Barnes back in training

[LoveCurryPies]

Great to hear Ashley could soon be playing.

[mdd2]

Source?

[Longsidelenny1882]

I know it’s an old one but. Hp

[claretandy]

Unlikely to play again this season.

[conyoviejo]

Unlikely to play again this season.

No problem wih that. A fully charged and raring to go Ashley for next season will be great..

[ElectroClaret]

Unlikely to play again this season.

Good, I'd rather he didn't, and focuses on getting reyt for when we start the new one.

[Gordaleman]

No problem wih that. A fully charged and raring to go Ashley for next season will be great..

He certainly puts himself around and doesn't shirk challenges. He also has no small amount of skill. Some of his lay offs are just brilliant.

We've missed his no nonsense approach, that's for sure.

[Burnley1989]

I’ve missed Barnes but have also enjoyed the forced changes up top

[Gordaleman]

I’ve missed Barnes but have also enjoyed the forced changes up top

It's allowed us to see McNeil playing just behind Vydra in central midfield and I liked what I saw. Hope he plays there more often.

[Tribesmen]

Yep just get fit for the start of next season is what i would like to see .

[Colburn_Claret]

It's allowed us to see McNeil playing just behind Vydra in central midfield and I liked what I saw. Hope he plays there more often.

Dwight is a winger. He has the talent to play in the middle, but it would just be a waste of his ability, to take a man on, and whip in a cross. He's also not strong enough in the tackle to play defensively in the middle of the park.
It's good to have the option of that flexibility, but if Dwight is playing in the middle of the pitch, it means the team is clutching at straws.

[Gordaleman]

Dwight is a winger. He has the talent to play in the middle, but it would just be a waste of his ability, to take a man on, and whip in a cross. He's also not strong enough in the tackle to play defensively in the middle of the park.
It's good to have the option of that flexibility, but if Dwight is playing in the middle of the pitch, it means the team is clutching at straws.

Let's agree to disagree. He's versatile enough to do both jobs and he looked really dangerous when he played behind Vydra.

He's also getting stronger all the time and he will continue to improve in all aspects of his game.

I just hope he's still here next season. Surely this window, with knock down prices expected, is not the time to sell him?

[tiger76]

Great he's back training, but absolutely no point in risking him in the few remaining games, get him lean and mean for the start of next season, which might not be that long away.

[Goobs]

Would love to see us try a 4-3-3 or variation at some point with a team of something like

Pope
Bards Tarks Mee Taylor
Westy Cork Brownhill
McNeil Vydra /Jay
Wood / Barnes

[tiger76]

Would love to see us try a 4-3-3 or variation at some point with a team of something like

Pope
Bards Tarks Mee Taylor
Westy Cork Brownhill
McNeil Vydra /Jay
Wood / Barnes

I'm sure SD would love to pick 13 players, but sadly it's not allowed

You do rise a good point that when they're all fit and well, we've got options up front, so we might next season be able to rotate our forwards, and have a horses for courses selection. That way they won't flog themselves to death, and risk injury and fatigue kicking in.

[jrgbfc]

If Jay Rod and Wood are fit Barnes should no longer be a regular starter for me. Will be interesting to see what Dyche does. Surely Jay has done enough to keep the shirt?

[tiger76]

If Jay Rod and Wood are fit Barnes should no longer be a regular starter for me. Will be interesting to see what Dyche does. Surely Jay has done enough to keep the shirt?

You'd think so, that's normally how Sean works, if you perform you stay in the team, and Jay's performed splendidly since the New Year, he seems to have thrived since that wonder strike at OT, his confidence has grown massively, and he is effectively the senior striker with Barnes & Wood sidelined, and he's grabbed the mantle, and shown his worth, it's not just his goalscoring, but his all round play, and his link-up play with Vydra and the midfield, his contribution is a major factor in our stirring run this year. And so if Barnes wants his place back he'll have to earn it, competition for places is exactly what we need to keep everyone on their toes.

[huw.Y.WattfromWare]

West Ham at home, last season, we were behind and went 3 up top. We looked brilliant after that and got the equaliser.
Ash has dropped behind Jay for me. Jay looks quality with his touch and movement, also he shoots from anywhere which we have missed for some time.

[Goobs]

I'm sure SD would love to pick 13 players, but sadly it's not allowed

You do rise a good point that when they're all fit and well, we've got options up front, so we might next season be able to rotate our forwards, and have a horses for courses selection. That way they won't flog themselves to death, and risk injury and fatigue kicking in.

Haha, I see what you did there yeah plenty of options all over the park when we have a fully fit squad.

[Hedontplayforyou]

Would be a shame to see Vydra and Jay thrown out after both performing well, Vydra stretches the defence much more than the other three, Jay is very good on the ball and as alluded to earlier shoots from anywhere at times which is another plus.

We have a great choice of strikers when all four are fit , and could keep sides guessing with the mixing any matching them at we could do.

As for McNeil, I agree he is more than capable in the middle as an attacking option of a three or as a number 10 carrying the ball through the centre of the park - although for me his ability to beat a man and cross at such a high standard is why he should play out wide for us . Great to be as flexible as he is though. Fast becoming one of my favourite clarets is Dwight and I’ll be quite gutted when he leaves.

[Marney&Mee]

It'll be like a new signing

[Gordaleman]

It'll be like a new signing

That's good, because some on here think he'll be the only one we get.

[Vino blanco]

I would prefer to see Rodriguez in the starting eleven ahead of Barnes: I think we play better football with Rodriguez who links up better between midfield and attack. Still delighted however to see Ashley making good progress after his injury.