Leon Barnett

[unique 466]

Cardiff fans think Leon Barnett is the best thing since sliced bread. Many feel he would have been their POTS had he been there earlier in the season.

So the question is:-

1) Do we welcome him back with open arms, his confidence renewed and keep as adequate cover for Turner?

2) Or do we sell him to Cardiff for what would probably be somewhere in the region of £1m?

[Redders Right Foot 22]

like the lad but leave him with cardiff, if they love him and he likes it there there''s no point bringing him back here for the bench.

feel like we could find better back up for a mil or so more, too.

[Monty13 2,736]

Sell while they think he is great.

He is a good championship player, but we need players of Bassong and Turners ability and Leon just isn''t up at that level imo.

Maybe he will prove me and many others wrong next year, but I doubt it.

[Jacko 0]

His contract expires at the end of this season. So the reality is that Cardiff can have him on a free transfer if they want him. You get a mixed bag from Leon. He is superb in the air but suspect on the deck. Something which may become more apparent against better opposition next year.

[Davo 0]

Sell him. He''s proved a couple of times now that he''s an excellent Championship defender but he''s not quite up to Prem standards. Plus we know from when he joined us he wants to be playing not sitting on the bench. Let him go so that he can play.

Davo

[Jacko 0]

He has another year to run. My apologies.

[Redders Right Foot 22]

CY

His contract expires at the end of this season.

----------------------------------------------------------

end of next season. 2014.

[Redders Right Foot 22]

ah you beat me to it ;)

[Jacko 0]

Yeah good spot Javier. I thought we got him on a 2 and half year deal initially. I think realistically we have got an abundance of centre halves of roughly the same ability in Ward, Bennett, Ayala and Barnett. We don''t need them all so Barnett is free to move on and I expect Ward to leave once his contract runs out. Out of them all you probably need to give Bennett priority given the huge transfer fee we paid for him and to whether he can justify it.

[lake district canary 4,826]

Personally think that Barnett was given a raw deal by our fans last season. He made one or two mistakes - who didn''t  - and the penalty that wasn''t a penalty didn''t help his cause.   Lambert was not a great one for organised defending -  whoever we had at the back made mistakes and it wasn''t great all season.    With Hughton in charge for a year or two any defenders that are here long term will benefit from the organised way he goes about things, so I think Barnett could still be good back up, maybe even first team regular if Bassong or Turner injured.  

The scapegoating that goes on at our club still defies belief,  Morison was all but hounded out last season, Holt is now the latest one for the treatment.   Look at the way Turner was picked on at the start of his career at Norwich. Wilbraham,  Surman, the list goes on.   If we only valued our players I''m sure they would play better.   It may be the in thing to throw away players and get something "better", but in my book, players that are here are here because they can do a job.  Of course we can strengthen, but while we have a player at Norwich, we ought to value him more.    This won''t appeal to many people I know, but giving players a hard time is not very good for getting them to play well.  Encouragement is what is needed.   

Barnett would probably jump at the chance to move to another premiership club - not because of the football, but because of the narrow minded vindicted attitude of some of our fans towards him over the time he has been here. 

[Branston Pickle 4,147]

I like Leon, he usually puts in a decent shift, but our current c/bs are definitely better. As for scapegoating that is something I''m not into, but CH, PL, and the WBA manager who sold him to us clearly weren''t sure enough about him being fully PL standard. I''m not sure he is really a PL player, almost Malky-like who got promoted and moved on a couple of times. Maybe Malky will fancy giving him more of a chance if he does leave and join them.

[GJP 79]

I like the guy, I always feel he does his best for Norwich.

 

I''d rather have him than Ryan Bennett but clearly you wouldn''t put him ahead of Turner or Bassong and he is too good to be stuck on the bench or in the reserves.

[birchfest 401]

I think the all areas of the squad need to be boasted in the Summer with extra quality, especially if we want to create that gap in class between ourselves and newly promoted teams. Barnett is the prime example of a player who isnt out of place amongst a premier league team thats newly promoted and at times display the attributes to be a top flight player, however its his lack of consistency and lapses in concentration that set him apart from players the next ''step up''. The gulf in class between him and Basong is plain to see, and it is players of Basongs quality that we must now aim to sign. He probably would like to find first team football and no doubt with Cardiff a top flight team it would be a move that would suit everyone, he''s put himself in the shop window... £1-1.5 million would be a great deal for us!

[ABC (A Basingstoke Canary) 26]

LDC

 

A very good post - the negativity brigade defies belief.

 

Whoever the players are, if they are our players, they''re our players, and we need to give them 100% support on the field ("forum views" of a player should remain on the forum!).

 

We have a great reputation as a family club - pity some people are intent on trying to turn it into a dysfunctional family!

[Yobocop 1,442]

£3.5 million

[Six Pack 105]

My opinion is he is behind Bassong, Turner & Russell Martin for the CB positions. However Barnett is miles better than Ryan Bennett who is League one standard.

If Ryan Bennett cost us 3.5m then in theory for the same amount you''re getting a much better player in Barnett. Bennett was never 3.5m - more closer to 350 k as an option and an option I wouldn''t take.

Realising where he is in the pecking order Barnett would probably join Cardiff.

Personally I''d keep him as a backup and look for a "blindman" to unload R Bennett. 

[Indy_Bones 444]

Barnett is one of those unfortunate players that aren''t quite good enough to justify a consistent place in the top flight, but in truth are better than most in the league below and probably don''t deserve to be there.I''ve seen him have some very good games, but he''s very much like players such as Bramble (and even our old pal Doherty), who can play pretty well for 85 mins, but then drop an absolute clanger and cost us a goal at exactly the wrong moment.If he has time left on his contract, then move him on for a small fee - say 1 mil, otherwise let him move to Cardiff and we can look forward to him gifting us a couple of goals against them next season [:)]

[Budapest Canary 154]

As a matter of fact, Cardiff''s Prem status for next season is more certain than ours, what makes this one a bit difficult to assess. The time left on contract and position in current pecking order would prompt sale, but if Cardiff as a Prem club sees that sort of quality in him, we could easily demand more than 1m for him....  Should the unthinkable happen, then it''s a whole different ballgame.

[kick it off 2,062]

I''ve always liked Barnett, he was a stalwart for us in League 1 and Champs seasons, always put in a decent shift and was always unfairly scapegoated.

As others have said, very good Champs defender, not quite up to it in the Prem. Would be nice to keep as back up but if he wants to go and Cardiff want him, then let him go.

[norfolkbroadslim 225]

[quote user="kick it off"]I''ve always liked Barnett, he was a stalwart for us in League 1 and Champs seasons, always put in a decent shift and was always unfairly scapegoated.

As others have said, very good Champs defender, not quite up to it in the Prem. Would be nice to keep as back up but if he wants to go and Cardiff want him, then let him go.

[/quote]

 

Barnett was a stalwart for us in League 1?  Eh???[^o)]

[ZLF 335]

Barnett is prone to concentration and positional lapses against the very best,  which was why he was on the bench at WBA too.  He is quick and strong in the air and is so close to being top class - but not quite there. 

 

He is not as good as Turner or Bassong and does not have the potential to improve that Bennett has.    I do think we will buy another this summer so acce[pting he is not quite up to standard I would sell and use the money to buy ANOther..

 

With Martin and Whittaker able to provide cover one signing should be enough.

[ron obvious 1,711]

I agree with all the sentiments expressed here about Barnett - he''s one player we all seem to agree on!

I find it interesting to compare him to Bassong. Seb actually makes just as many mistakes as Leon, but (nearly always) manages to recover the situation; at least twice a match he''ll try to do something fancy in the box & get caught. Turner''s got him out of jail more than once this season.

However, a typical Barney mistake is the carefully misjudged short backpass, which is usually irrecoverable. And I can''t imagine him going on the sort of mazy run that Bassong did against Arsenal!

[kick it off 2,062]

[quote user="norfolkbroadslim"]

Barnett was a stalwart for us in League 1?  Eh???[^o)]

[/quote]

Oops, my mistake, that''ll teach me to post before I''m properly awake!

[lake district canary 4,826]

[quote user="ron obvious"]I agree with all the sentiments expressed here about Barnett - he''s one player we all seem to agree on![/quote]

I''m sorry, I didn''t agree and I don''t agree.   Barnett played well with Bassong earlier in the season and imo never lets us down and is capable of scoring too.  He may not be first choice, but is more than useful back up.   People harp on about mistakes.  He made one or two last season, but so so all players.    The sending off last season was wrong, but sandwiched between  a mistake in the previous matches, made things look worse for him.   But all the defence made mistakes last season.    Under Hughton and with the likes of Bassong and Turner  to help he has every opportunity to improve here - if he wants to.  But I suppose the fans know best -"not good enough, get rid..........."  - now where have I heard that before?  

[birchfest 401]

Out of interest, Ayala... good as gone? I cant help but feel that R. Bennett would benefit from some time on loan to a championship side next season, he really was meant to be a promising player, but I think he isnt far enough along with his development yet to feature as a first team regular. I think that he has the potential to become a good defender yet, wouldnt be so keen to ship him out. I''d expect maybe 2 centre backs in, Davis as one and the other possibly from Europe.

[ron obvious 1,711]

ldc, reading through the previous posts I would say there is an unusually high level of agreement about him - more than virtually any other NCFC player in fact.

He''s excellent in the air, athletic, enthusiastic & willing. However, he is prone to the occasional fatal error.

Errors become more important the closer to the goal you play (goalies have zero margin for error); a forward can gamble - has to, in fact - & if it goes wrong it doesn''t usually lead to a goal.

Bassong has enough skill & class to get out of his errors (usually). Unfortunately Leon''s mistakes tend to be of Bramblesque proportions. That''s why he''s a ''nearly'' player, but as back-up he''s OK.

Where has anybody said bluntly "not good enough, get rid..........." ???

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 2,424]

For me Barnett has enough ability to be a Premier Leauge player - the fact he was so good in the Championship for WBA, Norwich and Cardiff shows this. I personally feel he has a bit of a mental block when he steps up a division - I can see no other reason why some of his performances drop off so dramatically.

 

Everytime he played this season alongside Bassong he didn''t disappoint, but just wasn''t quite at the level of Turner - I certainly prefer him over Bennett who lacks pace and seems to think he can pass better than he really can. I have a horrible feeling for Barnett he will transfer to Cardiff, and then hit the same pattern as so many times before and eventually end up on loan at another Championship team.

 

I''d be happy for him to stay and act as cover in defence - but he may consider a move the best option for his future.

[Yellowbeagle 0]

Good player with parts of his game which are up to prem level, his heading of the ball is always brilliant, he''s quick, strong and good in the tackle. But he just dosent have the concentration and awareness over 90mins often enough against the forwards you find at this level. Hopefully if we stay up a new first choice centre back will come in and Turner will be the good backup. 

[It's Character Forming 1,204]

[quote user="birchfest"]Out of interest, Ayala... good as gone? I cant help but feel that R. Bennett would benefit from some time on loan to a championship side next season, he really was meant to be a promising player, but I think he isnt far enough along with his development yet to feature as a first team regular. I think that he has the potential to become a good defender yet, wouldnt be so keen to ship him out. I''d expect maybe 2 centre backs in, Davis as one and the other possibly from Europe.

[/quote]

Don''t know what''s happening about Ayala to be honest.  He got injured in January and hasn''t featured for Forest since, and hasn''t even been mentioned in the squad recently.  So it seems unlikely he''ll feature for them again this season, meaning he''s played just 12 times.  Unlikely they''ll want to keep him on at Forest and I wouldn''t be surprised if we release him over the summer, or maybe try to place him out on loan again next season.

I agree that Bennett has real potential - a lot of critics are harsh and forget that for a CB at top level experience is vital.  So I''d like him sent on loan to the Champ too, think he could come through but is just too young to be starting for us in the Prem.

[Dubai Mark 0]

If he is happy to be behind the excellent Bassong and exceptional Turner then he should stay. He is clearly a talented young CB who has definately improved since we signed him and the time at Cardiff would have been a real confidence booster for him. I feel the same about Ayala too, another talented young CB. We are lucky to have such talent in our squad to consider ditching soon after nearly being bankrupt and in Division 1, how things have changed.....I thought that one of the Under 18 CB''s looked excellent too, good times these...OTBC