According to the BBC and Garth Crooks, he was the best player on the pitch on Saturday. The stats back this up, with his more than 5 miles run during the game, and having the highest number of passes in the final third of anyone on the division. What we have is NOT the ill-thinking, reckless, jail-stat-in-waiting lout that was all you recall when thinking of his earlier career. Barton plays with heart and soul, and is just the sort of player you want in the middle of the park, able to deliver crosses like the one for HH's second goal, and also right back there getting stuck in when you need some enforcement done. Sure, he will always find some people that judge him today on his reputation from a few years back. But I'd far rather have him on our side setting up HH and others, than lining up against us. Everyone who actually knows him says he's sorting his personal demons, and is doing so without diminishing his undoubted talent. Long may it continue.
Yes, I can just hear them now, "Theres that Barton bastard, the cancer-curing ****" They'd probably even put it to music; come to think of it, it's quite catchy....
Twins you made me spit out my coffee, now need a clean shirt! Brilliant. North, what does 5 Stars mean?
I feared a terrible mistake when you signed him, thinking how many games before red mist descends. But so far - and I've seen some - his undoubted ability shines forth. Lets hope he can stay reformed because he's certainly got some rep to live down.
To the tune of 'knees up mother brown"... Theres that Barton bastard, the cancer-curing ****, Running up and down the pitch, Doesn't even get a stitch, If he see's Huth shooting, he'll take his legs right off, Joey Barton, don't get him startin' Scrawny little runt!
Got to say, don’t understand all the negativity about Joey Barton you hear. Yes he has made mistakes, but everyone deserves the chance to reform their character and change their ways. Plus, like his comments or loathe them, he has got more character than half the other robotic boring players in the prem put together and he makes things interesting and gives us supporters a bit of something extra to talk about. He hasn’t come round to anyones house and burgled you or anything like that, so why all the hating. Since playing for us he’s been pretty positive and also he cracks me up, funny guy There’s only one Joey Barton!!
Not everyone's cup of tea I know, but for me Joey's the man! Didn't think so before he signed but once he joined I could see the potential that has since been realised. Our most significant signing for years. Great to have a leader on the pitch and a proper captain again.
p.s is he really suspended for the Norwich game? It says on BBC that he's got 3 yellow cards and I didn't think that warrented a suspension, I thought it was 5 or something? If we had the same team that started against Stoke I could see us getting 3 points at Norwich, just hope Derry can fill the role if Joey is out
Well, f8ck it!!!! Derry in for Barton and Bothroyd hopefully back fit, team spirit to get us through!!!!
Derry for Barton is a straight swap, the downside is that we lose the creativity that Barton brings. Derry will sit back more than Barton, so that may mean that Faurlin gets the chance to go forward a little more than he has been.
True, away from home wouldn't matter too much if Derry sitting back. If Bothroyd back then can go up front with Heider and SWP give us width with Mackie doing the same on other side. Anyway, got my ticket gona be a cracker (Although would settle for utterly boring and sneaking it last minute goal)
I do wonder what we would be saying this morning if the ref had given the penalty when Barton had his legs wrapped round the player on the 6 yard line. That was reckless to say the least. I guess you can't play with the kind of heart and soul that he does without taking some risks but it's already clear that he will miss some games each season.
