Barry Bannan prepared to wait for his first-team chance

[Shrek]

I thought he was disappointing last night for the Reserves. He made two delightful through balls for the forwards but overall his distribution was poor. Obviously the pitch didn't help. His close control and skill are outstanding, he can always get himself out of trouble and find space, maybe he was trying too hard.  I don't know what GH plans for him but I'd have liked to have seen him further up the pitch linking the play, rather than sitting so deep.

I still think he can make it, hopefully it will be in a more advanced role and hopefully between now and the end of the season he'll get the chance to shine.

Im sure i read he was the stand out player for us last night?!

[Clampy]

Seems like the lad has a good attitude which is great to hear. I think GH has done well in taking him and Albrighton out of the firing line, taking the pressure off and allowing the hype to die down.

I have to agree with this.  Bannan and Albrighton played a fair few games when they needed too earlier in the season, so leaving them out to give them a breather and have them wanting more won't harm them. Maybe it's time they both got a look in again now though.

[Ads]

He should be in with NRC and Bradley.

[PeterWithe]

I disagree with Mark, I thought he was magnificent for the stiffs last night, head and shoulders above anyone else on the field, if only metaphorically.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I disagree with Mark, I thought he was magnificent for the stiffs last night, head and shoulders above anyone else on the field, if only metaphorically.

Bloody hell PW, you must have missed his numerous hoofs up to the strikers, absolutely shocking from somebody so talented. It was a poor game with no real stand out player. Herd was probably the pick of the bunch. Young Barry did well tidying things up at the back and as already mentioned, played two great balls through (on the deck) to the strikers but he'd certainly lost his Sidness last night with the 40 yard attempts. More Sims than Sid.

[PeterWithe]

Well it was foggy.

Seriously though he was the best player on the park by a country mile, he did go a bit long to Fonz on occasions with variable degrees of success but there wasn't a great deal of alternative options for him. Overall I thought his ball retention was very impressive and his defensive work a lot better than the far more imposing Gardner.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Agree about his ball retention, superb. I was just hoping he'd actually do something with the ball once he had it. Still, it was a tough night for playing football, especially on that pitch. Gardner disappeared in the fog of central midfield. Like you I was really looking forward to seeing him play, so still don't know much about him other than he's a big, strong lad.

[Monty]

I would like to see him played a bit more, but if GH thinks he'd benefit more from training and not picking up bad habits during games then fine, I'll trust his judgement. I still think he's our most gifted youngster, and could be the one to build a midfield around in future.

[PeterWithe]

Apparently, Sid rates him as the best player on our books. Praise indeed.

[Pete3206]

Credit to him for fighting for a place. He's a good player and we need good players right now.

[Chris Smith]

Apparently, Sid rates him as the best player on our books. Praise indeed.

Sid rates Stephen Cook as one of the best he's ever worked with. What happened to him should be enough to show that young players need careful handling and that having the talent is only part of what is required to make it.

[PeterWithe]

Indeed, wise words. I reminded the fella who told me that he'd told me much the same about Cooke. Sid is always going to fancy the ball playing type.

[dave.woodhall]

Ominously, Cooke was too small. Then again, that shouldn't have prevented such a good player from finding a level somewhere he could succeed at. There must have been something else wrong with him.

[PeterWithe]

I don't see the fella much these days but he always passed on the yth team gossip about who was a big time charlie, he always said the coaches thought that Cooke had everything, including the right attitude. I dunno.

[Monty]

He's proven himself capable at higher levels than Cooke did, if fleetingly: Man Utd, first half against Fulham away, Blackburn in the Cup especially. It's obviously not quite enough yet, but it's a platform to build on which Cooke never managed.