Ashley Barnes isn't nearly good enough for us.

[Finchley Seagull]

It is possible that Barnes will become a good alround player but we cant afford to play him this season which could result in us missing out on promotion, it would be best if we loan him out to a second division team until such time that he matures.
Earlier in the season he was playing regularly, making runs but his percentage of goals against opportunities was low, Poyet seems to have acknowledged this fact and leaves him on the bench more often.
Murray is far and away the best striker we have and if for any reason he does not play then our goals for tally is going to look bad.

I agree that Murray is our best striker at the moment but how long has it taken him to get there? He has been here for three years and is only now fulfilling his potential. Barnes is only 21 and in his first full season yet you expect him to be instantly as good as Murray.

As for loaning out Barnes, that is even more ridiculous than anything Mr Burns has said on this thread. How anyone can suggest loaning out a player who has scored 10 goals in half a season is beyond me. Murray and Wood may well be the first choice pair at the moment but Barnes is a great player to have coming off the bench. Absolutely no club would loan their second top scorer out when they are top of the league.

 

[sir danny cullip]

I read the first two pages and could continue no more but for what it's worth here's my take on it.

To question whether Barnes is a league one quality striker is just plainly unfair, he scored goals at the end of last season at this level and has scored goals this season at this level (at a very young age it should be noted) so he clearly is a decent league one striker.

Any debate about whether Woods/Barnes are good enough just highlights how bloody immense Murray is at holding the ball up and winning flick ons. I've heard various comments about how Woods 'wins nothing in the air', he does win quite a bit in the air, causes problems for defenders and holds the ball up well but just not as well as Murray (a vastly more experienced player).

The comparison to Barnes is even more unfair because he is a different type of player completely as well as being many years younger. Barnes had a stinker yesterday but I think generally his movement, workrate, running in the channels and finishing (granted he isn't as clinical as he should be) are signs for optimism that he will reach 20 goals this year which would be a bloody brilliant return.

 

[beefypigeon]

I'm sorry but you don't need to have much of a genuine football brain to see that Ashley Barnes is a good footballer and is a decent addition to any squad at this level.

I genuinly cannot believe people are moaning about our own striker who is in the top scorers charts in the whole division, is 20 years old... and could possibly be classed as the 3rd choice striker in our squad but still contributes with a very healthy goal tally. Are you seriously implying that Gary Hart would have stuck away as many goals so far this year? I love Gary Hart to bits but do me a favour, no chance would Gary have contributed as many goals as Ashley given the same chances. He wouldn't have got into the positions to have the chances anyway.

He is not the kind of striker who can operate by himself upfront whereas Murray can play that role better than anyone in this league. Completely different players and difficult to compare really. People honestly have no idea how good of a footballer you have to be to get to the level Ashley is playing at now. I've played with some outstandingly talented players who have only got as far as County league. You have to have serious talent to be noticed nowadays, and to have scored as many goals as Ashley has this season in the third best league in the country, its already an outstanding achievement and I would love it for him to continue at the rate he is going at and notch 20 this season.

I don't go to every single game unfortunately, as much as I'd like to, but from the games I've been to he has been one of the better performers. Granted this was a little earlier in the season and he may not be on top form at the moment but you cant expect a 20 year old to be constantly on his game, especially being a striker where you are mainly judged on your goals scored and even the best in the world go through barron spells.

Gus see's all the players day in day out in training. He obviously has an incredible football brain and he knows exactly what he wants from every single one of his players. We are also top of the league, and relatively comfortably so at the moment. There is a reason why he plays Ashley as often as he does, and I think he is the man best placed to be making the decision.

 

[sir danny cullip]

I should add that, despite rating Barnes, I really cannot see the thinking behind playing him ahead of Murray or Wood yesterday. I accept that Poyet sees the players in training each day so can can only assume Glenn has slacked off over the past week BUT for me that deserves a warning from the manager about his position rather than being dropped for a game of such importance.

 

[Super Gus!]

Burns are u still goin on....

ur a megaCUNT so f*** off

 

[GT49er]

The boy is just too lightweight for pro football, and all the time he has a hole in his arse he wont make it.

Well that's it then - simple operation. a few stitches, and a colostomy bag and he'll be a world-beater - what is Gus waiting for?

 

[El Presidente]

Perhaps Mr B wants Liam Dickinson back. After all

1: He is stronger, he is capable of carrying women over his shoulder after all.
2: He cost £300k

I know he doesn't score many goals, but those are just silly statistics.

 

[The Wizard]

I don't understand what there is to debate, how can you call a striker that has scored 10 odd goals so far this season and is one of the leading scorers in the league shit? Seriously? How? Can understand to a point people questioning his performance against Bournemouth because he was pretty shite but most of the team were to be fair and the service was pretty dire.

 

[GT49er]

Gus rates him. If / when we go up, he may decide he isn't Championship level. In which case Gus will replace him. Whay more should we ask for?

 

[mona]

Why has some attention seeking, long-winded tosser who knows f*** all about football managed to generate 10 pages of replies?

 

[HastingsSeagull]

Murray is immense at L1 level and Barnes is still very good! But as mentioned he's also young and will get better / most importantly more consistant.

I think he'd be a great squad player in the Champ in years to come or a very very good league 1 player. Sure Murray is better but Barnes is way better than anything else we have signed permanently upfront and will improve further. Wood is a similar example. Inconsistant / confidence player currently but shows you he will be good at this level and who knows about higher. We won't get legit Prem players playing in L1 even if we offered ridiculous wages so give the lad a chance.

 

[algie]

This is his first proper full season as a regular striker in this division. Given that fact, 15 goals would be a VERY decent return, and he's already on course to EXCEED that.

But of course you expect us to have the finished article up front with Murray already.

Nothings ever f***ing GOOD enough at this club for some people, is it.

I have to agree with thread starter too. We were warned about Barnes from Plymouth fans about going down to easily and being lightweight.I'm not a great fan of him.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

First time I saw Barnes this season against Rochdale I thought his movement was poor and he was easily outmuscled. Against Dons I thought he was much better, and he's got 10 goals already. So he's a bit hit and miss, so what, he's young and clearly not the finished article yet.

Writing Barnes off so easily just makes the original poster look a twat, but if thats what he wants to achieve then that's up to him.

 

[Lord Bamber]

Mr Burns is spot on by the way, he is lightweight and not up to this standard of football.

I agree with HS.

Mr Burns is lightweight, he is also not up to this or any standard of football!

 

[Art Vs Science]

I agree with HS.

Mr Burns is lightweight, he is also not up to this or any standard of football!

Lord B. too early in the morning mate.

 

[JBizzle]

I have to agree with thread starter too. We were warned about Barnes from Plymouth fans about going down to easily and being lightweight.I'm not a great fan of him.

I'm sorry but has NOBODY noticed how easily Murray goes down? The only difference is that Muzza is a bit more savvy and wins free-kicks for it now.

 

[bhaexpress]

Why has some attention seeking, long-winded tosser who knows f*** all about football managed to generate 10 pages of replies?

 

[Kosh]

Awesome thread: Concise, thinly veiled, huge amounts of bias, a true lack of actual fact... a career with TNOTW surely beckons... Scribed by a true NSC visionary... wow.

Whilst it's clear Mr Burns divides opinion, mine remains (as ever) as far from the fence as possible.

Whoops... I meant Mr Barnes... sorry.

He's scored goals, played well when called upon and for me at just 19 represents a real talent. Gus stated he could be worth 1 million plus, and who is the thread starter? (ahem) to disagree with a world class footballer and (potentially) manager.

Barnes will score 18-20 goals this season. I rather fancy a massive slice of humble pie is rapidly being prepared for the egotistical tosser at the table for one.

Kosh 98-11

 

[Marshy]

I rate him and like him, Keep doing what your doing Mr Barnes.

 

[Marc]

what a load of BINFESTERY!