Fin Barbrook had a cracking evening against Barnsley, drawing Chris’s Man of the Match, but over in Ipswich, there’s chatter about his future.
I was contacted by a journalist in Ipswich asking why he wasn’t playing, and an article in the East Anglian Daily Times, one of the best local news outlets still in business, highlighted as much. Barbrook was hot property this summer in the eyes of Town fans, and a January recall does seem possible.
He has appeared three times for the Imps, playing every minute of our EFL Trophy campaign. In two of those matches, he was outstanding, and in the third, he looked comfortable. That has prompted the local news outlet to do an article on him, clarifying that his loan includes a January recall clause. Foreshadowing? Perhaps.
Barbrook has also continued to feature regularly for Ipswich’s under-21s in Premier League 2, maintaining sharpness and match fitness. While our midfield remains highly competitive with Conor McGrandles, Tom Bayliss and Ivan Varfolomeev all vying for places, first-team chances have been limited.
He has bagged three times for Ipswich’s Under 21, chipping in with an assist to make him the second-most productive player in their setup, behind Tudor Mendel-Idowu. He’s appeared seven times, scoring against Brighton, Newcastle and Leeds, as well as being involved in wins against Manchester United, Liverpool and Leeds United. His passing stats are top for his side as well, outlining his potential.
Given that Ipswich are top of Premier League 2, ahead of Manchester United, Chelsea, and 26 other academies, that’s no small feat. His most recent outing came as recently as Friday, as he set up a goal in their 4-2 defeat against Sunderland.
I do wonder if we have a gem on our hands that we really can’t do anything with. He won’t play ahead of Tom Bayliss or Conor McGrandles, our usual midfield duo, while Dom Jefferies started there last night, adding another name to the list of players he’s got to displace. With Ivan Varfolomeev, the club-record signing, also still bedding in, Fin might just be the right player at the wrong time.
This weekend will be interesting. With no Varfolomeev, we have a space for a backup on the bench. You’d expect Jefferies, but will we also see Fin there, perhaps even getting late minutes if we need to shore things up? If not, with Ivan back for Wycombe on the 22nd, Ipswich might be exercising that recall option after all.
The situation reminds me a little of Robbie Gotts, who I thought was a neat and tidy player, always looking sharp when on loan from Leeds. Gotts couldn’t force a chance at Sincil Bank, and in a twist of irony, he could line up for Doncaster this weekend.
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