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Edwards and Celina to Miss Bolton
Friday, 10th Sep 2021 10:11

Town boss Paul Cook has revealed winger Kyle Edwards won’t be involved in tomorrow’s home game against Bolton Wanderers having picked up a knock, while new signings Bersant Celina and Sam Morsy will miss out due to their lack of fitness and suspension respectively and one or two others will also be absent, but says a couple of players will be making their home debuts.

The Blues haven’t been in action since the transfer window closed with last week’s trip to Wycombe postponed due to Chairboys international calls. That has allowed the squad a fortnight working together on the training ground as they look for their first win of the season against the Trotters.

“Tomorrow the likelihood is we’re going to have a couple of players on the pitch probably making their home debuts, which is great for our supporters, but it just shows you still the changes that are coming,” Cook said.

“Whilst we’re not looking for excuses, I’m not that type of manager and never have been and never will be, the brutal reality is that we are going to take a little bit of time to get up to speed.”

Cook says he has welcomed the window shutting and confirming which players he will be working with for at least the first half of the season.

“One hundred per cent,” he said. “I can only highlight to our supporters how disappointed I am with our points return at the minute, which I am, that’s 100 per cent a given. But I’m also very, very positive about the future.

“I watched training in the last few days, I’ve seen the intensity growing, I’ve seen the standard of training going very, very high, as you can imagine with the likes of Celina and Morsy coming into the group.

“But on the flipside that those lads can’t play, Kyle Edwards is out, one or two other lads won’t make the game tomorrow, which is a bit of a disappointment. This is all the disappointments we’re getting.


“We seem to make one step forward and one step back and one step forward and one step back.

“The reality is that time isn’t any manager’s friend or coach’s friend in football. Everyone knows how football is today but the reality is with the change we’ve had at the club, we are going to need a little bit of time to get up to speed.”

Cook wouldn’t be drawn on who might be in line for those debuts: “There’ll be a couple tomorrow in for sure, I don’t want to get involved in team selections, speaking about injured players.

“The reality is that by the time probably that we go to Accrington away I would imagine we’ll see Morsy’s [three-match league] suspension ended, Celina in the squad, the injured lads, one or two or three, all returning.

“So that’s a game that we’ve targeted as really where the squad will be up and running 100 per cent for sure. But before that we’ve got big games where Bolton, Lincoln, Sheffield Wednesday, the Papa John’s Trophy, where we want to win games.”

Celina has had little pre-season having suffered with Covid and then pericarditis while with his parent club Dijon.

“No, he hasn’t, and that’s a disappointment with Morsy’s suspension,” the Blues boss continued. “That’s a disappointment as well.

“But I think any logical fan will look at us now and go, ‘Yeah, they’ve got some squad in place’.

“The reality for any coach or manager now is you want to be able to have that trust value where you know your fitness levels, your match experiences, your attention to detail on the training ground is consistent and regular.

“And that’s something we’ll work on over the next few weeks and that’s only a time thing. Only time can bring us to gel together and that’s what we’ll need.

“Can we win games along the way to put us in a position where we’re better off than we are today? That’s the big challenge for me at the minute.”

Asked whether he has a game earmarked for the Kosovan international to make his debut, he joked: “Sunday morning! No, I haven’t at the minute. I think at best probably Lincoln away, and you know I’m being hopeful with that.

“But obviously Kyle Edwards being out injured and Bersant being out injured and obviously one or two that we are still desperately seeking to get fit and available, so we’ll keep working hard, we thank our supporters for the support, and hopefully, it can be great again tomorrow at Portman Road.”

Regarding the setback with Edwards, Cook wouldn’t give details but says it’s not serious: “Again, guys, I don’t want to discuss it. It’s something that I’m going to try and get away from with you. I want to be as honest and as transparent as I can be. Kyle Edwards won’t be out for a long time, that’s all I can say.”

Quizzed on whether Bonne would be back, Cook said: “I’d just rather not say. We pick the team tomorrow and the team has obviously been picked. They’ve been working very hard as they’ve done for two weeks.

“We’ve had George Edmundson training with us now, Conor Chaplin training with us, obviously Christian Walton, Macauley Bonne’s had a good training week so our numbers are good.”

Cook also confirmed midfielder Jon Nolan is now back in training.


Photo: Matchday Images



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TimmyH added 10:16 - Sep 10
We get more 'knocks' than Hughie Green (anybody of a young age just google)...hopefully Bonn will return and Carroll will get a start.
4

Mediocre_Quick added 10:22 - Sep 10
Can't wait for the inevitable injury related meldowns to come off of this...
0

Monkey_Blue added 10:27 - Sep 10
“Whilst we're not looking for excuses, I'm not that type of manager, never have been and never will be” 😂😂😂 this made me chuckle.
-3

Len_Brennan added 10:32 - Sep 10
Sounds like Walton & Edmondson will be making their home debuts tomorrow so.
Walton
Vincent-Young, Burgess, Edmondson, Coulson
Harper, Evans
Burns, Fraser, Barry
Pigott
7

bluesteal74 added 10:35 - Sep 10
Omg it's always us who gets these injuries what is going on 🙏 that the boys can still do well tomorrow COYB 🚜🚜
0

MagicMoe added 10:40 - Sep 10
Cook said: “I'd just rather not say. We pick the team tomorrow and the team has obviously been picked."

This gem sounds like the sort of logical phrasing Lambert would use!
-2

Europablue added 10:44 - Sep 10
The players we have out are significant, but we should have more than enough to be winning games.
I would have preferred a comment from the manager saying that he expects the team he puts out to win the match tomorrow as they are more than capable, don't let the excuses seep in. The results may take some time, but we need to have that winning mentality where a loss or a draw are just not acceptable even though we won't win every time.
0

Linkboy13 added 10:52 - Sep 10
Looks like a season of gelling and injuries. The best we can hope for is a place in the play offs.
-7

BlueySwede added 11:23 - Sep 10
I think Cook must be a little naive if he thinks we are going to cruise through the season with the whole squad fit for every game. While we have had way too many injuries for the last few seasons, injuries is a part and parcel of the game. Every team has them, just crack on with it. With the squad available we should be getting points aboard. Shame about Edwards (what a player), but time for others to shine!
4

essextractorboy93 added 11:27 - Sep 10
Celina already indicated he wouldnt be available for this one in his interview when he signed, lack of match fitness. Shame about Edwards but gives others chances to impress!
3

algarvefan added 11:47 - Sep 10
If I'm being honest and seeing where we were at last season, with all these changes I never once imagined we were going to go up this season. The changes have been huge and there are some good sides in the mix this year. Do I hope we click and go up, of course I do, as a fan who wouldn't! We need just to let off the criticism a bit and let Paul, his staff and players get on with the job. Our job is to support them in any way we can, that's what I'm going to do, how about you?
10

Europablue added 11:49 - Sep 10
BlueySwede Exactly, players who get their chance in the side should be doing all they can to keep the others out
2

Fat_Boy_Tim added 11:52 - Sep 10
Unless he's throwing in Ed Sheeran the two debuts can only really be Edmunson and Walton!
2

Nobbysnuts added 12:28 - Sep 10
Bolton away win then......can't see any other result..
-7

Nobbysnuts added 12:39 - Sep 10
Rabbit..😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 I've seen nothing to suggest anything else....obviously you have.....
-3

Tractorboy58 added 13:10 - Sep 10
I think I would play Donacien at RB as not too impressed with KVY at the moment
-2

multiplescoregasms added 13:17 - Sep 10
Well they have had 2 weeks to try and sort some of the errors out, so new signings or not, we need to show some improvement, especially in central midfield. I am off down the bookies now to bet on a 2-2 :-)
0

ringwoodblue added 14:21 - Sep 10
Didn't expect to see Celina for a while anyway but Edwards is a big miss. However with the squad we have, the team that do play should be capable of beating Bolton. COYB!
0

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 14:44 - Sep 10
Sorry to be a tad negative, but I'm going for a 2-2 draw.
1

runningout added 14:51 - Sep 10
Missing these few won't be so dodgy. Squad good enough. Would rest Frazer too
0

rabbit added 14:57 - Sep 10
Nobby, you are obviously not pleased with the way this site works, I disagreed with your comment and responded in the traditional manner, I was not looking to be called out because of it.
However in answer to your question, yes I certainly have and I support my team with positivity.
0

ThaiBlue added 17:31 - Sep 10
Just get on with it,injuries gelling and any other exuses stops saturday 3pts is a must the squad is big enough to cope..4-1 town.
0

Monkey_Blue added 12:17 - Sep 11
rabbit… support your team with positivity at the game. On here surely it's ok to be honest and realistic rather than be a cheerleader. None of us are turning out on the pitch on Saturday. The whole point of a forum is to exchange views not to blindly vote up or down regardless of the merit of your point of view or others. Every club will have injuries, COVID issues or sign players who lack match fitness. Lots of clubs have signed significant numbers of players in this division over the summer. I think some of us rightly have concerns about the strategy of signing so many high paid players, the managers record and his results. It's perfectly fine to express those views and still be a passionate fan. Many of the blindly loyal are hypocrites, because they weren't so before the takeover. I'm not suggesting you constantly criticised Lambert or the players last season, as I can't recall but many now calling for blind faith certainly did.
1


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