Gareth Barry

[AndyC]

Even at 35 he's worth £3M of any PL team's money for another season at this level.

Which makes it doubly important that we keep him, keep him fit, surround him with younger players with the legs to make the most of his break-up play and distribution... and make the absolute most of his savvy and experience for as long as we can - best footballing brain in the squad, bar none imho.

 

[ijjysmith]

Sunday was a worry. He looked off the pace, kept passing to them, and generally was outshone by Gana.

But it was only one game so I'll hold off calling him finished as yet.

 

[blue61]

Sunday was a worry. He looked off the pace, kept passing to them, and generally was outshone by Gana.

But it was only one game so I'll hold off calling him finished as yet.

He's still a good player, but unfortunately he's too slow for todays game for the position he plays. We need more urgency and fresh legs in there.

 

[davek]

Which makes it doubly important that we keep him, keep him fit, surround him with younger players with the legs to make the most of his break-up play and distribution... and make the absolute most of his savvy and experience for as long as we can - best footballing brain in the squad, bar none imho.

I'd say he's up there as one of our best signings in the last decade. Value for money-wise right up there.

Coming up to 36 soon though, so a successor is required urgently and I'll be disappointed if he isn't being pushed for his place after the next two windows.

 

[Zatara]

Tbf Zat you never rated Gaz that highly even last year when he won both players and supporters player of the year.

wow someone actually reads my posts.

 

[AndyC]

I'd say he's up there as one of our best signings in the last decade. Value for money-wise right up there.

Coming up to 36 soon though, so a successor is required urgently and I'll be disappointed if he isn't being pushed for his place after the next two windows.

He is our latter day Paul Power - what a signing he was too

 

[Zatara]

I just think we should be blooding him as a Gana alternative- someone to be high energy and box to box.
For Barry's replacement, we need to bring in someone seasoned who can not only get on the ball in our half and get us going, but also in the final third slide a ball into Lukaku's feet.
With us now playing 2 wingers, creativity has to come from CM.
Davies is definitely an able deputy to Gana when he needs resting. pity is we haven't hot any league cup!

True, i agree thats where he 'should' be.

But he needs games to become a reliable DM and id have him getting those games now until we sign a partner for Gana.

 

[Zatara]

Even at 35 he's worth £3M of any PL team's money for another season at this level.

If someone paid real money for him id carry him.

 

[Carlito]

Barry needs to be replaced soon.

He gets away with it here, where any sort of competence on the ball is enough to look good in comparison to the rest of the team, but he'd struggle to get a game elsewhere.

Always been a decent player, but his sphere of influence has been reduced to about a ten yard radius.

 

[jackyboy]

Has been excellent and I like him. But............ He is the elephant in the room as to why the formation doesn't work. He's that slow that we can't push too far up, added to the Jagielka and Williams pairing it's no wonder we look so laboured. We need to change to 4-3-3 after January, let Gana sit and have two box to box midfielders either side of him. Whether one is Barkley remains to be seen.....

 

[diggerdestroyer]

Had to go back 6 pages to find him. My nemesis. Many say he makes us tick. I agree. Tick to a snails pace. When you look at it he has been the player who has consistently started over the last year or so in probably the worst football and performances we have played in a long long time. He slows everything down and yet people call it intelligent football. For me it's everything wrong with the way we play the last 2 years. Too slow. No intensity. He was a very good player. World class ..no...but a very good player. But he is long passed it. He now loses possession as well as not having the legs anymore.He needs to be dropped to see how we can play without him. Those who disagree can't argue with he seems to get a free pass to start the next match even though results in the main have been shocking for well over 2 years now

 

[Bungle]

"We deserved more from the game and our performances recently have warranted more points than we've picked up. We know as a group we need to improve but I don't understand the panic from some fans"

Nice one Gareth.

 

[bilyaletdinov_]

Needs to be phased out now, Gueye adopting a deeper role and a genuine box to box midfielder coming in alongside him

 

[NilSatisOptimum]

I’m sure I heard someone compare him to Pirlo today and he had lovely assist to back it up, trouble is we play in the Premier league where pace and physicality counts, now convinced his lack of pace invites team to push up and brings that pressure on back four and forces the mistakes.

 

[mutley]

Needs to be left out now, far too slow and plays way too deep.