Barrow v Southend United Match thread

[A.B.]

That was rubbish.

[mickmike wilson]

Devitt just isn’t the player he was & id be amazed if we don’t release him, Not sure if he’s contracted for next season or not, Either way I’d get rid, Same for Kay for me, We can’t wait forever for him to mature.

If we lose this both Relegated clubs took maximum points off us, Got to be a mentality thing imho.

I thought Devitt looked good today

He’s been meh in most games he’s played & we can’t afford to carry passengers or we will struggle again & none of us want that.

[CH BAFC]

Gotta agree Devitt has been a big miss, glass ankles and not the player he seemed to be at Newport.

[Jonty]

Its the middle of the park where we need to strengthen. Quigley had very little to work off and he has had to battle hard to create his own chances in almost every game, drifting right across the park and coming deep. We have very little creativity through midfield and it is the one area above all others that Dunn failed to fix last summer and hence we couldn't play the way we had under Evatt. We are unrecognisable from that side now and if we want to see us get back to being an attractive side that is where we need to recruit. We still need the steel of Taylor, but desperately short of creativity

[SayitagainSam]

After watching this seasons (non) performances, I'd like to thank my GP for my Hypertension prescription and to thank Boots for stocking an ample supply of Pepto Bismol. Watching Barrow AFC play 45 games of football should have been fun, relaxing and entertaining (for the most part) given the hard-to-endure COVID physical and mental lockdown over the Winter. However, on the contrary, watching poor performances week in/week out (with the occasional exceptions) has added to my stress, anger, disappointment and frustration. Will likely trundle on down to Craven Park for the Summer, full of hope and optimism, but will keep likely my medication handy in my bum-bag, just in case.

[Jim]

I agree but aren't a lot on contract ?that worries me a bit !

Somewhere, a while ago, someone (Adam?) posted a list of who was on contract.

Here:

https://www.barrowafc.net/viewtopic.php ... ct#p458264

[behind the goals]

Would like to thank Rob Kelly and his staff but if we want to improve and not to be near the bottom next season than we need an experience manager, and yes a good clear out is needed even if it means paying out contracts to get rid of players, our home record was also shocking only 7 wins out of 23 games but we stayed up and can look forward to next season.

[blue nige]

Its the middle of the park where we need to strengthen. Quigley had very little to work off and he has had to battle hard to create his own chances in almost every game, drifting right across the park and coming deep. We have very little creativity through midfield and it is the one area above all others that Dunn failed to fix last summer and hence we couldn't play the way we had under Evatt. We are unrecognisable from that side now and if we want to see us get back to being an attractive side that is where we need to recruit. We still need the steel of Taylor, but desperately short of creativity

we also need a bit more physicality players like devitt James brown get knocked off the ball far to easy and we then lose possession time after time.

[RedWeb]

Bottom line, after Morecambe we thought we'd get relegated. However, we didn't. That said, other than the actual moment of staying up (FGR) there should be no celebrations anywhere near Holker St. Think there is a decent chance that next season it will be a totally different team, with of course a new (experienced) manager - assuming Rob doesn't want it. So yes, shit today, but as someone else posted, 7 from 23 at home says shit all season, the odd exception apart. Time to move on. Next season we have to be better, and I'm sure we will.

[mall]

Bottom line, after Morecambe we thought we'd get relegated. However, we didn't. That said, other than the actual moment of staying up (FGR) there should be no celebrations anywhere near Holker St. Think there is a decent chance that next season it will be a totally different team, with of course a new (experienced) manager - assuming Rob doesn't want it. So yes, shit today, but as someone else posted, 7 from 23 at home says shit all season, the odd exception apart. Time to move on. Next season we have to be better, and I'm sure we will.

Yes, off course we will be better next season. Just listening to the chairman's radio broadcast during the week said that for me.

[Suffolk Blue]

After watching this seasons (non) performances, I'd like to thank my GP for my Hypertension prescription and to thank Boots for stocking an ample supply of Pepto Bismol. Watching Barrow AFC play 45 games of football should have been fun, relaxing and entertaining (for the most part) given the hard-to-endure COVID physical and mental lockdown over the Winter. However, on the contrary, watching poor performances week in/week out (with the occasional exceptions) has added to my stress, anger, disappointment and frustration. Will likely trundle on down to Craven Park for the Summer, full of hope and optimism, but will keep likely my medication handy in my bum-bag, just in case.

Well said Sam. I think you sum up the feelings of most of us. We have got ourselves into a helluva mess and by some great effort and fortune managed to get ourselves out of it. For that we should celebrate. But not for anything else. We've generally speaking lost to the "wrong" teams and beaten the "wrong" teams; We've accumulated too many squad members but with left weaknesses in parts of our squad; we've plumbed the depths and scaled the heights and often in the same game. Enough to give any fan a thrombie. We all need a collective lie down.

This afternoon just showed how close to potential disaster we've been and how fine a line we've managed to tread to safety. On the plus side we have survived and should've learned many lessons from the experience. Personally I do tend towards sharing at least some of the Chairmans optimism. But anybody who thought after tuesday that next season would largely be a continuation of this one from a current squad or team perspective probably now realizes this is not the case. Its not a total reinvention thats needed but it is more than a little tinkering. But dont take todays result too literally. It was always on the cards. Note also relegated Grimsby managed to beat Vale, the team with the best performance record in the Division over the last couple of months. The fact that our result today didn't actually "matter", in fact did "matter" in terms of the forces that created the outcome.

So allow yourself a beer and a begrudging smile. Cos things could have been so much worse. Also, I'm not sure going to watch the egg chasers will do much for your mental health.

[Jeeby]

Typial Barrow this season, very Jeckyl and Hyde, turn up for the hard games and struggle for the allegedly easier games. Anyway we stayed up and we move on with spectators in the ground, lessons learnt no doubt.
What a year that has been for the team, spectators and owners, I'm almost glad it's nearly over. Looking forward to watching the pre-season friendlies.

[Big E]

They were a horrible gobby side that got into the ref, including their gob shite of a manager. Bit after the Lord Mayors show today, not the intensity of recent weeks, rightlyor wrongly. Ref was awful, gave every 50/50 their way. Reality is we live to fight again and we don't have to go to Southend

[blumooncrab]

I don’t like to criticise refs too much but I thought today’s was the worst reffing of the season. It even occurred to me he’d been got at by Southend; he missed too many fouls by them including on Banks just before the second goal. Having said that we just weren’t at the races . Sloppy at the back and in midfield.

We’re going to need a second goalscorer next year , more energy and creativity in the middle and another centre back. And a new pitch ! Lots to look forward to !

[Pedro]

Very poor today, some are past their best others just not good enough.
Rob Kelly has done well with the players he was left .
Think taking Quigley off was a mistake .
I am afraid Joel dropped another clanger,like the goal scored against him from the half way line.
Cannot remember the goalkeeper Ady Pennock brought in I think he ending going to Shrewsbury.
You expect a goal keeper to get beat but these two mistakes and the one were he kicked against the Harrogate player last season and it went in.
Needs to get his act together .
I am afraid Kay should be got rid of giving that free kick away and the tantrum today,too many yellow cards.