Why Cowie over Mason?

Was Mason unfit?

I hope Cowie is not used that much on the right within a front 3.

Was Mason unfit?

I hope Cowie is not used that much on the right within a front 3.

Excellent point. Don't get me wrong I rate Don Cowie as a player but the way MM is using him is detrimental to the team.

Cowie is neither on the 'right' or in the 'middle' but some kind of hybrid position in between and instead McNaughton becomes the right side attacking player leaving the side looking completely unbalanced.

When Kim Bo finally gets here the problem might be solved, but for now it isn't working and MM should man up and fix the problem.

Was Mason unfit?

I hope Cowie is not used that much on the right within a front 3.

Excellent point. Don't get me wrong I rate Don Cowie as a player but the way MM is using him is detrimental to the team.

Cowie is neither on the 'right' or in the 'middle' but some kind of hybrid position in between and instead McNaughton becomes the right side attacking player leaving the side looking completely unbalanced.

When Kim Bo finally gets here the problem might be solved, but for now it isn't working and MM should man up and fix the problem.

Agreed he should have played Mason. As soon as he came on it caused problems for their defence because of his movement opened it up

Cowie seems to be MM's favorite player.

To me, all Cowie brings to the team is work rate.

Doesn't have a killer pass, can't beat players and doesn't have a eye for goal - That's what you need when you are playing as part of a front three.

Why Cowie over Conway if you ask me, Conway's been brilliant in pre-season kept himself fit after been out for 2-3 months

I would also put Conway over Cowie.

And playing as part of a front 3 means that his work rate doesn't effect the game unless he drops deep and chases the ball.

His link up play with Kev was rubbish last night.

Great to be able to have the debate though. Cowie v Conway v Mason v Kim Bo shows we have some depth the season

Was Mason unfit?

I hope Cowie is not used that much on the right within a front 3.

He is is blue eyes simple as. Finding a place for him in this now star starstudded line up is nothing short of a disgrace.

Conway hasn't got a hope in hell, best player pre-season yet still over looked for Malky's favourite out of position.

I don't really want Tommy Smith but after last night f**k me I hope we get him, at least he is a genuine wide player so he might switch his favourite player tag to him over Cowie.

Saying that he would probably leave out Mutch or Gunnar to accomodate his boy!

Unfortunately, every manager has his pet favourite.

It's pretty clear that Cowie is his fav player.

Before I go OTT, did Cowie do anything of any note last night?

I didn't see anything that showed me he should be in the team ahead of Mason or Conway.

I feel hes one of the reasons kev is looking worse, cowie ends up in the middle all the time or makes shit runs, so kev has to play RB and RM and when he is up doing cowies job there is space for the break! Hope kim bo replaces him and we play a front 3! I like cowie but not as a winger ffs

That's correct.

He offered nothing for kev.

When Bellamy was here last time we suffered defensively. I think Malky was trying to cover the team defensively. He is a defence over offensive every time. However It probably shouldn't take 80 minutes to try and change it.

If you go OTT on defending you invite the other team to attack.

For example, our attacks down the right led to nothing and gave the ball back to the other team.

You don't play a defensive player in your front 3.

I think Mason wasn't fit. He played the first 45 against Northampton and was then subbed. I expect to him to get more game time on tuesday

I'm not saying I agree. As much as I think Bellamy is best on the wing. As a unit I think we should be using him up front. But then we suffer with what to do with Whitts and our defensive problems don't just disappear then either.

Cowie still getting the nod over players that have the attacking ability to play of the right.

Cowie is a central midfield workhorse, its what he's best at...

mason was injured for most of pre season so being young he needs to be protected ...thats not an exscuse for malky to pick cowie though ...i think conway should start home games at least if kiss gets a start he will release gunner to get foreward more .just until kimbo gets here

Cowie is a central midfield workhorse, its what he's best at...

He has never played central for us he was right or left last season as well.

that's not Cowie's fault he is being played out of position.

Ask any Watford fan and they would say the majority of Danny Graham's goals came via Cowie playing just in behind him.

He is a central midfielder doing a job out wide. He covers back, whereas Mason out wide has no positonal sense in that role at all which would mean Kev being run ragged.

We have a strong squad in certain areas of the pitch, but there are a couple of areas which need beefing up. If Cowie isn't declared good enough to play in a central role then he's benched simple as, not "found" a place for. But the only person currently who would offer width & balance is Conway but for whatever reason, presumably because of Cowie's chasing back, he isn't being selected.

One thing I will point out however is that the manager who played Cowie behind Danny Graham to such good effect was a certain Malky Mackay. Go figure.