Gareth Barry

[toffeeblue9]

Thought his passing was a little bit off for the first 20 mins or so and I was fully expecting a fewmathon on here about him at that point, but thought he was pretty much faultless after that. Won't get mentioned in the MOTM stakes because of brilliant performances from the likes of Lukaku, Barkley, Stones, Jags etc but that's the sort of form he was producing in his first year here.

We won't need to be too expansive against Man City next weekend because they'll come and have a go at us so I'm hoping that he can continue in this vein for a little while yet.

His problem, IMO, is when we open up and he gets exposed for pace by other sides. On Saturday our defensive line wasn't very high and he had willing runners like Cleverley and McCarthy helping him. Even then he still covers more ground than anyone else, it's just his lack of pace that can be exposed. That will never change but his use of the ball is in a different league to McCarthy usually, so he remains an important option - just need to manage him better than we did last season.

 

[CahillsCornerFlag]

Him and McCarthy should still be first choice pairing away from home and in tough home games.

 

[EFC85]

I'll say it since no-one else has yet - think he's had a great start to the season, especially compared to the comparatively disappointing McCarthy.

Thought he was dead and buried at the start of the calendar year but he's starting to turn it around.

 

[mkrudden]

So, so good on the ball.

That's the only thing sometimes about this place. The vultures tear into Barry and Jagielka when they have off games. None seemingly want to give credit when due when the pair are playing very, very well.

It'll be just left to me and @Dithering Dougie to champion them.

 

[RFUS]

So, so good on the ball.

That's the only thing sometimes about this place. The vultures tear into Barry and Jagielka when they have off games. None seemingly want to give credit when due when the pair are playing very, very well.

It'll be just left to me and @Dithering Dougie to champion them.

Good point. People are very unfair on Barry especially.

I think it's because a lot of what he does well isn't always that obvious, but what he doesn't have or do well is painfully obvious.

 

[Tubey]

He's been one of our better players. People refuse to acknowledge it though.

 

[mkrudden]

Good point. People are very unfair on Barry especially.

I think it's because a lot of what he does well isn't always that obvious, but what he doesn't have or do well is painfully obvious.

I don't mean this offensively, but I think you're right about people not noticing and that to me is very naive of supporters.

He protects that back 4 brilliant, takes the ball under any pressure/in any position and his range of passing is very, very good.

What i'm trying to say is, without sounding like a know-it-all...i don't see how people can't see what he brings and how good/important he is. To me it's glaringly obvious.

 

[Saint Domingo]

He's been one of our better players. People refuse to acknowledge it though.

Because it's blatantly not true. Plus he was absolutely diabolical last season so a few okayish performances this season isn't enough to get back into some people's good books.

 

[Saint Domingo]

I don't mean this offensively, but I think you're right about people not noticing and that to me is very naive of supporters.

He protects that back 4 brilliant, takes the ball under any pressure/in any position and his range of passing is very, very good.

What i'm trying to say is, without sounding like a know-it-all...i don't see how people can't see what he brings and how good/important he is. To me it's glaringly obvious.

Came 11th last season with a really poor defensive and offensive record yet the guy in the middle for us is supposedly playing really well? Like the common joke going round the internet says, Carsley protected our defense better by himself than Barry and McCarthy combined.

 

[AndyC]

Barry may have had a poor season last term, but he still represents a massive level of experience and relative calmness that must be seen as key to the younger layers around him. He may be slowing a little, but you don't lose know-how.

 

[mkrudden]

Came 11th last season with a really poor defensive and offensive record yet the guy in the middle for us is supposedly playing really well? Like the common joke going round the internet says, Carsley protected our defense better by himself than Barry and McCarthy combined.

I get last season. However it was most certainly because he played too many games.

Genuine question - did you watch the full 90 against Soton mate? I don't see what a holding midfielder has to do on top of what he did in that game for him to have a performance considered better than "okayish".

What are you expecting of him vs what he's delivering this season.

 

[Tree13]

Barry may have had a poor season last term, but he still represents a massive level of experience and relative calmness that must be seen as key to the younger layers around him. He may be slowing a little, but you don't lose know-how.

It's not QUITE that simple though, otherwise Peter Reid would still be playing for us.

Barry is not just slow, he's getting slower. This is an inevitable by-product of aging and he will reach a point at which his loss of pace overcomes the ability of his experience and positioning to compensate. Some would say he has already reached this point, using last season as evidence. I'd tend to agree with them BUT if he is carefully managed and rotated regularly we should be able to get another 20 decent performances out of him. The question is, will Bobby simply start him in every game like he did last year, running him into the ground by Hallowe'en?

 

[AndyC]

It's not QUITE that simple though, otherwise Peter Reid would still be playing for us.

Barry is not just slow, he's getting slower. This is an inevitable by-product of aging and he will reach a point at which his loss of pace overcomes the ability of his experience and positioning to compensate. Some would say he has already reached this point, using last season as evidence. I'd tend to agree with them BUT if he is carefully managed and rotated regularly we should be able to get another 20 decent performances out of him. The question is, will Bobby simply start him in every game like he did last year, running him into the ground by Hallowe'en?

On that premise then, he should be rested on Wed in favour of Mo Besic, and that would seem a sensible and pragmatic call for El Bob to make.

 

[Saint Domingo]

I get last season. However it was most certainly because he played too many games.

Genuine question - did you watch the full 90 against Soton mate? I don't see what a holding midfielder has to do on top of what he did in that game for him to have a performance considered better than "okayish".

What are you expecting of him vs what he's delivering this season.

He dictates how we have to play but in a bad way. His mobility is so bad that he cannot play holding mid by himself. So if he is invaluable to the team then we are stuck with playing two holding midfielders. My issue is that he's not good enough with the ball at his feet to indulge him playing just that position. If he was a Pirlo type then yes, but McCarthy and Cleverley work like dogs getting the ball back to get Barry on it in space then....a sideways pass to a full back.

I'd much rather see Cleverley and Barkley in the middle especially at home. Our defensive record is not great either so as holding mids him and McCarthy are missing something.

 

[Chang Elephant]

He's being run past with ease, resulting in no pressing on the opposition and little protection to the back four. This isn't the Scottish premier lads, sometimes older players have to make way.