Taking On Board The Cole Skuse Factor

The Cole Skuse debate rumbles on, and when he came off the field injured in our last game at Portman Road after 31 minutes, we were still drawing 0-0 in what was rapidly becoming a boring stalemate.

This dour encounter was brought to life when Martyn Waghorn rifled home a free kick on the stroke of half time and from that moment on, we never really looked back.

Was this turn of events a complete fluke of circumstance – or can we perhaps read a little more into it?

I have to admit that this is not the first time that Town have excelled in the absence of Skuse but is it coincidental?

This season in particular, he has performed well for the most part and there is a tendency for us to overlook his defensive qualities and instead place far too much emphasis on his inability to move forward and to create openings.

I think away from home he should always play because without him our defence can be found wanting, and time and time again Skuse races back to make important last ditch tackles, when the opposition have caught us on the break.

I guess the jury is out on how important he is when we are playing in front of our home supporters, because, as former Blue Mick Mills has often alluded to, we should be on the front foot at home from the off and this is quite often not the case.

His passing too leaves a lot to be desired at times and when he does find one of his own men, it is invariably because he is passing to someone in close proximity and usually backwards!

But whether you love him or loathe him, Cole Skuse is expected to be fit to face Hull City away at the KCOM Stadium on Saturday and manager Mick McCarthy is also expected to select him.

You could say that under a McCarthy watch, he is a necessary evil. He rarely scores and rarely creates anything of particular note but he is not in the side for those reasons of course.

Arguably, even better news on the injury front is that midfielder Emyr Huws is also likely to be in the Ipswich squad, having already come through three games for the under 23’s unscathed.

Frank Weston – Editor of Vital Ipswich