Blues manager Paul Jewell says veteran midfielder Lee Bowyer has been Town’s best midfielder in recent weeks. The 34-year-old free summer signing from Birmingham began the season slowly having missed the start of pre-season but in recent weeks has been a key element of the Blues’ midfield diamond.
Jewell said: "When you look at players like Lee Bowyer, Keith Andrews and Jimmy Bullard, people think that because they’re experienced they can settle straight into a team. It’s not always the case.
"He’s playing a different role than he has for a while and I think he’s probably been our best midfield player in our last couple of games. I think he’s enjoying his football.”
The Town boss says Bowyer works well with youngster Aaron Cresswell breaking from left-back: "Because he’s playing on the left of the diamond him and Cressy have linked up really well in the last couple of games.
"We have got a lot of experience in the team, but there are one or two young players — Cressy, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, Reece Wabara - we’re not all old men.”
Jewell says one-time England international Bowyer is keeping up with those youngsters despite being the latter years of his career: "He’s as fit as a flea, his stats are right up there. OK, he’s getting on a bit, but his enthusiasm has never waned.
"Like all the players, after a bit of a sticky start, we’re starting to look a better team than we were a few months ago.”
The Blues manager says the former Leeds, Newcastle, Charlton and West Ham man isn’t quite as some imagine him: "People have this idea of Lee Bowyer as being a terrier but he’s a really quietly spoken guy off the pitch, a nice guy.
"He’s settled in and he’s enjoying his football. When you get to the age that he’s at, what you want to do is enjoy your football.
"If you don’t enjoy it at that age you may as well pack up. He’s first in of a morning and he’s enjoying it.”