Powell can’t lace Dack’s boots.
To be considered in such high esteem you need to be playing regularly, and contributing, most games. Powell’s done nothing for us since Bristol City at home. Well before his injuries kicked in. Dack’s been a pivotal figure for Blackburn, week in, week out. He’s also signed a long-term deal ensuring they’ll get a big pay-off if someone does come sniffing. Powell’s sat on his backside and 2 weeks away from being able to walk on a free. If he does sign a new deal, fair enough, we can be patient and wait for him to get back to 100% fitness. If he just doesn’t fancy it and running his deal down, we need to move him on, bring in someone who can stop the slide into the bottom three.
Can we also stop with the BS about injuries costing us. They’ve undoubtedly been a factor. But Cook has done a 180 on our style of play. Earlier in the season we where a joy to watch. Conceded a few but always liable to get a couple ourselves. After some narrow away defeats he switched to this agricultural long-ball crap and watched over the worst run of away form in the country. To make matters worse this style of play’s been adopted at home. We had a nice mix of our passing game and hitting it long when needs be. In the last month it’s been long-ball at all costs and resulted in our home form also taking a dive.
PS, I’m not one who thinks McManaman is a world beater. But with the absence of Massey and Jacobs it’s clear Cook doesn’t rate him. We have Byrne like a fish out of water on the right wing, and on the other side, Roberts doing his best, but he’s not a winger. I’d like to think Cook would have identified James’ attacking qualities and used him further up field. Push him on and slot Byrne into the right-back position. Stick McManaman on the left. In the absence of Powell we need to look at putting Roberts in the middle. Morsy and Evans are playing too deep and creating little.
