Just back

Quoted from Rodley Mariner

Efete is frustrating. That ball in the second half was crappy considering the time he had. He was still our best attacking outlet in the first half albeit with little competition. He gets up and down in a way Cropper and Amos can't and without traditional wingers it's vital to provide some width. Glennon coming on meant we had a threat down both sides and I thought that was a massive part of us getting back into it as well as us being a lot more positive and looking to get the ball forward quicker.

I’m not saying Efete isn’t better at getting up and down but I watched Cropper get up and down the pitch perfectly well on Saturday in a MOTM performance against the league leaders. Those throws offer something that no other RB in the league (and I’d argue the country) can offer as well.

Efete’s performances have raised enough questions this season for it not to be a cut & dry decision IMO, although I think Hurst has already made that decision.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

Re Cropper, you can`t put him the team regularly because he has a long throw. We need much more from him than that and, on balance, Efete offers much more than Cropper.

That throw is the reason you’re posting on a just back thread after a League 2 game v Mansfield and not a non league one against Maidstone.

Quoted from pontoonlew

That throw is the reason you’re posting on a just back thread after a League 2 game v Mansfield and not a non league one against Maidstone.

Oh come on! That's way too simplistic. Last season was 50+ games with all sorts of twists and turns - if a single incident was the reason this is a League 2 board you could say the same of McAtee's equalizer, Mani's goal at Notts Cty, Taylor's goal at Wrexham or the Stockport lad getting sent off in the BP game and on and on....

Of course his throw led to that goal but it took a season of hard graft to get to that point.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

Oh come on! That's way too simplistic. Last season was 50+ games with all sorts of twists and turns - if a single incident was the reason this is a League 2 board you could say the same of McAtee's equalizer, Mani's goal at Notts Cty, Taylor's goal at Wrexham or the Stockport lad getting sent off in the BP game and on and on....

Of course his throw led to that goal but it took a season of hard graft to get to that point.

The throw won us Wrexham and Solihull games, and created no end of other chances in the games. It also helped us get up the pitch on multiple occasions from otherwise difficult areas.

I bang on about it a lot I know but I really feel strongly about the fact the throw is worth it’s weight in gold to us, both defensively & going forward.

Quoted from Poojah

Barnet fans are speaking very highly of him. Keep in mind he’s 22 years old; let’s not write him off too quickly…

https://www.onlybarnet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16859

What would they know, they are not professional football managers.😉

Quoted from pontoonlew

The throw won us Wrexham and Solihull games, and created no end of other chances in the games. It also helped us get up the pitch on multiple occasions from otherwise difficult areas.

I bang on about it a lot I know but I really feel strongly about the fact the throw is worth it’s weight in gold to us, both defensively & going forward.

I'm with you on this.

I made the observation on another thread recently that, for a 22-year-old who played just 10 games for us (and isn't rated by many
Fishy experts) he made a very significant contribution to our escape from National League Hell.

He hasn't impressed Hurst as a right-back, it would appear, but maybe that's not his best position anyway - he started life as a striker.

I'm not suggesting he's our No.9-in-waiting (even if he's a fox-in-the-box he can't be in two places at once!), but as a replacement for
Green after 70 minutes, perhaps?

Green gets an early respite from his physically demanding role, and Cropper just has to stay on his feet and shield the back line.
(The opposition midfield will have a sufficient number of bruises already courtesy of KG.)

And we get the benefit of his long throws: from near our corner flag he can reach the opponent's half, and from the opponent's half
he can bomb their penalty area.

We have had trouble breaking down sides at BP, and he represents a pretty simple method for applying pressure.
Particularly so, now that Hurst has declared an interest in signing taller players for next season.

I'd keep him.


Edit: And he's at an age where he can improve. Just read the Barnet fans' views - check them out.

Quoted from pontoonlew

The throw won us Wrexham and Solihull games, and created no end of other chances in the games. It also helped us get up the pitch on multiple occasions from otherwise difficult areas.

I bang on about it a lot I know but I really feel strongly about the fact the throw is worth it’s weight in gold to us, both defensively & going forward.

You absolutely have to accommodate that throw in your team. Where did he play on Saturday? I got told at the weekend that he has been playing RCB in a back 3.

I never understand why so many teams are poor at throw ins. The average team can have 30-40 throw ins during a game, compared to 10-12 free kicks and 10 corners if they are lucky. Defensively it relieves pressure and offensively, it causes so much havoc. Ben Foster has recently talked about how effective Tozer's throw is at Wrexham.

Quoted from 137

I'm with you on this.

I made the observation on another thread recently that, for a 22-year-old who played just 10 games for us (and isn't rated by many
Fishy experts) he made a very significant contribution to our escape from National League Hell.

He hasn't impressed Hurst as a right-back, it would appear, but maybe that's not his best position anyway - he started life as a striker.

I'm not suggesting he's our No.9-in-waiting (even if he's a fox-in-the-box he can't be in two places at once!), but as a replacement for
Green after 70 minutes, perhaps?

Green gets an early respite from his physically demanding role, and Cropper just has to stay on his feet and shield the back line.
(The opposition midfield will have a sufficient number of bruises already courtesy of KG.)

And we get the benefit of his long throws: from near our corner flag he can reach the opponent's half, and from the opponent's half
he can bomb their penalty area.

We have had trouble breaking down sides at BP, and he represents a pretty simple method for applying pressure.
Particularly so, now that Hurst has declared an interest in signing taller players for next season.

I'd keep him.


Edit: And he's at an age where he can improve. Just read the Barnet fans' views - check them out.

He hasn't had much chance to impress PH, seeing as he's been injured for a large part of the season.

He was probably sent out on loan to get some match fitness after a long lay off, and I wouldn't be surprised if he is still here next season. Clearly has potential which is why Burnley signed him from Ilkeston, but he keeps getting injured and has never really got going anywhere.

I'm at the point where I think I just want Cropper back so someone other than Maher can take throws!

Quoted from ginnywings

He hasn't had much chance to impress PH, seeing as he's been injured for a large part of the season.

He was probably sent out on loan to get some match fitness after a long lay off, and I wouldn't be surprised if he is still here next season. Clearly has potential which is why Burnley signed him from Ilkeston, but he keeps getting injured and has never really got going anywhere.

Fair point.

I was also thinking about the slight misunderstanding at the start of his loan, where Barnet were making noises suggesting he
would become a permanent signing and PH clarified that it was a loan...and added something like "we can talk about a permanent
transfer at a later date". At the time I took it to mean he would consider that possibility (at the very least).

Reflecting on it now, it would be the right thing to say even if he intended to keep JC next season.
If he's gone to get match fitness as you suggest, it would be daft of Paul to say "but you're not keeping him..." as that may get
Cropper less game time.

As so often as a football fan, we'll have to wait and see.