Awful Billy Sharp?!!

[Red Rover]

FAO: Donnyjim, donnievic, Thedav, Filo etc etc etc...

Now everybody comes out and says "we should never have re-signed him" and he's shite, he's lost it...how single-minded are our fans? He's going through a baron-spell, as all strikers do. He gets judged on his goals granted, but lay off him, he'll come good again, he's a natural goalscorer, and if given the choice, I'd sign him permanently in a heartbeat.

 

[BigColSutherland]

I've had a look, but I can't find any of those quotes.

[Red Rover]

I've had a look, but I can't find any of those quotes.

They are ultimately the jist of them.

[Donnyjim]

FAO: Donnyjim, donnievic etc etc etc...

Now everybody comes out and says "we should never have re-signed him" and he's shite, he's lost it...how single-minded are our fans? He's going through a baron-spell, as all strikers do. He gets judged on his goals granted, but lay off him, he'll come good again, he's a natural goalscorer, and if given the choice, I'd sign him permanently in a heartbeat.

 

As much as love the guy, sometimes we have to smell the coffee. He knows it, I know it and I think, deep down RR, you know it. He's just not the player he was. To be honest, he has always struggled at this level....it might time for him to drop a division to prolong his career.

[MiKA]

Well I'm a fan of Billy and I love the lad but for me he's been poor ever since we got him back, in fact  I'm struggling to find a part of his game that he's actually doing well.   

[RedJ]

How has he "always struggled at this level" then?

[wing commander]

To much sentiment sometimes...he's scored 3 goals and you could question whether 2 were his...if we had anybody else he would have been dragged off tonight after a frankly insipid display..we have enough players who just want to lay the ball off without him starting...you can say what you want but he's playing for his future with somebody and on his performances recently it won't be at this level...

[Copps is Magic]

To be honest, he has always struggled at this level....it might time for him to drop a division to prolong his career.

hahahahaha

[pib]

He's got 4 goals.

Half fit in a team that struggles to create chances and he's scoring at a rate of 1 in 3!

But of course, it's the player that's terrible isn't it, not the system?

Macheda - he was bloody awful him, wasn't he? That's what a load of the folk on here were saying around the turn of the year. Send him back and get a proper centre forward in. He's got 9 in 13 at Birmingham since.

[ctay]

I dont think he is fit. Looks a yard slower.

[GazLaz]

He's always been slow as a boat. People have clouded memories.

[ctay]

Not saying he was quick you tool, just saying he looks slower!

[colincramb]

I can't believe I'm reading half of this. What service did he get last night? Our wide players (including full backs) were shocking with the quality of cross we put in. Time after time we got in good positions down both flanks and failed to produce. Billy needs good service, not aimless floated crosses when he's playing against 6"5 center halves!

[RJHeader]

I agree he hasnt looked his best. But you always keep Billy on the field for moments like Watford at home. Or that finish at Leeds.

He is a goalscorer, a poacher. He doesnt cover every blade of grass and chase the ball over the top, thats not his game. I think, with a full pre season under his belt, he'll be back to himself. Got to remember hes been in and out of the game for 2 years roughly. Takes time to get fully fit and adapt to Championship football.

Hes not himself and has got 4 goals. 3 of them have won us 7 points alone. Watford/Leeds/Blackpool.

[Wild Rover]

I agree he hasnt looked his best. But you always keep Billy on the field for moments like Watford at home. Or that finish at Leeds.

He is a goalscorer, a poacher. He doesnt cover every blade of grass and chase the ball over the top, thats not his game. I think, with a full pre season under his belt, he'll be back to himself. Got to remember hes been in and out of the game for 2 years roughly. Takes time to get fully fit and adapt to Championship football.

Hes not himself and has got 4 goals. 3 of them have won us 7 points alone. Watford/Leeds/Blackpool.

Can I ask, what would a pre season add, that the games he has played and every day training with the lads has not?.

[donnievic]

I don't judge him on goals at all,I wanted him back but since he had been back here he has. Been poor since he has been back and brown is doing most of the donkey work still

[roversdude]

Before my time but I've read that similar criticisms were written about Jimmy Greaves but one look at his record and that all disappears

[RJHeader]

I agree he hasnt looked his best. But you always keep Billy on the field for moments like Watford at home. Or that finish at Leeds.

He is a goalscorer, a poacher. He doesnt cover every blade of grass and chase the ball over the top, thats not his game. I think, with a full pre season under his belt, he'll be back to himself. Got to remember hes been in and out of the game for 2 years roughly. Takes time to get fully fit and adapt to Championship football.

Hes not himself and has got 4 goals. 3 of them have won us 7 points alone. Watford/Leeds/Blackpool.

Can I ask, what would a pre season add, that the games he has played and every day training with the lads has not?.

It was well documented how much Dickov put players through their paces in pre season. Triple and double sessions daily. Billy has clearly not had much of a pre season in the last 2 years, so youd expect one coming up. Would get him in much better shape

[SoundbiteBarmyArmy]

The Championship is not beyond Billy's level at all!

First half every player on the pitch, except Sam Johnstone was poor. Second half every player came out and gave it their all, but we couldn't hit the net with the chances given (probably the reason people are jumping on Billy's back as a Scapegoat!).

I think Billy's head ultimately dropped when he ran down towards our right corner flag onto a through ball and Zat Knight dumped him on his arse from behind, it was a definite free kick, which the lard arse ref or Max Branning liner didn't give!

Billiy is a proffessional footballer (obviously), he'll be hurting this morning, as I'd hope the majority if not all of them will be, we'll re-group and knowing Rovers, we'll go to Ipswich on Saturday (I can't wait for it) and get a draw or win!

[wing commander]

Their goals were pretty quality to be fair as was ours...However if Robinson would have put a performance in like Sharps last night there would be howls of hang him...No place in football these days for sentiment and that was a shocking display from Sharp however you dress it up...And whilst I'm really annoyed at them...I would go a step further and say Dickov needs to give himself a rollicking for picking a player who couldn't even walk without limping and that was before kick off and then replacing him with a tried,tested and failed partnership of Furman and Keegan....One of our coaches also needs to grab Husband by the neck and tell him he cant leave the winger the space he does to run at him everytime either that or convert him back to a right midfielder....Weve put ourselves right back in trouble now and with our run in,I can see why people are nervous....

[i_ateallthepies]

I can't believe I'm reading half of this. What service did he get last night? Our wide players (including full backs) were shocking with the quality of cross we put in. Time after time we got in good positions down both flanks and failed to produce. Billy needs good service, not aimless floated crosses when he's playing against 6"5 center halves!

There were too many aimless high balls thrown into the box last night giving Billy and CB no chance against their massive centre halves.  It was noticeable the one occasion when  a near perfect grasscutter was played in late on, Billy made sure Hubby saw how much he appreciated it.

[Bentley Bullet]

Sharp got little, if no service last night. He was redundant as far as scoring opportunities coming his way so his only way of involvement was to drop back and get involved in build ups. This he did very well. His passing accuracy was second to none.

[RTID75]

He's going through a baron-spell

Baron William Sharp? Have I missed something?

[neil grainger]

Sharp got little, if no service last night. He was redundant as far as scoring opportunities coming his way so his only way of involvement was to drop back and get involved in build ups. This he did very well. His passing accuracy was second to none.

I feel you're being generous to Billy there BB.
I'm a huge fan of his and will defend him to the last. but I think he should be very disappointed at a couple of chances he fluffed last night.
Not his night, nor Browny's. but I'm sure they will do the necessary to keep us safe.