Gareth Barry

Goat · November 7, 2015

Like an English Zidane.

Groucho · November 7, 2015

Good game again.

Huyton Layne · November 8, 2015

Probably been our most consistent player this season(well in a good way anyways). Always trying to get open to help get the ball moving. Still gets around the field for an old man too.

chicoazul · November 8, 2015

I use him as a litmus test. Those who rip into him and declaring him a liability for over a year now invalidate their own opinion.

He's far from the best player in our team and his best days are behind him but he's very valuable indeed to the way we play.

ilikecheese · November 8, 2015

chicoazul said:
I use him as a litmus test. Those who rip into him and declaring him a liability for over a year now invalidate their own opinion.

He's far from the best player in our team and his best days are behind him but he's very valuable indeed to the way we play.

The vaults are full of the litmus test. I bet a mod or two incriminated themselves.

Playing on a Thursday was a problem tbf.

LinekersLegs · November 8, 2015

Another assist of the assiter

ilikecheese said:
The vaults are full of the litmus test. I bet a mod or two incriminated themselves.

Playing on a Thursday was a problem tbf.

Didn't help that the extra games were on top of a barely healed ankle injury that was bad enough to send him to hospital for a scan to check if it was broken - McCarthy, Osman and Gibson were all on the injury list at the time Barry was putting in his worse performances.

ilikecheese · November 8, 2015

LinekersLegs said:
Another assist of the assiter

Didn't help that the extra games were on top of a barely healed ankle injury that was bad enough to send him to hospital for a scan to check if it was broken - McCarthy, Osman and Gibson were all on the injury list at the time Barry was putting in his worse performances.

For sure.

If we were playing on Thursday right now we'd be so screwed in our back four....can you actually imagine?

LinekersLegs · November 8, 2015

ilikecheese said:
For sure.

If we were playing on Thursday right now we'd be so screwed in our back four....can you actually imagine?

Ha, no.

Have to get a squad depth that can cope with those injury problems though if we want to progress.

ilikecheese · November 8, 2015

LinekersLegs said:
Ha, no.

Have to get a squad depth that can cope with those injury problems though if we want to progress.

Totally agree...I think folks might generally overrate our squad.

We have a BOSS 11...maybe even 14. But we do not have a squad that can cope with Europe and the League if we are crocked with a load of injuries...which is exactly what happened last season.

maccavennie · November 8, 2015

He can play when into his 50's at this rate ( unless Martinez gets sacked then Barry and McCarthy will be jibbed off in place of Besic and Gibson )

Was sound again yesterday, don't know if it's just me but seems to be playing even more deeper the last couple of games.

Goat · November 8, 2015

ilikecheese said:
Totally agree...I think folks might generally overrate our squad.

We have a BOSS 11...maybe even 14. But we do not have a squad that can cope with Europe and the League if we are crocked with a load of injuries...which is exactly what happened last season.

We had a much bigger squad last season tho.

MACCA75 · November 8, 2015

The squad is massive in terms of numbers - we have 2 left backs injured and one on loan. That doesn't mean we should have 5 left backs in the squad.

The squad is actually too big which is why we are wasting money on the likes of McGeady, Gibson and Pienaar.

Pacman · November 8, 2015

It's weird as I think Barry has been much better than Mccarthy this season but I do wonder if McCarthys game is weakened with having to do the 'legwork' for Baz. I just think if we had a younger model like a Wanayama, Dier, Schneiderlin etc. alongside James his performances would improve having someone with the pace and energy to cover him getting forward more.