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Tom Barkhuizen: Sprinter or Marathon Man

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Meldrew's Ghost

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There have been a lot of comments at times this season about TB looking worn out.

I wonder if this issue boils down to whether or not he is being used to maximise his strengths? To my mind TB is a sprinter, whose pace and particular strengths on the ball are best used sparingly and through the centre of the pitch.

This season we've been using him as a workhorse on the wing with responsibility to track his full-back into our half, and provide a different out-ball running beyond his man for pace. I just feel that we're trying to use Linford Christie to win the Olympic Gold in the marathon instead of the 100m. Woud he be better used as part of a two man strike force at home, and a second half sub away?
 
He's just played an awful lot of games, in such a high-intensity, pressing side which presses from the front, in his position.

Neil's pressing system requires a lot of running from the forwards. This means more rotation would've probably been beneficial, but not trusting the likes of Horgan, Harrop, Mavididi and Moult throughout the season has meant that the same group of forwards have pretty much been run into the ground.

Have to hope that next season we have squad players/rotation options who the manager is more willing to play.
 
I dont think he has fully recovered from whatever illness he had, has needed resting for ages but considered too important to be left out.
 
sedgwick__7 said:
He's just played an awful lot of games, in such a high-intensity, pressing side which presses from the front, in his position.

Neil's pressing system requires a lot of running from the forwards. This means more rotation would've probably been beneficial, but not trusting the likes of Horgan, Harrop, Mavididi and Moult throughout the season has meant that the same group of forwards have pretty much been run into the ground.

Have to hope that next season we have squad players/rotation options who the manager is more willing to play.
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Correct, people seem to forget that he was playing in League Two at the start of last season, this is probably the most intense season he's ever had.
 
sedgwick__7 said:
He's just played an awful lot of games, in such a high-intensity, pressing side which presses from the front, in his position.

Neil's pressing system requires a lot of running from the forwards. This means more rotation would've probably been beneficial, but not trusting the likes of Horgan, Harrop, Mavididi and Moult throughout the season has meant that the same group of forwards have pretty much been run into the ground.

Have to hope that next season we have squad players/rotation options who the manager is more willing to play.
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I had genuinely forgotten about Mavididi
 
diggerb said:
I dont think he has fully recovered from whatever illness he had, has needed resting for ages but considered too important to be left out.
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Absolutely agree, he played when ill and then came back early - but even then he was still one of our most important players.

The lad gives his all whenever he plays and that consequently leads to inevitable fatigue. After Saturday he was accused of being lazy, one of the more absurd accusations to be levelled at our players.
 
I think it shows how highly he is rated by the Club when he has been played consistently this Season when not fully fit.
If and when he gets back to full fitness after a rest period (or even additional surgery over pre Season) he will, I am sure, show just how good he can be.
He has admittedly struggled a little over recent Months but I think he has real class and class is permanent whereas form can be intermittent.
 
It’s not him being worn out that’s the issue, loads of times he’s gone past defenders on mazy runs that gets you out of your seat, and then he cocks it up with an over hit pass or heavy touch, it’s all about having the skill, maturity, class to finish of the chances, hopefully that part of his game will get better. Bollocks to being worn out.
Wish I had only 90 minutes of hard graft to do every week !
 
Farmboy said:
It’s not him being worn out that’s the issue, loads of times he’s gone past defenders on mazy runs that gets you out of your seat, and then he cocks it up with an over hit pass or heavy touch, it’s all about having the skill, maturity, class to finish of the chances, hopefully that part of his game will get better. Bollocks to being worn out.
Wish I had only 90 minutes of hard graft to do every week !
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lolz

I bet they wish thats all they had too.
 
Farmboy said:
It’s not him being worn out that’s the issue, loads of times he’s gone past defenders on mazy runs that gets you out of your seat, and then he cocks it up with an over hit pass or heavy touch, it’s all about having the skill, maturity, class to finish of the chances, hopefully that part of his game will get better. Bollocks to being worn out.
Wish I had only 90 minutes of hard graft to do every week !
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I take it you're a professional athlete?
 
SuffolknWhat said:
Surgery?
Do you know something we don't?
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I'd like to know more about that too.


sf said:
I take it you're a professional athlete?
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Farmboy's comment might, just might, have been slightly tongue in cheek :p

Actually, I might take it further - picking up on the good question asked by the OP... How about THIRTY minutes a week? (hence tripling his hourly wage-rate!)

I know he's working hard but I'd love it if AN sat Barks down and told him that for the next 8 games, he would not start, but the plan would be to bring him on after 60 minutes every match. Make it a real pre-planned strategy, and see how that worked for the team... then review where to go after that. Maybe the time to do that was this season, after his illness, but still would be worth trying, IMO.
 
Regardless said:
I'd like to know more about that too.




Farmboy's comment might, just might, have been slightly tongue in cheek :p

Actually, I might take it further - picking up on the good question asked by the OP... How about THIRTY minutes a week? (hence tripling his hourly wage-rate!)

I know he's working hard but I'd love it if AN sat Barks down and told him that for the next 8 games, he would not start, but the plan would be to bring him on after 60 minutes every match. Make it a real pre-planned strategy, and see how that worked for the team... then review where to go after that. Maybe the time to do that was this season, after his illness, but still would be worth trying, IMO.
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The bollocks to being worn out comment clearly wasn't tongue in cheek, he's talking shite.

Playing week in, week out in a high pressing system you've never experienced before will take its toll at a professional level.
 
sf said:
The bollocks to being worn out comment clearly wasn't tongue in cheek, he's talking shite.

Playing week in, week out in a high pressing system you've never experienced before will take its toll at a professional level.
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Absolutely. So why hasn't he been rotated more? Especially entering a crucial period of the season and over Easter with games coming thick and fast. Yet we still haven't seen anything of Horgan or Harrop wide.
 
Farmboy said:
It’s not him being worn out that’s the issue, loads of times he’s gone past defenders on mazy runs that gets you out of your seat, and then he cocks it up with an over hit pass or heavy touch, it’s all about having the skill, maturity, class to finish of the chances, hopefully that part of his game will get better.
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Im sorry but Im struggling to remember the loads of times he goes on mazy runs.

The guy averages just over 1 successful take on per game this season.
 
Tino said:
Absolutely. So why hasn't he been rotated more? Especially entering a crucial period of the season and over Easter with games coming thick and fast. Yet we still haven't seen anything of Horgan or Harrop wide.
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Who knows, Horgan is a bit shit so can forgive the manager on that one but everyone wants to see more of Harrop.

Tired or not though, Barkhuizen is one player who can carve open an opportunity through pure pace, for that reason alone i'm always more confident of a goal with him on the pitch. Maybe Neil feels the same.
 
Lee Trundle said:
Im sorry but Im struggling to remember the loads of times he goes on mazy runs.

The guy averages just over 1 successful take on per game this season.
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1.3 successful on average. The exact same as Ryan Sessegnon. Bobby Reid averages 1.4. Not sure stats are they way to judge this kind of ability. Personally I think he just doesn't suit the 4231 possession based setup. He was better in a counter attacking side under Grayson.

There's clearly talent there. But he doesn't look to have improved this season although his long term illness obviously affected his performances.
 
Lee Trundle said:
Im sorry but Im struggling to remember the loads of times he goes on mazy runs.

The guy averages just over 1 successful take on per game this season.
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https://www.whoscored.com/Players/105146/Show/Tom-Barkhuizen
Average 1.3 dribbles per game.

As for Farmboys comment on the "90 minutes hard graft per week" I'm pretty sure there must be a sports science student on here who can explain the cumulative effects of consecutive matches on fitness levels.
 
8 goals and 7 assists from out wide, better than Tom Lawrence at Derby who cost £8m.

No idea why he gets so much shit, although according to people on here our entire team is gash.
 
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