The "even though we were soft at the back to concede two, it's still Barnes' fault" thread

[Bold Seagull]

Why when chasing a game we do not play two forwards is beyond me

I really don't know what Oscar was thinking with our substitutions. Buckley, yes out of the 3 this made perfect sense, JFC did struggle as he did against Bournemouth.

Agustein for David was a real head scratcher, as was Lita for Barnes. It was a big mistake at that point to push Buckley inside to support Barnes, and rely on Bruno for width. Why not just leave Buckley out wide, bring Lita on for David, and play Barnes just behind Lita and put real pressure on their back 4?

Real head scratcher last night with what the thinking was. Even if he wanted more control over the middle, I can't believe Agustien came on instead of Ince!? Then when he finally bought Lita on with say 15mins left, why take Barnes off!? We need a goal, take Bruno, Ward or Crofts off (I actually said I'd take Agustien back off!!) and go all out to get the second goal, or the third even.

Got it very wrong for me last night.

 

[Brighton Mod]

Thoroughly deserved win by Barnsley tonight based on their first half performance, they outfought us and passed us off the pitch and looked well up for it. Beggars belief they are bottom of the league playing like that. Their number 42 Paddy McCourt was a class act.

Yes in all respects, I thought we started with a sort of arrogance having not lost in six and them being bottom of the division, its that midweek thing again, for some reason we struggle with these games. However, I struggled to work out what the game plan was in the first half, only one attempt on goal, the midfield was woeful there didn't seem to be any understanding of what we were doing.

 

[El Sid]

When we saw Lita belatedly preparing to come on the speculation was either for Lopez or Conway. When Barnes went off we were stunned. If ever we needed two up front...

When Lita came on alongside Barnes at Doncaster we looked like scoring with every attack. They seemed to combine well together.

Oscar must have seen this and I can't understand his approach last night.

 

[The Large One]

I know this thread was started in semi-jest, but I had the two muppets along the row from me booing every time he touched the ball, screaming abuse when he shot wide, blaming him (no, seriously) for both goals.

When I asked why they booed a (pretty poor) miss, the response was 'because he missed...'

 

[Brighton Breezy]

I have been critical of Barnes over the last few seasons but can't fault him at the moment.

Playing in a formation which doesn't suit him and a style which doesn't get the best out him.

At least the effort is there.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Playing in a formation which doesn't suit him and a style which doesn't get the best out him.

Walt - can you expand on that. Why does the formation not suit him ? I thought he saw himself as the target man ?

 

[chucky1973]

did he play?

 

[Trevor]

I have been critical of Barnes over the last few seasons but can't fault him at the moment.

Playing in a formation which doesn't suit him and a style which doesn't get the best out him.

At least the effort is there.

I think this is right. He may see himself as a lone target-man but he is just doing a job as best he can. In past seasons he hasn't looked the real deal (although he scores a respectable number) - Also his disciplinary record was shocking last year. I think the change of manager will be the making of him and will pair up with Ulloa well (and of course it was not his fault last night)

 

[Icy Gull]

Agustein for David was a real head scratcher, as .

Turned out to be a good swap imo, he was seeing the players either in space or running into it and aiming and lifting balls that with a little more accuracy or luck would have resulted in goals. On a shit evening of football I thought he was one of the plusses.

Barnes, however, did not have a great game. I expected him to do well against a defence that concedes loads. He may not have got much service but he didn't help himself with shit layoffs when he did get the ball.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Turned out to be a good swap imo, he was seeing the players either in space or running into it and aiming and lifting balls that with a little more accuracy or luck would have resulted in goals. On a shit evening of football I thought he was one of the plusses.

A little more accuracy translates to one ball to Conway actually found it's target, the rest didn't.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't Agustein himself that was the headscratcher, it was more why are we tucking our best wide playing inside to play as a supporting forward and bringing on a midfielder, when we could be keeping Buckley out wide, and going with Lita up top, with Barnes dropping a bit if necessary.

Agustein for David was never going to change the result I'm afraid, whereas I'd love to have seen Lita and Barnes up together for the last 20mins.

 

[Icy Gull]

A little more accuracy translates to one ball to Conway actually found it's target, the rest didn't.

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Pretty sure he played a few balls over defenders and deep into the box or across to the wing too. They didn't come off but the idea was exactly what we needed imo. With a bit of game time the players may realise what he is going to do and run into the space. Looks basically a quality creative midfielder but is not going to arrive in the team and have a blinder having played so little in the last year. I would like to see him get a run in place of Lopez. Ince may get the nod but I hope Remy gets game time, in the next few weeks, to get up to speed,

 

[leigull]

Why when chasing a game we do not play two forwards is beyond me

Because sometimes the fault lies in other areas. It's never a case of 'play more strikers' equalling more shots/goals. We had enough chances to win the game, despite the lacklustre first hour and the instance on playing Spanish Dave when he is so out of form, and only playing one or two good passes all game.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Pretty sure he played a few balls over defenders and deep into the box or across to the wing too. They didn't come off but the idea was exactly what we needed imo. With a bit of game time the players may realise what he is going to do and run into the space. Looks basically a quality creative midfielder but is not going to arrive in the team and have a blinder having played so little in the last year. I would like to see him get a run in place of Lopez. Ince may get the nod but I hope Remy gets game time, in the next few weeks, to get up to speed,

So do you really think, a goal down with 30mins to play, bringing on a player whom the others 'may realise what he's go to do and run into the space', was basically the right idea?

I'd probably agree giving him a start instead of Spanish Dave, and some proper game time, but last night, in that game situation, no way. We needed to pressurise their defense and get people in the box. The only reason people didn't make runs onto his balls is that basically we still only had one front man against a side happy to defend their own advantage.

I too hope Remy gets up to speed, but coming on after we've just got one back with 30mins left!? Not for me I'm afraid, we had a chance to even win the game at that point and I was gobsmacked first when Lita didn't come on, then again when Lita eventually came on, only to replace Barnes, the guy who got a goal out of nothing 3 days before.

Perhaps Lita isn't training hard enough or something, because why on earth he's not being bought on when we need goals is anyone's guess.

 

[Mellotron]

Agustien was comfortably the best player on the pitch for us once he was on. Picked out 3 or 4 good balls, from what I remember. Could be wrong.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Agustien was comfortably the best player on the pitch for us once he was on. Picked out 3 or 4 good balls, from what I remember. Could be wrong.

If you're referring to my points, I'm not actually saying Agustien was poor, but was he the right substitution in that situation last night? 3 or 4 good balls into a packed defence is not going to get us a goal or 2 against a side battening down the hatches. Bringing on an extra forward, getting out wide and getting balls into the box is.

But what did we do? We went narrow bringing Buckley inside to support Barnes to start with, and another midfielder on. Barnsley were showing very little attacking intent at this point, and we played right into their hands in my opinion.

 

[Icy Gull]

So do you really think, a goal down with 30mins to play, bringing on a player whom the others 'may realise what he's go to do and run into the space', was basically the right idea?

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I understand the thinking behind the substitution is what I am saying. Barnes ( and I am a big fan) was having a stinker so no I'm not convinced hoping he came good with Lita is a better move than bringing on a player who is capable of pulling off a killer ball.

The biggest problem imo in the 2nd half was the fecking ref going off and the 4th official not being ready and delaying the game for over 5 mins when we were in the ascendancy. I think we would have at least equalised without this enforced breather for Barnsley, they were knackered and wobbling at the time.

 

[Mellotron]

If you're referring to my points, I'm not actually saying Agustien was poor, but was he the right substitution in that situation last night? 3 or 4 good balls into a packed defence is not going to get us a goal or 2 against a side battening down the hatches. Bringing on an extra forward, getting out wide and getting balls into the box is.

But what did we do? We went narrow bringing Buckley inside to support Barnes to start with, and another midfielder on. Barnsley were showing very little attacking intent at this point, and we played right into their hands in my opinion.

Yeah I do agree. I would've gone Lita for Conway as well, probably.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

If you're referring to my points, I'm not actually saying Agustien was poor, but was he the right substitution in that situation last night?

I too was expecting Lita - but when Buckley replaced JFC David moved into centre midfield and that was just not working. I think he just wanted to get David off and keep a solid midfield.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I too was expecting Lita - but when Buckley replaced JFC David moved into centre midfield and that was just not working. I think he just wanted to get David off and keep a solid midfield.

I agree to the logic to an extent, but at that point we'd scored, and we had momentum and they were rocking a bit. Let's be clear, had we substituted David with Lita, we would still have had a midfield of Buckley, Crofts, Bridcutt and Conway. Why did he want a more solid midfield when we're a goal down still and the other side are retreating?

Definitely to my mind should have replaced David with Lita, stuck Lita up top with Barnes in behind to chase back into midfield if necessary.

Instead, we bring Agustein on, Buckley tucks in with Barnes, we have no width and still 3 centre midfielders in an area Barnsley were more than happy to defend.

It showed a real tactical negativity that does worry me a bit - we appeared to be still thinking about not conceding anymore goals, rather than just concentrating on scoring more.

 

[BensGrandad]

Rediculous with 10 minutes to go 2-1 down and he takes. Off a forward and brings on lita.

Oscar was very weird tonight

Crofts was very ineffective and like Barnes doing nothing and not looking like scoring so I thought that being at home searching for an equalizer which was there to be taken by upping our game by 10%, he would have taken Crofts off and given Barnes some support by playing him and Lita together for at least 20 mins.