FFs Barnes

[The Large One]

There were a couple of blokes behind me not exactly screaming but moaning that he should come off because 'he's made two mistakes now...' No, really.

I think his defensive cover of an occasionally AWOL Mattock in the first half was excellent. Took his goals well. In fact, having seen the replays, his first goal was even better than I originally thought. A good team and squad player who at times looks like the boo-boys are getting to him. Thankfully, Gus knows better.

 

[peterward]

Is there any player in the team who divides opinion as much as Ashley Barnes. He seems to draw more comments than anyone else. Leading goal scorer last season, he has been asked to play a withdrawn role this season and has been pretty much a regular all season despite the fact his performances draw many criticisms.
He is no longer our main striker as CMS and Vokes take that role. He is not the exciting wide player who can take on and beat opponents like Buckley, Noone and Lua Lua, and he does not have the vision, ball control, strength or passing ability of Sparrow, Vicente, Dicker, JCF and now Razek and Assulin.
So what is it about him that sees him in the starting line up so often.
He’s young, he works hard and he has improved and he contributes to the team effort but when it comes to the crunch can you really see him as a Premiership player ?
He lacks the pace to be a striker, he lacks the deceptive skills of a dribbler and his passing is probably the worst in the team. True he took his 2 chances well enough yesterday but he did pass up a good scoring opportunity in the first half and in truth his second goal was presented on a plate. From what I’ve seen I’m not even convinced Agdestein does not offer more potential, but he now seems even further down the pecking order.
Gus has been incredibly loyal to Ash but now we have reached the cutting edge of the season, surely he has to accept that a little more skill, guile and overall ability is required if we are to make a push for a play-off place.
I know you will always find differences of opinion, but does anyone else share my concerns about him being a first choice starting 11 player given the strength we now have in the squad.

I actually agree with a lot of what you say, though he does have flashes of brilliance.
The problem with your perspective is its all based on us in possession and who is better when we have the ball. Look at any games stats and possession is usually around 50/50, so half the time we don't have the ball and there Barnes is one of the best after Bridcutt when the oppo are in possession, he gives 100% commitment, wins free kicks, breaks up play and offers the team a lot overall.

A team isn't the best individuals (as so many dutch national teams proved) it needs balance and it needs to be as good defensively and organised as it is offensively.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Not having a go but have you thought about being a little less precious while defending your right to complain about our own player who's trying his best?

Hang on.

I have been part of the Barnes out campaign. BUT up until those two goals he WAS having a bad game and was sailing very VERY close to a sending off.

 

[JJ McClure]

I think his defensive cover of an occasionally AWOL Mattock in the first half was excellent.

Agree with that. Mattock certainly struggled in the first half and Ash did a great job helping out.

 

[The Large One]

Hang on.

I have been part of the Barnes out campaign. BUT up until those two goals he WAS having a bad game and was sailing very VERY close to a sending off.

That ref only yellow carded a two-footed lunge by their player. He was the kind of ref where a full-blown hack with a machete MIGHT have got him a red card.

He wasn't having a bad game before that - far from it. He was an excellent outlet, finding space, keeping the game going. Sure, he bollocksed up an opportunity to shoot in the first half, but that is being very selective to judge him on that. And he was covering Mattock very well.

 

[LamieRobertson]

and on and on and on ...zzzzzzz

 

[stss30]

Of course. Anyone who thinks he had a bad game knows zero about football and anyone who shares you opinion is a tactical genius.

Well seeing as a professional football manager who has a large squad still plays him week in week out, I would suggest that you are, in fact, wrong.

 

[JBizzle]

He's scored 11 (plus one more in the shoot out v wrexham), 8 in the league, 3 in the cup

Pretty good for a stiker playing on left wing, no?

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Essentially our striker converted defensive left winger has scored 10 goals this year. If he was Lua Lua we'd all be requesting new pants.

Gus knows how VITAL Barnes is to our style of play, therefore he retains Gus' faith.

Sent by the power of Gus' tactical genius

This

Have not had time to praise one of the MOM on Saturday, Ashley Barnes, fab stuff best way to shut up some of the odd balls on here

 

[Mellotron]

Hang on.

I have been part of the Barnes out campaign. BUT up until those two goals he WAS having a bad game and was sailing very VERY close to a sending off.

No he wasn't! REMEMBER THE JOB GUS WANTS HIM TO DO: Track back, work hard, move the ball on, help out defensively at set pieces, win the ball, stop their full back. He was playing WELL. 7 to 8/10.

And he didn't even get a yellow so to say he was very, very close to being sent off is just f***ing stupid. By your logic Nicky Forster would've been sent off every single game of his career, he was never off the ref's back, all game every game.

Barnes played well first half yesterday. He did the job Gus wanted him to do.

 

[Mellotron]

I'll be honest: like plenty I have been slightly frustrated by Gus's insistence on always starting Navarro and Barnes, but they both proved exactly what they bring to the team on Saturday.

 

[fratsomrover]

Sorry. It is not a good mass debate. After every single game somebody has to post something negative about Ashley Barnes or Ryan Harley. It just feeds the need that some Brighton fans have for a hate figure. This is not a modern phenomenon and I have supported the club almost as long as you and can remember the vitriol hurled at Windross who was nowhere near as good a player as Ashley Barnes.

Curiously there are few comments made about things like Craig Noone's loss of form or Lewis Dunk not playing well in 3 successive games. The manager obviously noticed but the usual suspects on NSC didn't because it wasn't part of their predictable agenda.

Having followed the Albion through some very bleak years I get increasingly pi**ed off by those who need a sacrificial victim when so much is going magnificently for the team. FFS Can't we be a bit more positive - of course some of the current team would struggle in the PL but lets not drone on about it.

Fair enough point, but I thought the idea of the Big Board is to provide a forum for opinions. I'm not a Barnes "hater" and I did not start the thread to belittle him, I just picked up that there were a lot of comments and threads already posted about him and it appeared to me that he was indeed a player who divided opinion. His goals are the best way to answer his critics and I was delighted with his strikes on Saturday, but at the same time, I felt that prior to the goals, he was not having a very good game. Yes, he is better than Windross and Bill Cassidy for that matter and I'm sure he has the potential to get even better, but I think you might find that Assulin and one or two others might be even better.
True there have been less threads about Dunk and Noone. Both are great prospects but out of favour at the moment. I personally think El Abd compliments Greer better than Dunk at present, though that may change in time. I also find Noone exciting to watch. You just know that if he gets on a one-to-one with his marker then he's gonna goose him every time. Something you dont get with Ashley, so I'd prefer Nooney in the team, especially with Bridders, Navs and Razek to deal with the defensive role of the midfield. Noone offers more creative options, but how he'll fit in now with Assulin in the ranks, remains to be seen. Assulin could be the nearest thing we see to Messi in The Championship and I cant wait to see him in the starting line-up. I doubt we'll ever see Assulin, Noone, Lua Lua and Buckley in the same team however so that's a selection problem that's even more likely to divide opinion. Good times though so let the excitement continue and lets get to those play-offs

 

[Simster]

Hang on.

I have been part of the Barnes out campaign. BUT up until those two goals he WAS having a bad game and was sailing very VERY close to a sending off.

No he wasn't FFS. Solid and unspectacular maybe, but no way was he having a BAD game.

In the end, he scored twice and laid on a DREAMY cross which to this day I have no idea how Vokes didn't tuck away with his head. Shocking miss from Vokes, that one.

I'll be honest: like plenty I have been slightly frustrated by Gus's insistence on always starting Navarro and Barnes, but they both proved exactly what they bring to the team on Saturday.

Spot on. Navarro in particular came into his own in that position just in front of the back four and with Razak just in front of him.

 

[The Large One]

Saturday was Barnes', CMS' and Navarro's best games for us for a long time, probably helped by having Razzak in the midfield.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I also find Noone exciting to watch. You just know that if he gets on a one-to-one with his marker then he's gonna goose him every time.,

And then waste the ball.


Barnes has far more assists this season than Noone. They may not have been as fancy, but they count.

 

[Simster]

And then waste the ball.


Barnes has far more assists this season than Noone. They may not have been as fancy, but they count.

Quite. Noone's propensity to completely ruin his man before scoring or providing a chance was last seen around October time.

 

[NickBHAFC18]

Just because Barnes doesnt skip past players, or bombs it down the wings, doesnt mean he isnt a good player. His IQ of the game is great for a young player, and he seems to score on a regular basis...so he must be doing something right?..

 

[meanmachine25]

This is what i said after Hull on Weds - and it is still true now...

Do you guys who like knocking Barnes every single week not think that actually he has a specific job to do, and there isn't another player in the squad who could actually do that job to the same standard? (Poyet even said exactly that in the post match interview tonight)

He is the Bridcutt equivalent further up the pitch, Gus picks him because he makes the whole make up of the side more solid, links up play between midfield and attack, defends from the front (and in his own penalty area quite a lot) and can also score goals... he is a major reason why we don't concede many goals.

I don't believe anyone sees him scoring 2 goals on the BBC site and thinks he had a good game, what I believe is that the people who appreciate everything he does, defensively and offensively see why he is so important to our side...

this with bells on shocking !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! a striker playing out of position asked to defend up pitch and scores 2 goals some people are never satisfied!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JCL666]

I don't think opinion is divided at all. He is hugely popular with most fans with only the occasional idiot suggesting otherwise. Of course on NSC it looks a more even split because these same numpties are the ones who start threads on how crap he is, only to get shouted down by 10-15 people.

Tiresome debate. Poyet picks him because he does as he's told, he has a good footballing brain, and he is increasingly looking like the most natural finisher at the club .

Thank you for a post that is based on reality.

 

[GingerBeerMan]

Well seeing as a professional football manager who has a large squad still plays him week in week out, I would suggest that you are, in fact, wrong.

BBC Sport - Brighton 3-0 Ipswich
Gus' interview ~2.07.
"We were for a little moment thinking about changing him". Must have been having a blinding game, being first in line to be subbed an all.