OK - I know football is all about personal opinions, and I can understand why some fans don't rate Richards and get on his back. However, I have to say that the skill he showed when scoring (it really was an excellent goal, as hopefully the replays will show) indicate that he has got something about him which Ritchie can see and which he rates. Had Nardiello scored that goal - folk would have been on here raving about it, which indicates fans' preferences I guess. After all, Bobby Hassell scored a cracking goal as well, yet some fans reckon he shouldn't even be in the starting line-up! But back to Richards, I can see why Ritchie perseveres with him. The lad does put himself about and he has got quick feet and some skill - as his goal today indicates. OK, he doesn't yet anticipate things too well which gives the impression he's slow, and he's still got a lot to learn about this league, but remember we ARE a 3rd Division side and he did arrive from Northampton - a team in the old 4th division! We aren't going to have class players gracing our first XI - we need grafters like Burns to get us out of this league. Richards will improve in my opinion, assuming the fans don't destroy his confidence by constantly getting on his back, and personally I think he has the potential to give more to a game than Nads currently does. Bottom line is... Ritchie sees things in him that warrants a starting position, and he's a better judge of such things than the rest of us! I also seem to recall that the fans berated Shipps in his first 10 or so games for us - and look how he turned out! Hopefully the fans will give Richards the time he clearly needs to settle into the side, although knowing Barnsley fans, I have my doubts. As for today's game - 85 minutes of totally unmitigated garbage and 5 minutes of entertainment = 3 points. Not good enough from a fans' perspective, but Wednesday did similar last season and got themselves promoted. I'm with Harrow Tyke though who, shortly before we scored, uttered the spot-on observation 'I'd sooner be at the dentists'!!
i keep saying that his ability to win the ball, lay off and hold the ball up are brilliant but his positional play, shooting and reading of the game need work. If he can add those he will be a quality player. At the moment its just so frustrating to see him waste chance after chance and for the team to miss out on so many other goal scoring chances because of the wrong pass from him.
What the hell! Richards 2nd touch is invariably a tackle , he couldnt trap a bag of cement.</p> Only forward we have with any control is Hayes.</p>
lol i think he has potential but until he gets there he will continue to frustrate. If given time he should come good.
Nicely put that man. I would like to add that the time has come to give Shuker a breather as I wrote the other week. Today he had a Weston Super-Mare and it became embarrasing for the lad a times.</p> I slightly disagree with the Howard statement because the difference was Devaney got more change out of the even gingerer Ray Parlour lookalike and got the ball in the box on more occasions.</p> The major point in my view is that we don't have strikers that get beyond the oppositions back 4, with pace. This means teams come and defend high up the pitch making it difficult for us to stretch the game. A player like Leon Knight for instance works on the Centre Halfs shoulder and then if a team does defend high up the pitch we can get in behind with his pace. Hayes drops deep and Richards more of a flick on merchant.</p> Final point is the defence did its job and I thought Austin again was excellent with McPhail doing a good job in the middle of the park. At least he got the ball down and tried to play football we should be playing.</p>
How did you feel about the Whale Terry??? I saw your Outspoken commenst on how to deal with the Whale.
