Ashley Barnes should have been Man of the Match last night

[Eddie Bee]

Almost MOM today, a good game for Ashley. Anybody that didn't SEE his impressive contribution may need some eyewear provided by me.

 

[Hungry Joe]

seemed longer

That's because he's so good on the ball he actually slows down time.

 

[Zebedee]

That's because he's so good on the ball he actually slows down time.

But we need to quicken things up not slow them down. I nearly fell asleep in the first half last night.

 

[Hungry Joe]

Okay, do you feel you may have fallen into the typical NSC trap of basing opinions and threads on the last 20 minutes of matches rather than the whole thing?

Again no. I was impressed by Barnes throughout. He looked more dangerous once he went more central I agree, but his work wide was still solid in an otherwise patchy team performance.

 

[Dave the OAP]

I thought Orlandi's shot that hit the base of the post capped a brilliant performance, however I think Gus now has a problem with how he sees Dobbie. Certainly his play for the time he was on was crisp and concise, he has a very hard shot on him and he can take corners...not that our big defenders can header the bloody things!

So where do you fit him in....we have seen that we are not the same side with CMS out, but I wonder where he sees dobbie playing...in CMS role, or back in midfield just behind CMS?

I thought the first half was sterile compared to the pummelling we handed out to them in teh second half.

 

[Hungry Joe]

Barnes and Dobbie together was a definite improvement, we managed to keep the ball in and around their box once they were both on, but I just can't recall any evidence of a good performance in the first 70 minutes. Peterborough at home is a fixture that demands somebody with more pace, skill and threat than Barnes in that position in my opinion.

If that's how you saw it fair enough. Not aimed at you, but there is without doubt a bafflingly large number of fans who can't/won't see any good in anything he does. I'd wager the majority of them are people who've never kicked a ball straight in their lives.

 

[tinx]

Orlandi was my MOM last night, thought he was excellent.

 

[Mellotron]

Peterborough at home is a fixture that demands somebody with more pace, skill and threat than Barnes in that position in my opinion.

Agreed. It was obvious after 15 minutes that Bridge required no protection whatsoever from a "defensive" winger. Start Dobbie on Saturday.

 

[LamieRobertson]

I didn't think anyone could be given MOM ..not that they were all bad..but no one stood out for me .. It was Barnes's determination that led to our goal top marks to him if anyone

 

[LamieRobertson]

Agreed. It was obvious after 15 minutes that Bridge required no protection whatsoever from a "defensive" winger. Start Dobbie on Saturday.

That defensive winger seemed to do a good job on Bridge in the first half

 

[Mellotron]

That defensive winger seemed to do a good job on Bridge in the first half

I mean he didn't need the defensive winger Ashley Barnes to protect him. And...not really? How often did they round the side against us? They just lumped it up to the two big lumps, and we struggled a bit against them due to one of our best players being out (El Abd).

 

[LamieRobertson]

I mean he didn't need the defensive winger Ashley Barnes to protect him. And...not really? How often did they round the side against us? They just lumped it up to the two big lumps, and we struggled a bit against them due to one of our best players being out (El Abd).

Fair point ...I guess I was just drawn to my memory if Bridge being muscled out of going forward .. But that's another matter

 

[Yoda]

I only thought Barnes was any good once he switched to the attacking midfield position. Before that I can't remember him doing an awful lot.

Maybe we've found a best position for him?

He was ok leading up until that point, but when he switched back, everything good that came through the middle/left side of the pitch came through Barnes.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

If Gus "really" wanted a strong centre forward, I think we would have got one in by now. I conclude from this that regardless of what he may say publicly, he doesn't want to go down this road. Crazy in my view but I'm happy to be 8th in the table despite the lack lustre performances of late.

But.... surely it must be clear by the poor crosses to goals ratio that we're missing a trick there?

 

[Steve.S]

Is this a joke? He did well to control the ball in the lead-up to the goal, but other than that I thought he was poor. In fact, I remember saying at half time that I couldn't remember him doing a single thing in the first 45 minutes. I was fine with him last season and actually grew to like him, but he's been toilet in far too many games this season.

I am with you on this,first two touches were poor. Then he was missing for much of the first half. We are a side short on goals at the moment CMS also had a poor game last night. At some stage the strikers have to take some responsibility for the lack of goals.

 

[Mellotron]

Fair point ...I guess I was just drawn to my memory if Bridge being muscled out of going forward .. But that's another matter

I do acknowledge that Bridge made a couple of errors, they were pretty much the first he's made since the start of the season though so I'll let him off.

 

[Moshe Gariani]

Barnes controlled one ball last night that rocketed at him from shot range (I think from CMS) in a way that was unbelievably good...

9 times out of 10 any player would have done well to keep it within 5 yards of themselves - Ashley killed it stone dead and then kept the move going forward.

 

[Codner pharmaceuticals]

Strong and held it up well. Looked like a target man we need