Joey Barton

[Guest lebowski]

I think Barton has played well this season.  He's not a world beater and not the player he seemed he might become 4-5 years ago, but let's face it - he is the best we have in that position.  I want to see Guthrie put pressure on Barton, but at the moment, Barton is the better pick.

 

Let's see how he plays in the next few games before we start casting him out of the team.

This. The other thing I'd say is that at least he always gives the impression he cares and is up for it (might be something to do with him drinking at the last chance saloon).

[Cronky]

He does see a lot of the ball and he does take a lot of responsibility for trying to make things happen. A player like that will probably make more mistakes than those who play it safer, but I'd still see him as the player we can least afford to lose. He has more ability on the ball than any of our other midfielders.

 

He has the same problem as Nolan in that he's too slow/physically incapable to be a be a box to box player so ends up just hovering round a small area of the pitch leaving all the movement to other players.

 

He's certainly slow, but he does get into the penalty area. I'm not saying he's a Lampard, but I don't think there's an issue with his mobility.

 

If we had a striker who could drop back and link with the midfield, I think we'd see some exchanging of positions and Barton getting into the box a bit more - in the way that Beardsley and Lee used to interchange. At the moment we look a bit static.

 

At the end of the day, do we have anyone better for CM? I don't think so.

[madras]

He does see a lot of the ball and he does take a lot of responsibility for trying to make things happen. A player like that will probably make more mistakes than those who play it safer, but I'd still see him as the player we can least afford to lose. He has more ability on the ball than any of our other midfielders.

 

He has the same problem as Nolan in that he's too slow/physically incapable to be a be a box to box player so ends up just hovering round a small area of the pitch leaving all the movement to other players.

 

He's certainly slow, but he does get into the penalty area. I'm not saying he's a Lampard, but I don't think there's an issue with his mobility.

 

If we had a striker who could drop back and link with the midfield, I think we'd see some exchanging of positions and Barton getting into the box a bit more - in the way that Beardsley and Lee used to interchange. At the moment we look a bit static.

 

At the end of the day, do we have anyone better for CM? I don't think so.

twice this season, once unluckily offside and once cos the ball bounced off him, off a defender and rolled into the box and he followed it more than getting into a good position.

[TRon]

He does see a lot of the ball and he does take a lot of responsibility for trying to make things happen. A player like that will probably make more mistakes than those who play it safer, but I'd still see him as the player we can least afford to lose. He has more ability on the ball than any of our other midfielders.

 

He has the same problem as Nolan in that he's too slow/physically incapable to be a be a box to box player so ends up just hovering round a small area of the pitch leaving all the movement to other players.

 

He's certainly slow, but he does get into the penalty area. I'm not saying he's a Lampard, but I don't think there's an issue with his mobility.

 

If we had a striker who could drop back and link with the midfield, I think we'd see some exchanging of positions and Barton getting into the box a bit more - in the way that Beardsley and Lee used to interchange. At the moment we look a bit static.

 

At the end of the day, do we have anyone better for CM? I don't think so.

 

The alternatives all share the same faults, i.e., lack of pace and desire to get in the penalty area. Guthrie and Smith in any case, and Nolan just isn't physically capable of getting there from a midfield position which is why Hughton ends up playing him as a forward. Dan Gosling was probably bought for this reason.

 

Barton's definitely the best midfielder we've got technique wise, but when he's got Tiote behind him you would expect to see him doing far more damage in the opposition half than he is currently.

[Disco]

He is pretty poor unfortunately being pretty poor makes you a first team regular at NUFC.

[tmonkey]

Barton is one of our better players due to the confidence he has in his ability, the ability he occassionally shows, and the fact that he isn't scared to pass the ball forwards and attempt a through ball. Unfortunately, these traits often make him one of our poorer performers at times, as he gets overconfident too often and becomes sloppy in possession, doesn't show his ability often enough, and can give the ball away frequently and cheaply when he's constantly spraying it forwards when the pass isn't on.

 

He's still a much better option to have than Nolan, Smith and Guthrie though imo. Unless Guthrie has turned over a new leaf after his season in the Championship (possible), I think we'd miss something if Barton weren't in the side, as the rest of our midfield options to partner Tiote tend to hide too much as they're essentially cowardly on the ball.

[Yorkie]

Barton is one of our better players due to the confidence he has in his ability, the ability he occassionally shows, and the fact that he isn't scared to pass the ball forwards and attempt a through ball. Unfortunately, these traits often make him one of our poorer performers at times, as he gets overconfident too often and becomes sloppy in possession, doesn't show his ability often enough, and can give the ball away frequently and cheaply when he's constantly spraying it forwards when the pass isn't on.

 

See Butt, N.

[Begbie]

Barton is one of our better players.. but that only says something about the quality of our squad... I would like to see Smith leave before Barton tbh.  The only class players we have imo is Coloccini, Enrique and Jonas.  Hatem Ben Arfa looked class before he met De Jong

[tmonkey]

Barton is one of our better players due to the confidence he has in his ability, the ability he occassionally shows, and the fact that he isn't scared to pass the ball forwards and attempt a through ball. Unfortunately, these traits often make him one of our poorer performers at times, as he gets overconfident too often and becomes sloppy in possession, doesn't show his ability often enough, and can give the ball away frequently and cheaply when he's constantly spraying it forwards when the pass isn't on.

 

See Butt, N.

 

I can see where you're coming from, but at the same time I have to disagree as it sells Barton a bit short. Put simply, for me there's a huge gap in ability between Barton and Butt. Barton is able to play the ball around on the deck and link up with teammtes in decent playmaking fashion almost (sort of like a player who might make Spain's D team for example), meaning he can dictate our play at times. He can also find teammates with decent through balls that he seems to be better at hitting from deep (if Carroll and co could finish better, he'd have 2-3 assists by now). Therefore those spells or periods in a match where his performance levels slump and he starts struggling to hit a barn door with a banjo are, for me, tolerable, because it comes from a decent footballer who is trying to force the issue and who does have the ability to create or control the midfield. For example, the Villa and Everton games were examples of Barton on a good day, alot of our attacking play went through him.

 

Butt on the other hand was just a gash footballer (on the ball) from day one. Occassionally he might hit a decent crossfield pass in say one out of ten attempts, but for the most part he was downright s*** on the ball, especially in our relegation season. With him, there was no saving grace, and the only decent spells of form he had with us was when he was allowed to be anonymous on the ball and could just focus on his defensive duties (specifically when playing alongside Emre whilst Parker was ill, and also in the Keegan diamond formation when Barton/Geremi took on the responsibility of passing the ball around). So although he, like Barton, didn't hide and wasn't afraid to try to force the issue, the downside with him was that he lacked the ability to create chances or control the midfield, and therefore he was a much bigger hindrance on a more regular basis for us.

[Guest andrew]

Two fantastic crosses, two goals.

[David28]

My man of the match today. Allthough, Tiote was very, very good as well.

[Yorkie]

Tiote was man of the match by a landslide. Barton's got the ability to pick out a pass and he did it on a couple of occassions today. Job done where he's concerned, but i still don't think he contributes enough to our general play.

[Ronaldo]

Tiote for me.

 

That's what Barton gives you, that touch of class once or twice a game.

[Flip]

Tiote for me.

 

That's what Barton gives you, that touch of class once or twice a game.

 

Yeah but for the rest he's pretty crap at least today. I've jumped off his bandwagon.

[Wullie]

Credit where it's due, played very well today. I prefer him wide because his general possession play and short passing is absolutely shite. He can open up a defence with a good cross or clever pass though so away from home out wide is perfect for him. It's where he played his best stuff for us under KK.

[Frazzle]

My man of the match today. Allthough, Tiote was very, very good as well.

 

Just today? 

[Keefaz]

Credit where it's due, played very well today. I prefer him wide because his general possession play and short passing is absolutely shite. He can open up a defence with a good cross or clever pass though so away from home out wide is perfect for him. It's where he played his best stuff for us under KK.

 

Aye, but didn't really help out on the right a great deal or find space there very much. Still, two crosses, two goals, can't complain, tbh.

[Guest palnese]

Him and Tiote for MoM. Did very well out of position.

[Wullie]

Credit where it's due, played very well today. I prefer him wide because his general possession play and short passing is absolutely shite. He can open up a defence with a good cross or clever pass though so away from home out wide is perfect for him. It's where he played his best stuff for us under KK.

 

Aye, but didn't really help out on the right a great deal or find space there very much. Still, two crosses, two goals, can't complain, tbh.

 

Indeed, I wouldn't play him there at home.

[Alberto2005]

Credit where it's due, played very well today. I prefer him wide because his general possession play and short passing is absolutely shite. He can open up a defence with a good cross or clever pass though so away from home out wide is perfect for him. It's where he played his best stuff for us under KK.

On the right? He played central in a midfield of 3, not hugged out on the wing.

[Guest Heneage]

Fantastic performance, credit where credit is due his crossing can be sublime at times.

[Beren]

FF's MOTM, in order:

 

1. Tiote

2. Nolan

3. Ameobi

 

[Wullie]

Credit where it's due, played very well today. I prefer him wide because his general possession play and short passing is absolutely shite. He can open up a defence with a good cross or clever pass though so away from home out wide is perfect for him. It's where he played his best stuff for us under KK.

On the right? He played central in a midfield of 3, not hugged out on the wing.

 

He didn't like, Nicky Butt played centrally, Geremi right, Barton left. Not as an out-and-out winger, but he still played in a wide position.

[Skirge]

He fired in 2 decent crosses on Saturday but I still would prefer him in a CM role not wide.. on the right of a CM three is okay I guess but am not a massive fan of 4-3-3.

 

 

Or would be be better in a free role ? I think with Tiote in the side our other midfielder's can have more freedom to push on.

[TRon]

Barton is still a central midfielder and like Guthrie, every time he's asked to play wide right he always ends up drifting into the middle a fair bit. Unlike Guthrie though he does have a bit of desire and he gave it a good go against West Ham. I doubt it will come off for Hughton in too many games though so I still think Barton should play centrally with Routledge wide.