The End Of Barnett

[Sim086 0]

As the thread suggests,  I see no future for him at the club now, its asahme he is a great stopper, however his distribution has really caught him out at this level, and i think championship level at best for him

[Yellowfuture 71]

You may be right but he could have formed part of the deal if he was on his way out?

[Sim086 0]

That could still possibly happen, as championship teams can still loan players outside the deadline.

[nutty nigel 7,513]

I think the idea is to build a squad and improve it window by window. De Laet has gone Bennett has arrived. If Barnett goes we will be one down?

 

[Sim086 0]

I hear what your saying and you could well be right, but with having Ward back and once bennett has signed, that gives us two centre backs to rotate with, also have russell martin, who imo has been better at CB this year then he has been RB. Taking that into account think we have more then enough defensive cover for the CB position

[nutty nigel 7,513]

Time will tell buddy. I''m just happy to see the squad improve in quality and depth.

[Tetteys Jig 830]

Ryan Bennett not here until March, Ward not Match fit and not certainly up to the prem, Ayala still learning the trade, Whitbread looking good, but never know when his next injury will occur, Martin needed at full back.

I think Barnett will stay until the end of the season at least.

[Jacko 0]

I am very surprised people believe Martin is a better central defender than right back. Admittedly he made an error in the Cup against West Brom but he looks much more at home in the full back slot and gives us an extra dimension going forward with his willingness to overlap.

Don''t get me wrong though, I think he put in one hell of a shift at centre back and got us through a potentially very difficult part of the season where we had run out of recognised centre halves. Always excellent news to know we have a player who can pretty much do a job anywhere along the back four.

He should definitely be in contention once again for the player of the season award.

[Downloads 35]

Not done for me, but who knows what Lambert is thinking.

 

You need 4 CBs. I personally don''t think Ward is a Prem level player. Would be very happy with Ayala, Whitbread, Barnett and Bennett. You need 2 right backs, and we only have the one Prem level player in Martin, unless Naughton signs or we bring 2 in in the Summer to release Martin for the CB position.

 

Personally I think its very prudent to have 2 players for every position on the pitch (With an extra striker), it just makes sense!

 

About time we cleared out the chaff now!

Drury

Ward

C. Martin

Wilbrahim

Replace the above with one striker and one left back

[Gingerpele 0]

Whats Drury done wrong?

He look as good as ever defending against apparently the best RB in the league (Walker). He is more than capable at RB.

Ward has yet to play a PL game for us, I can''t believe anyone is writing off a Paul Lambert player before they have done anything, the players he''s turned into Premiership players, yet so many people seem to think Ward is not going to make it? Why do you think Lambert said yesterday Ward isn''t going anywhere?

Martin could be going, who knows. I hope not, but there seems to be no point arguing his cause on here.

Wilbraham is obviously here for more than what he brings to the field of play. He may very well leave in the summer, keeping him on means extending his contract I believe, and Lambert may feel its not worth the paperwork. Also Wibraham might want a couple more seasons of playing before he retires.

I don''t think Barnett will leave, unless he wants to. Which he may very well, he''s a decent enough player, probably good enough to join another premiership team, say one of this seasons promoted teams and play for them.

I can see Lappin leaving. I really feel sorry for him, he''s not the best player in the world, but he''s not all that bad, yet in what must be about five years here now, he''s probably only played in half our games. I suppose you need players like that to bolster your squad, you need more than just the starting X1 and subs, but still, it would be nice to see Lappin playing a bit before his career is over.

[Aggy 752]

Did I see on one thread that Ward was out of contract in the summer? May be his replacement.

[Canary_on_the Trent 0]

Lambert will evaluate his options in the summer, he''s always looking to evolve the squad & isn''t afraid to move on players that have served him well.

I don''t think it looks particularly good for Barnett, he''s a good ''stopper'' but as others have suggested defenders at this level need much more to their game. Since Ayala & Whitbread have come in, I think we''ve looked far more comfortable & composed.

Although he''s said its not on the cards, I short-term loan may get Ward up to speed.

[pete 318]

Ward is out of contract this summer. Martin was the definite weak link at the back against Chelsea gave away the ball, caught in possession, we need another RB, at CB a revelation however.  Ryan B hopefully a left sided CB we need another.  Adam D should be given another year.

[Row D Seat 7 0]

I''d hardly call Drury chaff. Very harsh indeed.

[tom cavendish 0]

I think Barnett is safe for a long while yet. He is also in contract and settled. I guess that Ward will be the one to go, plus Ward is out of contract at the end of the season.

[spencer 1970 207]

Jacko "He (R.Martin) should definitely be in contention once again for the player of the season award."

sorry fella, not with you there. I think he has been our weakest defender in the last 4/6 weeks and needs a rest. I''ll never become a player-basher especially to RM as he has been a legend for us but thought he was awful in the league games against Spurs, QPR, West Brom and West Brom again in the cup. Bring Naughton back to the right and let him sit it out for a bit. It didn''t do Bennett, Holt, Fox, Pilks, etc any harm.

[Salopian 1]

I think that it is the end.

 

At times he has performed some heroics, and he is quick, but he is inclined to rush in quickly. His concentration can fail him and he can be out of position Perhaps it was these, and other difficulties, which meant that he was sidelined, and why Martin is usually seen as  the preferred choice at centre back. It probably didn''t help his cause when he was quoted as saying that if he did not get some games, he would be off.

 

Perhaps I am wrong in all these, but it does seem that he is low in PL''s order of preference, and now with Ward coming back and Bennett signed, it would need a number of simultaneous injuries and/or suspensions for him to play. Whitbread has an injury history, and De Laet has gone, but Barnett''s chances do not seem to have improved. He would seem to be 6th choice!

[Gazza 0]

Every time Barnett plays I always feel his has a stupid mistake in him that will cost us a goal. Personally don''t think he is up to Premiership level, he was one of the few who had Prem experience and WBA didn''t think he had it either.

[nutty nigel 7,513]

We''ll have to wait and see. But I have no problem with Barnett being 5th choice. It would save bringing someone else in to be 5th choice. Otherwise you only have 4 choices. Noiw it wouldn''t be the strangest thing to have 1 CB injured and 1 suspended would it? I should imagine that happens a lot. 5th choice would be on the bench in that scenario. If you had one. Ideally 5th choice would be a player graduating through the ranks but I don''t think we have one ready yet.

 

As for Drury, I thought against Spurs he put up the best LB defensive performance of the season. For me Naughton gave the 2nd best but he is our first choice RB. For me the only issue with Drury is fitness.

 

 

[Jim Smith 2,314]

I think Barnett might be loaned out. I just feel its no coincidence that he''s not really featured at all since he supposedly had a little rant in the Gunn Club after a match about not playing and Lambert not having spoken to him. I don''t think lambert tolerates players criticising him. Shame as he''s done well for us but as others have said his distribution lets him down at prem level. I just feel Ayala and Whitbread are notch above.

In relation to Russell Martin I have to agree with the views above that he''s been better at CB than RB and recently has looked the weak link in our defence. Throughout the season he has really struggled against any left wingers with pace and I personally hope that Tierney comes back in at left back tonight so Naughton can revert to the right and Martin can have a rest. He still has a huge role to play for us though whether its as RB or CB cover. For a start Ayala gets booked in every match so can''t be far away from a suspension!

[star_manic 0]

[quote user="Downloads"]

Not done for me, but who knows what Lambert is thinking.

 

You need 4 CBs. I personally don''t think Ward is a Prem level player. Would be very happy with Ayala, Whitbread, Barnett and Bennett. You need 2 right backs, and we only have the one Prem level player in Martin, unless Naughton signs or we bring 2 in in the Summer to release Martin for the CB position.

 

Personally I think its very prudent to have 2 players for every position on the pitch (With an extra striker), it just makes sense!

 

About time we cleared out the chaff now!

Drury

Ward

C. Martin

Wilbrahim

Replace the above with one striker and one left back

[/quote].... drury is still a better defender than most at the club. can''t see him leaving anytime soon, nor would i want him to. russ martin has been caught out in a few games against real speedsters at fullback, but is not directly up against them in the centre and has been really impressive in that position.

[Yellowfuture 71]

[quote user="spencer 1970"]Jacko "He (R.Martin) should definitely be in contention once again for the player of the season award."

sorry fella, not with you there. I think he has been our weakest defender in the last 4/6 weeks and needs a rest. I''ll never become a player-basher especially to RM as he has been a legend for us but thought he was awful in the league games against Spurs, QPR, West Brom and West Brom again in the cup. Bring Naughton back to the right and let him sit it out for a bit. It didn''t do Bennett, Holt, Fox, Pilks, etc any harm.[/quote]

Agree fully with that, just think he could do with a bit of a break, great player though.

[Downloads 35]

Never thought I would cause such a stir!

 

Chaff was prolly a bit harsh, but all I really meant is that when Drury is injured and we only have Tierney left (Assuming Naughton isn''t with us anymore after the Summer) having the one LB to rely on isn''t good enough. We need to look to the future now. LB and RB have t be priorities in the summer and sorry, I think Drury needs to go.  Don''t mean to sound harsh!