Ashley Barnes - Your opinion

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Thunder Bolt

Silly old bat
Fabulous tonight - much improved first touch, class penalty, great assists for CMS.

Two assists and a class penalty, last night. He's third in the Championship scorers table with 5 league goals. He's one of my favourite players at the moment.
 


ATFC Seagull

Aberystwyth Town FC
Jul 27, 2004
5,319
(North) Portslade
Leeds fan who was at the game (and knows very little about our squad) said Barnes stood out to him as a really great player. Couldn't believe how young he was.
 


Tummy Burger

New member
Aug 1, 2003
1,079
Haywards Heath
I have not been Barnes's biggest fan previously. Last night was up there with his best performances for us. His touch and close control has improved so much it's god damn frightening.
 


ROSM

Well-known member
Dec 26, 2005
6,380
Just far enough away from LDC
I really like Barnes but was concerned after his booking that he pulled out of challenges that we needed a striker to be strong on. I was advocating him being replaced by hoskins - but then.he pops up with a great assist. Glad I'm not the boss!
 




cirC

Active member
Jul 26, 2004
436
Tupnorth
Leeds fan who was at the game (and knows very little about our squad) said Barnes stood out to him as a really great player. Couldn't believe how young he was.

Correct.....he put two sublime passes to CMS for his goals and tucked the penalty away as all penalty takers should.
If fans need to slag Barnes off perhaps they should set up a different forum from which to do it.
Barnes was brilliant tonight.
 


Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
50,292
Goldstone
Somewhat better than push push tree! Good analysis, the lad has an impressive record for us and as you said 50k!!!!! Has to be one of Gus's major scoops along with Bridcutt
Add Vincelot to that.
 
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Captain Sensible

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2003
6,437
Not the real one
Having watched the game back, Barnes was great. Posed a threat and involved well in link up play. I'm glad we don't have a target man type, it stops the hoofing. This hold the ball up nonsense is crap, in the 2nd half when the ball went up to our front two, the ball stayed in the opposition 3rd. They linked up well and got straight down to zipping the ball around, no holding up required.
Barnes is a very good player.
 






JJ McClure

Go Jags
Jul 7, 2003
10,882
Hassocks
I really like Barnes but was concerned after his booking that he pulled out of challenges that we needed a striker to be strong on. I was advocating him being replaced by hoskins - but then.he pops up with a great assist. Glad I'm not the boss!

I was saying pretty much the same thing. I guess that's why I'm in the stands. The only thing that concerned me about Barnes last night was how deep he was playing, particularly in the first half the space between him and CMS was massive.
 


Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
54,342
Surrey
Two assists and a class penalty, last night. He's third in the Championship scorers table with 5 league goals. He's one of my favourite players at the moment.
Absolutely this. His movement off the ball is tremendous also. If KLL had looked up before crossing on one occasion last night, he'll have seen Barnes drop back about 12 yards out completely unmarked and that would've been another one. Great player, getting better and better.
 




Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
50,292
Goldstone
I don't change my opinion like the weather and I won't bump a thread if he doesn't perform (although I might bounce this one if the keeper saves his next just of centre penalty :lol:
Those two penalties good enough for you Burns?
 


bhaexpress

New member
Jul 7, 2003
27,627
Kent
Those two penalties good enough for you Burns?

Be serious ! Mind you the comment that ATFC Seagull said about what a Leeds fan thought speaks volumes. As was also said elsewhere £50,000 as against £2500,000 ? Also, I am a bit concerned about Hoskins, how bad his injury ? Put it like this if Barnes got injured he'd be very missed.
 








Mr Burns

New member
Aug 25, 2003
5,915
Springfield
Those two penalties good enough for you Burns?

Yes thank you. I'm still trying to recall a better penalty. The two against Liverpool and Leeds were class, and I'd say the best one was Leeds, as he had masive pressure on him, whereas the Liverpool one didn't matter too much as the game was gone, but Leeds had a lot riding on it, so fair to him.

Still hasn't changed my overall opinion though. He's definately a much better player this season, but he was poor at Bristol and Leicester (along with everyone else), and even when we did start to get going last night, he seemed to be the weak link to start with, but that said I think by the end he had the best game I've seen him play for us, and long may it continue. He does seem to be getting his first touch better, but he still wastes far to many chances and gives away too many lose passes for my likely.

Don't forget if Mackill-Smith was here for the first pen, he may well have had four more goals to his name. I think if we had lost last night, Barnes would have come in for a lot of stick for his recent performances, but fair play to him, as I said in the end he had a blinder last night.

Also without being negative, he's been lucky to play this seaon, and I dont think anyone will question that if Hoskins and Buckley, along with the transfer day signing had been around for all the games, Barnes wouldn't have got a look in. From what i hear he still hasn't convinced Poyet. Appartently Poyet loves his commitment, his attitude, his 100% williness to kee going, but doesn't rate his skill, which is probably why they were trying to sign at least one striker on deadline day, and from what I hear if we are still sniffing around the play offs in January, there will be serious cash available for players in the window.

Bottom line is, if Barnes repeats his second half performance last night for the next dozen games or so, he'll win over his harshist critics, and I hope he does, for his sake and the teams. But when everyone is fit (if that ever happens) Hoskins, Buckley, Vincente, CMS, then we'll see how much Poyet rates Ashley then.

For the first time in a while if ever, we seemed to play to CMS strengths last night, and look what he did, especially witht he first goal. That's a class striker, and hopefully he's over his minor blip now, and hopefully we can start getting the ball to his feet in the box and reap the rewards.

One last thing I will say about Ashley though, I f***ing loved the way he got in that twats Belemey face on Wednesday and laughed at him. Pure class from Barnes. Maybe he is finally growing a pair of bollocks!!!
 


Mr Burns

New member
Aug 25, 2003
5,915
Springfield
He is a forward,forwards are meant to score goals and he is,so i am unsure what else he needs to do
Fair comment, but in a Poyet side, obviosuly a lot more.

I'm a fan of Casper's, but if goalkeeper were just meant to save shots, Kuipers would probably still be here, IMO Kuipers was one of the best shot stoppers we've had for a while, but at the same time the most over rated and poor goalkeepers we've had for a long time.

Centre halfs are meant to just win the all pumped in the air and hoof balls away up field aren't thay, but in a Poyet team that wouldn't get them in the ground, let alone the squad.
 


Mr Burns

New member
Aug 25, 2003
5,915
Springfield
Absolutely this. His movement off the ball is tremendous also. If KLL had looked up before crossing on one occasion last night, he'll have seen Barnes drop back about 12 yards out completely unmarked and that would've been another one. Great player, getting better and better.
He done that a few times last night. I think Gus need to tie a bit of string around KLL head, and every time he goes on one of his runs, tug the string so it lifts KLLs head!! He could do the same with Nooney and even Barnes sometimes as well!!
 




bhaexpress

New member
Jul 7, 2003
27,627
Kent
He done that a few times last night. I think Gus need to tie a bit of string around KLL head, and every time he goes on one of his runs, tug the string so it lifts KLLs head!! He could do the same with Nooney and even Barnes sometimes as well!!

It's such a shame he's not the next Messi.
 


perseus

Broad Blue & White stripe
Jul 5, 2003
23,459
Sūþseaxna
The undisputable fact is we need a striker who can hold up the ball and rough it up a bit. Barnes is not that man. Is hoskins?

It is not inconceivable that Barnes could learn to play a wee bit better? It seems more likely than finding a striker in England. That latter is not without risks (remember Maybank).
 


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