Robson won't use the youngsters ....... WHY?

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You can bet your bottom dollar that even after a poor performance, the usual players will, barring injury be playing against Leicester on Wednesday night.

What kind of message does this send out to the younger players?

What must the likes of Griffin,Caldwell, Bernard and Gavilan do to get a game? Will they want to be a club like ours next season , when they could be given the chance at other clubs?

I'm not saying that you should make wholesale changes everytime you get beat, but one or two who have performed badly should be replaced.

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

Answers

Rik, there's an interesting bit in YBR's autobiography when he talks of a game he managed for England when almost everyone was injured and he had to play the bairns and they got stuffed. He admits that he has been cautious about the youngsters ever since. I'm not excusing him, BTW. I'm just amazed that Andy Griffin signed a new contract in the summer: he must have known his chances would be limited. Equally, it's no surprise that Steve Caldwell is talking about leaving, particularly since we have bought TWO new players for his position without giving him an extended chance.

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

Apparently, Griffin was left out completely on Sunday cos Bobby 'wanted to share the load'. He intended to play Griffin on Wednesday regardless, but he has to play him now anyway, cos Barton's done his back and hip or summat.

That should quell any fears Griffin has about his long term future. Why didn't Bobby leave Barton out completely and play Griffin, to share the load ?

Although if the rest had still played the same, Griffin is probably now thanking his lucky stars he was left out.

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001


Exactly as I was trying to say on the other thread in my usual roundabout way. ;-)

Would it really have made any difference if Barton sat out yesterday instead of Weds? Reward Griffin, give Barton's injury a chance to heal properly.

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001


I think Barton was injured in the first half, not before the game Ciara.

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

This rotation idea is nonsense if everyone is fit.

If Barton and Griffin are both fit then Griffin plays, no question, no brainer. The only excuse for Barton being picked is if Griffin and Hughes are unable to walk, and even then Caldwell looked okay last year when he was forced into the position, and even O'Brien looked more like a right back than Barton yesterday.

If Griffin was being saved for Wednesday then what of Lee, someone we all know can't play games four days apart. Pah.

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001



At the risk of incuring the wrath of Softie for the rest of my life. I'd like to make it known that for the first time ever , I'm pleased that one of our players has picked up an injury.

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

Barton was injured before the game also, wasnt he? Extremly stupid to send out an injured player like Robson did with Barton. Why do a thing like that?

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

Sudden - I don't think WB was injured against ManUre. He came on as sub for Lee who was.

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

Wasn't Barton coming off a thigh injury, which is why he was on the subs bench against Manure?

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

I assumed Barton didn't play because Uncle Bobby often throws Griffin in to play against sides with out and out wingers as he's a terrifc man marker. He always seems to do well against the likes of Giggs, Ginola etc.

Like most people I've got a huge amount of respect for Warren Barton and I think it's worth saying that if half of the players we've had at the club over the last few years had showed his heart and committment we'd have done a whole lot better over the last few years.

Unfortunately it's also fair to say that if half the players at the club had Warren's talent we'd be in a whole lot of trouble. I accept that for Di Canio's goal on Sunday he probably was hampered by his injury - surely it's the only possible explanation for the way he invited him to score - but his general positional play is and always has been inadequate. Usually when he is perceived as having had a good game it's because he has been popping up in other positions rather than doing his own job well. Classic example is the Chelsea game - despite having been given the absolute run-around by Zenden for an hour he was presented with the MOTM award, presumably on the back of a couple of decent passes and runs forward. Following the Mackems away game (I think) last season an Ipswich supporting friend told me what a good game he thought Barton had played, remarking that he had previously thought Barton was a right back. He was somewhat bemused to say the least when I told him that Warren was supposed to have been playing right back but had simply drifted for the entire game.

Committment isn't enough. Give me a game and I'll give you all the committment in the world & run my socks off. You wouldn't even have to pay me, I'd do it for free. Unfortunately, as those of you who have seen me play will confirm, I'm just no good enough and never have been. Sell the lad (if we can find anyone to take him) so that we can give him a nice warm round of applause on his return to SJP, safe in the knowledge that he won't be costing us another goal.

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001



Well summed up "dodgy".

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001

Good summation ADK.

I'm sure your correct that Bobby played WB because WHU don't have a recognised left winger, and he felt WB would use the ball better than Griffin going forward and supporting Solano.

As it turned out Barton had a very poor game, and it now looks a bad decision. However, it's unlikely we would have won even with Griffin in the side, and at least Griffin will now play on Wednesday - unless BR decides to go 3-5-2 and use Solano as RWB!

Let's also remember that although Griffin played well against Man U, he was very ordinary against Brentford, when he looked dead on his feet after an hour. So, it is to a degree understandable that BR would give him a break with WB available for selection - and hindsight is wonderful.

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001


I'd look dead on my feet after my first 60 mins on the park in how long?

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001

Hey Dodgy, I wasn`t your Ipswich-supporting mate was I ? Sounds like how I would`ve described Barton after last season`s mackems game...

PS. don`t undersell yourself marra, you`re a fine footballer - as long as the ball`s delivered to your feet that is ;O))

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001


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