The Voice - Match preview Doncaster Rovers vs Bradford City Saturday 25th February 2023 @ 3:00pm

That goal against Gillingham says to me that Cook would be fine in League One.

 

I think you're right - his all round game has definitely improved in recent times. Whether that's down to confidence due to scoring so many goals or working with Mark Hughes - who was a target man par excellence - I don't know. I also think having another man alongside him - Costelloe or Derbyshire - has taken pressure off him and given him more space to operate in.
There's no doubt that he has had patches when his hold up/lay off play has been dire. But, even then, his scoring frequency has made it a no brainer to play him. He's clearly the best goalscorer currently playing in L2 and I've no doubt that he would score goals for us in L1 if we get promoted.

 

Bang on, but why has it taken so long for MH to see what we could ... ?

 

I wonder if Cook could be like a Billy Sharpe, Peter Thorne, Dean Windass etc and have a prolific spell in his mid thirties. It’s not like he needs pace, it’s just about making sure he stays as fit as possible.

 

Mark Hughes would say he rested Cook, and it worked.

Fans will say the tactical switch was everything, and then also tell you we've been lucky to win some games and not improved that much and might need more width again soon

 

Yep, agree. He's always clearly been a confidence player - and when he's been up he's been UUPP! When not playing well, head down and not up. I think you're right about the influence on him from Hughes - and I would suggest, Hodges and the rest of the team. I reckon they tried to put a good few tweaks into his game and improved his understanding of how he plays and now it's paying off consistently. Cooky is a player who loves to be loved - who doesn't I guess - and that helps to put him on form. Some of the touches and inspired instincts he's shown in the last half dozen matches show what a player he can be. His assist for Banks against Colchester was sublime. Go well, Offcomedun!

 

Thanks Salty. Get your point.

 

Really good point Wilsden. I don't think Cooky has been short on ability at any level he's played - but he's sometimes suffered from lack of confidence. Hughes and Hodges have obviously improved that by working alot with him on trying to solve that. Let's face it, when your manager was one of English football's greatest strikers you're bound to learn something! He's 32 now and I agree with your point - he's already enjoying an amazing indian summer and because he doesn't particularly rely on pace, it could last for a few very good seasons yet.

 

How's the overtaking Stevenage thing gone m9?

 

This place is too easy sometimes isn’t it?

 

I particularly liked how we were in 8th yet doing better than the team in 3rd place because we'd taken more points than them in the last 5 games.

Some logic that.

 

You literally can’t understand form

still on course to overtake them if their poor form continues. Said 5 games its only been 3….

and in those 3 we have 5 points to their 2 points and thus have narrowed the gap from the doncaster match..

you can see over the course of the season us get closer and closer to stevenage..

 

So me saying if over the next five games

Stevenage continue their poor form


We continue our good form


We overtake them

is easy? When its 2 game’s early?

 

We’ve played 4 games since Doncaster and we are still 4 points behind them.
I’m no mathematician but I can’t see how we overtake them after 1 more game.

 

They literally got 3 points on Saturday alone?

 

2 more games. We have played 3 since doncaster. And we were 6 points behind. Check the image i posted… “its easy on here”…

 

And if they win their game in hand at home to Crewe on Tuesday it could be 7.

 

I’ll leave this here for you.

Gillingham we won 2-0
Colchester we won 2-0
Walsall we drew 0-0
Newport we drew 1-1

All AFTER the Doncaster game.

 

still narrowed the gap though. Like i said from 6 to 4.

What i don't get is, is how saying that if stevenage continue on their poor form we overtake them easy? I still don’t understand this.

 

So i say if X happens Y will happen and then it doesn’t- thats easy but you can say the same? What is this forum.. its a mess