We're clearly light at right back. Lofthouse has had rave reviews at every club we've loaned him out to. While he's not pulled up any trees in his appearances for us, he's at least looked like a footballer. And he's never had any sort of run in the team to bed in. Taking into account all of this, there doesn't seem to be any objective reason for us to be offloading him. In fact, we should surely be doing the exact opposite?
He's not a right back, he's a wing back, and we look to be moving to a system where we don't play wing backs.
I thought he looked decent the first half dozen or so games off the bench last season. Though the more he played, the worse he got.
Must be hard when you get 7 minutes every few weeks in a different position each week and brought on for a team who's usually losing and low on confidence. 7 minutes is being kind really. In a one month period mid November to December we gave himbetween 1 and 4 minutes each game averaging out at 1 minute 42 seconds of playing time per match and replacing everyone from our right wingback to our captain to our striker. It's a shame that he, like many other youngsters, aren't afforded the same run in the side as ***** players like okeeffe and cotter. I guarantee he hasn't had as many bad games as that pair and yet they clocked up over 156 hours of football for Barnsley.
The real mystery to me is the "right back" we're rumoured to be signing hasn't got extensive experience of playing as a right back either
I assume Burton or MK Dons weren't asking him to play as a left sided winger for 6 minutes when they were chasing a game, though.
The vast majority of his games have been at right back? Played a bit at CB when in non league but is a proper right back
I'm a big Barry fan, despite his many shortcomings. However, everything else you've put in that post is spot on, and backs up my initial point - that we're binning off a player without ever giving him a run in the team, who's been good at other clubs when given a run in the team. In a position where we don't have a great deal of depth. It doesn't make any sense.
I agree it’s a bit mystifying but the manger and coaches see him day in, day out in training and have continued to prefer others over to him, including Bland who is a central midfielder. There must be a reason for that…. If he’s not going to play then it’s best for all parties he goes and we either sign someone or give one of the kids a chance instead.
He only played a handful of games last season as a right back in League Two according to transfermarkt/whoscored. He has more experience as a right back in the National League previously but I can't help thinking he looks very similar to what we already have i.e. Lofthouse.
I suppose it does in the fact that he doesn't fit the 'profile' and seemingly has ppl interested in him. Hes probably one of those that in an ideal world we'd keep but considering we're skint, tough choices gonna be made. If we start with MDG as a back up right back and centre half I'd be pretty ok with that. Same with Earl for left side too.
I read somewhere yesterday that he's been described by their gaffer as a utility player. Looking at Transfermarkt, he's played the majority of games for Salford on the right side of midfield, though he's primarily been a right back throughout his career before that. He's also played as a centre half and holding midfielder.
Can't understand for the life of me ,why he hasn't been given a chance.in his natural position. But that is on a par with most of the youngsters