timnufc22

Any spares going?

The club need to pull the plug and do a bus parade, simple as.

His refusal to play the ball down the line to Tino on the overlap sums up his obsession with coming inside and playing square passes instead. He does it too much when on the left, even though I understand wanting to come onto your natural foot, but the fact he also refuses to go down the line on the right, on his natural side, is baffling.

He’s a no.10, ultimately.

He rarely tries to. He comes inside all the time, like it’s beneath him to take a player on using his pace, it’s weird.

He's a good player but, dare I say, he's not all that and I've been uncomfortable with this aura of an almost elite status that has surrounded him and he has a lot of good PR. It like we're trying to fit him in and afraid to keep him RW for any extended run as if we don't want to upset him, granted I know Howe would say he's trying to get him back to a higher level. But his strengths have always been his raw bursts of pace, his tenacity, his pressing and fearlessness. Trying to shoehorn him into this creative, silky, reliable finisher isn't going to work, which is why I've always insisted his strengths are better suited to RW in the long-run, despite playing well LW season.

Actions speak louder than words and the manager and staff can tell him whatever they want, but those words will be hollow from his point of view when he's never given a long run and subbed every game he plays. He should have been LW all season up til now, Gordon has not played well and came back late. Barnes was ready and sharp and still scored brilliant goals from the starts/sub appearances he did get. But Gordon is always quick to get his LW back, look at the Brighton game - low and behold Barnes is dropped and while Gordon was lively in the first 20 mins, his end product was once again was poor.

Those impacts will start to fade very quickly once he realises he's not trusted to be a first eleven player, I'm really surprised and disappointed at Eddie's handling of him. Barnes has scored a number of worldies this season yet he's almost being viewed as a write-off and while he needs to do more at times (like every other player so far), part of that perception stems from being subbed off every single time and never being given a long run in the side.

I think if Tonali was sitting deeper it wouldn't be much of an issue, Bruno himself doesn't necessarily have to fly forward, Isak can cover those areas between the lines defensively, I don't see him as a lazy player off the ball or anything. Like I say, I'd be tempted to play Willock as a 10 behind Isak for now until we signed another forward. I'd like to see Tonali & Bruno form that partnership, I can imagine they'd very much be on the same wavelength.

Wilson/Osula/New Striker Isak Barnes Bruno Tonali Gordon Tonali and Bruno have the quality and know-how to play together surely... and I can imagine Tonali enjoying playing with a skilful no10 in front of him while also having the option of playing longer passes in behind to a second forward. Isak needs a partner to work with in front of him and he's also perfect to link the midfield and attack. He naturally wants to drop deep and get on the ball, he needs to be closer to the likes of Bruno and other technical players. He'll get more space in the box arriving slightly deeper too and can also carry the ball from deep. We need more goal threats on the pitch, if Osula isn't ready to play many minutes I question those use of funds and either way I'd be looking to spend a decent amount on a quality striker to play with Isak. In the mean time I'd also be tempted to play Willock in the no10 role to link with Isak further ahead, which is his natural position anyway imo.

Perhaps let the lad have a long run in the side, without being the first one to be subbed all the time aswell, to find out? I can imagine any player finding it more difficult to get into a rhythm when you know you know you’re not trusted as much as others even though you’ve never had a proper run in the side. He scored a superb goal vs Spurs and did as good as anyone else in general play yet was dropped the next game. It’s frustrating because I see don’t necessarily see the the likes of Murphy & Gordon being judged on the same standards.

Why is Barnes judged differently to other players? How come others are allowed off days / up and down form, yet the moment Barnes doesn't score a worldly, he's questioned, subbed off or switched away from the LW...

Transformative stuff apparently... so I'm confused why they haven't walked the Championship the last 2 years? Also confused how Spurs finished 8th the season before last and scraped 5th last season when they have so many gigs on and such a clear advantage? I'm being slightly facetious of course, but you get the point.

Re the east stand... it depends on the leeway with right to light etc, but the roof currently slopes downwards - if it was straightened, which would add only a small amount of height, then I don't see why another tier couldn't be added to hang over the current seats, which would add around 2-3k. With a Gallowgate & corner expansion on top you're talking around 65k capacity. New boxes in the Gallowgate could operate that sort of stuff Spurs do in that video.

Keith Gillespie vs Barca is what Gordon could give us on the right.

It seems like mental gymnastics to try and pretend there are alarming signs of director coming in with a over inflated ego, thinking he’s going to ‘sort this out’… it’s not great stuff, I would have thought we as a fan base can clock this kind of stuff more than most considering what we’ve been through.

I think it’s naive to think that if Mitchell & Howe were on the same page and weren’t using the media to fire subtle shots, that Howe wouldn’t have came out with something like this instead - “I think you’re reading something else into that, I’m sure Paul was referring to PSR, the obstacle that it is and how we have to try and tailor our process around that as much as possible. Our record isn’t the transfer market when it comes to actual players signed has been very good, the players we have signed have all been brilliant and served different purposes. Everyone at the club loves them all that are here.”

Not in my opinion. There is no ‘wrong side’. He’s good on both but player of the season or not, I feel his attributes are better matched to the right, for us he would work better there particularly in context of having more of a technician (Barnes) to play left.

He went down the line once and made that great run (some would say the difference with Barnes there is he scores, unlucky or not)… but the rest of the time he was passing the ball inside. He doesn't take on his man or mix his game up anywhere near enough. His game is better suited on the right, which leans towards raw burst of pace and aggression, going on the outsides Barnes’ technique is much better suited coming in from the left.

Wasn’t talking about myself; personally I was mortified at the time at how a lot of fans behaved at the end of SBR’s reign, was ridiculous. I’m saying when it comes to individual players who have not been doing it for some time, you’ve got to manage the environment sometimes too and protect the player aswell as the team.

We’re so easy to play through. The moment we lose the ball even on the halfway line we’re suddenly wide open and the opposition are practically in on goal. Even with balls in the box it dealt like we couldn’t win any headers, was weird and exactly the same away to Bournemouth. For me I’d have Tonali & Bruno as a pair in the middle, closer together, in a 4-4-1-1. Isak can drop and roam in and out if the no10 position. Give him another striker to play off (shock, horror, remember the time god forbid two strikers were on the pitch?). We signed Osula for a reason; give him a run out.

Shades of Sir Bobby with Jenas, Ameobi and a few others. He just couldn’t bring himself to drop those players and the fans’ frustration seeing the same thing over & over built up and exploded. Howe has got to read the room. Like those players, I don’t think Longstaff would be anywhere near as much a bugbear for fans if he was rotated. I hate any anger & frustration toward local players and they should be playing in an environment of support & encouragement. Even if Longstaff started the best games, the most logical thing would be to big him up and support him to increase his confidence. But as some also vent at players, there’s naturally going to be that explosion of frustration which will do no-one any good.

Wish he’d stop clumsily barging into players then crying to the ref after a fouls given. He’s always lacked that finesse at times and has been pushed onto a pedestal of seemingly undroppable. His resurgence has been great and he’s a good player to have but he is limited and should be shown he has to fight for his starting place.

Murphy did well for the goal and is a good squad player, but did he (or can he) do anything like the skill Barnes pulled off for his goal? That sort of quality doesn't grow on tree’s, he always looks dangerous in the final third. It’s not to say Murphy can’t play well, hopefully has a blinder, but there’s a bigger picture to this. Barnes has STILL never had a proper run in the side and if he’s not going to get one now then I don’t see how he ever will barring injuries. Murphy has had plenty of runs in the side the last few years, we know what he can do. I know it’s about opinion but I can’t really believe that anyone deep down genuinely thinks Murphy has more ability, is more effective than Barnes or is in a better run of form. What happened to forming relationships / patterns of play between players? We could put out a top class front three over a run of games and we’re not and I don’t think Howe has any interest in playing them together for a proper run of games. I find it absolutely baffling and I feel for Barnes, who will rightly be thinking about a move away if he’s seen primarily as a bench player.

How demoralising must that be for Barnes, if true? If he’s not going to be given a run in the side now, he never will be (willingly anyway). Is Howe too close to some of the players or something?? I generally love him as our manager but I think he’s either that or he has poor judgement with some players. Even if he thinks only one of Gordon or Barnes can play, the latter has earned his place over the former. Are we operating on a performance-based selection process or do we have permanent first choice / bench players? Still hoping it’s not true and common sense will prevail.