you try and tell my dad, All we need is 4 striker, he thinks we need 1 more top striker. HAHA I think 4 is fine with couple of youngsters.
It really winds me up how everyone writes off Barnard. In league one he scored basically the same or more goals from open play as lambert. He works very hard and has good movement I think he is the best forward we have at closing down which could be important next year. He was injured most of last year and was never able to make it back up to speed. My question is why do people not rate him when if he hadn't got injured he would have started this season alongside lambert and may well have done very well.
Well Said! He has had a year long injury, and people are writing him off - he was injured/unfit, not out of favour!!!!! I'm sure Adkins will keep him - if we have Rod/Lambert up top, Lee/Sharp on the bench we'll still need a striker in reserve, and if Barnard is happy with that, that's what would be best imo
If we have a really bad injury crisis, De Ridder can play up there too. Though there might be uproar here.
I would be surprised if we got a "clear run" at going for Rodriguez. It will be interesting to see if other clubs match our bid and get involved over the next few days. If we do get him I think with a 25 man squad we'd have to decide of 2 from Barnard, Guly & De Ridder. To have those 3 plus Lambert, Sharp, Lee & Rodriguez would limit our options in midfield and defence, particularly as Lallana can play off the front man as well.
Lambert's all-round play is much better though, you can't compare them. Barnard is a poacher and if he's not scoring goals he's not contributing anything else. Barnard hasn't even proven he can cut it at championship level, I very much doubt he's good enough for the premier league. Add his injuries in and he's just not going to make the cut.
Though I feel Lee B is the weakest of our strikers I would love to see him prove me wrong. I have to admit that I also have a concern over the possible durability of Chung Lee. He didn't last long before getting his injury and I hope that he is stronger physically than he looks.
How the hell can you have cause for concern for Lee and his durability - he didnt last long before getting his injury - what a strange point of view - his injury could happen to anyone...my god, please let the football start again so we have something else to spend our time considering...
I do agree with what you are saying as I am a massive fan of Barnard, but I don't think he was ever a Premier League player by any stretch of the imagination. The thing about how quickly we have rose from League 1 to the top flight is we are going to part company with some players who helped us along the way, which is a shame but the way it is. If Barnard goes, I will remember him for his contribution in League 1 and wish him all the best for the future
I accept that he was only with us for a short while before getting injured but I am still concerned that he may be a tad light weight. He has skill and can shoot but until he has lasted a season that doubt remains.
Small players are too lightweight Big players are too slow From his brief displays I never saw him get brushed off possession. If anything his hassling at the front line caused the centre halves more problems
Yeh but they play different roles, Barnard doesnt need to be a good target man but he still holds the ball up well. I rated lambert in league one but at that point he wasnt proven even in the champ. Its hard to compare them but for their respective roles I thought during that season they both performed on about a par (of course you may disagree). So Lambert went and proved he was just as good in the championship but barnard never got the chance if they both performed on a par in league one why couldnt they in the championship and then we'd all be saying how Barnard should have a crack at the prem. That was the point I was trying to make I guess people might think his raw skills arnt good enough but personally I think hes a very good player and never had the chance to prove it. Oh also I would say Barnards work rate contributes hugley he is excellent at closing down players and he would often win the ball back in advanced posistions.
