Harvey Barnes has beaten the goal & assist return of Ryan Kent

Already.

Very similar qualities but one has an end product.

 

Already a better player and younger too.

Kent needed another season in League One really.

 

That's the thing about statistics.

We could play an out and out winger, who never tracked back, who never helped the full back out, who spent his time sniffing out either goals or passes that led to goals, and your statistic would prove that such winger's contribution led to more chances or goals.

We could play a more conservative, more team orientated winger, who would create less chances but might lead to us conceding less goals. Your statistic would prove that we scored less but conceded less.

We could play Paddy McCourt. Who lived in a world of his own.

We could play Adam Hammill . Who apparently occupies the attention of 2 defenders when he gets the ball, so that he can't provide a final product but thus allows others elsewhere on the pitch to do so instead.

So to slam Ryan Kent with statistics is to dwell in the house of the Simple.

 

I don't remember Kent being great at tracking back and I certainly don't think Barnes is bone idle or any worse in other areas of the pitch

 

He might have lived in a world of his own (great description, by the way) but I'd love a Paddy McCourt on the bench. He really was something else.

 

Kent was terrible at tracking back. Like said needed another season in league one

 

Stats can be misleading, but I don't think anyone can doubt Barnes is a long way ahead of Kent from last season. Even if he's not scoring or assisting, he's making things happen. How many times did you see Kent last season and think he was going to create something when he got on the ball? Maybe he'd beat a man with a great bit of skill but invariably the end product wasn't there

 

I'm not defending Kent.

I happen to think that Harvey is the best thing we've had since Matty.

He's far better for us than Kent ever was. In my opinion.

I'm on about statistics. And their ability to prove any nutjob's case.

 

I thought Kent was poor for 80 percent of the season and only looked like converting undoubted potential into achievement for the last few months. Barnes on the other hand though he may drift out of games occasionally has hit the ground running. Looking forward to seeing how he plays with 20/30 games behind him.

 

Barnes is England bound one day. We will look back with fondness on his season with us when he's playing alongside the likes of Butland, Stones and Trippier.

 

For very brief moments, Paddy McCourt was the best player I'd ever seen. Seriously. I've seen some top players play; Beckham, Owen, Bergkamp, Vialli. McCourt is the only one I've watched and been absolutely speechless. But as I say, the moments were brief, very very brief.

At least 95% of the time he was lazy, unfit, uninterested, a wasted talent.

But as you say, he was worth a 30 minute cameo just on the off chance that he turned into Ronaldinho.

 

Agreed. An utter waste of a very rare talent. Now plying his trade with a just relegated Finn Harps.

 

It's a crying shame. But then again, if he'd have performed as well as he could on a more consistent basis, he'd never have been at Oakwell. And even though he was part of one of the worst teams we've had I reckon in my lifetime, I'm convinced we won't see another player as gifted as that lad was. Albeit in very brief spells.

 

No argument from me. He was awesome. I think every club he's played at would have fans saying the same.
I saw a clip of him scoring one of his classics for Harps this season. It's a very poor league though, and I do mean poor, and they got relegated.

 

Joe Williams as well I think

 

Incidentally it said on the club's stats when Barnes was given player of the month that he’s got 4 goals and 4 assists this season. He’s got way over 4 assists:

Sunderland for Ugbo
Derby for Bradshaw
2 v Millwall for Bradshaw
Burton for Isgrove
Birmingham for Bradshaw

And that’s just off top of my head. There may have been more

 

it said in October.

 

But it's not for October though is it because he definitely didn't score 4 in October. Nor did he play 13 games. Those stats were for the whole season!

 

I think our loan signings have been very good this season & we are benefitting from them being at the club , however , there are plenty of members of this forum who would argue that they should not have been signed , I personally think the loan system used wisely can be beneficial for all parties , our club , the players club & the player

 

Williams & Barnes have been fantastic and yes plenty on here wrote them off when they signed