Andy Cook (with Poll)

Top scorer for us for the past 3 seasons and already on the same amount of goals this season as our top scorer for the season before he joined us, but sometimes he looks a bit fat so let's get rid.
Also while we're at it, let's sell a player who has scored 16 goals this season already because we can then use the bit of money left after Stefan has bought himself a new car to buy a replacement for him.
The logic of our fan base in all its glory.

 

You summed it up well with your last sentence. .

 

While I agree, Hughes dropped Cook for most of January last season and it worked out okay

 

I'd be interested in seeing an Oliver, Smith combo, but having seen Oliver recently I think he's too eager to make up for lost time and wouldn't sacrifice the chance of a goal (however difficult that chance is) in order to pass to Smith. One thing I will say is sides at the top of the league seem to have a more mobile, coordinated front 3 or 4. I can't recall seeing many as immobile as Cook. Pace is everything against central defenders in league 2 who tend to be hoofers or tankers on the whole.

 

I agree that regardless of any dip in form, at present we probably dont have any viable alternative to AC but he does look jaded to me. I think the point re last season is that by leaving him out through January, it gave him a much needed rest and he came back firing in the 2nd half of the season.
I recall Parky doing similar with Wells when he was clearly running on empty after the cup final. I remember us playing a clearly washed up Andy Gray instead, but when Nahki eventually came back in, you could see the difference.

 

I think he meant it worked in the sense that, after a slump in form before the break, he came back after the break looking rejuvenated and firing for the rest of the season, rather than the results when he was out.

 

Matt Derbyshire.
Washed up when he signed and here we are a year later.
Just let that sink in.

 

Be surprised if both Cook and Oliver are here end of January

 

He's scored a fair few goals this season, but in all honesty he probably should have been looking at somewhere near last season's numbers had he taken chances this year.

Watching him now, there doesn't seem to be that swagger of old. The missed header against the bar v Morecambe, the one on one v Stockport last week and a couple of half chances v Crawley, he'd be gobbling up last season.

Is he overthinking, is he snatching, he just doesn't seem as sharp.

It's been a long standing view that if you take away Andy's goals then he doesn't really add a lot to the side unless he is really on his game.

Never won a sniff against Stockport in the air and spent most the Crawley game begging for free kicks instead of trying to win them.

At the moment with Smith and Oliver looking far from goalscorers there is no way we can afford to drop him, especially in the league, there is simply no one else to put the ball in the net.

One thing I may add, and perhaps a little tin hat time, would he get an easier ride under Alexander rather than Hughes badgering him to get involved and offering the forwards advice

 

It's such a trade off with Cook. He's a great goalscorer for us, but doesn't offer much else at the minute.

If we had a striker who had more all round play, maybe someone else would score? Shudda wudda cudda etc

 

14% goal conversion ratio doesn't warrant a start, he should be a sub

I'd have Oliver or even Derbyshire start ahead of him.. both did more running, looked much more lively and less moaning than cook did in the full 90 mins on sat...

 

I’m a 2 pints a game man myself