Team v N'hampton...

[BensGrandad]

I think that Barnes will be an adequate sub on the bench for Murray and whoever the new striker is, if one comes in. At least he is capable of scoring which is more than could be said of yesterdays subs. I agree that getting Sparrow seems an inspred signing and if Gus continues like that he will be a hero, if he is not already.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

No one likes me. I'm over it. Well, I know one person who likes me.

The reason I don't like Ankergren is because he's not a very good goalkeeper. And neither is Brezovan, or Poke. We have 3 average at best goalkeepers, plus a very good young prospect in Mitch Walker. The signing of Ankergren just added a number, it didn't add anything to our squad. He's better than Poke, who looks a pointless signing. But a 2 year contract? We're now lumbered with him. If Poyet wanted another goalkeeper, I would rather he brought one in on loan, or on a shorter term deal. Pretty simple really.

I couldn't disagree more. Ignoring Poke, who I haven't seen and Poyet clearly has doubts about, we have two very good keepers at this level. Whatever Leeds fans may say about Ankergren, he was a regular in the Leeds side that came top six twice and then came second last season. More than good enough for us. As for Brezovan, it is hard to see what more he could have done last season to convince. He made the odd mistake but was a lot more confident off his line than Kuipers. It looks like there is more than one person who is so annoyed Kuipers left that he won't give another keeper a chance.

 

[Foolg]

And far from slagging off the team, I am very confident about this squad and set-up, I just think Barnes hitting a couple of flukey goals at the end of last year has turned people's heads. There is genuine expectation that he could even reach double figures. He won't, he's not up to the job. But luckily, by the end of August he'll be third choice at best and it won't be a problem.

Unfortunately agree with you.
Hate being negative, but i really dont see what people see in Barnes to make them think he is a 15 goal striker. His touch is poor, and he's looked shocking in pre season, notably at Aberdeen where he just looked completely lost. You can argue that a goal is a goal, but he got lucky with a couple last season which could have happened to anybody.
Yesterday is a fine example, their center half (Jean Francois?) had far more pace than him, and was also far stronger. Barnes wasnt good enough with his feet to beat him, and got beaten ever single time bar once in the air.

 

[Silent Bob]

No one likes me. I'm over it. Well, I know one person who likes me.

The reason I don't like Ankergren is because he's not a very good goalkeeper

Is he? Based on what?
Bare in mind that the fact you are set against Poyet probably for some Swindon thing no one cares about isn't a reason.

In fact going by your track record this makes me a lot more confident about Ankergren, seeing as you would have rather had Slade than Poyet, Smith than Brezovan, etc etc.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Regarding Crofts, a certain midfielder who has already more than made his mark will prove me right. Sparrow yesterday was everything we need in a midfielder and everything the so limited Crofts is not. Losing that waste of space and getting Sparrow in plus £300k is just unbelievable business.

And far from slagging off the team, I am very confident about this squad and set-up, I just think Barnes hitting a couple of flukey goals at the end of last year has turned people's heads. There is genuine expectation that he could even reach double figures. He won't, he's not up to the job. But luckily, by the end of August he'll be third choice at best and it won't be a problem.

Is that the same Crofts who scored one goal and got an assist in the Championship on Friday night? Have you ever wondered why you seem to know more than a lot of managers who do rate him? As for Sparrow, he was fantastic on Saturday and looks a great signing but that doesn't prove your point about Crofts.

As for Barnes, to write off his form at the end of last season as flukey goals is plain pointless. Basically, you are going to write off everything he does well as good luck. He will be third choice but he is a good option in that position and will get goals if given chances.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

I couldn't disagree more. Ignoring Poke, who I haven't seen and Poyet clearly has doubts about, we have two very good keepers at this level. Whatever Leeds fans may say about Ankergren, he was a regular in the Leeds side that came top six twice and then came second last season. More than good enough for us. As for Brezovan, it is hard to see what more he could have done last season to convince. He made the odd mistake but was a lot more confident off his line than Kuipers. It looks like there is more than one person who is so annoyed Kuipers left that he won't give another keeper a chance.

Michel Kuipers is my favourite ever goalkeeper at this club. That didn't just happen. He earnt that level of respect and adoration for his performances on the pitch for years. To replace him, we've signed a goalkeeper who was in and out for Swindon for the best part of 3 years. We saw Phil Smith yesterday, the guy who ousted him from the club. Where you impressed? Lord knows, I never have been. But we've signed a guy who was considered not as good. I've nothing against Brezovan, he's a lovely chap and can be a quality goalkeeper at this level, but he can also be a liability and cost us points. Ankergren was a regular in the Leeds team who did NOT manage to get promoted, despite having the best striker in the league and the biggest budget. Leeds came 2nd last year, and Shane Higgs played a LOT of games in the league, so you can't say it was just Ankergren who got them promoted.

I'm far from being against any goalkeeper we sign, I just don't think we've found a goalkeeper better than the one we had for 10 years, the one who has played in the team for the VAST majority of Albion supporting career. What a suprise that I place him much higher than some of the other goalkeepers we've signed to try and replace him. Atleast before this year, we've had him to go back into the team and sort us out. We don't have that luxury this season.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Indeed, and I notice people are giving it the typical "oh but he worked so hard" lines that are dished out after ANY performance in which someone plays upfront on their own. Well personally I don't think he worked hard, I think he displayed the touch of a rapist and ensured we never kept the ball in the Swindon last third. And that was a real shame, because as a football team we're light years ahead of a team like Swindon, but you need to have a little more upfront to turn that performance into chances. Don't worry though, sexy Glenn with the same quality midfield behind him will tear this league up.

Yes, that "touch of a rapist" was very obvious when he controlled the ball and set Sparrow free for the second goal.

 

[Silent Bob]

Indeed, and I notice people are giving it the typical "oh but he worked so hard" lines that are dished out after ANY performance in which someone plays upfront on their own. Well personally I don't think he worked hard, I think he displayed the touch of a rapist and ensured we never kept the ball in the Swindon last third. And that was a real shame, because as a football team we're light years ahead of a team like Swindon, but you need to have a little more upfront to turn that performance into chances. Don't worry though, sexy Glenn with the same quality midfield behind him will tear this league up.

I agree with some of your points, basically I don't think Barnes is suited to playing up front on his own, even last seasonw when we were doing pretty well with just him up front I didn't think so. He has got something though as his goals last season showed.

 

[Foolg]

Indeed, and I notice people are giving it the typical "oh but he worked so hard" lines that are dished out after ANY performance in which someone plays upfront on their own. Well personally I don't think he worked hard, I think he displayed the touch of a rapist and ensured we never kept the ball in the Swindon last third. And that was a real shame, because as a football team we're light years ahead of a team like Swindon, but you need to have a little more upfront to turn that performance into chances. Don't worry though, sexy Glenn with the same quality midfield behind him will tear this league up.

People say it wouldnt fit in with our style of play under Gus, but there is no doubt in my mind that with a massive black lump up front we would have had to deal with far less pressure. Someone like Owusu, im not saying get him back, but he is big and strong enough to win headers and give the defence some hassle, and shield the ball to bring Bennett, Smith etc into play.
Barnes couldnt hold the ball up, or even get it under control most of the time, which meant most of the time it came straight back... hence the heavy pressure we were under.

 

[BensGrandad]

I think that TCB is wrong , what a suprise, I am sure that either Ankergren or Brezovan, whoever plays, will earn us as many points as FDM did. Even at this early stage yesterday Ankergren was shouting instructions to the defence and was very controlled with his distribution. Yes he made the mistake that most goalkeepers today do and parried the ball back into the path of the forward rather than over fora corner and FDM was as guilty as anybody of doing that. Yes he dropped a couple which I put down to the fact that the rain showers made the ball and the surface slippery but on each occassion he made amends and we can ask no more from our keeper than that. I am convinced that he will earn us points as he did Leeds irrespective of what their moronic supporters may say. Some of them would have been brought up with Gary Sprake so enough said.

Casper Ankergren played 105 games for Leeds so he cant be that bad surely.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

Barnes is more than adequate back-up at this level. That's what we've got him in as, and that's what he'll do his job as. Would you rather have Holroyd as the back-up? No. Very unlikely you'll find someone with Barnes' ability willing to be a back-up at a League One club.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Is he? Based on what?
Bare in mind that the fact you are set against Poyet probably for some Swindon thing no one cares about isn't a reason.

In fact going by your track record this makes me a lot more confident about Ankergren, seeing as you would have rather had Slade than Poyet, Smith than Brezovan, etc etc.

Based on my opinion. Ankergren has played us once or twice, remember, we've seen the guy first hand. When we signed Brezovan, I said the same thing. We've seen the guy before signing him, and in Brezovan's case he'd been poor against us. Ankergren, on the other hand, did have a good record against us. The reason I dislike Ankergren is nothing to do with Swindon, if anything, his performance in us winning there raises him in my estimations. But I still don't rate him overly highly. Maybe that will change with time, I certainly hope so. Obviously, I want him to do well for us.

Say what you like, it's all a game of opinions.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Michel Kuipers is my favourite ever goalkeeper at this club. That didn't just happen. He earnt that level of respect and adoration for his performances on the pitch for years. To replace him, we've signed a goalkeeper who was in and out for Swindon for the best part of 3 years. We saw Phil Smith yesterday, the guy who ousted him from the club. Where you impressed? Lord knows, I never have been. But we've signed a guy who was considered not as good. I've nothing against Brezovan, he's a lovely chap and can be a quality goalkeeper at this level, but he can also be a liability and cost us points. Ankergren was a regular in the Leeds team who did NOT manage to get promoted, despite having the best striker in the league and the biggest budget. Leeds came 2nd last year, and Shane Higgs played a LOT of games in the league, so you can't say it was just Ankergren who got them promoted.

I'm far from being against any goalkeeper we sign, I just don't think we've found a goalkeeper better than the one we had for 10 years, the one who has played in the team for the VAST majority of Albion supporting career. What a suprise that I place him much higher than some of the other goalkeepers we've signed to try and replace him. Atleast before this year, we've had him to go back into the team and sort us out. We don't have that luxury this season.

What a complete load of rubbish. For starters, in your time Roberts for one was clearly better than Kuipers and his injury proneness was the biggest shame. As for bringing Kuipers into the team, we had by far our best run last season with Brezovan in goal. He had a run of 1 goal conceded in 6 games last season and was a major part in our turnaround in the second half of the season. He may make the odd mistake but so did Kuipers and Brezovan was better off his line and with his distribution. As for Smith, Brezovan had an injury and had lost his way but seemed to have found his way back to full fitness last season.

As for Ankergren, he played over half of the games last season so more often than Higgs and was brilliant in their FA Cup run. Finally, saying about the luxury of going back to Kuipers after we have played one game and won is ridiculous.

 

[jordanseagull]

As I am tired, I won't get into this debacle.

However, as TCB said, Barnes yesterday had the touch of a complete and utter rapist. Awful against Aberdeen too. Did he actually score in any of the pre season games either? It must be 6 or 7 on the bounce without the goal now..

Probably OK for backup though, behind Murray and another striker.