The Harvey Barnes conundrum | OneFootball

Harvey Barnes started his week on the pitch well at old club Leicester City, scoring the third goal to finish the match as a contest, putting United 3-0 up.

Harvey Barnes came off the bench on Tuesday night and scored twice against Benfica.

The winger following up his substitute appearance in Brussels, when again he came off the bench to score against Union S-G.

Indeed, Harvey Barnes is joint sixth top scorer in the Champions League this season so far. This despite coming off the bench in all three Champions League matches, his 72 minutes on the pitch averaging a goal every 24 minutes!

The question then, for many Newcastle United fans, is how can Eddie Howe possibly leave Harvey Barnes out of his starting eleven???

Well, for starters, he has four wingers in total, who each can offer something different- Harvey Barnes competing with Anthony Gordon, Anthony Elanga and Jacob Murphy.

There is something more than that though.

Whilst I certainly would never be disappointed to see Harvey Barnes named in the Newcastle United starting eleven, I think there is a conundrum.

As in, I believe that in general terms, over the course of however many matches, you get far more out of Harvey Barnes playing him off the bench for the final 30 minutes of games, than you get from him regularly playing the first 60+ minutes of matches.

Harvey Barnes has got a good all round game, he has some trickery and whilst he hasn’t got electric pace, he is quite quick.

His real superpower though of course, is his finishing.

Barnes is also an intelligent footballer who has the ability to set up others to score.

However, as I outline above, I think Harvey Barnes gives you far more off the bench than as a regular starter. Coming on fresh against defenders who have already played an hour or more, means that his combination of decent levels of trickery and pace have far more chance of seeing him going past those opponents, getting into positions where his real superpower can be utilised.

I honestly don’t think there is a better finisher than Harvey Barnes. Certainly out of the Newcastle United squad, if it was a one on one with the keeper, I would choose Barnes over all others.

I think it is something to really cherish and celebrate, that we have a player of the quality of Harvey Barnes to come off the bench and be so devastating. Rather than doubting Eddie Howe’s decision making when he uses the winger so often in a supersub role.

Back when Newcastle United signed Harvey Barnes

Despite the Leicester City relegation at the end of the 2022/23 season, Harvey Barnes still scored 13 Premier League goals from his wing position and was top scorer for the club, 13 goals from 32 PL starts is mighty impressive when you consider how poor Leicester were overall.

Back then in summer 2023, I remember most Leicester fans were quick to praise the quality of Harvey Barnes and how good he had been for the Foxes.

However, a sizeable minority were keen to claim that; “All Harvey Barnes does is…score and create goals!”

This is his Premier League record these last full six seasons.

From the start of the 2019/20 Premier League season onwards, the first four for Leicester and then two for NUFC.

My only surprise is how surprised so many Newcastle United fans are, at just how good and productive Harvey Barnes has been!

2019/20 Premier League (Leicester City)

14 Direct Goal involvements (6 goals and 8 assists) – 2,094 PL minutes played

A Harvey Barnes direct goal involvement once every 149 minutes

2020/21 Premier League (Leicester City)

13 Direct Goal involvements (9 goals and 4 assists) – 1,950 PL minutes played

A Harvey Barnes direct goal involvement once every 150 minutes

2021/22 Premier League (Leicester City)

16 Direct Goal involvements (6 goals and 10 assists) – 2,107 PL minutes played

A Harvey Barnes direct goal involvement once every 131 minutes

2022/23 Premier League (Leicester City)

14 Direct Goal involvements (13 goals and 1 assist) – 2,720 PL minutes played

A Harvey Barnes direct goal involvement once every 194 minutes

2023/24 Premier League (Newcastle United)

8 Direct Goal involvements (5 goals and 3 assists) – 795 PL minutes played

A Harvey Barnes direct goal involvement once every 99 minutes

2024/25 Premier League (Newcastle United)

13 Direct Goal involvements (9 goals and 4 assists) – 1,756 PL minutes played

A Harvey Barnes direct goal involvement once every 135 minutes

Total Harvey Barnes Direct Goal involvements these past near six full seasons (for Leicester and Newcastle):

78 Direct Goal involvements 48 goals and 30 assists) – 11,422 PL minutes played

A Harvey Barnes direct goal involvement once every 146 Premier League minutes, from the start of the 2019/20 PL season onwards for six full Premier League seasons.

Harvey Barnes had had some rotten luck with injuries since joining Newcastle United, however, when he is on the pitch, he…scores and creates goals. Especially off the bench!

What we are talking about is very close to in these last six seasons, is the winger averaging two direct goal involvements every three Premier League matches.

I remember having so many arguments with other Newcastle United fans about Laurent Robert, he was also accused of ‘only’ scoring and creating goals.

They are totally different players, apart from the fact they both are/were left wingers, but they do have that talent for making and taking goals, which should be celebrated! Rather than what they maybe aren’t so good at.

Having said that, fair to say that Harvey Barnes does do more otherwise than Laurent Robert, when it comes to tracking back and so on.

However, I think with both of these talented players who have/had so many direct goal involvements, it makes me think of the countless Newcastle United players I have watched down the years, who were so rubbish when it came to that most important trait, helping their team to score goals.

Even if the Harvey Barnes conundrum will potentially see that happening far more off the bench now, rather than as a starter.