Away to Bromley match thread

[Thenotorious]

What happened to that lad we got from boro? Gashed head at Halifax never to be seen again.

Still injured few weeks away.

Thanks. Must have been a hell of a whack

[boyliegladbach]

Still injured few weeks away.

Thanks. Must have been a hell of a whack

Its a knee injury he's had

[Moribund]

Sooner or later, Ian Evatt will have to realise that it's getting the ball in the net, and not the amount of possession that decides matches

Only 8 teams have scored more than us.

[Wildwolf]

Ian Evatt stated when he came that his team would play exciting attractive attacking football, stated its all about goals goals in football. So far the brand of football possession passing build up is good, perhaps not always as direct as it could be. The goals scoring, consistency as not been as good as i hoped for, though no doubt being worked on. Defence, it is interesting that 60% plus approx. of goals scored in our league come from set pieces, corners, free kicks. So we are not the only team that struggle to contain these situations. Our discipline is not good, we cannot afford these suspensions, multiple cards, with such a small squad. Managers arguing and being sent to the stands do not set the right example to players either. Whatever the football is way way better than last season, well worth watching compared to last season.

[HenneysKnee]

When Wilson’s back fully match fit surely him and Granite play centre back and Jones goes back to full back?

[Jim]

When Wilson’s back fully match fit surely him and Granite play centre back and Jones goes back to full back?

Wonder if we might play 3-4-3?

[saltcellar]

When Wilson’s back fully match fit surely him and Granite play centre back and Jones goes back to full back?

Despite Norrington Davies playing so well ?

[Kieran]

Evatt seems to rate Jones at centre half very highly, but I have to say I can't for the life of me see why. He's had a couple of OK games there from what I've seen but isn't anywhere near strong enough and neither he or Granite are big enough. If you were a centre forward in this league and you lined up at kick off against our central defensive pairing you'd be thinking "I fancy this today". Unquestionably we're playing some fantastic football, the like of which is a million miles away from what has been served up for the last few seasons. We're not so great at the other side of the game and we're definitely in need of a big, strong, experienced centre half as well as possibly somebody with a bit more bite about them in midfield.

On another note, it is still very frustrating that we aren't using Jones' long throw as often as I think we should be. In fairness, we did use it a few times on Saturday but in the main haven't been doing so. I know it might not necessarily fit with the image we want as a footballing side, but it causes havoc and is surely worth 6 or 7 goals a season at least if it's used effectively. Even with us not being the biggest of sides it's a weapon that's difficult for defences to deal with and if it's used we will get chances from it.

[Suffolk Blue]

We were a set piece team ourselves only a few months ago. In fact apart from Luke James set pieces were the only real source of goals towards the end of last season.

The sides we play at this level will predominantly play direct offensive football and this is reflected in the size of the opposition. Its only my opinion but I do believe its easier for teams with limited resources and perhaps a proportion of essentially part-time squad members to play route one successfully than it is to try and play attractive football with the ball on the ground. So what Ian Evatt is producing is as rare as it is good to watch.

However, playing our way is a system that can be countered pretty effectively by playing blunt uncompromising football both up front and at the back. This is the dynamic we are now facing and it leaves the supporter generally with a sour taste because playing ugly can be productive. But its a survival technique only. You wont get out of the NL simply by having someone like Tom Denton (Chesterfield please note) in your team. Put the ball on his head and he'll score. Deny him possession and its like playing against ten men.

A couple of posts above have advocated changing our style. Pardon the language but this is complete bo**ocks. We perhaps need to play tactically a bit smarter against these teams, reflect the need for some height and strength in some positions (as anyone would know if they'd watched Aswad Thomas bully and chastise young Holden for Sutton recently) and perhaps be prepared to use a more direct approach on occasions but as a weapon rather than adopt it as a style of play.

Most of us I think not only appreciate our current style of play but also understand that it is so much more difficult to sustain especially when the resources at our disposal are often young rookies who are themselves here to develop not only professionally but physically. I'm generally a cup half empty guy, but I think think the job Evatt is doing is frankly brilliant. As a way of playing football it also offers the prospect of progress and improvement as opposed to the limitations of the "thou shalt not pass" approach. Lets not lose it.

[Hitthebar22]

Evatt seems to rate Jones at centre half very highly, but I have to say I can't for the life of me see why. He's had a couple of OK games there from what I've seen but isn't anywhere near strong enough and neither he or Granite are big enough. If you were a centre forward in this league and you lined up at kick off against our central defensive pairing you'd be thinking "I fancy this today". Unquestionably we're playing some fantastic football, the like of which is a million miles away from what has been served up for the last few seasons. We're not so great at the other side of the game and we're definitely in need of a big, strong, experienced centre half as well as possibly somebody with a bit more bite about them in midfield.

On another note, it is still very frustrating that we aren't using Jones' long throw as often as I think we should be. In fairness, we did use it a few times on Saturday but in the main haven't been doing so. I know it might not necessarily fit with the image we want as a footballing side, but it causes havoc and is surely worth 6 or 7 goals a season at least if it's used effectively. Even with us not being the biggest of sides it's a weapon that's difficult for defences to deal with and if it's used we will get chances from it.

Yes, I’m a big fan of his long throw, but only if you’ve a decent chance of winning the header. Think we must be the smallest side in stature in the league, and we won’t/don’t win the ball enough now in that area for the Jones throw to be a potent attacking threat. On the same issue, have we scored/threatened goal directly from a corner yet this season? Won any dead balls going into the box? Probably, but not enough. A bit more worryingly, opposition teams tend to score, or threaten, when they win headers in our box. For my part, I’m very edgy indeed when we concede a corner or a free kick. It’s a dilemma.

[russell_anderson]

When Wilson’s back fully match fit surely him and Granite play centre back and Jones goes back to full back?

Wonder if we might play 3-4-3?

As both regular fullbacks are pretty attacking that would seem an ideal system for Barrow with Granite right of Wilson and Jones left of him.

[russell_anderson]

We were a set piece team ourselves only a few months ago. In fact apart from Luke James set pieces were the only real source of goals towards the end of last season.

The sides we play at this level will predominantly play direct offensive football and this is reflected in the size of the opposition. Its only my opinion but I do believe its easier for teams with limited resources and perhaps a proportion of essentially part-time squad members to play route one successfully than it is to try and play attractive football with the ball on the ground. So what Ian Evatt is producing is as rare as it is good to watch.

However, playing our way is a system that can be countered pretty effectively by playing blunt uncompromising football both up front and at the back. This is the dynamic we are now facing and it leaves the supporter generally with a sour taste because playing ugly can be productive. But its a survival technique only. You wont get out of the NL simply by having someone like Tom Denton (Chesterfield please note) in your team. Put the ball on his head and he'll score. Deny him possession and its like playing against ten men.

A couple of posts above have advocated changing our style. Pardon the language but this is complete bo**ocks. We perhaps need to play tactically a bit smarter against these teams, reflect the need for some height and strength in some positions (as anyone would know if they'd watched Aswad Thomas bully and chastise young Holden for Sutton recently) and perhaps be prepared to use a more direct approach on occasions but as a weapon rather than adopt it as a style of play.

Most of us I think not only appreciate our current style of play but also understand that it is so much more difficult to sustain especially when the resources at our disposal are often young rookies who are themselves here to develop not only professionally but physically. I'm generally a cup half empty guy, but I think think the job Evatt is doing is frankly brilliant. As a way of playing football it also offers the prospect of progress and improvement as opposed to the limitations of the "thou shalt not pass" approach. Lets not lose it.

Completely agree. The manager has done a fantastic job with (mostly) players from a lower level. He knows Barrow would have zero chance with the lack of size of the players he has at his disposal to try and match any team by playing long ball football. The fact that he's managed to get a reasonably successful team by playing decent on the ground football is a great credit to him. It wasn't great on Saturday but you could see what he's trying to do and with a little bit more height in a couple of places he'd have a very competitive team. As individuals, I don't think we have a central defender as good as Livesey, a fullback as good as Anderton, a midfield player as good as Yates, a striker as good as Harrison or Bennett or a winger as good as Williams but he's still produced a team which plays a better brand of football than Paul Cox managed with those players.

[JammyBluebird]

Evatt seems to rate Jones at centre half very highly, but I have to say I can't for the life of me see why. He's had a couple of OK games there from what I've seen but isn't anywhere near strong enough and neither he or Granite are big enough. If you were a centre forward in this league and you lined up at kick off against our central defensive pairing you'd be thinking "I fancy this today". Unquestionably we're playing some fantastic football, the like of which is a million miles away from what has been served up for the last few seasons. We're not so great at the other side of the game and we're definitely in need of a big, strong, experienced centre half as well as possibly somebody with a bit more bite about them in midfield.

On another note, it is still very frustrating that we aren't using Jones' long throw as often as I think we should be. In fairness, we did use it a few times on Saturday but in the main haven't been doing so. I know it might not necessarily fit with the image we want as a footballing side, but it causes havoc and is surely worth 6 or 7 goals a season at least if it's used effectively. Even with us not being the biggest of sides it's a weapon that's difficult for defences to deal with and if it's used we will get chances from it.

Jones has been brilliant at Centre Back this season. Got MOTM last home game for a reason. He reads the game well, his distribution is fantastic. And up until he started picking up a few niggle injuries Granite has been fantastic too.

Yes they aren't the biggest we have, but the traits they do have compliment our game plan far better than a big centre back with less control.

[DaveP]

Would three at the back work with these two alongside a big beast?

[russell_anderson]

Evatt seems to rate Jones at centre half very highly, but I have to say I can't for the life of me see why. He's had a couple of OK games there from what I've seen but isn't anywhere near strong enough and neither he or Granite are big enough. If you were a centre forward in this league and you lined up at kick off against our central defensive pairing you'd be thinking "I fancy this today". Unquestionably we're playing some fantastic football, the like of which is a million miles away from what has been served up for the last few seasons. We're not so great at the other side of the game and we're definitely in need of a big, strong, experienced centre half as well as possibly somebody with a bit more bite about them in midfield.

On another note, it is still very frustrating that we aren't using Jones' long throw as often as I think we should be. In fairness, we did use it a few times on Saturday but in the main haven't been doing so. I know it might not necessarily fit with the image we want as a footballing side, but it causes havoc and is surely worth 6 or 7 goals a season at least if it's used effectively. Even with us not being the biggest of sides it's a weapon that's difficult for defences to deal with and if it's used we will get chances from it.

Jones has been brilliant at Centre Back this season. Got MOTM last home game for a reason. He reads the game well, his distribution is fantastic. And up until he started picking up a few niggle injuries Granite has been fantastic too.

Yes they aren't the biggest we have, but the traits they do have compliment our game plan far better than a big centre back with less control.

I thought Jones was the best player on the pitch on Saturday at Bromley. Granite wasn't great but looked a decent player. However, they won't stop players 6 inches taller than them from scoring goals from set pieces and that will mean losing matches they could win. The way the manager wants Barrow to play is more a state of mind and doesn't mean that taller players can't do exactly the same as smaller players. All he's really asking them to do is pass the ball on the ground to their own players instead of hitting it long to a big striker or into a space for a quick striker. It's not rocket science and it's not limited to small players.