One To Watch: Cole Skuse

St Andrews will be the venue when Ipswich come to town at the usual time of 3pm. It will be a heavily anticipated game with both teams in good form and hoping to take all three points.

The Tractor Boys are looking for promotion as they always seem to be in recent years and it is up to Birmingham to try and stop any threat that they pose. Now, the obvious choice for the one to watch this week was Murphy. Their top goalscorer last year and a real handful not only in front of goal, but in all attacking areas. However, I believe that we have the defence to stop him. So I have gone for a player who I believe can make Ipswich tick, Cole Skuse.

Cole is a midfielder who has perfected the greying quiff look much to the excitement of all his fans. Not only this, he is a very good footballer. He is one of those players that always seems to have time on the ball due to his clever runs off it. He tends to play simple passes but ones that are effective and he often makes through balls look very easy.

The thing that is on Birmingham City’s side, is that he isn’t a goal scorer by any stretch of the imagination. In 107 appearances for Ipswich he only has one goal to his name so without trying to tempt fate at all, I will be very disappointed if he were to get on the score-sheet against the Blues’.

His range of passing is very good so if he can pick out his wingers then that is what he will try and do but his main goal is to keep possession. I hope that the likes of Toral push onto him and don’t give him time because we can easily exploit that if we do so. Skuse is often a player who will always be in the right place at the right time. He doesn’t look particularly fast or even that agile, but I can guarantee he will be there to sweep the ball away if a dangerous situation is about to arise.

I often try and pick the player who will win the game. It is usually in the form of goalscoring or making spectacular defensive blocks and headers. But this week, I have had to alter from the norm. Without Skuse in that team, there is no way that they will win. With Skuse in their team they have a chance. He sets the tempo to the game and will allow Ipswich to play the ball out from the back. Everything comes through him, prevent this and I think we will win.