Barrow v Cambridge match thread

[Scott]

Rutherford just hasn't progressed in the time he's been here, and this season whether injured or not he's actually gone backwards.
Doesn't score enough goals, doesn't get enough crosses in and I'm not sure what instructions he is being given but he doesn't seem to know where he's playing.
Yesterday his reluctance to take the ball forward nearly cost us on a couple of occasions when instead he went for a sideways or backwards pass putting Gavin Skelton and Andy Ferrell under pressure. Compare him to someone like Jack Mackreth who still has plenty of room fr improvement but who is willing and able to run at defenders, can get past them and can deliver a decent cross.
One of our priorities for next season must be an out and out winger and much as Rutherford may be popular for his effort, I don't think he's ever going to cut it at this level. You could take a fan off the terraces and they would show the same effort but if you haven't got a footballing brain and some ability, no amount of effort can make up for it.

[Jonty]

Watch wide players at the highest level, they rarely take the ball into the corner or even beyond the 18 yard line, knowing that this is easier to defend against. They cut inside, whipping it in from the just outside the corner of the box at pace- Boyes and Cook would thrive on this sort of service.

I am convinced we would be a far better team- with this squad, just with Rutherford and Mackreth being more direct in the final third and with an attacking midfielder playing right behind the front two.

[spirit of 1990]

I have a feeling that DB is a bit peed off with him. I wonder if it's because he already has a contract for next season that he is not feeling the need to put the effort in.

Eh?

Bayliss praised him on Monday for trying to play whilst clearly not fit and he obviously wasn't fit yesterday but still turned out. I don't think Boyesy's effort can be questioned.

Boyes looked well off the pace yesterday but Still looked like he was trying even with an injury that at nearly any other time of the season would of ruled him or nearly any other player out.
If DB was annoyed with him I can only think it would be for the lack of goals over the second half of the season.....not for the effort he put in yesterday.

[Steelworks End]

If we are to avoid any repeat of this season then I think that players need some incentive once that 50-point mark is reached,financial or otherwise (yes they are professional and shouldn't do but they are also human).

When we reached the 50+ points mark this season (say, after the match at Kidderminster), a place in the play-offs was within reach and could easily have been achieved, as we did in the BSN, with a good run of results. As professionals, what more "otherwise" incentive do the players need? Instead of pushing for a place in the play-offs - and maybe more - we seemed to be content that safety had been achieved and declared our innings closed.

A financial incentive could be more problematical - where would the money come from unless gates showed a marked increase?

[xerxes]

I don't think yesterday was as bad as people are making out. Admittedly the two first half goals conceded were very sloppy, with our defenders missing several chances to clear, particularly the second goal. But I felt we were the better team in the first half and didn't deserve to be behind.

The second half was worse, plenty of possession but the ball was too often played sideways or backwards.

I thought Ferrell had one of his better games, and showed plenty of commitment - hope he does this more often in future.

Attendance was our lowest in the league this season - by coincidence our lowest ever Football League crowd was also against Cambridge in the 71-72 season.

[Lancaster Branch]

I thought Ferrell had one of his better games, and showed plenty of commitment - hope he does this more often in future

He started well but faded away, like the rest of them.

As for 'the future' I'll be astounded if he's with us next season.

[Hadrian]

Agree with Xerxes, Lancaster Branch and Reg.

Rutherford was clearly giving his all yesterday and was frustrated with others who didn't or couldn't. The only player to have a go at the Cambridge defence in the second half rahter than pushing sideways.

Good to see Moyo on - needs more experience at this level but has clearly gained physical strength during the course of the season while on loan. Am I right tinking he has a year to run on his contract?

[John Very Little]

I thought the player already had an incentive to do well in games.
Don't they get paid peanuts, but a bonus if they win or draw?

No TK has mentioned they get a weekly wage for 39/40 weeks a year and that's it?
It would be impossible to calculate the budget if we'd had to pay a win bonus and would have cost us a fortune this season with the team having won 16 games which is probably more than would have been expected and we still have 2 games to play against an already relegated Kettering and Newport who will probably be safe when they come here for the last game.

On the point about Rutherford I agree in that he tries hard but has very little end product.
Feel sorry for Boyes battling on whilst not fully fit and the lack of support he got, was unfair for DB to criticise him. There's an argument to say those who already have contracts wouldn't have anything to play for but this isn't the case with Boyes. Some others who may have been offered contracts may be taking it easy knowing that they can always sign it anyway and consider other options but those players may get a shock to find that they aren't in as much demand as they think they are?

[Jim]

Feel sorry for Boyes battling on whilst not fully fit and the lack of support he got, was unfair for DB to criticise him.

Just to set the record straight, my comment was based on an interview with a very disappointed DB after Saturday's game.
He did not criticise Boyes explicitly, I can't remember his exact words but i just got the impression that he wasn't too happy with him.

We need to see an injury-free and suspension-free Boyes have a run of games to see if he can regain his goalscoring knack.

[Matty]

Get a good pre-season behind him and he'll be fresh for next season.

[Footyfan]

Not quite sure what you all expected, from the last 10 games Barrow have played teams which were in a higher league possition than themselves, with the exception of Bath it was always going to be a difficult run in. Alright they have beaten Wrexham - Fleetwood when they had a full compliment of players, currently missing from action Hulbert, Suspended Bolly & Cook, Pearson, Pearson Gloves, walking wounded on Saturday, Boyes ankle, Rutherford - Thigh, Mackreth - Toe , Ferrell & Baker- Belly !
Baylis was forced into changing a succesful, sorry "the most succesful" Barrow line up due to injury or suspension and it just has nt worked, Cook whilst he has the strength to bash his way through a defence,and does a fantastic job along side Boyes, he does not have the hold up skills or distribution skills of Boyes or Jackson or Almond even, So as the lone striker that resulted in the wingers getting the ball deeper on the field rather than behind the defence, Baker or Owen are not creative midfielders, Owen did a great job early in the season breaking up the play, Ferrel has lost the plot. Our defence after a shaky period with the introduction of Hone looked well, but then we lost our keeper, back to the drawing board !
I have said it before give the players a break, they entertained well in the early part of the season, many are now being asked to play either out of possition or carrying an injury- shocked to see an earlier thread saying get somebody out of the crowd to play instead of Rutherford, suggest you underestimate the level these players play at mate !
Barrow have seen some fantastic games with Boyes at one time leading scorer in the league, representing England, Cook now up there in the scoring league, Owen and Mackreth also represented there Country whilst playing for Barrow, the latter being the youngest and probually one of the most exciting performers this year. At the start of the year would you have taken 56 points or did you expect a relagation fight ?
Well done Baylis and the lads in my book.

[ZiggerZag]

Feel sorry for Boyes battling on whilst not fully fit and the lack of support he got, was unfair for DB to criticise him.

Just to set the record straight, my comment was based on an interview with a very disappointed DB after Saturday's game.
He did not criticise Boyes explicitly, I can't remember his exact words but i just got the impression that he wasn't too happy with him.

We need to see an injury-free and suspension-free Boyes have a run of games to see if he can regain his goalscoring knack.

Interesting interview with Bayles post Cambridge:

http://www.thebay.co.uk/goto.php?sess=+ ... 8&id=29443

[Jonty]

Good interview. Think it's game over at Barrow for a number of them. I also think Rutherford splits opinion.

I would like to see some powerful players in next season. Players that can impose themselves on a game physically. We need to beef up. Must be one of the smallest teams (physically) in the league.

[Jim]

I would like to see some powerful players in next season. Players that can impose themselves on a game physically. We need to beef up.

Lardarse McNulty may become available (though he probably won't want to meet Cook again)

[Jonty]

Lardarse McNulty has just picked up a championship winners medal. He would more than fit the bill, but alas, we couldn't afford him. A new McNulty type player is required.