Ashley Barnes - Your opinion

[Spiros]

For me Barnes continues to be a very good player for us. As mentioned before we got him for very little when we were up against it in League One and he has grown with us in the same way as El Abd has. I know that there are some who don't like him but I think he is both a hard worker and a willing learner. I was also surprised to see some stats from last season which showed that Glenn Murray scored 22 goals from 162 attempts in 45 appearances whereas Ash took only 126 shots in 38 appearances for his 20 goals.

The best thing about Barnes is that his style of play allows us to play 3 strikers. When things aren't going so well he is able to drop into midfield more and provide a link to the front - something I can't see CMS doing and Murray didn't do it either. However, knowing how stubborn certain individuals on this board can be with their opinions I'll bet that if he gets 20 this season there'll be someone who says 'well how many were inside the box - any idiot can score from 10 yards'

 

[Biscuit]

the long range one at Cardiff should really have been saved

[yt]ICHy4KK8BQY[/yt]

I just simply cannot agree with that. The 'keeper didn't see it until the last minute because it was spanked hard and fast right into the bottom corner. If Rooney had done that everyone would be creaming themselves with how good he is.

 

[Mr Burns]

Accepted I was being totally ridiculous and I can admit that. Contrast that with your own position. You can't be happy until we start losing and/or our leading scorer gets dropped. All to satisfy yourself that yes you were right Barnes is shit. Meanwhile the rest of us are getting on with enjoying the footballing spectacle.

We are debating it. Why post shit, when until now it was a decent debate. As before you add nothing. Go away.

Just because people have different opinions, doesn't mean they want their team to lose to prove their point. You're a waste of space. GO Away

 

[Simster]

Really. When? Has Lua Lua been dropped?

He started against Donny and was absolute gash. Now he's warming the bench as an impact sub - he was OK although nothing like as difficult to mark as Noone had been. Sadly, he looks like he's suffered a drop in form since his injury but we've got to hope that he picks up again.

 

[Mr Burns]

[yt]ICHy4KK8BQY[/yt]

I just simply cannot agree with that. The 'keeper didn't see it until the last minute because it was spanked hard and fast right into the bottom corner. If Rooney had done that everyone would be creaming themselves with how good he is.

Fair play. But I bet the keeper was pissed at himself for being beaten by it. It was a great shot and probably deserved a goal, but IMO it should have been saved. If he was unsighted, then fair play to Ashley, but all things being equal, you would hope your championship class goalkeeper would get something on those

 

[Mr Burns]

He started against Donny and was absolute gash. Now he's warming the bench as an impact sub - he was OK although nothing like as difficult to mark as Noone had been. Sadly, he looks like he's suffered a drop in form since his injury but we've got to hope that he picks up again.

But he wasn't dropped though was he. He come off injured. And that is a FACT. He then come back a few games later on the bench. Hardly being dropped is it.

 

[wallyback]

He started against Donny and was absolute gash. Now he's warming the bench as an impact sub - he was OK although nothing like as difficult to mark as Noone had been. Sadly, he looks like he's suffered a drop in form since his injury but we've got to hope that he picks up again.

Didn't Lua Lua set up what should have been 2 goals against Blackpool. The penalty claim, and CMS's tap in saved by the keeper. Every time he got the ball it looked like something could happen.

 

[Biscuit]

Fair play. But I bet the keeper was pissed at himself for being beaten by it. It was a great shot and probably deserved a goal, but IMO it should have been saved. If he was unsighted, then fair play to Ashley, but all things being equal, you would hope your championship class goalkeeper would get something on those

So you're arguing it was a great shot and probably deserved a goal but the keeper should still have saved it?

 

[El Presidente]

Didn't Lua Lua set up what should have been 2 goals against Blackpool. The penalty claim, and CMS's tap in saved by the keeper. Every time he got the ball it looked like something could happen.

He had the beating of their right back every time he had the ball, my concern was the one occasion he tracked back, as I was convinced he was going to bring a 'Pool player down for a penalty.

We WOULD have signed him in the summer had he not failed the medical. I suspect he will never play more than 25 games in a season.

 

[CheeseRolls]

Waste of space no, just wasting my time prodding an angry little man and yes I should have better things to do with my time.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

This is getting quite laughable now. As much as it is nice to have Noone sliding down the wing and CMS running around like the energiser bunny up front, at the end of the day someone has to score the goals. and thats what Barnes is doing

 

[Mr Burns]

So you're arguing it was a great shot and probably deserved a goal but the keeper should still have saved it?

Not bothering any more. It was one small thing in the scheme of things, but taken on its own looks overly harsh.

Time will tell.

A full squad will tell.

Come on Ash, bang us a hatrick tonight, and if you get penatly, stick it in the corner. THe keepers will be under instructions........

 

[Simster]

But he wasn't dropped though was he. He come off injured. And that is a FACT. He then come back a few games later on the bench. Hardly being dropped is it.

Not from the squad, but from from the starting XI. You can't argue with me there. Noone started, Lua Lua didn't.

Didn't Lua Lua set up what should have been 2 goals against Blackpool. The penalty claim, and CMS's tap in saved by the keeper. Every time he got the ball it looked like something could happen.

You are right, he did look threatening when he got the ball standing out wide. To be honest, I think their right back was toilet, or at the very least had no pace whatsoever. Noone was skinning him time after time, Lua Lua got past him twice and was unlucky not to create a goal. I guess I'm simply saying that Noone has set a high benchmark in terms of running at full backs.

Where Lua Lua is noticeably behind Noone is the lack of industry when we haven't got the ball. Too often, he isn't making himself available as an outlet, and he certainly doesn't track back as effectively at the moment. I like Lua Lua though, I think there will be times where we'll get more out of Lua Lua than with Noone, but at the moment Noone is on fire whereas Lua Lua is merely on his way back to returning to the level we know he is capable of.

 

[Mr Burns]

Waste of space no, just wasting my time prodding an angry little man and yes I should have better things to do with my time.

That's a hat trick of pointless posts. Congrats, you win a bag of horse shit

 

[Mr Burns]

Not from the squad, but from from the starting XI. You can't argue with me there. Noone started, Lua Lua didn't.

Err I can. He wasn't dropped then was he. He missed 3 and half games through injury. So has El-Abd or Elphick been dropped if they don't walk straight back into the side??

Dropped means you play one game, then are left out, ie dropped from the next. You can't be dropped if you can't play. Your injured. Unless of course you are Gus Poyet and knew that he was going tobe dropped for Gillingham

 

[Northstandite]

Not as black and white as not being picked for next game, means have been "dropped", these days.

Poyet will rotate squad, especially in areas other than a settled defence.

 

[Mr Burns]

Not as black and white as not being picked for next game, means have been "dropped", these days.

Poyet will rotate squad, especially in areas other than a settled defence.

Great post. Noone, Buckley, Barnes, Lua Lua and maybe even Hoskins will be "dropped" a lot this season if that wasn't the case. The wingers and striker are going to be in and out all season according to the opposition we are playing. HArdly being dropped in the true sense of the term.

Right off for a shit and to get ready. Lets hope AShley bangs a hat trick tonight, because dispite what a lot of you on here think, although I don't rate him, I also so badly want him to do well. Because I don't rate him, doesn't mean I want him to fail. I just dont think he's as good as some on here, and I will speak my mind and say what I think, because no doubt if he goes through a barren spell, loads who are praising him and calling me a tit, will be slaughtering him, but I don't change my opinion like the weather and I won't bump a thread if he doesn't perform (although I might bounce this one if the keeper saves his next just of centre penalty ..... so bye and bring on Sunderland. 2-1 to the

 

[Simster]

Err I can. He wasn't dropped then was he. He missed 3 and half games through injury. So has El-Abd or Elphick been dropped if they don't walk straight back into the side??

Dropped means you play one game, then are left out, ie dropped from the next. You can't be dropped if you can't play. Your injured. Unless of course you are Gus Poyet and knew that he was going tobe dropped for Gillingham

I didn't actually realise that Lua Lua had been injured to be honest.

 

[Diego Napier]

Immense performance from the team tonight and an equally immense performance from Barnes. He continually provided an outlet for the defence and, with his energy, grew in stature as the game wore on. He combined well with the wingers, provided excellent support for both the defence and CMS and as for his hold up play against Wes Brown, well, in the end he made him look second rate. What, he didn't score? So f*ckin' what!

 

[Seagull27]

One of the best performances I've seen from the lad tonight, he played really well despite being out of position all game, first as a winger and then in the Harley role behind CMS. Really impressed me.