A battle Barnes wants to win

[Lloyd]

It is for the coach to know his strenght and play to it. If a t he long throw a do it then find somebody to do it, or cross the damn ball then.

It is not on Ricardo Fuller to be everything to his team, He is in form and scoring so the rest of his team need to realise his strenght.

Tell us what is Fuller's strength(s), please. This is not a criticism, I just need to hear your opinion.

[Lloyd]

When I use one dimentional it wasn't directly related to Fuller. As a coach if he is making the bad decision you say he is then you limit his decision making as simple as that, don't give him more. Leave him upfront one and one with defenders. How you mean "bread and butter" of teammates when he and Liam Lawerence bought them to the EPL and he is still the backbone of his team?

Without him some of them would be in League 2 by now. Explain the "Bread and butter" part for me.

I would like to hear some opinions on this:

How about Jamaica developing a 4-3-3 formation with three good strikers up front from (Fuller, king, Cummings, Beckford and Shelton.) Three good midfielders with at least one that can tackle, get the ball, then pass it for a scoring chance on a counter-offensive drive to the goal. Your comments please!

[Assasin]

I don't really like the 4-3-3 since midfield in our weakest point and one of the strikers would have to drop back deep and none of our strikers are like a Rooney for example who can pass the ball well or draw a 25 yards shot to score. This would put more pressure on our defense.

What I like about our current strikers is that all are a handfull. Fuller and King can cause problem and Shelton is all speed, and Cummings is no slough. If we start Shelton and King or Fuller many teams will have problem and if Shelton comes of the bench it could create a nightmare for opposing defense.

We have at least 3 midfielders who can pull a 35 yards shot fairly accurately, and Austin is excellent at that so it take some pressure off our strikers.

[Karl]

You guys really amaze me. Fuller can do no right in your eyes.

Nonsense!

The man is one of the top goals scorers in the EPL and you say his goals don't have quality. If you were paying attention you would have seen how unlucky he is. The woodwork has denied him about 7 goals so far this season from brilliant team build up and individual effort. When his "so-so" goals dry up his luck should have shifted with the woodwork. Currently, both Fuller and King are among the top rated strikers in EPL according to Opta and Sky sports. Not middle of the road, top rated. I don't think you get to that level without being good. Both King and Fuller play team ball, but Fuller is the more creative one; sometimes his creativity works and sometimes it doesn't. Many of you focus on the times when the creativity doesn't work and forget about the other moments of sheer brillance. As much as I love the way King plays he is not as creative as Fuller and will never have those moments of brilliance that just leaves you awestruck.

King not as creative as Fuller?
Nonsense!

Who by brain power makes his team and teammates 'mileeeeeeeeeeees' better?

I think you are mixing up 'popping ability' with being creative. Sure the level technical skills with which the player can 'turn' and or get by an opponent is important...but it is the manner of use of talents to best serve TEAM and thus self that determines who is creative and who is not.

In a real sense, once the 'popper' has 'turned' and or 'gotten by the opponent' what next? ...how is the use of the 'popping skill' used to advance TEAM goals..used to create ...for TEAM? Fuller at this stage of his development is more a 'popper' than a 'creator'! I for one having seen him at Tivoli expected 'tons' more from him at this stage. I honestly thought that with growing awareness and increased use of 'the thinking' needed he would have been one of the world's top players. Fact is, a player like Bibi as asset to TEAM is waaaaaaaaaay above Fuller. ..and as creator KING is mileeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees ahead!


Maradona and Pele are two creative players that immediately come to my mine...and in the present day Cesc Fabregas, *Wayne Rooney...just about every move they make allows you to see TEAM goals.

*Wayne Rooney too often makes bonehead moves. Usually engages in acts demanding caution or expulsion from refs...so although he is very creative there is that tremendous downside.

[TheDread]

Nonsense!



King not as creative as Fuller?
Nonsense!

Who by brain power makes his team and teammates 'mileeeeeeeeeeees' better?

I think you are mixing up 'popping ability' with being creative. Sure the level technical skills with which the player can 'turn' and or get by an opponent is important...but it is the manner of use of talents to best serve TEAM and thus self that determines who is creative and who is not.

In a real sense, once the 'popper' has 'turned' and or 'gotten by the opponent' what next? ...how is the use of the 'popping skill' used to advance TEAM goals..used to create ...for TEAM? Fuller at this stage of his development is more a 'popper' than a 'creator'! I for one having seen him at Tivoli expected 'tons' more from him at this stage. I honestly thought that with growing awareness and increased use of 'the thinking' needed he would have been one of the world's top players. Fact is, a player like Bibi as asset to TEAM is waaaaaaaaaay above Fuller. ..and as creator KING is mileeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees ahead!


Maradona and Pele are two creative players that immediately come to my mine...and in the present day Cesc Fabregas, *Wayne Rooney...just about every move they make allows you to see TEAM goals.

*Wayne Rooney too often makes bonehead moves. Usually engages in acts demanding caution or expulsion from refs...so although he is very creative there is that tremendous downside.

Karl you are entitled to your opinion no matter how wrong it may be. Yes, Fuller is not where he should be as a player. He should be talked about in the same breath as Ronaldos and Robnihos of the world but he got derailed by numerous injuries. His main fault is that he sometimes tries to do too much. Still, he is coming along. When I say creative I'm not talking about a bruky boo; I'm talking about geting goals or creating goals for your teammates under heavy pressure. Fuller is better than King at that. Bibi and Fuller play different roles for their team, still which one is a sure starter when fit? Answer me this, does Fuller make Stoke City a better team?

[Karl]

The Dread is are entitled to his own opinion no matter how wrong it may be.

So what does making such a statement say? ...exactly what you were saying when you inserted "Karl"?

Cho!

Yes, Fuller is not where he should be as a player. He should be talked about in the same breath as Ronaldos and Robnihos of the world but he got derailed by numerous injuries. His main fault is that he sometimes tries to do too much.

I would put that another way - He does not try to do enough sensible things. ...or put another way, he indulges himself in engaging in nonsense activities. Most often popping when there is the sensible passing option availible and therefore not unexpected loses the ball and puts his team at a disadvantage.

Still, he is coming along.

Happy for that...yet fustrated in that he is not much further along towards TOP OF THE WORLD!

When I say creative I'm not talking about a bruky boo; I'm talking about geting goals or creating goals for your teammates under heavy pressure. Fuller is better than King at that. Bibi and Fuller play different roles for their team, still which one is a sure starter when fit? Answer me this, does Fuller make Stoke City a better team?

It appears to me you still do not know what being creative means. You think it means brucking someone!

Kings is not flashy! King cannot 'bruk' (by choice...the thought process would not allow him to be so foolish)...or does...not 'bruk' as often as Fuller...he puts aside the bruking unless that bruking is necessary...but consistently creates opportunities for self, TEAMmates and TEAM! He creates scoring opportunites for self more often that Fuller does for himself. He creates more balanced - in correct shooting positions/opportune balanced scoring positions - comfortable scoring postions for himself than Fuller does for Fuller. Result higher %age scoring!

Certainly in any current run of matches he loses the ball less frequently than Fuller.

[Bricktop]

You must have noticed that I did not say the goal or his goals were buck-up?!

Right?

You said lucky how is that different than buck-ups?

[TheDread]

Kings is not flashy! King cannot 'bruk' (by choice...the thought process would not allow him to be so foolish)...or does...not 'bruk' as often as Fuller...he puts aside the bruking unless that bruking is necessary...but consistently creates opportunities for self, TEAMmates and TEAM! He creates scoring opportunites for self more often that Fuller does for himself. He creates more balanced - in correct shooting positions/opportune balanced scoring positions - comfortable scoring postions for himself than Fuller does for Fuller. Result higher %age scoring!

Certainly in any current run of matches he loses the ball less frequently than Fuller.

Karl King is a great player with creativity in his own right...don't get me wrong on that. I see Fuller with the edge in that department...you see it different. As far as higher percentage scoring Fuller and King are very close with Fuller having the edge in goals scored per shot taken (same season, same league). This season Fuller is scoring 1 goal per 5.2 shots, while King is scoring 1 goal per every 5.7 shots. Last time the both played in the championship together (07/08) Fuller scored a goal per 5.5 shots, while King scored a goal every 6.2 shots. The 05/06 season Fuller scored 1 goal per 5.5 shots and King 1 goal per 5.7 shots. Fuller has the higher scoring %...not King.....go and retool and come again.

[Karl]

You said lucky how is that different than buck-ups?

Lucky?
Where?!

[Bricktop]

Lucky?
Where?!

That type of luck has a way of disappearing.

[Karl]

Not the way he took his goals...the manner of the build-up to the goals. Not that he miskicked or mis-headed...