Jennings

I'm sure it's been commented on, but I must have missed it, he didn't even make the bench on Setdi. His performances this season don't warrant him making the bench. He's had spells in a couple of games where he's done OK, but for the majority of the time he's been awful. What's happened? This lad went to Bayern Munich for Christ sake.

It's not just him being off form though, he doesn't seem interested in doing his job, or he's finding it too difficult. Our full backs have been hung out to dry this season. They haven't covered themselves in glory either like, what with not putting in a tackle, but they've had very little cover. There was no problem with that at Rochdale. We've brought Cole in as a forward, but we played him wide and he was busting a gut to cover the full backs. He didn't score, but he actually had his best game in a Barnsley shirt. Because he didn't have his back to goal or a central defender up his are he was free to run at the Rochdale defence and he caused them all sorts of bother all game, eventually resulting in him winning us a penalty. He put in the kind of performance I thought we were going to get from Jennings. Even Treacy, who looks more interested in a pie and a pint than anyone we've had for a long time, gave Nyatanga plenty of cover and that really isn't his game. Jennings can do that, he did it against York, he just doesn't.

I've heard a number of people say he's fat, but then those who have got close to him say it's not fat, it's muscle. Whichever, he's the wrong shape. He looks twice the size he did when we got him back off MK Dons last season. He was putting a shift in then, he's not any more. He'll always be a stocky lad, but he's carrying too much weight, even if that bulk is muscle.

You're a good player Dale, put the weights down, get out of the gym, put on some trainers and do some running. You've got the talent and you're wasting it mate. You should be too good for us, but you're not even getting in the team.

 

Frustrates the **** art of me, knowing what he is capable of. Most disappointing player so far this season.

 

I thought someone on here had said Jennings was out with an ankle injury. Don't know how accurate this is, or whether it's played a part in his lack of form.

 

He tops the assists charts for barnsley with 3. Not bad for a player who is fat, lazy and selfish (just some of the words used on here) Only played 5 or 6 games aswell.

 

3 assists for a winger in 6 games aint good though is it ?
He should be beating the fullback and getting crosses in everytime he get the ball, yet he only every gets the ball and cuts back either shooting into a crowd or passing it sideways. He is too good a footballer to rest on his laurels and be happy playing at this level. He needs to work hard and he could really go places, frustrating as **** is Dale.

 

I think he'd be better as a CAM or ST personally

 

50% assist rate is good, if he maintained that for a full season he would have set up 23 goals, cant please people these days!

Who was the last Barnsley player to have 15 assists in a season?.........

 

Its very good.

 

Reece Brown has three.

He assisted two against Gillingham, one against MK Dons. May have more.

I'm struggling to recall one assist from Jennings. Anybody??

 

Dale Jennings this season......


Matches Played In:


Crawley (H) Lost 0-1 - Sent off on 62 minutes.

Gillingham (H) Win 4-1 - Came on as a sub in the 63rd minute, scored in the 76th.

Yeovil (a) Drew 1-1 - Came on as a sub in the 30th minute, cost us a goal (in my opinion).

MK Dons (H) Lost 3-5 - Played 90 minutes. Assisted Cole's header direct from a corner.

Fleetwood (a) Drew 0-0 - Played 88 minutes. Closest to scoring for us, hit post.

Port Vale (a) Lost 2-1 - Played 90 minutes.

Swindon (H) Lost 0-3 - Came on as a sub after 64 minutes.

 

I think hed be better throwing rice over his shoulder and then trying to push treacy out of a circle.

 

He's played in 8 games, so 3 assists in that time would be a decent return. But he hasn't got 3 assists has he? If he has, I've no idea what they're for. We didn't score in the games against Crawley, Fleetwood or Swindon. Against Gillingham we were 2-0 up before he came on, then Dudgeon crossed for Cole to score and Jennings got one himself. At Yeovil Hourihane had already scored our goal before Jennings got on the pitch. Against York Bree put a cross over for Cole to stab home and Hemmings hit one from 35 yards after a pass from Hourihane. At Port Vale Hourihane scored a penalty after he was brought down. That just leaves MK Dons. Hourihane scored two from range. The first he received the ball from Brown, the second he skipped past a man and smashed it in from the edge of the area. It's possible Jennings was the last to have the ball before Hourihane, but you'd be pushing it to the limit to call that an assist. The only assist that I can see is the corner he took in the MK Dons game that Cole nodded home.

 

No it is not, when he has not got 3 assists though !

 

I never said he had. I said 3 assists in 6 games is a very good rate.

 

That's according to football league stats, it's not my word. He does need to improve but I dont think its a lack of effort thats the problem

 

I'm not sure it's lack of effort either. I think his physique is all wrong, he's too bulky (muscle or fat) and he seems to be finding getting up and down the line a hell of a lot more difficult. Beckham did similar at one point in his career and he was a shadow of the player he had been. He was stronger, but his game had always been about the distance he travelled during a game and he couldn't do it the same any more. He shed that bulk and his game improved.

Back in the 70s and 80s, when I first started watching, you got all kind of body shapes playing professional football. It was far less about stamina and much more about your ability as a footballer. You had to be fit, but to nowhere near to the same level they are now. These days, the game is played by athletes, and even at this level, unless you're a centre half, you have to be lithe and sprightly or the game flashes past you.

 

I agree, he has bulked up too much whether it's muscle or fat. I would say the same for RNL aswell

 

The latter has told me himself that he's been instructed to put that muscle on, to bulk up over the last few years. It's to aid recovery apparently, and helps injured knees. So they say. In fact I read an article somewhere regarding Jennings which suggested the size of his legs in particular is muscle to protect the knee joints (?). Summat to do with previous injuries. I dunno, I know nowt about physio and fitness etc. I'm built like a pencil.

But Reuben has lost pace through it, admits it himself. But lets not forget who were in charge the last few years. They even stuck him at left back to get him used to the physical side of the game etc. They called the gym 'the dungeon'. It's what they did/do.

In my opinion, lads like Reuben/Dale are about quick feet, pace, skill. I actually think Reuben especially has been ruined here. Danny needs to send him out on loan, or get shut. I say that as Reuben's biggest fan. Because he deserves the chance to resurrect his career, he's only young still. Plenty of time. No point keeping him here and not playing him. However, I will say, I'd pick him ont wing before Treacy, and I believe he'd have done at least as well as Jennings if given the same chances.



I won't give up on Dale just yet. We invested a lot of money in him, wages and transfer fee. But surely Danny and co can see that he was at his best when last season he returned a couple of stones lighter. It's not rocket science, unless we're missing summat obvious.

 

Didn't make bench due to an ankle injury

 

Jennings must have had a lot of arse injuries in the past because hes put so much weight on back there that his shorts are so tight they look like theyre painted on