Joe Cole compares West Ham ace Craig Dawson to John Terry
Joe Cole has gushed over West Ham veteran Craig Dawson, comparing him to his former teammate John Terry.
The former Watford man has been “outstanding” in filling in for Angelo Ogbonna, Kurt Zouma and Issa Diop throughout the season which has seen him play more games than he would have expected when coming to east London.
He used the “instinct” Cole eluded to before the Eintracht Frankfurt clash to make vital blocks to keep the Hammers in the tie.
Joe Cole told BT Sport [April 28, 19:22]: “He has been outstanding.
“He has always been a solid centre-half but he is 31, sometimes players mature, especially centre-halves.
“The commitment he shows, he has got great defensive instincts. He has got a bit of old fashioned about him he will leave a bit on someone which I think is good and fits in with what these fans like.
Comparing him to John Terry, he added: “They are similar. They’ve got this instinct where they put their body in the right place and he’s got this [goals].”
Veteran.
Nobody would have thought Dawson would have come in and had the impact he has done this season.
The 31-year-old was brought in largely as a back-up and thank god he was because David Moyes would have been lost without him this season.
He made several vital blocks against Eintracht Frankfurt, most notably the last one that crashed against the post to stop the Germans scoring their third and running away with the game.
The former West Brom ace has been a rock at the back all season and he will have to be yet again in the second leg.
Frankfurt posed a serious threat on the counter attack which Dawson and the rest of the defence will have to be aware of if they want to make it to the final in Seville.
The Irons have done it before in the round of 16 and they will have to do it again next week.
In other West Ham news, a BBC pundit has slammed Moyes’ harsh criticism of one key West Ham man.
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