He deserves a run as a forward or a winger. I'll be pissed off if he leaves before ever getting a real chance (just like I was with Rose). It's hard enough coming into a team when you're rusty from not playing & inexperienced but imagine how hard it is been forced to play out of position as well? And to be fair to Reuben he's always tried his best at left back & hasn't sulked or moaned about been played there despite it not coming naturally to him and even though there's been a couple of dodgy performances he was outstanding at home to Huddersfield as a left wing back last season & just as good as an orthodox left back away at Forest the season before when we kept a clean sheet
We seem to have probably two or three top wingers in the division now , so making it even harder for Reuben to get in team . He seems a confidence player and maybe a month on loan would do him good , as for judging him as a left back , then how would Jennings , Tracey or Cole do as a left back
The annoying thing is he had a loan last season at S****horpe & did well, getting several assists & getting positive reviews from their fans but he still didn't get a chance. We'd rather go with waste of spaces like Shea & McCourt
Another thought The very fact that he's trusted at left back / out of position should be considered as a testament to his all round ability as a footballer. Like others have said, I can't imagine Jennings/Treacy playing there. Hopefully he'll get his chance further up the pitch sooner rather than later.
Is this about RNL? He was at S****horpe 2 months. He made two starts, being subbed after 62 minutes and 27 minutes and made two sub appearances coming on after 45 minutes and 83 minutes.
He made his debut as a half time substitute in a 2-0 defeat, where he hit the post and was generally given positive reviews. He then started against Pompey away, they won 2-1 but he came off just past the hour mark with an injury. He then got seven minutes off the bench as they smashed Rochdale 4-0 away, setting up two goals in that brief appearance. He started as they beat Torquay 3-1 at home next, assisting Winnall. He again hobbled off, and returned to Oakwell for treatment. It wasn't an amazing spell, for sure. His total lack of game time caught up to him with the injury. But that's common. But whilst on the field in Scunny colours, he did well and was well liked by their supporters. The first game he played was the last for Brian Laws. He was replaced by Russ Wilcox and they then went unbeaten all season. Ended up in the division we find ourselves in, with a striker getting the golden boot who is now at Oakwell and having doubters comparing him to Dagnall et al. Football supporters often miss out so much context. Reuben is a very talented lad who would thrive off a good run in the team as a forward. I'm actually ****** if I can see what it is that leaves folk doubting him. He's delivered (on his rare opportunities) a lot more than most have. Some folk still defend Marcus Pedersen. I too think he's a player with summat there. But he had 20 games scoring twice. We eventually wrote him off. So how are some writing off RNL? He's not played that much in 6 years. Unless we're writing him off 'because' he's not played that much. I dunno anymore. Head hurts. I just think I'll end it by saying he's better than others who've played regularly for us, and at least as good as Jennings who still does. But if the manager doesn't rate him, no problem. Move him on then.
You hear this kind of phrase a lot and it always has me scratching my head. There are as many different opinions on this board as there are members using it. There's never a consensus on anything. However, whenever another club's fans are mentioned they're spoken about as though they all share exactly the same view point. Noble-Lazarus spent a grand total of 72 minutes playing at Glanford Park. The game where he played for over an hour was away at Portsmouth watched by what, 100 Scunny fans? Probably less? I would be surprised if the majority of Scunny's fanbase even remember him. I'm not trying to argue RNL is a poor player. He had a **** game the other day, but Christiano Ronaldo has **** games. I don't know if he's any good or not, sometimes he looks alright, often not, as is the case with many kids trying to break in to the side. Only thing I'm saying in this thread is that the couple of hours he played for Scunny in league 2 shouldn't be used as justification for him playing for us. We've more players than we have places available in the match day squad. We've a number of talented youngsters trying to break in to that squad and ultimately in to the team. From time to time they're going to be given a chance. In the match at home to Crewe, RNL, Bree and McHale were tried. 2 of those players took that chance, played really well and were a real highlight on the night. One of them didn't play well at all. Who should the manager give the next chance to, the two young lads who played well or the one that didn't? Bree got another go away at Crewe and along with Digby helped see out the victory. Digby was again called upon at Coventry. Wilson is gradually bringing the young uns through, but he's going to give game time to the young lads who play well when selected, not the ones that don't. If RNL gets his head down in training he will get another chance, but he's got to take that opportunity because otherwise Wilson will stick with the young lads who perform when selected. It's a cut-throat business professional football, if you don't take your opportunities there are others that will, particularly at Barnsley at the moment as we appear to have a wealth of young talent bursting on to the scene.
Good post. Looking at his peer group is RNL getting more or less opportunities than the other 21ish players? Who would be dropped right now to start RNL as a striker? Has he really seized an opportunity whatever position when presented it? Danny Rose needed to make a decision for his future. the same comments and questions in this thread applied to him also. If. RNL is now ready for regular 1st team footy then he needs to go elsewhere either longer loan deal or perm. Not because he isn't any good, but to prove that he is or will be. In my opinion he hasn't progressed for whatever reason, whys and wherefores etc and perhaps needs a right now a new environment to give him that step. Nothing I would love more than a RNL that's fit, in form, scoring and especially hungry coming back from a loan and earring starting slot. Right now, nor past 1-2 years haven't seen it. Whitey, "if you really love him, let him go"
I understand what you're saying but the point is RNL is struggling because he's been played out of position. The point you make about Bree & McHale is right, they did take there chances but would Bree have done well as a striker? Would McHale have impressed as a full back? All I'm saying is RNL deserves a chance either as a forward or as an out & out winger before so many people jump on the 'he's ****' bandwagon.
I think it's a positive situation where the manager's got a variety of wide players to choose from. If any of these lads is out of sorts for whatever reason, Danny Wilson has another option available to him. But why does singing the praises of one individual have to be at the expense of another, who then is on the receiving end of unnecessary, sneering criticism (as has happened with some on this thread)? Isn't is possible to rate and like all our wide men at the same time? Why does it have to be either RNL or Jennings? Or Treacy? Or McHale? I just don't get it.
As far as I'm aware, and I may be wrong, but Bree has always played in midfield as a youth player. In the very few games he's played for Barnsley he's played at right back, wing back and in midfield. Mchale has only 30 minutes of senior football to his name in just one game, but he was asked to play in two positions in that match and looked comfortable in both. Calling RNL **** is clearly out of order. However, he's a footballer not a striker/winger. He's too young with two little first team experienced to be pigeon holed as just one thing. He's clearly not a centre half, he hasn't the stature for it, but many young players are asked to perform in a different position for the senior team than that which they played in youth football. Jon Parkin was the strike partner of Rory Fallon for the majority of his games at youth level. The pair of them were scoring for fun. When Parkin played for the first team at Barnsley he was used as a centre half. John Stones is talked of as being a future England centre half but he only ever played right back for us. Wilson isn't the only Barnsley manager to try RNL at wing back/full back. It's a completely different coaching set-up now to when he was used in that position before, so there must be something about his game that make successive Barnsley managers think that is his position. That might be where he is best suited. Just because he was thought of as a forward when he was 16 and 17, doesn't mean that's where he will end up playing. Some players move all around the pitch before settling on a position that really suits them. Under Flicker, I thought RNL's best ever game for us was as a wing back in the home victory over Huddersfield. He played much better than he has in the majority of games he's played further forward. We can cite a few examples of his good work when played as a forward, but they're few and far between. As to be expected, he's still only young. It's wrong to judge RNL before he gets an extended run of games, but he'll never get that if he doesn't perform when he's given the chance. Under previous managers he may have shown glimpses, but he hasn't yet for Wilson. Other young players have and it's them that are going to be given further opportunities to prove themselves and I don't think any of us can argue with the logic behind that decision.
I think by definition, there are only a number of first team places. Its inevitable people compare players when considering who plays where, as does the manager. I agree, forum style is to see extremes, i.e. ones great and ones crap. Polarized but not seeing the different virtues across a spectrum. Personally im ok with all our squad. Im also ok with current selection. I would like to add to it of course as I think we need more physical presence and more depth / options. That doesn't mean what we have are crap. On RNL I have tried to look from his perspective. Several managers have tried him in all sorts of positions, yet they don't seem tow ant to try him in an out and out forward for long. Plus there are others that fit the bill right now better than RNL. As such I think he should go on a 3 month loan, prove himself in his rightful position, then let him decide if he wants to fight a place here or move on.
What I don't understand though is that one of RNL's best attributes, if not the best, is his shooting ability. The power he generates through the left side is very impressive and yet it's very rare we actually see it because he's played on the wing or at full back. Of all the players we had last season anyway, he's the one player I'd want it to fall to on the edge of the box. He's a different kind of striker to the ones we have, he's a different kind of threat. For that alone, for me, he deserves a place in the squad. I see no reason, whatever the scoreline really, that he couldn't be tried up front off the bench on a couple of occasions. A goal would do wonders for his confidence and he's capable of it imo. Until he's played in a position that's best suited to his strengths (out-and-out striker imo), I don't think it's fair to judge him given his age.
As ever, a very fair and articulate response. I would though add that James Bree has played right back for much of the past two years at the Academy. Not that it means owt. And Dom McHale played all across midfield for Man City's youth teams. Again, it means nowt though. I wasn't saying RNL's time at Scunny was justification for getting games here though. I was just giving a fairer summary of his time there. As for Bree/McHale/Digby impressing (apparently) when they got minutes, and RNL failing to do so, he was the only one playing out of position. But I'm really not in the business of comparing him with those other young lads. They're just as likely to be getting the same stick that he's now getting, at some point in the future. Because folk are suggesting they look great (McHale/Bree) based on one viewing. I'm only suggesting I think RNL is a decent asset/option for us, and I'm basing that on the goals he's made/scored in very rare appearances often spread months apart. I did compare him to Jennings and that isn't done as a dig at Dale at all, despite the assumption of at least one bloke on here. I think the fact they're the same age, play in similar positions and have very similar attributes makes comparing them quite obvious. The post where I dissected both of their stats for us was very telling. But as I keep on reiterating, if RNL isn't going to be getting games here (it looks that way) then let him go. It really is that simple. We've now got shut of another young lad in Rose, and recruited a lad from Man City on loan. A lot on here would have castigated the manager/club for such a decision not so long ago. Loaning another clubs youth player and axing our own, as well as pushing another of our own down the pecking order... Just saying.
I stand by everything I've said on the issue, Andy. Just saying it as I see it. No agenda. I feel RNL can do a good job for Barnsley (if given the opportunity) up front, out wide or in the hole. The difference is I don't find it necessary to make disparaging comments about any other Barnsley player just to emphasise my point. I don't believe the strength of the argument for Reuben's selection needs it.
I repeat though, I wasn't making disparaging comments towards Dale or anyone else. I was comparing RNL's stats with the most similar teammate. Nothing more, nothing less. I think you see things, old pal.
