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Cook: Switching to Two Up Front Changes Whole Ethos of Your Team - Ipswich Town News

Town boss Paul Cook believes switching to start with two strikers would change the whole ethos of his team.

Cook is a firm advocate of 4-2-3-1, the system the Blues have lined up in up to now under his management, however, after Saturday’s game at Portsmouth he admitted that he had considered starting with James Norwood and Kayden Jackson as a front pairing.

But speaking at Wednesday's Zoom press conference, he seemed less keen on that approach, feeling that it would change the entire way he wants the Blues to play.

"I think from a fans’ perspective, as a manager I’ve always had success playing 4-2-3-1. Always, all my clubs, the successes I’ve had,” he said.

"It’s a formation I very much believe in. To come away from 4-2-3-1 and play two people up front, you have to change the whole ethos of your team. The ball must go forward quicker, as a team.

"For example, I don’t feel we put any crosses in in the game. But you want to put two up front. How can they survive if the ball’s not going forward quickly enough and we’re not putting enough crosses in? As you can imagine, we’re [looking at that].

"We have an 11-game programme now, let’s break it down to what it is. Within that 11 games, I will play any formation or I will do anything I believe can win us a game.”

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