Albion give up on promotion!

[bluenitsuj]

Cos we got promoted last season when Barnes was in the team ......not.
What a stupid thread

 

[chucky1973]

don't be silly. CMS back in the fold soon in a system that will suit him more than the way Gus played him, Barnes would not have got a look in anyway. The way forward is The man from Argentina and CMS together. Barnes would have struggled to get in starting 11.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Those of us that were at the game saw him catch the back of the ref's heel which made him stumble slightly,

Ha ha. So you are saying that Barnes did not trip the ref ? Or he did but it was unintentional ? Or the ref should have been booked for simulation ?

Classic. He tripped the ref. At any level of football that is a complete No-No. You do not touch the ref.

Those of us who saw it clearly on the replays had as good a view.

 

[Icy Gull]

Ha ha. So you are saying that Barnes did not trip the ref ? Or he did but it was unintentional ? Or the ref should have been booked for simulation ?

Classic. He tripped the ref. At any level of football that is a complete No-No. You do not touch the ref.

Those of us who saw it clearly on the replays had as good a view.

Ashley has ensured his place for decades in Albion folklore with that moment. Tripping a ref is right up there with the most amusing moments I remember as an Albion fan. Not quite on a par with Willie Johnston aiming a kick at the ref when we beat WBA at the Hawthorns though.

 

[Zebedee]

By selling Ashley Barnes, I seriously believe we have given up on promotion this season. He is the heartbeat of the team and we will struggle now. We should have sacrificed the £750k, kept him and reviewed in the summer. I don't think we'll go down, but that's it for now. I well remember another time in another age when the club failed to realise the importance of Kit Napier and we never recovered that season with dramatic consequences.
I think this will be the same.

What matters to me is signing a permanent replacement for Barnes who is a better all round player. If the club can do that, I'll be happy. I don't want to see another loanee.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Ashley has ensured his place for decades in Albion folklore with that moment. Tripping a ref is right up there with the most amusing moments I remember as an Albion fan. Not quite on a par with Willie Johnston aiming a kick at the ref when we beat WBA at the Hawthorns though.

True. That and the three points in the Cup.

And what a night that was at the Hawthorns. One of the best Albion games. Everything seemed possible.

 

[Machiavelli]

What matters to me is signing a permanent replacement for Barnes who is a better all round player. If the club can do that, I'll be happy. I don't want to see another loanee.

I think I'm with you on this one, but don't think I'll mind if we have to put up with a loanee for the rest of the season and he arrives (for free?) in the summer. Just think there are more and better options in the summer.

 

[British Bulldog]

What matters to me is signing a permanent replacement for Barnes who is a better all round player. If the club can do that, I'll be happy. I don't want to see another loanee.

It wouldn't surprise me if we've already got a deal lined up for a Barnes replacement that's just waiting for the go ahead.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

I rate Barnes but the OP is forgetting that Ulloa will be leading the line, we have Obika in, CMS to come back and play one up top. It's hardly a disaster to claim some cash for him rather than let him go for nothing. Presumably the cash will go towards the squad strengthening that Burke and Oscar have already identified IS required to take us up AND keep us up. Surely the OP doesn't think Barnes is Premier League standard

The only b problem with this is that it appears everywhere Obika has played he's been dreadful, and CMS' return keeps being pushed back not to mention that he's actually pretty useless too. At the moment, and for next few weeks it would appear we have ONE accomplished striker. Awesome.

 

[Return of the Rev]

Promotion is a hard master,who's to say that promotion has not given up on us,promo has been very fickle in the past! Not sure its always the Albions fault it take two to tango!

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

It wouldn't surprise me if we've already got a deal lined up for a Barnes replacement that's just waiting for the go ahead.

I'd be surprised if we did have. The club weren't expecting to do any business in this window. I despair if we bring in another two bob loan player

 

[JCL - the new kid in town]

If he had gone to a top club then I could have been a tad disappointed. However, he has gone to a club who are punching well above their weight and realistically won't get promoted this season. Good manager though. Therefore I can only surmise that he wasn't interested in progressing further with us and us getting some money for a player who has less than 6 months of their contract left, seems like good business sense. TB/OG will have seen this coming form the day that AB refused to sign the new contract and I am sure contingency plans are in place.
So farewell Ash, thanks for the memories and we wish you well for the future.

TNBA

TTF

why won't burnley realistically get promoted? They are already on 47 points, if they get 1 point (relegation form) from their last 22 games then they will have 69 points and its likely they will pick up quite a few more than that so probably easily in the playoffs. Once there anyone can win it so i would say they have a very realistic chance of getting promoted

 

[Prettyboyshaw]

Would like to have kept him as back up especially as 750k isn't much these days but at 24 why would he just want to be a sub/backup player. Then again why the **** would you what to work in Burnley!

 

[British Bulldog]

I'd be surprised if we did have. The club weren't expecting to do any business in this window. I despair if we bring in another two bob loan player

You don't seem to have a lot of trust in the club do you!

 

[CheeseRolls]

By selling Ashley Barnes, I seriously believe we have given up on promotion this season. He is the heartbeat of the team and we will struggle now. We should have sacrificed the £750k, kept him and reviewed in the summer. I don't think we'll go down, but that's it for now. I well remember another time in another age when the club failed to realise the importance of Kit Napier and we never recovered that season with dramatic consequences.
I think this will be the same.

I would agree that we have been over-reliant on him this season, but maybe now is an opportunity to shuffle the pack. I think the people who are saying that Bridcutt won't keep Sunderland up are equally missing the point, both are cogs and the chances are the changes will involve formation changes and other personnel changes, rather than direct replacements. Now that Ullloa is back and we have a chance to look at a direct understudy for him in Obika, there is an opportunity to shuffle our pack. I am not a massive Crofts fan and whilst he has contributed some vital goals from midfield, I would like to see a more skillful player in that attacking midfield role. I suspect that there is room in the squad now, for such a player.

 

[durrington gull]

Words most used on this site about Barnes.....Almost, if only, nearly, unlucky, would have..........Sort of tells it's own story. Barnes will never play a key role in any side promoted from this division. If he is going to Burnley as a striker he will be third choice, which is what he should have been here. If we can get £750k for a third choice striker, then it's a no brainer. If he starts games for Burnley, then they will have sold a striker, which is also good news for us, as they will start to slide out of contention.

Spot on!

 

[Marshy]

I fail to see how someone who would have spent much of this season on the bench is the heartbeat of our side

Im pleased how we have handled it and have got a great price in my opinion

 

[Greavsey]

Must be why we failed to get promoted last season as the beating heart excused himself for a quarter of the season.

I think you may be overstating the case somewhat.

Bang on. How has Barnes become Ronaldo seemingly over night?!

 

[Simster]

Please please PLEASE let this prove to be the 2014 equivalent of "Spanish Dave, what does he do?" come May.

 

[severnside gull]

So many undervalue Barnes and he will do well at Burnley and, indeed, is quite capable of playing at the next level. And he is still young and still developing.
However he has clearly told the club he will not sign a new deal and on that basis we are right to sell him.

Now let's watch Obika fly