Wood and Barnes

[superdimitri]

The battering ram is much easier to defend against if you have the physical defenders to deal with Barnes and Wood.

All you need to worry about when playing against them is making sure your centre halves give as good as they get.

No need to worry about being outpaced or outskilled.

Of course it works brilliantly playing against teams who have centre halves with little aerial ability but more pace but it makes our tactics very one dimensional.

In my opinion we can't afford to have one trick ponies any more and we need players who offer more when they aren't scoring. Wood is there to score goals almost like Andy Payton did. The difference is we're playing at a higher level with very little chances right now, so we need players who can create them more than score them.

The team is crying out for a good number 10 type player like Ings. Vydra is the closest we have but he's still more of a scorer than creator.

A player like Lallana, Ings, Grealish, Eriksen would be fantastic for us. Sometimes graft and guile can only take you so far. McNeil can't be expected to perform so well each game.

Of course we'll get our form back eventually and we already know Barnes and Wood can work together well, but there will always be games where they are just completely ineffective together.

[Brisliam]

Barnes simply isn't good enough to play Premier League football anymore. He is pur worst striker by far and adds absolutely nothing other than trying to (mostly unsuccessfully) buy free kicks and rolling around on the floor. We play aimless hoofball when he partners Wood and we are far worse for it. At least with Jay Rod or Vydra partnering Wood we tend to keep the ball on the floor and look better.

[BleedingClaret]

Barnes simply isn't good enough to play Premier League football anymore. He is pur worst striker by far and adds absolutely nothing other than trying to (mostly unsuccessfully) buy free kicks and rolling around on the floor. We play aimless hoofball when he partners Wood and we are far worse for it. At least with Jay Rod or Vydra partnering Wood we tend to keep the ball on the floor and look better.

Whilst not being as sure as you are to right Barnes off completely, because I do think he’s been thrown staraight back in to 90 plus minutes with as you say a poor game plan that relies on 100 effort, I do basically agree.
I said, that Dyche will play Wood Barnes every time if available. Leave them on as long as he can.
IMO he’d have got rid of Vydra by choice and the playing of Jay and Vydra that improved our style of play options & then performances last year leading to better results and a comfortable stay up was purely just lucky for us that injuries forced Dyche to utilise them both
I prefer Jay & Vydra to Wood or Barnes but accept Wood’s goal threat which is even better if we actually play football
I’d go Wood Jay for now but put Vydra on on the hour latest if we need a goal, possibly try keeping Wood on
Dropping Jay back behind the front 2, leaves us vulnerable in midfield but better than kicking the ball away all the 2nd half for 2 immobile players 1 tired 1 completely knackered

[BleedingClaret]

4-5-1 could be the answer to try and make us more creative but I've no idea what midfielder to bring in for barnes.

I think if you play Jay coming back deeper looking for the ball in to feet and also trying to get in and around their deeper sitting midfielders you sort of create that system by default out of possession but have 442 with possession

[Zenwisdom]

Wood and Jay have to start can’t remember Barns scoring a decent headed goal .
With limited service provided by Westwood and the rest
You will have to be clinical when the opportunity arrives
that’s the difference between success and failure .