FL2: Barnet v Torquay 12 Feb 2011

Can't believe there would be any comments even questioning Nicholson's position in the team. He has been absolute class defensively and attacking since regaining his place last season. His left foot and throw ins, assist wise, are worth it's weight in gold to the team.

Maybe we didn’t Rob, but are you trying to suggest that was the case because of Rowe-Turner’s introduction to the team? If so then can you explain to me why he ended up being dropped from the team and Phil’s favourite player “MO” was brought into take his place at left back.

I have not gone back and read the match day threads to try and find any answers as to why we did indeed not lose any of those six matches, but my own view is it was not down to Rowe-Turner starting in any of them.

What I do know is my own first impressions of him based on how we played in his first few games for us. To me he looked like he was overwhelmed being out on the pitch and after playing the ball stood near the halfway line not knowing what he should be doing next. I’m not trying to be unkind to Rowe-Turner here, that’s how it looked to me.

I did feel he showed signs of real improvement the more games he did play and made some very important tackles in a number of matches. He did not adear himself to me to much I’m afraid, when due to his own frustration he took out a speedy winger in one game who was making him look very poor. I know jmgull took a different view on that particular challenge than I did but I still feel it’s not what I want to see TUFC players having to resort too.

I do feel we were all to quick to judge him on his first few games, but you do have to take into consideration our league position and the players Bucks had just moved on from the club. I had felt up until the time Nico was dropped, he was having a reasonably good season. But Paul Buckle decided the answer was to have a young speedy left back and as we know he brought in young Smith on loan to play there.

I don’t think fans made any fuss about Nico being dropped at the time, Smith sure looked a very good and exciting player to watch especially when we was going forward. But for whatever reasons he soon found himself out of the starting eleven and as a result ended up going back to his own club before his loan ended (is that correct, or have I got that wrong?) Nico was still being overlooked at this time and not being considered to take the left spot back.

We all know the impact MO made on the side and that he clearly was not fit enough or able to offer hardly anything to the side. Why was Rowe-Turner not then given the left back spot back again when it was clear MO was not the answer? Yes Nico came on in one game as a sub and gave a top class performance that made Paul Buckle realize he had the answer already at the club.

I think Nico with the ball at his feet is one of the most naturally talented players we have at the club, yes he lacks pace but it’s a joy to watch him facing an opponent and using such skill to beat his man, or make the space to make a telling pass.

I would love to see him still here next season, but as we know six months can be a long time in football. Much could depend on how well Rowe-Turner comes on during the rest of the season remaining. Paul Buckle might just end up feeling the time is right for Rowe-Turner to take over the left back spot next season. We all know Bucks is not afraid to make changes in his squad and move players on if he feels that’s the best way forward for the team.

So to conclude, I still feel Bucks did Rowe-Turner no favours putting in into our squad when he was not really ready to do so under the circumstance surrounding our league position at the time. He has done the right thing by bringing him on by playing him in reserve games etc until he got to the point he was ready to start in our first team again.

Sadly we can all form the wrong impressions of any player by our own first impressions that we do form, in saying that look what fans are saying about Jake Robinson after seeing him for the first time. I for one hope I got it all wrong where Rowe-Turner is concerned as it’s never a case of wanting to be proved I was right and more about Bucks ability to spot good young talent that can be brought on at our club.

nice photos from a mobile phone,the restricted viewing ie pillars etc,just shows how lucky away fans are when they come to plainmoor,our away end terracing is as good as any for visiting fans.Most clubs like barnet dump the away fans in the worst viewing area in the ground,i still think we should have both ends behind the goals as home territory,not everyone will agree,but it gees the team up seeing home fans behing the net,so why not both ends? popsiders will almost certainly not agree with my opinion,but for me,the logistics of our support in the ground is very important

So good points there Dave, much of which I agree with! Just to clarify, I don't think the introduction of LRT changed the fortunes of the team as I think that plaudit must go Guy Branston but the point I was making is that his introduction, at a very difficult time did not have a detrimental impact on the overall team effort. Ironically, after two and a half seasons of being a constant fixture in the side I think dropping Nicholson led to him coming back rejuvenated after his break.

I am a big Nico fan but I think some healthy competition at left back for both this and next season is a very good thing for our team.

Actually Aussie, I think it was I who started all this 4-1-2-2-1 nonsense on the Stockport thread:



I very much stick by that description of the Stockport formation. Andy C knows what he is talking about, so if he says that was how we played at Barnet I would believe him.

I used to like referring to the old formation as 4-2-3-1 when some were calling it 4-5-1.

Of course all of these lists of numbers are just a short-hand way of trying to get over where players played - it is never perfect. Splitting the numbers into more than three lines allows you to give a slightly more accurate but still imperfect description.

O'Kane and Stanley clearly played further up than Oastler, Zebroski and Robinson clearly played further up than O'Kane and Stanley. Kee clearly played further up than Zebroski and Robinson.

I like the system because it is flexible and helps to get players to where you need them. If you are on the front foot it can be an attacking 4-3-3 or even 4-2-4, if you are on the back foot it can easily become 4-5-1.

Or we could just call it El Tel's Christmas Tree!

Because here on the TFF we keep all our matchday threads on one board and in the order the games were played and then move them to a new board when the season is over, I was able to go and check out last seasons match threads with ease.

You are indeed correct about the fact that Mo played in the squad before LRT. I'm going to have to go to the doctor one day soon I feel for that memory test I promised myself.