Fear not...

[onceknownasrab]

... it is really of no importance as to whether Barnard stays or goes. There has to be more than one pony in the coal miners parade. If he stays, thats great, but he will not outscore the majority of attacks we play against because we are defensively suspect to say the least. Unless the team is strengthened then I can only see the remainder of the season being a nail-biting time for the most ardent of shrimper fans.
If he goes it may help secure a slice of longevity for our ailing Blues or miracle upon miracle the money may find itself in our managers transfer budget. Either way is a bonus.
Barnard would be a fool to turn down the clubs allegedly trying to sign him. He is hot property now but that can change dramatically with a poor season finish in a relegation haunted team or worse an overzealous defender putting the boot in and wrecking his recent fitness revival.
Our club have suggested that they have offered him a better deal than he is currently on but if he has ambition he has to know the club matches that, in his lifetime. If we were to go out and sign several players of quality it may make him think long and hard but that is a scenario we are unlikely to see.
As to who plays up front, well, unless the defence is sorted you can have Eastwood and Hooper, but we will still lose too much. Maybe 3-2 as opposed to 3-0, but a defeat none the less.

 

[Davro]

or miracle upon miracle the money may find itself in our managers transfer budget.

Unlikely.

And, without Barnard, we will have a lackluster strike force. With Barnard we DO win, but without him, i can see us going the rest of the season with numerous losses and lots of draws.

 

[onceknownasrab]

... because we are defensively suspect to say the least.

Saturdays game serves to underpin my recent comment. We had a back four comprising of a rookey LB, a less than proven RB, a RB/RM playing centreback and AB. Unfortunately AB, for me, has played his best games at LB and I will never be convinced of his credentials to play CB. So all in all it is of little surprise that we conceded, again. Its also of little surprise the the rest of the team have little or no confidence when we are back-pedalling.

If the defensive problem was not enough then Tilly came along and put out a 4-5-1 at home so instead of taking the game to the opposition and hopefully scoring a couple, we encouraged the ball to come back at us at every opportubity. Brilliant!