Lewis Cook's time is coming

It doesn't take a lot to see that AFCB have some potential suspensions coming up in central midfield with both Philip Billing and Jefferson Lerma on four yellow cards. The likelihood of them both avoiding a card against Man Utd, in the next game, is probably pretty low and this may give Eddie Howe the chance to give Lewis Cook another start.

Lewis Cook is likely to have a busy November.

Lewis didn't have an inspired game against Norwich City when he last played and Eddie decided to change things for the Watford match. The Billing and Lerma combination has been the most popular choice, so far this season, but there is going to be a time when it has to be given a rest. While Lerma missed the Norwich game, his energy and control is very much needed by the team and against Man Utd, I'd certainly not like to see him rested.

We haven't seen Lewis Cook and Lerma play together, so far this season, but it's the combination that I most want to see, and I expect I'm not alone there. Lewis Cook is great at picking out forward passes and Lerma is the general on the park who has fantastic positional play to stop attacks. For me they should compliment each other well, but Eddie has stuck with Philip Billing, as a more physical presence, and I wonder if he is going to be forced to rethink that, rather than doing it from a personal desire.

Advertisement

Coastal Garden Buildings

Lewis has obviously got to come back gradually from his injury, but he hasn't been overly pressed so far. How quickly he does get up to speed is going to need Eddie Howe to trust and rely on him at some point. It could come as early as the next match, and if it does come then, I will be expecting Lewis to put in one of those special man of the match performances, as he tends to raise his game against the big teams.

Advertisement

Eddie Had a Dream 
eBook version -available now!