Has Barnes actually touched the ball in our last 4 games?

[somerset]

I see you are from Somerset, do you make most games? If you do I have this mental image of you driving home fuming after every game.


I can't believe that you have this intense dislike if you don't see him play regularly?

Yes, all games, well the odd evening game is missed when work steps in..... lol... yes, in the last month I do drive home fuming at the continued selection of Barnes.... it feels to me exactly like the SG Erikson situation with flamin Heskey .... everyone can see the limitations, except the manager.

 

[Falmer Flutter ©]

We had three headed chances in that game, and ALL three of them should really have scored. Hammond put his ten feet over the bar. Crofts put his five feet over the bar. Barnes headed his down, but close to the keepr, who could only parry it into the path of CMS. Yes - clearly it was BARNES who was most guiilty of the 'appalling miss'. Well done.

Hey, not sure where you sit, but I'm in the North Stand, in the middle, halfway back. Of the three headers you mention, this is the one I had the clearest view of, hence why I mentioned it (also in a thread about Barnes, funnily enough). It was a perfect cross, Barnes was unmarked and he met it horribly and headed it with little power straight at Steele. To be honest the keeper should have held it. Can't remember the Crofts header and for the Hammond chance I haven't seen a replay, but from the other end I also thought he should have scored at the time. Happy now?

 

[Fitzcarraldo]

I wonder exactly how many games of not making anything happen, you will allow him then?

Far longer than the 2 starts, both playing a lone-striker role he is clearly not comfortable with, and 4 brief sub appearances he has had so far. I would consider it a little unfair to comprehensively dismiss him as useless after seeing so little of him.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Hey, not sure where you sit, but I'm in the North Stand, in the middle, halfway back. Of the three headers you mention, this is the one I had the clearest view of, hence why I mentioned it (also in a thread about Barnes, funnily enough). It was a perfect cross, Barnes was unmarked and he met it horribly and headed it with little power straight at Steele. To be honest the keeper should have held it. Can't remember the Crofts header and for the Hammond chance I haven't seen a replay, but from the other end I also thought he should have scored at the time. Happy now?

I'm in the East.

Hammond's was basically identical to Barnes', except that for Hammond's there was probably more pace on the cross (it was a corner). Free header from six yards, and he put it miles over the bar.

Crofts' was a few minutes after Hammond's - the ball came into the six yard box and was blocked either by the keeper or a defender, and looped gently up in the air about 8 yards out, perfectly for Crofts who was running onto it. I guess he mistimed his jump, because he ended up getting a bit under it, and sent it over the bar.

I actually agree that Barnes SHOULD have scored, too. My point is that he came closer to doing so, than anyone else, yet for some reason, again takes the brunt of the criticism on here.

 

[The Wizard]

Thought he played quite well on saturday myself, we are on a bad run, we all know that but its daft saying Barnes has been shit for the last few games because even if he has there are several others who have underperformed so they must all be shit as well

 

[El Presidente]

On Saturday we had Buckley, KLL and Dobbie on the bench. Three players who would WALK into the majority of teams in this league. Claiming that we are struggling because we don't have as stronger squad, or as bigger wallet, as others in the league doesn't really wash.

Buckley has hamstrings made of glass, and Gus did not want to risk 90 minutes with him, as evidenced by what happened at Millwall.

KLL has also been injured and is not the same player who excited us all two seasons ago.

Dobbie I would like to see get a chance.

 

[somerset]

Far longer than the 2 starts, both playing a lone-striker role he is clearly not comfortable with, and 4 brief sub appearances he has had so far. I would consider it a little unfair to comprehensively dismiss him as useless after seeing so little of him.

Dobbie you mean..... stand easy sir, I am a big fan of his.... I thought you meant AB

 

[del strangefish]

Ashley is God.

 

[GingerBeerMan]

We had three headed chances in that game, and ALL three of them should really have scored. Hammond put his ten feet over the bar. Crofts put his five feet over the bar. Barnes headed his down, but close to the keepr, who could only parry it into the path of CMS. Yes - clearly it was BARNES who was most guiilty of the 'appalling miss'. Well done.

Crofts and Hammond aren't 'goal scorers' and Barnes is. To be fair I thought the cross was a little tricky to score... it was inch perfect but there was little power, so for Barnes to score he would have had to generate a lot of power which is tricky for most Championship players. I think only a few other strikers would have scored that. Also Hammond was right behind a defender when he headed the ball, he wouldn't have seen it until the last second and so couldn't have adjusted in time. Can't remember the Crofts chance, it was probably wank.

 

[Bladders]

Barnes was a bit anonymous for me in the 1st half but that was really down to Gus playing him at what seemed a 2nd left back. It looked at most of the time Boro had the ball our back 4 was very narrow with Lopez and Barnes drifting into their respective full backs position.

Looked like Gus was so worried abou their threat from wide we went 6 at the back.

However, in the 2nd half when we had most of the ball , some subs come on and Barnes moved in to the middle he looked a lot better and got into the game a lot more.

 

[JBizzle]

Dobbie you mean..... stand easy sir, I am a big fan of his.... I thought you meant AB

On what basis do your rate Dobbie (25 goals to date in the Championship for three clubs over 4 seasons) over Barnes (17 goals to date in the Championship in 1 and a bit seasons with 2 clubs although he was just a kid at Plymouth)?

For me, I haven't seen enough of Dobbie to effectively judge him higher or lower than any of our players so I used stats as a starting point. They also do staggeringly different jobs for the team.

Not a criticism of your opinion, just interested is all.

 

[Falmer Flutter ©]

All I said was it was an appalling miss, which it was. I never said he was "most guilty" of an appalling miss. For what it's worth, I actually like Barnes although recently at home I think we could be a lot more positive and the role he plays should be abandoned for something more attacking. If that also means he should start on the bench, then so be it. I also don't think we should play both Crofts and Hammond together, think Greer isn't imposing enough, and that Dobbie should start behind CMS, so what do I know?

 

[somerset]

On what basis do your rate Dobbie (25 goals to date in the Championship for three clubs over 4 seasons) over Barnes (17 goals to date in the Championship in 1 and a bit seasons with 2 clubs although he was just a kid at Plymouth)?

For me, I haven't seen enough of Dobbie to effectively judge him higher or lower than any of our players so I used stats as a starting point. They also do staggeringly different jobs for the team.

Not a criticism of your opinion, just interested is all.

Stats stats stats.....

I can see with my own eyes which player has more skill, awareness and positional sense. Agreed Dobbie hasn't had the unbroken sequence of selection that AB enjoys, to get his feet under the table, but once given two or three starts in his favoured free role, as a support striker with CMS, I am sure you will soon say "Barnes... who's he??"

By the way... Barnes is a support striker too.... well theoretically he is....

 

[GingerBeerMan]

By the way... Barnes is a support striker too.... well theoretically he is....

A support striker but also the "best finisher at the club". Does not compute.

Also, I was getting annoyed at Dicker playing most games irrespective of how badly he played, but then he had 1.5 of his best games and he gets dropped!! It really does amaze me sometimes.

 

[El Presidente]

All I said was it was an appalling miss, which it was. I never said he was "most guilty" of an appalling miss. For what it's worth, I actually like Barnes although recently at home I think we could be a lot more positive and the role he plays should be abandoned for something more attacking. If that also means he should start on the bench, then so be it. I also don't think we should play both Crofts and Hammond together, think Greer isn't imposing enough, and that Dobbie should start behind CMS, so what do I know?

Seems a fair assessment.

 

[severnside gull]

only on NSC could a thread started by a twat who has taken an irrational personal hatred to a player regardless of his ability still be running 5 pages later. Memories of Craig Davies who was hounded out of the club on the back of the boo boys treatment of him and has gone on to score goals for fun ever since.

 

[Dan The Man]

anyone for a cream cake?

 

[Mellotron]

Yes, all games, well the odd evening game is missed when work steps in..... lol... yes, in the last month I do drive home fuming at the continued selection of Barnes.... it feels to me exactly like the SG Erikson situation with flamin Heskey .... everyone can see the limitations, except the manager.

And you were wrong there too. Heskey was criminally underrated, and it's no coincidence he played in our 4 best performances of the last 10-15 years.

 

[JBizzle]

Stats stats stats.....

I can see with my own eyes which player has more skill, awareness and positional sense. Agreed Dobbie hasn't had the unbroken sequence of selection that AB enjoys, to get his feet under the table, but once given two or three starts in his favoured free role, as a support striker with CMS, I am sure you will soon say "Barnes... who's he??"

By the way... Barnes is a support striker too.... well theoretically he is....

Absolutely, and I agree that stats tell only part of the tale. I think, our opinions aside, that Gus' perspective is unlikely to change on Barnes given what he sees as his valuable role in the team. I for one, won't be disappointed to see Barnes in the team at the moment but if Dobbie proves to be a better fit to our style then I'll be happy to see it.

Ultimately, I agree that Barnes in the left-wing position is not as attacking as I would like and a waste of a striker / winger position but I don't see Dobbie competing for that position. I think our midfield is more likely to feature the following players in the following positions:

DM: Bridcutt; CM: Crofts / Hammond / Dicker; AM: Dobbie / Orlandi / Vicente (!); RW: Buckley / Lopez; LW: Barnes / Lua Lua; CF: CMS

I don't ever see Buckley and Lua Lua starting at the same time, and with Lua Lua only seeming to be effective in the last 20 minutes, that leaves the wide players of Barnes and Buckley who both give the defensive cover (Barnes more than Buckley) to allow Bruno and Bridge to excel. Dobbie would then be in behind CMS, hopefully pulling the strings.

 

[glasfryn]

only on NSC could a thread started by a twat who has taken an irrational personal hatred to a player regardless of his ability still be running 5 pages later. Memories of Craig Davies who was hounded out of the club on the back of the boo boys treatment of him and has gone on to score goals for fun ever since.

is the right answer

and is there a tea with that cream cake?