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Ashley Barnes isn't nearly good enough for us.



Mr Burns

New member
Aug 25, 2003
5,915
Springfield
Before you say, oh another thread about Barnes, than don't read or post in it.
Before you quote stats, don't. Stick to the stat filled PC Manager games

But I thought earlier in the season that Barnes was not up to wearing the stripes, and after watching him numerous times, yesterdays performance at Bournemouth proved to me that he is out of his depth, and is never going to be the half decent striker we hope he will become, unless he toughens up and grows a pair of bollocks.

Strikers, like central defenders need to be able to take a whack and dish one out, otherwise they won't make it in 99% of cases. Look at Al Abd. He aint performing like he is because of his skill. He wins the battle with most strikers in the first ten minutes of a game. Barnes yesterday was a complete waste of space and was very lucky not to leave the ground in an Ambulance. Just compare him to Murray. Nearly every time Murray goes up for a header, he wins it. Even when he completely missed a flick on yesterday, the defenders marking him flicked it on for him. They are so worried about Murray they make mistakes. When Barnes goes up for a header, its half hearted, going through the motions. He hardly ever wins any, and all you see from him is a cowardly pulling in of the shoulder and ducking his head out of the way. Its the same with tackles, he dangles a leg, and never makes a hard challenge. He must be a center half's dream too play against. When the Bournemouth center half's saw the team yesterday, they must have been pissing themselves laughing. Instead of having Murray who was going to be a danger all afternoon, they had to put up with Barnes, who's only danger to them was going to be getting a headache from all his whining. Refs are never going to give Barnes a 50/50 decision, because they can see the way he plays. He always looking to get out of the way and go down before the balls near him. BE honest, how many of think of Barnes, and see a picture in your mind of him sitting on his arse, arms out by his side with a look of disbelief on his face because he didn't get a free kick?

He was so lucky yesterday when he was on the receiving end of that second half crunching tackle, that his leg wasn't snapped in two. The first thing you teach a player, is never pull out of a tackle, or never just dangle your leg at a tackle, as you are a lot more in danger of getting seriously injured, then if you tackle hard yourself. When he got hit, I honestly though he'd broke his leg, and if he carries on like that it wont belong before a career ending injury comes along.

The boy is just too lightweight for pro football, and all the time he has a hole in his arse he wont make it. He'll find his level in the conference within a couple of years. Unless of course he learns to toughen up, but in most cases you cannot teach someone bottle, you either have bottle or you don't. You can get away with being and playing like a tart in some positions, but not as a striker. I think his only hope to go and do a bit of UFC training and learn to overcome his weakness and tartness, and learn how to take a whack.

In addition to his weak challenging at headers and that near leg breaking tackle, did you notice that when he an Murray& Barnes broke yesterday and Murray squared it, Barnes went hiding behind the defender. Murray squared it, and Barnes was nowhere. If he had done as he was meant to do and get in front of the defender, he would have either got a shot and probably scored, or got fouled and got a penalty. Either way he'd have got a whack, so that probably why he went and hid behind the defender, where he was nice and safe. The only way we would have scored there was an own goal, or if the defender fluffed it. But, no he'll wait for the unchallenged chances too add to his goal tally.

Now before people quote his stats, I think any other striker at the club could match these or better his goal tally given the game time and position Barnes has had this season. I even think if you got an old pro like John Byrne, he'd have easily matched Barnes tally, even without playing or training for 10 years. What I'm saying is, even through Barnes is the second highest scorer, any striker given Barnes' chances would easily match it. As a team we have been creating so much, we could have doubled our goal tally with the right striker this season.

You've just gotta take a look at the amount of chances Barnes as missed, most of which, I think is down to his bottle. I haven't looked, but I bet a lot of Barnes goals have been from unchallenged shots. No doubt he can strike a good shot when given time, and if football was a non contact sport, he'd be one of the best, but its not, and he's not.

I still see Murray just as much as a provider than a scorer if not more the provider, and I think the way the game turned at Bournemouth when he come on yesterday proves it. He'll chase things down, get stuck it and create chances of others, and cause defences problems, whereas Barnes isn't gong to cause any defence problems. I bet if you went back to yesterdays game, Barnes took a whack and threats from a defender early on, and after that he was shit scared of getting involved, and until he can learn to toughen up a bit, his only hope is to become a winger or he will fade away, and if he doesn't learn to toughen up then I hope he fades away sooner rather than later, because without a player like Murray in the side, he is a waste of space, and if I was a player of Murrays ability, and got dropped for Ashley Barnes yesterday, I'd tell Gus where to stick his new contract.... (although obviously in a nice way because of Gus' god like status, I wouldn't be rude too him at it!!)
 


Kazenga <3

Test 805843
Feb 28, 2010
4,870
Team c/r HQ
Murray Barnes
Starts 24 23
Subs 5 6
Appearances 29 29
Goals 11 10
Goals/Appearances 0.38 0.34
Mins Played 2068 2037
% of Our Goals 21.15 19.23
Mins/Goal 188.00 203.70
Team Goals While On 42 36
"Games" (mins/90) 22.98 22.63
No of Games scored in (start) 9 6
No of Games scored in (sub) 0 1
Shots (total) 61 57
Shots (average per appearance) 2.10 1.97

Yeah but look at this x
 


OSRGull

Well-known member
Jan 20, 2011
5,298
N1A
As long as he carry's on scoring the goals, who gives a f***?
 




Mr Burns

New member
Aug 25, 2003
5,915
Springfield
Yeah but look at this x
Explain what they prove? There are so many stats our there, you could prove anything with stats. As I said in teh post, I think given the game time and chances Barnes as had this season, any another striker at the club playing off Glen Murray could have matched those stats at a canter, when you consider the chances the team have created this season.
 




El Presidente

The ONLY Gay in Brighton
Helpful Moderator
Jul 5, 2003
39,689
Pattknull med Haksprut
I'm inclined to agree with Mr B. Whilst I WANT Ash to keep knocking them in, he does seem easily outmuscled on both the floor and the air. He does moan a lot too!

Having said that, he is a decent squad player in L1, and I went MENTAL when he scored the winner at Exeter.
 




I have some empathy with the thread starter.
Whilst Barnes has scored a reasonable number of goals, this is down in the main to the supply that has been given to him. He has missed far too many chances, yet is only a youngster, so we do need to give him some time.

Gus is a breath of fresh air to our club, however, imo, his main weakness is bringing in, recognising decent forwards & this has been evident ever since he joined the club.

However, we don't know what sort of budget he has been given?
Also, any decent forward is not going to want to come to a third division team other.

Hart & Holroyd - clearly should not be at the club & it is a complete irritance to me that they are still on the payroll.

Sandaza is not in the Gus mould, yet scores repeatedly when coming off the bench. He deserves a run. Is he the longer term answer? I doubt it. However, I would play him on Tuesday alongside Murray with Wood & Barnes on the bench.
 




KneeOn

Well-known member
Jun 4, 2009
4,695
And that, Mr Burns, is what is wrong with English football. If it were another type of post/poster making it, those statements would gain the response of "you fuckwit".

But you've not raised an issue with Barnes but English football, you're putting a lump ahead of technical skill. Murry is a better player than Barnes. Murray however, is not 19 like Barnes. Barnes will learn more and more technical skill. That is what we should teach children in football, not that if you aren't good in the air, you're not getting in to our game because you could have all teh talent in the world technically, in line with Messi. But if you "aint a lad yer f***ed".

A well constructed case of reasons why English football is not the best in the world. We value strenght and power rather than technical skill and finesse.
 


Kazenga <3

Test 805843
Feb 28, 2010
4,870
Team c/r HQ
And that, Mr Burns, is what is wrong with English football. If it were another type of post/poster making it, those statements would gain the response of "you fuckwit".

But you've not raised an issue with Barnes but English football, you're putting a lump ahead of technical skill. Murry is a better player than Barnes. Murray however, is not 19 like Barnes. Barnes will learn more and more technical skill. That is what we should teach children in football, not that if you aren't good in the air, you're not getting in to our game because you could have all teh talent in the world technically, in line with Messi. But if you "aint a lad yer f***ed".

A well constructed case of reasons why English football is not the best in the world. We value strenght and power rather than technical skill and finesse.

I think the point he's making though is that Murray has both of those traits whilst Barnes has neither.
 


Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
61,673
Location Location
Articulate though this hatchet-job is on Barnes (and its certainly better argued and thought out than the usual "so-and-so is shit, get rid" stuff we often get on here), there's a chap in the dugout who seems to know what he's doing. And this chap regularly puts Barnes on the pitch. And Barnes has paid back that faith by being on course for 20 goals this season.

So as far as I'm concerned, Barnes can just keep doing what he's doing because without his contribution this season, we probably wouldn't be top.
 




Tom Hark Preston Park

Will Post For Cash
Jul 6, 2003
69,871
As long as he carry's on scoring the goals, who gives a f***?

Quite. The boy's got a goalscorer's instinct. He's sharp and he'll only get sharper.

And nobody ever mentioned this 'I see Murray as the provider' bullshit prior to this season. I'm pretty sure Murray doesn't see himself as 'the provider'. Tho he is now a superb team player, which he wasn't before.
 


One Legged Striker

New member
Nov 29, 2009
213
I think if you asked the majority of fans who have watched the Albion over the past season you would all agree, a strike force without Murray, is not going to win you promotion. I know Murray has he's flaws along with Wood, but after watchin yesterdays game, and the whole season you would have to go with Murray and Wood.
 






Husty

Mooderator
Oct 18, 2008
11,973
Mr Burns is spot on by the way, he is lightweight and not up to this standard of football.
 


sam86

Moderator
Feb 18, 2009
9,947
I still see Murray just as much as a provider than a scorer if not more the provider, and I think the way the game turned at Bournemouth when he come on yesterday proves it. He'll chase things down, get stuck it and create chances of others, and cause defences problems, whereas Barnes isn't gong to cause any defence problems.

Exeter City 1 - Brighton & Hove Albion 2
- 63' Brighton make a sub: Ashley Barnes enters for Craig Noone. Reason: Tactical
- 64' Brighton GOAL (Exeter City 1 - Brighton & Hove Albion 1)
- 64' That last goal was assisted by Ashley Barnes (Cross from Left Wing)
- 90' Brighton GOAL (Exeter City 1 - Brighton & Hove Albion 2)
- 90' Ashley Barnes hits a very good right footed shot to the lower right corner from the left channel (aprox. 18 yards) and scores!

But then again, he isn't going to cause any defence problems...
 


Mr Burns

New member
Aug 25, 2003
5,915
Springfield
And that, Mr Burns, is what is wrong with English football. If it were another type of post/poster making it, those statements would gain the response of "you fuckwit".

But you've not raised an issue with Barnes but English football, you're putting a lump ahead of technical skill. Murry is a better player than Barnes. Murray however, is not 19 like Barnes. Barnes will learn more and more technical skill. That is what we should teach children in football, not that if you aren't good in the air, you're not getting in to our game because you could have all teh talent in the world technically, in line with Messi. But if you "aint a lad yer f***ed".

A well constructed case of reasons why English football is not the best in the world. We value strenght and power rather than technical skill and finesse.
Well has you normally do you completely missed the point.

I'm not putting a lump ahead of techinal skill. Murray doesn't LUMP people, but he seems to have the defenders worried about him. But he isn't a coward either. The fact remains if you're not willing to take a lump, not dish it out, you are never going to be a striker in pro football. El Abd isn't in the side becuase of his techinal skill. Most defenders are not techicnally great, hence why they are defenders. But El Abd will win his personal battle with strikers in teh first 10 minutes, and go on to play well. If Barnes comes up against an El Abd style defender, he's out of the game in teh first 10 minutes, like he was yesterday.

I dont give a shit if Barnes is 19 or 29. He's too lightweight and not good enough. Show me a player in this current Albion side with Barnes techincal ability and a pair of bollocks, and I'll show you a player who could threaten Peter Wards status at the club and score more than 36 goals a season. Show me a player of BArnes ability and who a complete lightweight tart, and I'll show you a picture of 15 goal a season scorer Ashley Barnes.
 


One Legged Striker

New member
Nov 29, 2009
213
Quite. The boy's got a goalscorer's instinct. He's sharp and he'll only get sharper.

And nobody ever mentioned this 'I see Murray as the provider' bullshit prior to this season. I'm pretty sure Murray doesn't see himself as 'the provider'. Tho he is now a superb team player, which he wasn't before.

Having played and managed a bit, please do not tell me he has instinct, and sharpness, when next observing he's all round play, look out for he's instinctive link up play with Murray/wood, also he's sharpness to always be first or in front of the opposing defence.
 




Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
61,673
Location Location
Mr Burns is spot on by the way, he is lightweight and not up to this standard of football.

So being on course for 20 goals this season is "not up to this standard of football" then.

I suppose he'd have to have got at least 15 before Christmas before you'd start cutting him some slack then ?
 


El Presidente

The ONLY Gay in Brighton
Helpful Moderator
Jul 5, 2003
39,689
Pattknull med Haksprut
Murray and Barnes are none too shabby either. Personally I'd be happy perming any two from three at the moment.

Wise words. Ash came off the bench at Exeter and turned the game, Muzza did the same yesterday at B'Muff (I still don't think it was offside).

We should be thankful that we have some strength in depth so that the bench looks decent, remember a couple of seasons ago, the cupboard looked very bare!
 



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