hughes was wrong as I don't know the circumstance as why he came to leaving Young out. Probably didn't see him fitting the squad. The best outcome of it all is that Young has come back a better player than he probably would have if he'd stayed here, a lesson to all players that an apparent set back can work in your favour if you apply yourself.

 

A master stroke of man management by Hughes then?
Sorry don’t know how to attach lol emoji

 

Sorry to disagree Dave, but I think we only started playing properly in midfield when McDonald came into midfield. Of course lots of praise must go to Andy Cook, to get over missing a pen he was magnificent. However, Kevin fought for that toe poke through to Andy, that goal would not have happened. That turn between defenders was superb, and his subsequent finish. So I would assign 75% to Andy and 25% to Kev, for his determination and all out grit to get that ball to Andy.

 

How nice to be talking about a last minute winner.....dont forget the prize though Sparks ouuuuuutttttttttttt

 

I've said that in another post above https://bantamtalk.com/index.php?threads/andy-cook.7702/page-15#post-847786

No apologies needed Toni it's all about opinions.

 

One of the most solid aspects of the radio program last week is that we must keep GA. Yes it will mean gritting our teeth at times and our carping about the manager, but but but, we now know for sure that the problems are elsewhere. Could we have a better manager, probably but he is trying to get some shape into our play and fit the best players he can from the squad he has.

 

I tell you what the lack of comments re Smallwood says a lot to me…..he had a pretty decent game , but the second half , when KMc came on he was a better player all round. I didn’t think they could play in the same side….?. It took a lot of pressure off him?

 

Keeping McDonald fit enough to play regularly is the challenge, and in my view critical if we are to salvage anything this season, even if it is just a little bit of pride.

 

Agree. I don’t think he can last the full 90, which is why the manager is being very precious with him. He is the key to our midfield woes, but it depends whether we use him as a sub, or put him into start. Take your pick, but asking him to play the full 90, probably means he misses the next game altogether, not to mention more liable to injury.

 

McDonald has brought a calmness to the side in his last 2 sub appearances.
He’s the only midfielder we have who looks like he’s not being rushed and doesn’t just launch it forward aimlessly.
Smallwood didn’t do owt wrong on Saturday but McDonald is twice what Smallwood is.
The only issue is he can only play half the time that Smallwood can.
Use him sparingly and he could be a decent asset until May.

 

Was working it out, we'd probably need to win 11/12 of our remaining games to hit the playoffs. Not beyond possibility but if we lost Tuesday we are 14 points behind 6th. If then either Harrogate, Gillingham or Wimbledon win their game in hand they'd be at least 9 points clear for 7th spot not withstanding tomorrow nights game. I'd say the best we can hope for is a good run till the end of the season where we can take that form into next season.

 

Until its mathematically impossible I wont dismiss it.