Summarise this season so far please

[Shaun]

I'm out of town and so haven't seen one single live game this season. Can you guys please just give me the gist of the team, how we play, strengths/weaknesses, proper footy stuff? Many people on here know I'm asking a genuine football question. Please, summarise so far. Thank you. I would/will really appreciate it. (No smartarse one comment [SwearFilter] please)

[Lancaster Branch]

We are solid. We defend well (see goals against column) whilst still being liable to the odd brainfart (see last minute equalisers conceded v Bromley and Boreham Wood). We aren't 'pretty' but we are capable of some fantastic counter attacking and individual moments of brilliance.

If I had to sum it up in a word it'd be 'respect' - we get that now. In years gone by we'd turn up at away games in hope rather than expectation, concede after 10 minutes and then wonder if we can keep it below a four goal tonking. Now we go to places like Lincoln, FGR, Dagenham etc and not only do we not get tubbed, we go and pick up points. Consistently. And we've never done that at this level before. The odd win here and there maybe.

We're not the finished article but we've come a long way since Cox took over.

Just my view mate.

[spirit of 1990]

We seem very solid most of the time (as Dave says) but we have started to look quite shaky with set pieces of late - more so than earlier in the season, that's definitely one for the manager to sort out.
As in previous seasons under Edmo (even Bayles) at times we play some decent passing football and then revert back to our "normal" game, its as though some of the players unshackle themselves but then remember the game plan.
Coxy, the management team & scouts have brought in some real talent - Harrison (I think being in the top three, perhaps five non league strikers we've ever had) Beeley, Bennett, Williams & Turnbull. Coxy also seems to be bringing out a decent and more consistent player in ARH. Then some of the previous regimes players, Livesey, NWA and Dixon all seem comfortable at this level. If the new lad Thomas lives up to reports he sounds like another good find (although not our player) add Turton and the team looks pretty decent.

Overall, happy with the way things are going but feel as though if we miss out on the play-offs it'll have been the silly draws that'll have cost us, not the loses.

[gez imps]

Football league here we come.End of.

[DIXIE]

Football league here we come.End of.

For once what you write makes sense. I think we will win the play off final, after all we DO NOT lose at Wembley.

[Jonty]

Going into games against the top sides confident that we will get something is a new for me and shows how far we've come under Cox. When we are on our game, i.e.- taking apart Lincoln home and away and good wins at Bristol Rovers etc, we are as good as anything I've seen at this level and we are very good at what we do. When we are not at the races, or switch off i.e. York, FGR recently, it serves as a reminder that we are not fully there yet.

Player wise, it has been great seeing the emergence of the likes of Bennet, Williams, Diarra, Anderton, whilst seeing raised performance levels from Harvey who is playing his best stuff under Cox. Consistent performances have been key to our season so far. You can see on the pitch how hard they work for each other and they all know their roles. However, we are short on numbers, so remain vulnerable when we lose players. Losing Harrison was a blow as he has been fantastic.

Always room for improvement- I'd like to see us being more aggressive when defending set pieces, going forward, happy, though sometimes support is a bit behind the play when counter attacking and it stalls in the final third.

Are we good enough for Top 5? I believe we are but would probably need 33 points out of our remaining 17 league games going off last 5 years 5th place points tallies.

[Suffolk Blue]

WYSIWYG - What you see is what you get.

Massive at the back and up front, smaller and more creative in midfield. Will play very direct football to exploit these strengths but will supplement this with a more attractive passing game as and when required. Detractors will generally rubbish the style of football and there are a few on this forum that would agree. However, the team is generally very solid and when motivated we are difficult to beat. Our two primary strikers have scored 30 goals between them but it is probably true to say that occasional shortcomings at either end of the pitch have meant that we have dropped points that we shouldn't have. Our quality of play tends to vary during a game. We play well for periods but are probably a 70% team and are vulnerable at other times when we switch off. We tend to remain more focussed against better teams that are considered a real threat and in those games where we've consistently performed over 90 minutes we've not been beaten. Lastly opposition fans have become increasingly vocal in their dislike of us and this is partly because they generally don't like playing us. Most would consider this a good thing. TV, which has traditionally avoided Barrow like the plague has even been "forced" to televise a couple of our games, both of which were against more "fashionable" sides and both of these sides were - not to put too fine a point on it - hammered.

So don't let anybody tell you things are not looking up. In past years the season would've been dead and buried by now and nobody would even be talking about us. But they are indeed doing so, if not universally positively. However there's no such thing in football as bad publicity (unless it involves tax evasion, drugs or the activities of 1970's academy football coaches).

[McMark]

I think Dave, Ian, Jonty and Suffolk Blue have it just about succinctly covered Shaun.

Not really into my poems but there's one by H W Longfellow about a girl with a curl. Well that's us at the minute, when we are good we are very, very good. I don't mean that in a Barcelona sort of way. But when we carry out a plan and it works we look unplayable.

Injuries and loss of key loan players have also played their part.

But when the plan does go awry or a few have an off day/night it's horrid. So it's about finding that middle ground in consistency turning them horrids into points when maybe we are not quite on our A game.

That is what could ultimately decide our fate!

Enjoyed every minute thus far. But I think we need to shape our future off the pitch far more moving forward for a lot of people to be convinced this is indeed something for them.

[Rob]

Only thing I'd add (having only seen a handful games as a fellow exile) is that we seem to very often play to the level of our opponents. Our 'direct' play doesn't trouble weaker teams as much as it might, but our strength and pace allows us to break down otherwise fluid and dominant teams.

[orpheus]

better than expected. No Hopers are the minority. We will do OK next time around. Get to the ground an SUPPORT instead of mouthing

[Hitthebar22]

I've seen every home game apart from one this season, and have been to three away games.
In my opinion it's a very simple style of football, but effective at this level if the players are committed and have the necessary attributes.
I think the players are committed, though recently have lost their way by being a bit tired. The consequence of having a small squad.
As a team generally they are strong, fit, physical and athletic. Against Lincoln at home they were excellent in that respect. The team spirit seems good.
The style of football in possession is obvious. In our own half the ball goes forward as quickly as possible, with a view to a knock on. Usually hoofed up. Every throw goes down the line to a big man (Harrison, Bennett or Hughes), with a view to a knock on. Every attacking throw goes into the opponent's box, with a view to a knock on. Every clearance from the goal keeper goes into the opposition half, with a view to a knock on.
The cry from the bench is consistently "second ball".
There is no organised football through midfield; the midfield players are bypassed.
Sometimes things happen by chance when the ball is on the floor, and on occasions we haven't looked too bad.
There is a massive reliance on dead balls.
In defence we are better. Well organised and a typical 2 banks of 4.
Recently we've been poor at defending from set pieces, but generally not bad.
It's a basic, simple style, but very effective when at it's best, but not attractive.

[Shaun]

Exactly what I was after folks, thank you all very much for taking the time. Only just quickly skim-read but will sit down later and really soak it all in properly. Cheers. Genuinely appreciated.

[Jo am back]

I'm out of town and so haven't seen one single live game this season. Can you guys please just give me the gist of the team, how we play, strengths/weaknesses, proper footy stuff? Many people on here know I'm asking a genuine football question. Please, summarise so far. Thank you. I would/will really appreciate it. (No smartarse one comment [SwearFilter] please)

Not being funny mate but why dont you follow games on radio cumbria live commentaries or read Barrow lads excellent report after each game.

[Steelworks End]

Also, do you subscribe (free) to Ralph's HSN? This gives reports on all Barrow's games including those from the opponent's perspective - which is often different from our viewpoint - plus Barrow Lad's excellent reports on home games.

[Richard Ingham]

He is (I think) in China at the minute, might not be so easy to listen to games with the time difference, other things going on etc.