Lewis Cook

Like most of us i've been thinking that Lewis is the creative midfielder we [the fans] have been crying out for...but the more i watch him the more i'm starting to realise that he's not a Paul Scholes or a David Silva type player at all but dare i say it....an Andrew Surman clone!.....i keeping waiting for defence splitting passes or for him ghost his was way into the box for a shot at goal...how many shots has he had this season btw...i can only remember two perhaps three at most...i mean isn't Gosling supposed to be the holding midfielder?......i don't want to be too critical because he's still developing and perhaps and even if he's not the player we think we're looking for then maybe he's exactly the type of player Eddie's been looking for....the new and improved Andrew Surman!...... :yikes2:
 
Yeah quite possibly that is the case in a lot of games Harry and i think that part of his game has improved immensely but yesterday he was up against one of the worst midfield in the league well imo anyway....that Silva chap looks horrendous.....you would think considering how much space he was allowed in that first half that he'd be able to create well....something.
 
Yes very good Jim but the only other assist i can think of off the top of my head anyway is Defoe at Palace....even then you'd have to use the term assist very loosely!
 
Think it was Arsenal where he played a beautiful ball to Wilson for Ibe to score? Not an 'assist' technically, but a key moment.
 
In a two he's a 'box to box'. In a three and allowed to be more specialised, he's a creative midfielder. Best picking the ball up under pressure, turning an opposition midfielder, driving into space and picking a pass.

Lewis could just do with adding a goal or two to his game. He's come very close with some eye catching efforts recently. His volley at Chelsea would have taken the roof off. It'll come.

Someone like Gosling able to do donkey work and provide legs and muscle is a good partner. If at some point we ever got hold of a bigger, quicker, nastier midfielder then all the better for Lewis. Gosling is having a solid season though!
 
Surely a top quality midfielder should be able to play equally effectively in a two or a three...plenty of creative midfielders have tbf?.....tbh i wasn't overly concerned to lose Wilshere as we had Lewis to slot alongside a defensive midfielder [Dan or Harry] i wasn't expecting it to be Gosling but tbf to him he's not only doing the 'donkey work' but he's our biggest goal threat from midfield!
Lewis does get time on the ball in games and like yesterday often has three pacy front men to hit but more often than not he chooses the Surman like ball retention option.....nothing wrong with that of course and maybe thats just the type of player he is and what Eddie wants but i find myself wanting him to do a bit more with it.
 
Why use the terms 'assists' or 'stats' at all? Every player in the team is continually assisting the player nearest to them at any given time, so all passes are assists in effect and the only ' stat' that matters is a goal! These terms have been brought into our game from America and have been popularised by pundits and journalists. Then people on forums try to get all clever and technical about something that doesn't matter to the league table.
 
I think he is there for that Surman role. Unless you are a number ten (and watching him, as with Wilshere, I don’t think he is) then a modern central midfielder tends to be the prompter of the more dynamic four players in front of them and a cover for the back four/five. Neat, intelligent and determined which he is. His passes will be more effective from deep than if he was on the edge of the box and he reads the game well. He has a better range than Surman who just recycled mainly. Gosling having his best season but still think we need an enforcer with a better first touch and more pace if we are to push on.
 
I think you're spot on Neil!.... :aagh: ......the more i see of Lewis the more i think that the role Eddie has in mind for him is in fact the Surman role....it's just thats not the sort of player i envisioned him becoming.
 
He plays a hell of a lot more forward passes than Surman,also drives forward with the ball at pace a lot,which Surman never does!
It's never been a pre-requisite of our midfield to score goals anyway,Surman took two and a bit seasons to score a Premier League goal,Harry hasn't scored many in this league,our top scoring midfielder is Dan Gosling !
 
paul49 - 4/3/2018 22:25

More of a Jack Wilshere clone. When did Wilshere last have a shot at goal or score?
Click to expand...

Two differennt questions. For us the answer to the first is "all the time" the answer to the second is "he didnt"
 
...Cook at least tries something different on the ball, as proved with his back heel for Smith's goal v Newcastle, his range of passing is better than anyone else we have in the role at present. Comparisons to Wilshere are bound to be made, but I see him more as David Silva type who is always looking to create and move with the ball. He is still young and will mature even further into a class midfielder and future England regular IMO.
 
Can we keep him? This surely depends on who we bring in alongside him, so he can meet his potential ... and achieve the level he aspires to. And for this we need the "ball-grabbing" midfielder I'd really hoped Eddie would sign in January.

An early signing in the next window is key to this, sending a message that we want to develop Cook, NOT keep him as a defensive player in the Surman mould. We still have a systemic problem with the squad - the midfield often fails to keep the ball, putting the defence on the back foot. A midfielder with abilities to hold the ball could make a big difference AND release Cook to develop his creative game.
 
BillMcgarrycherry - 4/3/2018 22:42

Why use the terms 'assists' or 'stats' at all? Every player in the team is continually assisting the player nearest to them at any given time, so all passes are assists in effect and the only ' stat' that matters is a goal! These terms have been brought into our game from America and have been popularised by pundits and journalists. Then people on forums try to get all clever and technical about something that doesn't matter to the league table.
Click to expand...

Bill - over here, stats - many of which never existed a few years ago - feed into the Fantasy sports trend that has become very popular, especially with a younger folks. In fact, one analyst was commenting that that demographic cheers more for their fantasy team than they do for team colours and logo, as we do. So, for that group, more about which quarterback had the better day than whether the home team took a win. Not for me, but the way of the new millenium.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

;