Jack Cork

[huw.Y.WattfromWare]

Everything seems so much calmer when he plays. Never does anything flash but constantly keeps us ticking over. I thought he was done a while back but do we miss him when he’s not playing.

[Milltown1882]

Best centre midfielder at the club by a country mile

[Vegas Claret]

given the lack of budget you can see why Dyche has more often than not gone for experience

[Rowls]

We're a better team when he plays.

[Culmclaret]

Players’ player. Reads the game so well. Hugely under-rated

[RVclaret]

Big fan of Cork. The amount of times he broke down their attack was immense. Then moving forward he was very tidy.

[tim_noone]

Is the Ball cocks!

[jedi_master]

We’d be four or five places higher had he been fit all season, in my opinion. He’s been a big miss.

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

Massive player for us. As above best midfielder at the club.

[BurnleyFC]

I thought his legs had gone but he’s proven, again, he’s a massive player for us.

[jdrobbo]

Our best and most intelligent midfielder.

[warksclaret]

Cork is calm and has a great footballing brain. Shame we did not pick him up a few years previously. I thought today (just like at Old Trafford) the midfield was strong-with three recognised central midfielders, Means we are not over-run, which we have been recently with just Westwood and Brownhill. Add to that a rejuvenated McNeil and we looked quite a force. THe other good thing about today was our pressing , which is leading to goals, and looks like Taylor and Lowton have licence to push forward

[Jakubs Tash]

We are a better team when Jack Cork plays.

Not wanting to put a negative slant on what has been a great day for us but the fact that he is still our best central midfielder reflects badly on the lack of recruitment in this area over the last 3 years or so. We need an upgrade in this crucial position to move forwards.

He was excellent today though.

[Cirrus_Minor]

We do look a better side when he plays and if he plays well always seem to do well.

[Woodleyclaret]

Josh Brownhill and Ash Westwood were also outstanding today

[shulgin]

Cork is a very good player. Problem over the last few years is an over reliance on him which has led to him looking leggy at times without a rest.

[Colburn_Claret]

I thought he was nearing the end when we bought Brownhill, who I think has been an excellent buy, but he has come back from his last injury in outstanding form. Looks like a new man. So pleased for him, and us.

[ksrclaret]

I seriously underestimated his importance to the team when he was out injured. A huge player for us.

[Rileybobs]

We are a better team when Jack Cork plays.

Not wanting to put a negative slant on what has been a great day for us but the fact that he is still our best central midfielder reflects badly on the lack of recruitment in this area over the last 3 years or so. We need an upgrade in this crucial position to move forwards.

He was excellent today though.

I don’t think the idea that Cork is our best midfielder reflects badly on our recruitment. Realistically we are unlikely to ever have a significantly stronger starting eleven than we fielded today.

[IanMcL]

He made the England team because of his calm attributes. He cleans up and that is always needed.

[IanMcL]

That line up today, with Brownhill right, was very effective.

1 wingman and 3 terriers.

[Hedontplayforyou]

He was fantastic today. As I’ve said in the past a few times a midfield 3 of cork Westwood and Brownhill isn’t half bad. Give us scope for different shapes for different opponents, but back to Jack Cork - fantastic without any frills , gets in with it and oozes class at times

[RalphCoatesComb]

Jack Cork makes time for himself. When teams "hunt him down" and crowd him, he doesn't play as well.

Always like Jack from his early days on loan.

[CrosspoolClarets]

Worth saying we haven’t lost this season to a “non Super League” side when Jack has played.

[Elizabeth]

There’s a presence about Cork , Taylor and Wood that makes us a Top 7 club.If they played every week.
The reality is that they are not players that will ever be ever presents so we end up looking over our shoulder when they are out of the team .
It’s always good news when they are passed fit to play and when it means they are on the field together you will see a team that is very good

[Jakubs Tash]

I don’t think the idea that Cork is our best midfielder reflects badly on our recruitment. Realistically we are unlikely to ever have a significantly stronger starting eleven than we fielded today.

I'm not knocking Cork - I like him and think he has a big role to play moving forward. But one of the main reasons that ANY team gets better is to improve their central midfielders. I am aware that this comes at a cost but you always have to be looking at improving each area of your team and, as far as central midfield is concerned, we haven't really done this in a while.

I know we signed Brownhill 18 months ago.....and I also like him but I think he is suited more to playing in a midfield 3. And it seems that SD might see him as the player to take Hendrick's position in the team - either in a narrow wide right position or furthest forward in a midfield 3. He has great energy but I don't think he really has enough quality on the ball to play in a central 2 in a 442 formation.

Just my opinion

[kindonesque]

Jack's the consummate pro

[ClaretMov]

Add a proper right winger (Wallace from Millwall for me) instead of Brownhill on the right to go with McNeil on the left plus Vydra and Wood up front and we have a very good team for next season, we need to bring in a right winger and a couple of cover players for back up and maybe new replacements to fill the gaps if any leave from the starting 11 in the summer. So looking at between 2 and 4 new signings which shouldn't be to difficult to bring in.

Looking forward to next season, fingers crossed we are all going to be able to attend again.

[Rileybobs]

I'm not knocking Cork - I like him and think he has a big role to play moving forward. But one of the main reasons that ANY team gets better is to improve their central midfielders. I am aware that this comes at a cost but you always have to be looking at improving each area of your team and, as far as central midfield is concerned, we haven't really done this in a while.

I know we signed Brownhill 18 months ago.....and I also like him but I think he is suited more to playing in a midfield 3. And it seems that SD might see him as the player to take Hendrick's position in the team - either in a narrow wide right position or furthest forward in a midfield 3. He has great energy but I don't think he really has enough quality on the ball to play in a central 2 in a 442 formation.

Just my opinion

I don't disagree with that, I'm just saying that the reality of the situation is that given our financial constraints we are unlikely to significantly improve on any of first eleven. That's not to say that we shouldn't be looking to do so, and certainly adding strength and depth to the squad is important. But players like Cork are probably at the peak of what we are realistically able to afford, so the fact that he is still a first choice player doesn't, in my opinion, reflect substandard recruitment.

[the_fat_shearer]

I think that Cork is a strong, strong player for us but I also massively appreciate Westwood - his delivery at set plays are crucial to our tactics, his passing forward into the channels and over the top likewise and he has an engine like no other in the team. Happy to see him on the scoresheet yesterday. I've not been dissatisfied with Brownhill either.

Yes, we should still look to improve and invest to strengthen but you could say that for a few positions in the team.

Happy to see the same starting line-up next time out.

[Dark Cloud]

I think there is a role for most of the current squad, including Cork, plus room for at least 2 or 3 players to strengthen it as long as they aren't ridiculously expensive in terms of wages or fees. However I do believe SD has to be far more flexible in the way he uses his squad and pick different teams and formations for different matches and that will mean some players being left out on some days and playing on others and they'll just have to accept it. The days when barring a broken leg, you could name our starting XI on Wednesday evening for a match on Sunday should be a thing of the past and to me this is a major issue in SD's evolution as a PL manager and our evolution as a team. Be prepared, for example to play 4-5-1 at certain away grounds to tighten the midfield. SD did this recently when he put Vydra on the bench, even though he had actually been playing well. Another example was yesterday, leave out the extra winger (JBG) and play a more solid looking midfielder (Brownhill) and to me it payed off. Then maybe bring JBG back for a home game against poorer opposition who are more likely to sit back. I know some of SD's tinkering can be down to injuries and his hand gets forced, but sometimes he should be more pro active too.

[Dodobdobodobo]

I must hold my hand up and say I was for getting rid of Jack as his legs seem to have gone. Probably down to the amount of games he played over two/three seasons.
He has come back looking a lot fitter & sharper. He certainly deserves his place in the team.
Well done Jack for proving me wrong.Not as if he’s anything to prove to me