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DTS

The Business
Joined
Oct 25, 2003
Messages
16,175
Location
In a world of my own.
I appreciate I am in a minortiy here but I really feel that the side would benefit from having a better athlete than Barker going down the left. I like Barker to a large degree but our left side is nothing short of appauling when going forward.

I dont think Barker is bad when he goes forward but he cant really offer any attacking outlet as his legs wont get him back. Timlin whilst hot and cold again I really like but he is not a winger. As a result almost every chance we have comes from the right.

I really feel we either need a proper left winger who is not Dave Martin or we need a left back that can attack. I dont think Straker has had the best of starts for us but he is fast, a great athelete, he was good for Aldershot in the same position and most importantly he offers some form of attacking threat.

Am I on my own here?
 
No you are not. I said as much yesterday. I would have either started with Straker or subbed Barker at HT as Timlin was covering Barker and playing too deep. Thought yesterday's game was a game too far for Barks.

Part of the problem in the poor first half was that when we started to counter having broken up a Gills attack, Timlin was in the LB position and could not get back up field quick enough.
 
I can't see sturrock dropping barker dave. And barker does whip in a great cross when he does get up there. But we are crying out for an attacking player down the left hand side
 
Not on your own. I think Barker should be first choice, but the last two games he really looks like he needs a rest. This is the one area that I think Sturrock has struggled with, in rotating his squad over the last couple of months.

There have been a few games, where we have been 2 or 3 nil up and coasting and he has left it to the last 10 minutes to rest Tomlin or Assombalonga. I don't think he likes making changes unless he has to.

Straker may get a chance against Brentford or Oxford.
 
I thought Straker played pretty well against Rotherham away and I'd like to see Barker have a rest and him get another chance.
 
I do agree + said the same thing to a mate yesterday .... Straker is not the best defender in the world but would love the role that Barker currently has which is basically the freedom of the left side ! When Timlin plays left he drifts in + allows overlapping full back loads of space. Barker is solid + has played well + is a good skipper so i can see why Sturrock continues with him , but shame Straker not given more of a chance in this position as a virtual wing back. However i can see Timlin playing centre mid for a while now so we are unlikely to change the left back position anytime soon
 
Sturrock doesn't like to have two full backs flying forward, rather one going forward (Clohessy) and one sitting to ensure we don't get overrun. That said, he must have brought him in for a reason. I think Barker gets a lot of unnecessary criticism and as with many players you'd only really miss him if he wasn't there. He held his hands up for yesterday but I think he's had a fine season and the defence as a unit is pretty solid if you look at the last few months.

I'm happy to see Straker get a game as I think he has improved and I too think he will get a chance either Saturday or Tuesday.
 
Sturrock doesn't like to have two full backs flying forward, rather one going forward (Clohessy) and one sitting to ensure we don't get overrun. That said, he must have brought him in for a reason. I think Barker gets a lot of unnecessary criticism and as with many players you'd only really miss him if he wasn't there. He held his hands up for yesterday but I think he's had a fine season and the defence as a unit is pretty solid if you look at the last few months.

I'm happy to see Straker get a game as I think he has improved and I too think he will get a chance either Saturday or Tuesday.

Not aimed at you Jai but I think that is a bit of a cop out answer from Sturrock. How hard is to say to your full backs if one of you goes the other one stays. With the midfield holding man as well (Tamika Mark II) do we really need four men back when were going forward to mark one maybe two men?
 
I can't see sturrock dropping barker dave. And barker does whip in a great cross when he does get up there. But we are crying out for an attacking player down the left hand side

Barker has been and still shows signs of being a class act but in reality how many times did he get forward yesterday and put a cross in. I think we counted one. Not enough in my book. Must be so easy to scout us....bascailly stop the right side and you stop the supply.
 
Well Sturrock seems to agree we need someone more mobile as he switched Barker and Prosser late on.

Barker struggles to reach most passes (even ones a yard either side of him) which really hinders our attacks down the left. It's a shame because he's not too bad on the ball once he gets to it, but it's such a struggle for him to get to it someone should get him a Mark Stimson slaphead wig.
 
Thing is though, Straker frightens the life out of me defensively, his ability to ball watch and get the wrong side of his man is unparalleled. And when all is said and done, the primary responsibility of a full back is to defend.
 
Thing is though, Straker frightens the life out of me defensively, his ability to ball watch and get the wrong side of his man is unparalleled. And when all is said and done, the primary responsibility of a full back is to defend.

Fully agree with that, I think Barker's been pretty decent since we'd been on the unbeaten run, and was still going for it yesterday.
 
Thing is though, Straker frightens the life out of me defensively, his ability to ball watch and get the wrong side of his man is unparalleled. And when all is said and done, the primary responsibility of a full back is to defend.

Fair point - I agree with this but in the modern game full backs are required to also support the forwards. Whilst I dont want us to start shipping goals I also think we could create a lot more given two sides that actaully attack.
 
Replace both full backs, not sure there is much else to say . . . actually replace Smith whilst we're at it.
 
Sturrock made a comment following the game yesterday that one area of the team still needed strengthening, and we would see what the area was when he bought someone in.

Thinking about this I can only think that he means either the left side of midfield or a defensive midfielder now that Tam's gone.

If he did mean left midfield then I think that's a shame for Dave Martin who I like, however, the current arangement does need some improving. I'm a huge fan of Barker and think he's had a great season at left back, but I do agree that he may need a dedicated left winger in front of him to take some of the pressure off and relieve him of some of his attacking responsibilities. I don't think his lack of pace was so evident when Dave Martin was playing in front of him.

So, original question - give Straker a chance at left back or not. I'm not sure it would help that much - if Straker got forward more, Timlin would still have to drop back to cover. I think we need a starting left winger who can work with Barker and link with our current midfield to that Barker can remain back where he's needed. Hurst for me is a workhorse on the right wing who covers a huge amount of the pitch - if we could have the same player/relationship on the left it would be a real step forward.

Still, it would be nice to get Straker to the standard where he could rotate with Barker at left back, even coming on later in the game for some fresh legs and the possibility of a getting forward to attack more.
 
Strakers defending really frightens me and Mr Barker needs a nice cup of tea and a sit down. Could Dave Martin be converted into a left back, his chasing and tackling at Rotherham in October was immense.

Totally agree about Dave Martin's workrate and that's why it's a shame that he just doesn't seem to be delivering what Sturrock wants. Sturrock has said that he feels that Martin's passing isn't great and he struggles to deliver that final telling contribution. Personally I'd give him another chance on the left wing and allow Timlin to get central.
 
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