Graham Alexander: Bantams can cope without Cook in semi-final

The talismanic number nine is unavailable to face Wycombe in the EFL Trophy semi-final showdown at Valley Parade after his late red card in last month’s win over Doncaster.

That means a different attacking dynamic to the team – which could see Tyreik Wright employed down the middle if Jake Young is not ready to return.

City have played more passing football in recent games and will not be able to resort to a target-man approach against the Chairboys.

“There is not another Andy Cook in our squad,” said Alexander.

“Vadaine (Oliver) was probably our closest to that. We had him for the Derby game and he played in that when we chose to change the team.

“I’d say we changed a couple of things in that game and Vadaine played in a slightly different way to Cooky anyway.

“That’s the challenge for us as a team - still be effective and create goal-scoring chances and still keep our defensive structure right without one particular player.

“We have done it when we have missed other important players like we did on Saturday with missing our captain. We have to do it again.”

Richie Smallwood is available but there are question marks over Young, Matty Platt and Lewis Richards.

The Bantams boss added: “We try to work in a way where we are not dependent on one particular player.

“We try to strengthen the squad and give them confidence. It’s about the group and team.

“It’s still a team sport and if you are the best team who performs, it gives you the best chance of winning.”

City have beaten two League One sides on their run – a young Barnsley in the group stage and then impressively at Derby’s Pride Park.

Alexander is looking for his side to rise to the occasion again and topple another higher-division opponent in front of the Sky cameras.

“I think there’s a difference,” he said, when asked about the quality gap between the third and fourth tiers.

Andy Cook did not start in City's win at Derby last month (Image: Thomas Gadd)

“I know it can fluctuate from season to season but if they’ve been in League One for five years and we’ve been in League Two for five years, they’re a League One team and we’re League Two.

“I do believe in one-off games anyone can make that gap smaller. We proved that against Derby.

“Every game is winnable but you have to find that way to win it against a certain opposition.

“Let’s give Wycombe credit, they’re a good League One team. We have to be respectful of that.

“We’ve always respected the opposition when we went down to Derby – or to Wrexham – but we’ve not been scared of it.”