Liam Cooper

[1964white]

Stats can read anything really BUT I thought Cooper and Wootton were awful against Wolves.

It may be with Cooper that he needs to play more regularly but the step up seems too much for him at this point in time.

As for Wootton, he slips into a long line of poor defenders we have had over the last few years.

Tbf most of the players were either awful or average at Wolves but i haven't been at all impressed with Cooper since his early days at ER. Unfortunately we haven't got alot of options as i think the lad needs a break

[SiMamu]

What people are forgetting with Liam Cooper is that he came to the club with only a handful of League 1 appearances under his belt, as Chesterfield were a newly promoted team in League 1 at the time of his departure. In 2013/14, Cooper was playing in League 2. He has effectively jumped up two levels, not one, so it's understandable why he's taking some time to adapt and why he seems League 1 standard at present - for he was only an exceptional League 2 defender less than a year ago. It's similar to Murphy when he joined the club. Murphy had played more for Crewe in League 2 than in League 1 when he joined us, as Crewe had only been promoted to League 1 a year before Murphy's move to Elland Road. Murphy took his to adapt to the league, but now looks like a very good Championship level midfielder. Cooper has made an even larger jump than Murphy, as he came to the club with even fewer League 1 appearances. Cooper has shown potential, but he obviously needs to time to adapt and grow as a player at this level, as he's made a large jump in quality.

[1964white]

Cooper strikes me as a bit rabbit in headlights ish, hope he does improve, but he looks League 1 standard at best to me?

Thank you Pock, my sentiments too. Let hope Cooper proves us wrong

[1964white]

In defence of this stat a bit, Cooper has actually only played 20 games so that makes the stat, for me, a bit more relevant. I personally thin we have still not got a CB pairing that is good enough for this division, or at least to get out of this division. I think Bamba on his day can be great (altho we all know he has an off day now and again and can be "rash") but for me neither Bellusci or Cooper is the answer which is why I keep including another CB in my new faces wish list. What I don't understand is why we always have the best opposition headers up against our weakest headers and why oh why we are so gullable with heades in our six yard box - a problem that has started to affect us again when I thought it had finally gone away. On Monday Dave Edwards - who is well known as a super sub who is fantastic in the air finds himself pitched against Berardi!!!!!! Madness. Really poor organisation for me.

Happened far too often this season dlw

[1964white]

What people are forgetting with Liam Cooper is that he came to the club with only a handful of League 1 appearances under his belt, as Chesterfield were a newly promoted team in League 1 at the time of his departure. In 2013/14, Cooper was playing in League 2. He has effectively jumped up two levels, not one, so it's understandable why he's taking some time to adapt and why he seems League 1 standard at present - for he was only an exceptional League 2 defender less than a year ago. It's similar to Murphy when he joined the club. Murphy had played more for Crewe in League 2 than in League 1 when he joined us, as Crewe had only been promoted to League 1 a year before Murphy's move to Elland Road. Murphy took his to adapt to the league, but now looks like a very good Championship level midfielder. Cooper has made an even larger jump than Murphy, as he came to the club with even fewer League 1 appearances. Cooper has shown potential, but he obviously needs to time to adapt and grow as a player at this level, as he's made a large jump in quality.

I agree fully Cooper does need time to develope

[Selby White]

For the record I believe Mowatt has played in all the matches you mention, maybe Murphy in most if not all, Cook has only missed the Wolves match, Byram has played the lions share and Taylor has played every game since Warnock went.
Other young players still learning the game like Cooper, all have excellent potential so i find it hard to understand the witch hunt on one players. It is after all a team game and everyone has to take a bit of responsibility.

Also you make it sound like Cooper only played in those matches, like the others he played in a few victories and draws in that time period.

But those players are not at the heart of our defence which looks extremely vunerable when Cooper plays. Seven clean sheets in 2015 with Bamba/Bellusci at the back

Think I said earlier that Bamba/Bellusci are our best pairing at the back but the point about the others is they are our midfield that is often over run putting more pressure on the defence.

[Jerryp]

What is the common denominator ?

Ipswich - LOST 4-1
Fulham - LOST 0-1
Wigan - LOST 0-1
Derby - LOST 2-0
Brentford - LOST 0-1
Brighton - LOST 2-0
Watford - LOST 2-3
Wolves - LOST 4-3

I won't include Blackburn due to Austin's stupidity which put us on the back foot even though LC was involved in the second half

The answer is.....in the eight games we've lost since early December all have featured Cooper, one of those above matches we played with Cooper & Pearce at the heart of our defence god forbid !

Give him a chance............ He is very comfortable on the ball which is key and made some great tackles too!! Sure he has made mistakes, but he is still young and learning from Bam. He will be different class next season you watch ....

[Deleted User 728]

Give him a chance

We should've done that with Tom Lees

[SG90]

I like Cooper, he's an improvement on Pearce and is 4 years younger so can only improve more. You have to remember he was in League 2 last season and it's a big step up, but he will be better for it next year. Still think we could do with another experienced CB next year, Woodgate and Kilgallon both ooc....

[Barlow Boy]

Give him a chance

We should've done that with Tom Lees

If we all had the number of finger and thumbs to equal Tom's chances, we would all be millionaires.