Why take him off, was our biggest threat when he had the ball,.

Barker should have come off instead

Agreed

Although Barker barely missed a header all game

Cowboy are you joking or being serious, he didnt win nowt

Must off been watching a different game

i must off had me head turned round when this as going on

Thank you MJ - at least WE (& I believe Mr ECG) were all watching the same game

Shame he didn't do a great deal with the ball when he won it though

that is one of our major problems trev
we persist in playing him to knock balls down that no one can pick up
all very well shielding it but if there is no end product then it is a waste of time
we need a striker who can do both and sadly barker is not that striker

Barker won a few headers but certainly not all of them. He also managed to miss yet another sitter (header from 4 yards which did not even go on target). Useless get

Foley is not good enough (he should have scored too, but he like Sweeney, cannot control a football) but I agree that he was more of a threat than Barker.

With Barker up front we are a poor team. End of.

Well done to Richie Humphries tho, I thought he was brilliant. Nice to see that he puts in 100% unless half of the other spineless money grabbing c****.

agree on chambers seemed to run at ease against us melligan the number seven diver could be a good player if he played football and not the officials all the time and gave up diving

I was surprised Mackay didn't start ahead of Foley, he did more in his time on the pitch then Foley did. His pace when he came on scared their defence shitless

better than the six millon dollar man ?

dont be silly ian

no i am serious

look, i dont believe you now pack it in

That was kind of the point I was trying to make Ian - maybe should have been clearer

Agree with Mad John about Moore - I thought he had a good game

Humpries was good but shouldnt have been motm, nelson was outstanding today.

Foley was the only one who looked like doing anything

Are you foley in disguise

I'm sorry I know he has his limitations but to say he was 'embarrassing' is completely OTT. He did superbly well late one to play a one two with Humphreys (when Ritchie really should have hit the target at least) while the defender was to either rip the shirt off his back or shag him or maybe both! That moment could have won us the game.

Forget about it though and continue the vendetta

you hit on a point there, which I have discussed at length with one or two people recently - namely Mr I, Mutley and 3 Quid.
It seems there are too many players in a team like ours, who are happy to put the maximum effort in when there is little or no motivation required - i.e. against a big club like Leeds, or against Darlo, Carlisle etc where there is regional pride at stake.
When we play Orient, or away to Yeovil or Swindon, or Gillingham etc - it's not a big deal to the players so the maximum effort is not there either. That is a damning indictment on them and the manager - certain ruthless managers do not allow standards of effort and determination to fall, at any time,or against any team, or else the guilty players are out of the team.
We know which managers we are talking about - Cyril Knowles, Martin Allen, you would now have to say Dennis Wise, Paul Ince etc and there have been many more examples in lower league footy.
That is the key to a successful team at league one and league two level in my opinion.
The players have no ambitions of going higher in most cases - can anyone truly say many of our lot (except Brown) are going on to bigger and better things in football? Therefore they are subconsciously in a comfort zone - well f**k that, they should be taken out of it and made to work harder for their pay packet - to liken it to my own situation I'm not going to be a plant manager at Avecia, but I know I have to put the graft in or else I'll be disciplined!!!!!

I only got into the ground for the last 10 minutes yesterday, picking the lads up, and performing my taxi duties. The limited information I had picked up, from a call home and from Radio Borer, told me the starting 11, and I quickly worked out that we had brought on Gibb for Nolan, and Mackey for Foley, but there was another nagging question. I kept looking around the pitch but couldn't work it out. So as we walked out I asked 'Who came on for Barker?', I was amazed at the answer that he was still on the pitch, I can't say I saw him, where was he?

It's a different world now, Sir Cyril would have physically punched them into next week

I've heard tales of players running and hiding from the great man, it doesnt happen now, they would be onto that odious little slug Gordon Taylor at the drop of a hat.

That bit where Barker trapped the ball and laid it on a plate for Humphreys should have resulted in a goal. Awful shot from richie as it went about 10 yards wide.

if i was a cynic i would say it was the way the ball was laid off after some superb work from richie to get to that position excellent run from wide left
but i am no cynic

'laying a ball off' is hardly worthy of a starting place. Dont you see how ridiculous that sounds! Saying a striker is decent because he 'laid the ball off well'. It is clutching at straws of the highest order. Most clubs would praise a striker because he does a decent mazy run in a game, scores a few goals (other than penalties), assists a few goals. We praise Barker because he laid the ball off to Ritchie (essentially a 2 yard pass).

How excellent, thank god we have him in the team. That lay-off made the game for the supporters im sure. Barker also managed to miss an easy header in the first half from 4 yards when it was easier to score (as he does most games).

Like ADG says, he is not big enough to be a target man and his lack of pace is comical at this level. Joel Porter can play the target man role and at least he is a good footballer with a bit of pace.

We all know that Pools look a decent side when we keep the ball on the deck. As soon as we start playing the long ball game (which has been all too frequent this season) we look a poor side incapable of scoring many goals. Playing Barker simply encourages the high ball game and prevents us playing the ball on the deck so effectively as he is so immobile.

Who said we 'ilke him so much' all the points you make are entirely valid. What I don't agree with is calling one of our own players who is a 100% good pro an embarrasment. He has obvious limitations at this level but but our wide men didn't supply him with any chances (we didn't play with wingers for the first half hour when Wilson changed the system every five minutes.) He spent the game with his back to goal he won most of his headers and held the ball up. He was ineffective as an attacking force but I fail to see how his performance was 'an embarrasment' thats all.

grave, you are putting words in peoples mouths. When did I say that made him worthy of a place

The fact is with Porter and Brown out injured we were pretty much down to the bare bones forward wise, Wilson knows that read the Echo this morning it's fairly obvious he's after a forward.

I like Barker,because of his work ethic and commitment, but he looks knackered and has lost some pace even since the start of the season.maybe he's lacking confidence or maybe he's just not good enough I don't know but as pointed out already in this thread when he's in the team we are predictable. I think DW seems to set out not to lose rather than thinking how we can win and that might keep us in the division but it ain't too exciting to watch.
we have to change things round but personally I don't think we have the players at the club to get us anywhere near the play offs.

But PJ the way you go on sort of backs people into a corner. No one wants to slag off Richie Barker, he is a top pro and he gives his all and he has had a very good year at Pools. however in order for Pools to be challenging near the top of league one Richie probably isn't effective enough consistantly although he is not old - time isn't exctly on his side. He is not the only player in the squad/who isn't good enough either.

On Wison, he is getting a bit of grief because he has made a lot of daft decisions this season.

I've read it all now Jonny 'the way I go on' backs people into a corner and makes them spout shite I suppose it's me that makes you slag off Sweeney and Gibb at every given opportunity as well

My only objection is to OTT criticism of some players, I don't think a player who has scored 20 goals in calender year for the club should labeled an embarrassment, I don't think thats fair so I'm expressing my opinion.

You back every decision that DW makes without question. There is just a difference between a player that can do a job (which Richie can) and a one which will excel. You make people go over the top and over criticise because it's the only way to get their point across?

As for Sweeney i know for a fact he is leaving in the summer and hopefully Gibb will go as well if not sooner. We need better players than them to be pushing for promotion.

And finally - for Pools to challenge for the top 6 could you clarify whether you think Sweeney, Barker and Gibb should be starting most games....?

i'm with pj on this. several of our players have their limitations, and god knows i've had enough rows with people on messageboards defending these players. they are however, OUR players, and as such deserve a little bit more respect than many of them get off people whose lifetime contribution to football is WATCHING.

Sweeney did in 2004/2005 and scored 15 goals to boot granted he's never kicked on from that season in fact you could argue he's gone backwards. On Saturday he looked someone extremely short of first team football mainly highlighted by his heavy touch when he went clean through .

What you said about Wilson is just complete and utter tosh another one of the throwaway comments which help your posts lose credibility . I was baffled by the tactics in the first half an hour on Saturday we were playing without any width and Moore changed positions about three times I've said that on here since.

But those other players weren't available on Saturday, our best performance of the season at home was Tranmere when Moore played up front with Porter since then we haven't been able to use that combination due to Joels gammy knee. The only options to play with Moore seen as Browny had the flu were Foley (0 league goals to his name) a very raw Mackay or Barker. Given that choice I don't blame Wilson for picking Barker, if Porter hadn't got injured he wouldn't be starting.

Hopefully we can strengthen in January, I wouldn't be amazed if Barker actually moved back down a league and someone else came in. That's the thing with this transfer window between September 1st and December 31st you haven't got much scope for change, and it can be especially tricky if you suffer half a dozen injuries like we have. Danny Wilson isn't daft I'm sure he can see where the problems lie.

[/size]

no, but you weren't calling Barker's performance embarrassing.

AND STOP SHOUTING. IT MAKES YOUR CHINS WOBBLE

Oh stop talking sense man, we'll be having a reasonable measured debate next and it'll all be your fault!!