Options out wide still a big concern for Cocu
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LISTENING to Phillip Cocu talk about the wide attacking areas of his Derby County team comes as no surprise. Signing a wide attacker, preferably right-sided, has been a priority for some time.
Suspensions for Tom Lawrence and Martyn Waghorn, a striker by trade, left midfielders Louie Sibley and Duane Holmes filling the roles in the defeat by West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday.
Lawrence is a regular starter on the left of Derby’s preferred 4-2-3-1 shape and is available to face Brentford tomorrow, having served a three-match ban for his unnecessary red card against Reading.
Waghorn has alternated between centre-forward and right-side attacker throughout the season and he has put in a shift wherever asked to play. He started his three-game ban this week and was missed.
Asked if it is something he will be addressing this summer, Cocu said: “In the winter time, we were trying to get a winger in, so it is no surprise if we have any injuries or suspensions in that position we have to find an alternative or play in a different way.
“In many games we did well by dominating but if you play a strong team like Forest and West Brom, it is much more difficult.
“Also in the striker position we do not have a lot of options.”
A wide attacker was on Cocu’s wanted list in the summer – and again in January – as Derby looked to replace Harry Wilson, who had returned to his parent club Liverpool following an impressive loan spell.
Derby’s search to fill the position was well documented throughout the summer window and was always likely to prove difficult because the Wales international hit 18 goals for the Rams.
They asked to be considered should Liverpool allow Wilson out on loan again, although the likelihood was for him to join a Premier League club, which he did when he moved on loan to Bournemouth for the season.
Derby made an initial enquiry about Bournemouth’s Jordon Ibe earlier in the window but the Premier League club did not want to send him out on loan.
I understand they also asked about Newcastle United’s Jacob Murphy and Grady Diangana of West Ham United, as well as Leicester City’s Fousseni Diabate and Brentford’s Sergi Canos.
Diangana joined West Bromwich Albion on loan and he scored the Baggies’ first goal against the Rams.
Derby brought in Jamie Paterson on a season-long loan from Bristol City on deadline day but his stay did