Lee Barnard had become Saints forgotten man, but perhaps his time is here again.
Last season when Lee Barnard was injured against Bristol Rovers many Saints fans feared that this would severely dent our promotion hopes, history shows us that David Conolly stepped up to the plate and we stormed across the finish line.
Our whirlwind start to the season with Connolly up front alongside Lambert and then subsequently Guly moving from midfield after Connolly got injured has perhaps meant that Lee Barnard has slipped to the back of our minds, but more to the point we have forgotten just how vital he was to us last term.
Now the injury situation is forcing Nigel Adkins to look to his squad again, our problem is lack of width in midfield with the injury to Richard Chaplow, some would call for Steve De Ridder to fill that gap, but Im not one of them, I think Adkins knows that DE£ Ridder is best of the bench, he is an impact player who relies on his speed and the element of surprise to make that impact, when he starts a game, he soon finds that defences sus him out and his impact lessens.
That being the case perhaps its time to reinstate guly to the right of midfield, a position he filled so well earlier in the season, this will bring back the balance that we so lacked after Chaplow went off at Bristol City and in the first half on Tuesday night.
Having dont that though we need a partner for Lambert and I feel its time to unleash Barney to work with Lambert again and re establish a partnership that worked so well last term, Barnard is raring to go after what has been an eight month lay off and his running will be of great help to the cause.
Of course there is a question as to his match fitnes at the moment and ability to get in 90 minutes, but we dont need him to do that, get in an hour, maybe 70 minutes and then we can make a change, switch Guly back up front and bring on DE Ridder to do what he does best and thats run the legs off tiring full backs in the final quarter of the game.
For a good manager its not just about having decent playeers at your disposal its about how you use them and this is a time when we need Nigel Adkins to do his bit and get it right tactically on the field and with his team selections.