Starting 11 Saturday

[MattBackHome]

Weirdly I think I might be MORE excited about this game than I was about Donny. I didn't think that was possible.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Sneaky edit there Severnside!!

Agree with your line up but would prefer to see Hoskins start to see what he can do.

 

[severnside gull]

Is he ok now?

The perennial hamstring problem - if he is fit then I'm sure he will get game time on Saturday but no news out of the club beyond the fact that he travelled on Wednesday which was presumably thought to be too soon, plus we played a slightly narrower game without wingers - not something I see us doing at the Amex with only one (unplayed) winger on the bench. I'm not clear what sort of pre-season Kaz had before he joined us - from what I observe at Newcastle I would suggest it wasn't as intense or as medically controlled as it would have been here. I really hope that with proper conditioning we can overcome the extent/frequency of his muscle issues although this early recurrence is probably an indicator of why negotiations were so protracted - having had him so long on loan I suspect we have chapter and verse on his personal physiological make-up and it presumably isn't entirely happy reading. I've seen players' careers succumb to this sort of thing but also many more who have grown through it. One thing for sure is that the club are as informed as they can be and any risks they take are carefully calculated. My betting is on us getting great value from the lad as a legend in the making or he probably wouldn't be here at all.

 

[severnside gull]

Sneaky edit there Severnside!!

Agree with your line up but would prefer to see Hoskins start to see what he can do.

Ha ha!

Sorry TRHK, I had double-counted Romain and Spaz, klutz that I am

Can't see Barnes getting dropped (or deserving to be) after three goals in two games even if 2 of those were pens and until Harley arrives he is now our official penalty taker - something we may need if CMS continues to run defences ragged...... and to think we worried about losing Murray's penalty winning powers.

now confirmed on the Argus site that Buckley won't be risked for Saturday

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Barnes has done nothing to deserve being dropped - quite the opposite - I agree. I suppose Hoskins is a bit like having a new toy - you just want to see what it can do (see Toy Story - Woody v Buzz Lightyear). Barnes will start with CMS I am sure. But what a bench!

 

[kevtherev]

Personally i'd love us to play 4-4-2 or 4-2-4 whatever you want to call it. Like the old Arsenal invincibles team..

-----------------------------------Ankergren-------------------------------
Calderon------------Greer-----------------------Dunk-------------Painter
-------------------Bridcutt---------------------Vincelot--------------------
Buckley--------------------------------------------------------------Lualua
------------------------Hoskins----------------CMS------------------------

But I cant see it happening.

 

[Seagull Steve]

Personally i'd love us to play 4-4-2 or 4-2-4 whatever you want to call it. Like the old Arsenal invincibles team..

-----------------------------------Ankergren-------------------------------
Calderon------------Greer-----------------------Dunk-------------Painter
-------------------Bridcutt---------------------Vincelot--------------------
Buckley--------------------------------------------------------------Lualua
------------------------Hoskins----------------CMS------------------------

But I cant see it happening.

I can't see it happening either, but what a team that looks. Somebody pinch me and tell me that I'm not dreaming all this.

 

[Oscar]

I can't believe some are still suggesting Barnes should be dropped. Hoskins may well earn his place in the team ahead of him at some point but he's got a lot of work to do yet. I'd back Barnes to score again tomorrow.

 

[Springal]

Yea lets drop our top scorer. Morons

 

[pishhead]

I can't believe some are still suggesting Barnes should be dropped. Hoskins may well earn his place in the team ahead of him at some point but he's got a lot of work to do yet. I'd back Barnes to score again tomorrow.

100% agree, quite how someone who has scored 3 in 4 deserves to be dropped is beyond me!

 

[chucky1973]

Ankergren
Usual Back 4
Bridcutt
Dicker
Noone
KLL
CMS
Barnes

Bench
Brez
Vincelot
Sparrow
Hoskins
Navarro

Although I dont think he will go with 2 out and out wingers to start, he will prob play either sparrow or vincelot and start with KLL with Noone on the bench

 

[chucky1973]

Ankergren
Usual Back 4
Bridcutt
Dicker
Noone
KLL
CMS
Barnes

Bench
Brez
Vincelot
Sparrow
Hoskins
Navarro

Although I dont think he will go with 2 out and out wingers to start, he will prob play either sparrow or vincelot and start with KLL with Noone on the bench

Based upon the above and for next week against Peterborough, we will have Harley in squad and Buckley back, who would you drop from the squad?

 

[Oscar]

Barnes' strike rate over the start of this and end of last season can't be far short of a goal a game.

Thankfully any criticism he gets doesn't appear to effect him and while he's getting it, CMS and his meagre strike rate so far isn't - not that he deserves it either of course.

 

[kevtherev]

100% agree, quite how someone who has scored 3 in 4 deserves to be dropped is beyond me!

You could always counter argue that with Hoskins has scored one in twenty minutes.

 

[pishhead]

You could always counter argue that with Hoskins has scored one in twenty minutes.

You could but that would just make you look rather stupid.

 

[Seaber]

Based upon the above and for next week against Peterborough, we will have Harley in squad and Buckley back, who would you drop from the squad?

Probably Navarro and Sparrow, but it's harsh, they haven't done anything wrong.

 

[kevtherev]

You could but that would just make you look rather stupid.

Whys that?..Because you say so?.One would assume you dont advocate dropping CMS..Barnes has scored one goal from open play in four games, CMS has scored one goal in three games from open play. Hoskins has scored one goal in twenty minutes from open play...So take away the pens and stastically Barnes has the poorest strike rate of all three...Those are facts.

 

[pishhead]

Whys that?..Because you say so?.One would assume you dont advocate dropping CMS..Barnes has scored one goal from open play in four games, CMS has scored one goal in three games from open play. Hoskins has scored one goal in twenty minutes from open play...So take away the pens and stastically Barnes has the poorest strike rate of all three...Those are facts.

Not because I say so, more likely because Gus is not likely to drop our top scorer or the player who will be the first name on the teamsheet when fit. Would you seriously drop Barnes?

 

[kevtherev]

Not because I say so, more likely because Gus is not likely to drop our top scorer or the player who will be the first name on the teamsheet when fit. Would you seriously drop Barnes?

This is the bit i dont quite get,,,yes Barnes is our top scorer, but we are talking about three goals, of which two were pens. We are not talking about 10 or 11 in twenty games, although we might be in 17 games time, we will see...I think everyone accepts that at the start of the season, Hoskins was our number 2 striker and if he is 100% fit I dont see anything that Barnes has done to change that. Yes he has three goals, of which two are pens but he was very average against Doncaster and Portsmouth, so to answer you question, yes I would drop Barnes to bench if Hoskins is 100%, but that is a very big if and I expect Barnes to start the game.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

You could always counter argue that with Hoskins has scored one in twenty minutes.

The new Sandaza?

From my point of view, I'm not angling for Barnes to be dropped but I would love the chance to see Hoskins play a full 90 minutes. Such are the problems of managing a team in form!