I was talking to a mate this morning (the one who knows the leicester journalist and who said exactly how things were going to happen) and apparently Barnes nor his agent were in a great rush to go back to Leicester.
Barnes by all accounts genuinely loved it at the Albion, but with leicesters season now pretty much over (safe in the league and out the cups) Puel wants a look at him as he knows he could get fans onside being a local lad, it was always their plan to get him back in january and see how he is progressing.
Barnes is desperate to make it at Leicester as he is also a big fan and isnt looking to move permanent but if he goes back and doesnt play regular and Puel is still in charge next season then apparently he will possibly look to leave for good.
From Leicesters side they play today and next week and he may play some part and then have a ten day break (where they are looking to go away) where they will have a good look at Barnes as Puel wasnt convinced by him in preseason, if that hasnt changed by the end of the window, they may look to loan him back to us but there has to be a few things happen before that scenario!
Thanks for this feel sorry for the kid being pulled back for a bit of PR for an unpopular Head Coach who has no real intent to play him.
He leaves a huge hole in the team. We might be able to patch up the gap temporarily by moving the team around to fit Hoolahan or Sako, but Barnes was more dangerous than both of them and if we want to get promotion this year, Dowling and Moore must pull something out of the bag.
Having given it some thought the gap Barnes has left is less problematic than the opposite flank where our choices are HRK Sako or Brunt. If we are to persist with the 4-3-3 we have 4 right footed players who might fill in the left wide attacker spot.
1. Gayle if we are not playing him as a Centre Forward the left side wide striker role is a more natural fit than the right sided one.
2. Philips my feeling on him is that he has the combination of skill and physical strength to be ideal in this role I still think it his best position. Although moving him here leaves a gap in midfield (Harper anyone?)
3. Leko a youngster that has all the skill okay needs to work on his decision making but will not progress without game time
4. Edwards another player with potential could easily adapt to playing in this role.
I know that two of the options are relatively untried but at some point we have to trust the kids.
If we can bring in a player I would much rather bring a in a left footer for the wide right role.