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.”

Photo: Matchday Images

LonE17Blue added 14:30 - Mar 26 KEEP ON SCREAMING, I SAY!
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matt92 added 14:37 - Mar 26 It's worth noting that PC doesn't tend to reveal much in press conferences at all - Matheson has been out injured for 3 weeks and until he told the press earlier this week, everybody was assuming he wasn't impressed enough by him to stick him in the team. I don't think it's too unlikely that he will put out a team with 2 up front, or switch systems at some point during the game. One thing I know for sure is that if he is thinking about doing that, he wouldn't reveal it in a press conference! If he sticks with one up front, we should trust that decision, especially after this first full week of training. If we play with one up front and lose, however... it'll be uproar on here.

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blues1 added 14:44 - Mar 26 Unknown. And all those agreeing with him. I think you've entirely missed the point hes making. Hes clearly saying we dont have the players to play 4-4-2. We dont have the players putting the crosses in. Nor do we have a central midfield pairing strong enough to play that way. Especially with Downes out. So we need the extra midfield cover that the current formation gives us. But at the same time, it's still an attacking formation.

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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 14:56 - Mar 26 I don't think it makes a massive difference what formation we play. What makes a difference is the quality of the players themselves. As long as the three behind the striker get forward as they should do and take part in the goal creation, it shouldn't be a problem. But lumping it forward to an isolated Norwood, or even worse, an isolated Jackson isn't going to work.

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mib added 16:05 - Mar 26 What a strange lot of so called supporters!! When lambert said he didnt have the players to play 442 he was ALWAYS slagged off and apparently didnt know what he was talking about. This guy comes in, says the same thing and he is the Messiah. LAMBERT BACK IN for me!!!
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Scuzzer added 16:18 - Mar 26 Yeah...change it from a struggling to compete ethos to a winning one.
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Barty added 16:35 - Mar 26 Well 4-2-3-1 is certainly not working !
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DifferentGravy added 17:19 - Mar 26 Sorry Unknown100, accidentally marked you down instead of up. Think your point is spot on. Cook has inherited this team and he will only really be able to put his overall stamp on the squad in pre season. However, we have played 4-2-3-1 (basically 4-5-1 judging by our negative play and lack of attacking intent) under Lambert and with these players......but it didnt work. We didnt have enough players going forward, in the box, taking shots or scoring. It made logical sense to try something else. He tried numerous combinations of players....even played them out of position....it didnt work. That suggests to me that 4-5-1 doesnt work......with these players....at this moment in time. Logic would dictate that you try something else. Lambert stuck to his guns for two+ years, expecting a different result.....and rightly got sacked. Please understand, not having a go at Cook here. Lets see what a weeks worth of his training has done to the slackers! lol. If he can get it working then I dont care what formation we play

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Lathers added 17:19 - Mar 26 Doesn't matter what fecking formation Cook decides on, the players are not physically or mentally good enough to get us out of this horrible league. All these supposed smaller clubs are doing better than us because they know this league and have adapted to it. Going to take a while to change the ‘ethos' for the better.
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Thebot added 18:01 - Mar 26 How many goals has Norwood or Jackson got this season both individually or as a collective? Remember when we played both up top together? How many did they get then? I'll let cookie do his homework so when he sees they both scored plenty and where we were in league when that happened perhaps he will look at 442.
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LWNR2013 added 18:59 - Mar 26 It's 3-5-2 for me. It worked for Sir Alf, with leather balls 😂
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LWNR2013 added 18:59 - Mar 26 It's 3-5-2 for me. It worked for Sir Alf, with leather balls 😂
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bluedickie added 19:18 - Mar 26 Agree with the thebot we scored more and put in better performances with Norwood and Jackson playing together up front, like the main man says just do whatever it takes to win these remaining games and get in the play offs , take it from there , not many of us are actually expecting to go up , what do we have to lose ? Then he can bring in his own players to replace the dross ready for next season, good luck that man !

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TractorRoyNo1 added 19:21 - Mar 26 Perhaps next season then, because this formation with these players will not get goals.
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ChimayBlue added 20:01 - Mar 26 If he can get these guys fit quickly and hungry, which they are not currently, then it won't really matter which formation we play. The whole team plays as a unit with 30% more everything, we will win games.
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USA added 20:52 - Mar 26 Our ethos desperately needs changing! Get it done
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dukey44 added 21:24 - Mar 26 Hahaha ethos of the team.... That's what meaning with our team who can't shoot and only pass sideways or backwards... Sorry but surely he's seen we don't have the players to play 1 up front... Oh dear
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bobble added 02:47 - Mar 27 surely the more players we have in their half ,the less they can send into ours ?
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bushhillblue added 10:32 - Mar 27 3 5 2 for me stick woolfy in middle of 5 someone who can tackle and mix it desperate times
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IpswichT62OldBoy added 10:47 - Mar 27 We clearly can play, we have 20 minute spells where we all think "yes this is how we should be" and then revert to pointless backward passing with people ambling around for 70 minutes. At one time we were managing 45 good minutes, God alone knows when we last managed 90. Perhaps it is a simple as lack of fitness.
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Linkboy13 added 10:50 - Mar 27 They say a little knowledge is dangerous so im backing Cook. We are not going up this season with this bunch of numpties and Cook knows this. So shut up you so called Pep Guardiola's and give the bloke a chance. Im not going to judge the man until next season when he's got his own men in.
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