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Skuse: Midfield Needs to Score More
Tuesday, 10th Feb 2015 06:00

Cole Skuse is not hiding from the fact that he and his fellow midfielders continue to come up short in terms of their goalscoring contribution to Town’s promotion bid.

Skuse has still to break his scoring duck in 68 league and cup appearances since signing in the summer of 2013 after the expiry of his contract at first club Bristol City.

Town’s midfield players have scored just five times between them in the league this season, Jay Tabb, Teddy Bishop, Luke Hyam, Paul Anderson and loanee Jonny Williams all scoring one each from a combined tally of 157 appearances — 109 starts and a further 48 from the bench — made by midfielders in the 29 Championship fixtures so far. Full-back Jonny Parr added one more when making a rare foray into midfield at Millwall.

Skuse said: “Of course we, the midfielders, need to score more. I would say the strike partnership between Daryl and Didz is probably the best in the league. Daryl obviously missed the last home game against Wigan but came back at the weekend and put a shift in against Rotherham.

“He had a couple of good chances but you can never blame Daryl or Didz for missing a chance.

“That is the hardest part of the game, taking chances, which is why clubs will pay millions for strikers.

“They are the ones under the pressure to take chances. They have been unbelievable as a pair but, yes, it would be nice if the rest of us chipped in with a few goals.”

Asked about the fear of perhaps letting slip a tremendous opportunity to at least make the play-offs this season, Skuse responded: “That’s not even crossed my mind and as a group we haven’t spoken about it.

“We’ve still got a cushion, so to speak, in the play-offs and although we haven’t picked up too many results we haven’t spoken about a blip or anything like that. We’re just waiting to get that result and get things back on track again.

“Can we still make the top two? When I’m on the phone after a game the first thing I tend to ask is how our rivals got on.

“After our defeat at Rotherham on Saturday they were telling me ‘So-and-so have won and gone six points clear of you instead of three’ and it’s tough when you hear it.

“But the top two is still our aim and there are still a lot of games left to play. Teams have got to play each other and that could play into our hands.

“We’re not a team who will give up — there’s absolutely no chance of that — and we will grind on and see where it takes us.

“I’m quite happy with my own performances and felt I did okay at the weekend. I had a little chat with the manager and he seemed to think I did okay.

“It’s not really for me to judge and I guess I’ll just let other people have their opinions on that.”


Photo: Action Images



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ZurichBlue added 06:19 - Feb 10
“Of course we, the midfielders, need to score more." No sh1t Sherlock! They not only need to score more they need to create more as well. Oh for a winger that is fast and can actually beat a man and send in dangerous crosses (as well as cover defensive duties of course!) or a midfield maestro to pull the strings and thread balls though on the ground to our strikers. We can all but dream ...
5

therein61 added 07:13 - Feb 10
If we played midfielders who sometimes venture over the 1/2 way line then they might score 1 or 2 instead they hide up and try and look pretty passing sideways all the time and putting a team mate under more pressure don't they Cole??
4

Steelmonkey added 07:25 - Feb 10
I don't want us to grind out results, I want to see us take control of the game and win In the fashion of the clubs who now stand above us. It's about time you put the ball in the back of the net Cole you record stinks.
Just hope we see a marked improvement in our game tonight.
COYB's.
3

marco007 added 07:53 - Feb 10
Talk about statIng the obvious !
Midfield score more goals and Skuse buy a smart phone and you can find out the results immediately :)
2

Cakeman added 08:38 - Feb 10
I thought I had gone back in time in Doctor Who's Tardis!
These comments from Skuse must have been copied and pasted from last season.

It's all well and good players coming out with these type of comments but if they cannot back them up with action, what is the point of stating the obvious?
Sadly I doubt our midfielders have it in them to change.

John Wark must cringe when sees how negative our current crop appear to be.
3

commuterblue added 09:25 - Feb 10
darren ambrose scored a great header, as a substitute midfielder too
0

runningout added 09:39 - Feb 10
Midfield needs to give their heads a shake... Not just score
2

good_at_COD added 09:39 - Feb 10
Ambrose did score with a header but...
1. It was not as a substitute
2. It was in the FA Cup

But apart from that you're totally right!
2

TR11BLU added 10:26 - Feb 10
You may as well drop the 'MORE' from the headline Phil, would be more apt.

Five goals from midfield, look no further than why we are stuttering. It was always gonna find us out...

As for the 'I'm doing okay' comment???

If we, the posters on here, did 'okay' in our profession we would proibably be sacked.

Sort it out Mick, we need to play Teddie plus either Ambrose or, preferably, a new creative midfielder.
2

TimmyH added 10:33 - Feb 10
My God! how often have we heard this from different midfielders over the last couple of years yet nothing has changed! - Cole your the biggest culprit, I think you've only assisted in 1 goal since your time here!!
4

pazelle added 11:11 - Feb 10
If we win I don't care who scores!

I reckon we'll win 1-0 tonight thanks to a Bialkowski goal.
0

Pilgrimblue added 11:50 - Feb 10
The problem is Skuse is that you get picked all the time! You actually need to shoot to score and if 95% of your time is spent in your own half its most unlikely that you're ever get on the scoresheet!! Plus you never move forward with the ball so how are you ever going to get in an attacking position. Skuse is the problem as he leaves it up to the defence to get ball forward so if Bish or Hunt senior isn't playing then its no surprise that the ball gets hoofed. Replacing Skuse with Ambrose would help for a start then get Stewart on for Andro and we might just have a chance or getting goals from midfield
2

bluemikey100 added 12:10 - Feb 10
even david norris got 8 goals in 36 appearances in the league more if you count his cup goals why cant the current squad score this many from midfield
1

HackneyBlue added 12:10 - Feb 10
_______________
I I
I I
There are 2 of these ,one at each end,you need to shoot to score-no shoot no score-simples
0

dawoolah added 12:48 - Feb 10
Is that a Divingboard?
3

blueboy1981 added 17:55 - Feb 10
.......... state the obvious - why not ?

Most of the team are scared stiff to do anything other than try and defend the point we always start with - this must change.
0

Hegansheroes added 18:29 - Feb 10
Could the lack of midfield goals possibly have anything to do with the manager's team selection and tactics. How does Anderson eve back JET, he may have been lazy but at least he could score, give Taylor a try or at least put Ambrose in the team, there is no way Tabb, Anderson, S Hunt or Skuse are better than him.
0

Hegansheroes added 18:29 - Feb 10
Could the lack of midfield goals possibly have anything to do with the manager's team selection and tactics. How does Anderson eve back JET, he may have been lazy but at least he could score, give Taylor a try or at least put Ambrose in the team, there is no way Tabb, Anderson, S Hunt or Skuse are better than him.
0

Hegansheroes added 18:29 - Feb 10
Could the lack of midfield goals possibly have anything to do with the manager's team selection and tactics. How does Anderson eve back JET, he may have been lazy but at least he could score, give Taylor a try or at least put Ambrose in the team, there is no way Tabb, Anderson, S Hunt or Skuse are better than him.
0


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