FFs Barnes

[saafend_seagull]

our new gary hart

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

The trouble is as I see it. He doesn't do much to ever change a game. He plays. Most of the time he does a good job. But in my opinion, it really wouldn't be hard at all to put someone else in that position who would make more of a contribution.

I understand that we've done well with him playing. But I think we could do BETTER with someone else.

 

[Icy Gull]

Full backs and midfield have needed help pretty well all season and Barnes has done an excellent job doing exactly that whilst also trying to create and score, in addition to being the penalty taker. I'm sick of how Barnes is continually the scapegoat and CMS has, until about a week ago, been an untouchable. At the moment I'd rather have Barnes in the team than CMS

Why can so many of you not see what he brings to the team?

 

[BobbySmith]

I know football is about opinions, but I do not think Barnes at this moment in time deserves a place on the team. He had a good spell a month back, but he is back to his bad ways. All he can do is win free kicks and take pens, which sometimes can be enough, but there has been games recently when in my opinion, he has been appalling and he is not even taken off ?. Now I am sure that Gus know more about football than me, but this seems to be the general feeling around the people near me. He seems to be the first name on the team sheet, not bad for a bloke who, is not fast, first touch bad, shooting abysmal, sometimes lazy, sulks when things do not go his way, not very good in the air, but boy can he win a free kick and and take a pen.

 

[Gritt23]

You help make my point. We have to move on from the past. We are now playing 40 places higher than for years and in contention for a play off position to the Premiership - how many of us would have believed that 3-4 years ago? One of the reasons for this is that we now have a squad of players that can compete at this level. If we are serious about taking the next step upwards then there will be no room for sentiment. If a player isn't on form then we now have very decent options from the bench (or can't even make it onto the bench). We have an embarrsment of riches compared to even 12 months ago. We don't have to become apologists for Barnes (or any other player). Yes his name crops up on here on a weekly basis but thats because he is inconsistent and from my perspective it impairs the team, as he did on several occasions last night. As posted some months ago I accepted that Barnes was being asked to play a different role and to give him the benefit of the doubt but here we are months later and at some point you have to ask the question rather than ignore it.

My point is that this is the same thread, the same argument over and over and over again.

The point about us being 40 places higher is completely irrelevant as I believe there will always be a player that fans will get on teh back of on a constant basis whether we are bottom of the 4th division, or top of the 1st. That's just the nature of fans, but it's not a good nature.

Let's have a debate, let's agree to differ, excellent, that's half the fun of watching sport, but do we have to have this same one after EVERY. SINGLE. GAME.

We might as well start the post-Ipswich "Barnes is rubbish" thread now.

 

[Bruntburger]

I'll support Barnes on match day because he's wearing the shirt.

However he is shit!

 

[Turkey]

Wow... another thread about Barnes...

 

[ali jenkins]

He was one of the better players last night and could have won the game if CMS had looked up instead of crossing it aimlessly accross the box. He does a great job in defence both helping out the full back and at set-pieces. He is in the squad week after week for a reason and half the abuse he gets on here is because our forwards arent scoring loads of goals and CMS does too much running around (Alex Revell?) to get slagged off so Barnes gets the brunt of it.

 

[Coleby1007]

I think the problem with Barnes is he is playing in a position that requires a level of creativity, of which he has very little. He gererally works hard, has good technique and is a decent footballer however I dont feel a supporting forward or an attacking wide player is what he is.

If we continue to play Navarro and Barnes we will continue to create very little for our striker(s)

Barnes does get far too much stick as far as im concerned and offers alot more to the team than Navarro, who constantly does very little but seems to go unnoticed. As far as im concerned Barnes is a good addition to our squad, the more Navarro plays the more i think he would struggle in league 1.

 

[Icy Gull]

CMS does too much running around (Alex Revell?)

I have thought " Championship Revell" for a while now but didn't dare actually post it

 

[GloryDays]

Can't always have a good game. Don't worry about it.

 

[Basil Fawlty]

I thought he did ok last night. He held the ball up well, and helped cover Reyes when their tricky winger was attacking him down the flank. The only problem I've got with him at present is, that he needs to play to the whistle instead of falling over and hoping to win a free-kick.

 

[ali jenkins]

I have thought " Championship Revell" for a while now but didn't dare actually post it

I acctually thought that Revell was a very important part of the team because a defenders job becomes so much harder when they know they wont have much time on the ball and CMS does an equally as important job as far as Im concerned. I think he fully justifys his place in the team.

I do however think that this type of player needs to play with a strike partner because there is no point in doing all that hard work and not having anyone to give the ball to.

 

[tube train]

Gus likes Barnes because he works hard and helps out defensive. Barnes isnt a great striker, no presents and doesnt score that much (apart from pens) and Gus knows that but with him dropping back in to midfield it stops us getting over run. the only problem with him is going forward he offers very little, to be fair it he offered more then he did going forward then gus wouldnt play him in a deep role.

for me he lacks a first touch and his passing and vision is poor(not to mention the above), i would be surprised if hes a starter next season as i see Gus having a bit of clear out and rebuild.

Barnes is a league one striker but at the moment hes doing a job for the team and doing the leg work players like Navarro cant get through at this level.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

I thought Barnes did OK last night, only thing that winds me up is that he constantly goes down looking for free kicks, more often than not doenst get them, then goes chasing after the ref instead of the ball even though its right next to him

He did one of the best dives ever last night, some how got a free kick, it was like an oak tree being felled.

This. The only thing that annoys me about barnes is if the decision does not go his way then he carries on moaning or takes time getting up so for those few moments we are down to ten.

You didnt get it so get up and start getting back in the game.

 

[samtheseagull]

Ashley Barnes is a great player when he looks up for it but yet again last night he really tried my patience. His contribution was marginal and at times the game passed him by. Challenges that needed to be made, loose balls to be chased and decent shooting chances that he all wasted or ignored. A sort of Harley-esque casual performance. This put unnecessary pressure on our midfield which had a real mixed game with Bridders poor first half except for a brilliant goal line clearance, Navs doing his usual ok but not imposing job and Razak trying to work out what was going on. I know they weren't helped by the ball sticking in the muddy pitch (Bridders was unlucky with this several times) but thats not an excuse.

If we had just sharpened up our act a tad the game was there for the taking as we had good possession and space. Plus Barnes had a couple of very decent shooting chances but instead he chose passes that didn't come off.

The most frustrating thing was seeing CMS (yet again) move into space off the last defender ready to receive a through ball from Barnes but the ball never arrived, as if they are strangers to each other.

Barnes must be bullet proof in Gus's eyes otherwise he should have been sub'd. maybe he did just enough but no more. Can't believe that some radio reports said he had a good game. I guess that if Gus is happy with the result then Barnes will continue to get the benefit of the doubt.

Barnes has been our best player since Xmas, esp peterbourgh away. People don't understand the stuff he does for the team, some people love the "flair" players with the colourfull boots ect but it doesn't work like that. To say he doesn't shoot enough if mad, I can remember a few times this season he's the only one that has had the balls to have a shot, most of the time going wide but you always see gus applaud him for it. Barnes has gone from struggling to get a game at Plymouth to a championship player very fast. I don't think he's far away from being a great player, give him a break FFS.

 

[Amexican]

This whole Barnes thing.....is not complicated......if a player does what the manager wants him to do and he does it well then he gets picked for the next match.

 

[Mackerboy]

This is getting very tiresome now. Do you people Trust in Gus? If so, back the players he picks, if not then I wonder if you will ever trust in a manager.

Good someone who is being sensible. Barnes is a good all rounder and just doing what gus wants. I am sure he would rather be playing up top but he is adaptable so gus is making him a better player. However the diving is slightly annoying. Maybe he does need a little rest now though as everyone else has had. Think new players coming in will make that happen. Trust in gus guys

 

[sir albion]

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?

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 (Sunday excepted, but then Liverpool were exceptional)

Maybe this is why we offer little up front as barnes has been given other roles that take away the attacking intent,barnes has great potential but he should be used as a sub and should not leap in front of certain other strikers,seems we have many issues with strikers.

Its clear the midfield is a big concern,CMS is getting f-all service and yet gus can't work out whywe are far to defensive and thats what gus likes,most of us don't like it as it puts constant pressure on our defense and unnecessary pressure.

Does anybody know when barnes last scored from open play in the league?

 

[Mackerboy]

Good point seems like a while since his last goal. Shame really as him and cms deserve better as they work hard for the team week in week out.