Jack Cork

Murger · Post by **Murger** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 5:26 pm

Needs some time out of the side. Been dogger for too long now.

JohnDearyMe · Post by **JohnDearyMe** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 5:28 pm

Who should replace him though? Frighteningly few options for such a key position

Quickenthetempo · Post by **Quickenthetempo** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 5:28 pm

I'm more concerned about our defence.

ksrclaret · Post by **ksrclaret** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 5:28 pm

Defour crocked and Hendrick not liked in that role.

Looks like he's safe

jdrobbo · Post by **jdrobbo** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 5:28 pm

Jack Cork will not be dropped. We need to get through and desperately pray for major upgrades in midfield in the summer. The middle of our spine is missing some vertebrae and my goodness, it doesn’t half make us slow!

Goobs · Post by **Goobs** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 5:29 pm

Quickenthetempo wrote:I'm more concerned about our defence.

Gibson must be wondering what the hell has to happen for him to get a game.

ksrclaret · Post by **ksrclaret** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 5:30 pm

Can we get rid of Ben Mee whilst we're at it? He's been dog turd for the majority of the season too.

At least with him we do have someone to take his place, our joint record signing no less.

jrgbfc · Post by **jrgbfc** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 5:35 pm

Ben Mee and Cork are clearly undroppable. Even when there's a ready made replacement for Ben Mee already at the club.

taio · Post by **taio** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 5:39 pm

Mee was fine today.

Vintage Claret · Post by **Vintage Claret** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 5:40 pm

[quote="ksrclaret"]Can we get rid of Ben Mee whilst we're at it? He's been dog turd for the majority of the season too.

It's all about opinions but whilst he had a poor start to the season I thought Ben has been one of our best players during the last 10 games or so and was our MOM today

cricketfieldclarets · Post by **cricketfieldclarets** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 5:41 pm

The worrying thing is, we are equally weak out wide, up top and at full back.

But yes Cork has been anonymous.

ksrclaret · Post by **ksrclaret** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 5:42 pm

Vintage Claret wrote:

I thought Taylor was MOM today, and by some distance. I thought Ben Mee was atrocious last weekend against Palace, better today yes, and has improved in line with the rest of the team after the Everton game, but he's had a rotten season.

Stayingup · Post by **Stayingup** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 5:47 pm

JohnDearyMe wrote:Who should replace him though? Frighteningly few options for such a key position

No options at all. Midfield should have been strengthened and it may well prove to be costly that it wasnt. We need a more physical presence in there.

warksclaret · Post by **warksclaret** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 5:51 pm

The PL has become too physical and athletic for Jack. Once he is wrong footed he generally loses the ball. It happens too often. At least Westwood puts himself about despite his size. But as someone has stated -no one in the squad to replace him, and you become very aware of the shortcomings when you are on a losing run

Funkydrummer · Post by **Funkydrummer** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 5:53 pm

He never stops trying but, sadly, he has had his day and is no longer fit for purpose.

claretspice · Post by **claretspice** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 6:00 pm

Both Cork and Mee pretty good today against top class opponents.

In any normal year, Liverpool's points tally would have them well clear at the top of the league. That's what we were up against today and we competed well- Cork and Mee included.

The lack of perspective is alarming.

Woodleyclaret · Post by **Woodleyclaret** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 6:03 pm

Jack covered11.7 km more than anyone on the pitch.A good game today and a good performance by Ben Mee.
A good assist too by Vydra and a good finish by JBG

Pickles · Post by **Pickles** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 6:05 pm

Are there any other Premier League sides with only two central midfielders in their squad?

NL Claret · Post by **NL Claret** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 6:06 pm

Woodleyclaret wrote:Jack covered11.7 km more than anyone on the pitch.A good game today and a good performance by Ben Mee.
A good assist too by Vydra and a good finish by JBG

Perhaps cork should take up long distance running? Covers a lot of ground slowly. falls over under the slightest of pressure.

We like Jack though, he must be tired.

claretblue · Post by **claretblue** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 6:08 pm

Woodleyclaret wrote:Jack covered11.7 km more than anyone on the pitch.A good game today and a good performance by Ben Mee.
A good assist too by Vydra and a good finish by JBG

don't need that sort of positivity on here thanks Woodley!

claretspice · Post by **claretspice** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 6:11 pm

Pickles wrote:Are there any other Premier League sides with only two central midfielders in their squad?

No idea, but given that Defour is in the squad even if injured, and we started today with 3 recognised central midfielders on the pitch, the premise of your question simply isn't correct.

burnleymik · Post by **burnleymik** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 6:18 pm

I don't think you can question Cork's effort, but he seems completely ineffective this season. Westwood is a similar type of player and look how much influence and effect he has been having in our games.

alboclaret · Post by **alboclaret** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 6:19 pm

personally don't buy into the hammering of Jack cork.

he is quite a limited player I admit. but he is regularly playing in a 2 which is more often than not out numbered as most teams play 3 in there.
I'd get off his back and I'd say, consider our rigid predictable formation as the issue. granted we have no option now without recruitment but again that isn't corks fault.
Moat teams change one or twould little bits every year. we have played same formation (with success ) for year but teams and managers take note when you do well and beat them. some even learn from mistake.

BurnleyFC · Post by **BurnleyFC** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 6:19 pm

He’s been crap for pretty much the whole of the season.

Really needs to get back to his form of last year if possible.

randomclaret2 · Post by **randomclaret2** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 6:23 pm

We have 3 midfielders in the squad...room for manouevre is non existant

Stayingup · Post by **Stayingup** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 6:34 pm

claretspice wrote:No idea, but given that Defour is in the squad even if injured, and we started today with 3 recognised central midfielders on the pitch, the premise of your question simply isn't correct.

Perhaps the question should have been 'Are there any other EPL teams with only two fit centre midfield players' And that is about right.

claretspice · Post by **claretspice** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 6:36 pm

Stayingup wrote:Perhaps the question should have been 'Are there any other EPL teams with only two fit centre midfield players' And that is about right.

It's still wrong because we have 3, ignoring McNeil who we are told is naturally a central midfielder.

jrgbfc · Post by **jrgbfc** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 6:41 pm

He hasn't been great this year, but the poor bloke must be knackered. He's pretty much been an ever present for us since the start of last season due to our lack of options/Dyche's inflexibility.

dougcollins · Post by **dougcollins** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 6:42 pm

My main issue with JC is the falling under pressure. He rarely gets a free kick ( most of them aren't) and it really throws us put of position because of where he loses the ball. A few goals can be traced back to that this season.

He may not be the quickest but I'm sure that's part of his game he could work on. Just don't fall over.

beddie · Post by **beddie** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 6:43 pm

Weve been lightweight in midfield for sometime, always getting knocked off to ball.

dougcollins · Post by **dougcollins** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 6:45 pm

Wrstwood is probably smaller but seems to hold up better than Cork.

CoolClaret · Post by **CoolClaret** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 6:47 pm

dougcollins wrote:Wrstwood is probably smaller but seems to hold up better than Cork.

Westwood a lot more muscled than Cork, Cork looks stringy.

Definitely need some more steel in the middle

Pickles · Post by **Pickles** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 7:08 pm

claretspice wrote:No idea, but given that Defour is in the squad even if injured, and we started today with 3 recognised central midfielders on the pitch, the premise of your question simply isn't correct.

Pedantry's easy, your posts are usually better than that. It's fairly obvious I meant the match day squad. It's also obvious Hendrick is going to be used as a winger, a wide midfielder, or as a Ten rather than as a central midfielder. How could we change the middle of the pitch today? We couldn't. And I reckon we'd possibly be the only team in the league unable to do so.

Pickles · Post by **Pickles** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 7:11 pm

claretspice wrote:It's still wrong because we have 3, ignoring McNeil who we are told is naturally a central midfielder.

So our central midfield options today were

Jack Cork
Ashley Westwood
Jeff Hendrick (who played on the right wing)
Dwight McNeil (who played on the left wing and has never played for the first team in central midfield)

Excellent.

SGr · Post by **SGr** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 7:22 pm

That’s the problem, we don’t have anything else that resembles a destroyer. Cork is in the side pretty much by default.

Defensive midfield has to be the first priority this summer, Cork has been poor for pretty much the entire season, having dropped off in the second half of 17/18 too. Fix.

claretspice · Post by **claretspice** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 7:26 pm

Pickles wrote:Pedantry's easy, your posts are usually better than that. It's fairly obvious I meant the match day squad. It's also obvious Hendrick is going to be used as a winger, a wide midfielder, or as a Ten rather than as a central midfielder. How could we change the middle of the pitch today? We couldn't. And I reckon we'd possibly be the only team in the league unable to do so.

It isn't pedantry - its fundamental. We used Hendrick as a central midfielder at Newcastle. We could have changed the midfield today by bringing on one of JBG or Brady and moving Hendrick inside. He's our cover/alternative to the first choice two and it's a position I suspect he'd say is his most natural role.

SGr · Post by **SGr** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 7:26 pm

The amount of central players we have available is irrelevant. None of Defour, Westwood or Hendrick can provide the defensive cover that Cork’s role involves.

Defour is finished physically, Westwood is excelling in his current role, and Hendrick is being used out wide (and again, he’s not a particularly defensive player). Whilst I actually agree McNeil’s future is central, it certain isn’t going to be defensive.

Like I said, Cork is there by default, nothing we can do about it really until summer.

taio · Post by **taio** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 7:27 pm

Pickles wrote:So our central midfield options today were

Jack Cork
Ashley Westwood
Jeff Hendrick (who played on the right wing)
Dwight McNeil (who played on the left wing and has never played for the first team in central midfield)

Excellent.

JBG on at right mid; Hendrick CM.

elwaclaret · Post by **elwaclaret** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 7:38 pm

Agree Jack has struggled for form this season, but some of the reaction on here is totally ott.

People keep saying we’re in trouble, and cannot say I disagree... I’d have thought it was a time to get right behind the club rather than sniping at individuals, who for all we know may well be reading this board as a guest... and losing further confidence.

Pickles · Post by **Pickles** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 7:47 pm

taio wrote:JBG on at right mid; Hendrick CM.

Yes sure but there's no-one fresh off the bench to change the game in the middle of the pitch. I have quite low expectations but I don't think we should be satisfied with our only option being to move Jeff Hendrick in off the wing. We've needed strength, stamina and presence in central midfield for years. We're flimsy.

taio · Post by **taio** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 7:49 pm

Pickles wrote:Yes sure but there's no-one fresh off the bench to change the game in the middle of the pitch. I have quite low expectations but I don't think we should be satisfied with our only option being to move Jeff Hendrick in off the wing. We've needed strength, stamina and presence in central midfield for years. We're flimsy.

Yes we certainly need to strengthen in centre mid.

Tall Paul · Post by **Tall Paul** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 7:51 pm

elwaclaret wrote:Agree Jack has struggled for form this season, but some of the reaction on here is totally ott.

People keep saying we’re in trouble, and cannot say I disagree... I’d have thought it was a time to get right behind the club rather than sniping at individuals, who for all we know may well be reading this board as a guest... and losing further confidence.

Hi Jack.

boatshed bill · Post by **boatshed bill** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 7:51 pm

Because of pure bad luck we have 5 goalkeepers in the squad, in better circumstances we'd surely have been able to increase our midfield options.

Colburn_Claret · Post by **Colburn_Claret** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 7:55 pm

Jack's been poor for a while, but as others have said we dont have any other options. Not without putting a round peg in a square hole. He needs to man up a bit, he obviously cares, but tries too hard, and gets knocked off the ball far too easily.
Hes done alright in the past, he needs to find himself again.

elwaclaret · Post by **elwaclaret** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 8:03 pm

Tall Paul wrote:Hi Jack.

I wish.

Blackrod · Post by **Blackrod** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 8:39 pm

Cork was poor today and has been for a while. He is very lightweight.We are woefully short of CM options that are effective for a PL club. I don’t count Hendrick as an effective option. In fact I’m not sure where his position lies in the future. Don’t understand criticism of Ben Mee though today. Thought he was ok.

Vegas Claret · Post by **Vegas Claret** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 8:42 pm

we started the season with Defour injured, we didn't bring in the midfielder we all know we need and now we see the result of that. Weirdly, Cork was our best player in the European games

IanMcL · Post by **IanMcL** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 8:43 pm

Only up against one of the most talented midfield today.
You would think he and Westwood should be able to sort them!

Danieljwaterhouse · Post by **Danieljwaterhouse** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 8:48 pm

Not a fan of Cork, yet I thought he wasn’t awful today. Up against the monsters in Liverpool’s midfield he looked combative

Quickenthetempo · Post by **Quickenthetempo** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 8:59 pm

He was rested a few times early season and the midfield was poorer for it.
I'm all for getting a physical mid fielder in the summer like the French lad us and Cardiff were linked with but we haven't got anyone to replace him now.

Please don't suggest Hendrick.