Gareth Barry

[dannyboy]

For 3 and a half years now our managers have had an obsession with playing him in the team. Fair play to him, he's done really well in that time from a personal point of view. I've always wondered at what cost to the team though.

I'd love Koeman to break out of this mindset that we need two holding midfielders in every single game. How isolated our attack looked last night has been happening every week this season, just to a lesser extent.

 

[mightymoyes]

didnt even do the decent thing and get his usual booking to get closer to next ban.

 

[Eggsyblueskin]

I just think in the age/experience equation, age has become the major denominator. Needs phasing out and replacing urgently, but a new contract may suggest otherwise.

 

[Osamabindiesel]

For 3 and a half years now our managers have had an obsession with playing him in the team. Fair play to him, he's done really well in that time from a personal point of view. I've always wondered at what cost to the team though.

I'd love Koeman to break out of this mindset that we need two holding midfielders in every single game. How isolated our attack looked last night has been happening every week this season, just to a lesser extent.

I think we compensated for him by using our wingbacks more effectively (and to the detriment of our defensive record) under Martinez. With him on the field we struggle to win the ball back. I've been saying for a while we need to have more pace in the center of the park. Box to box players are much more effective in this league than pure holding midfielders. Gueye has shown us what we we have been lacking in the center for some time now.

 

[billy_the_blue]

Felt like we'd had a man sent off when Barry replaced McCarthy last night

Barry is a great squad player, sets a proper example for the young lads, but a 100% fit McCarthy should start ahead of him

 

[Gwladysstreetlad]

Lord alone knows why we've extended this guy's contract. I know he always tries and gives his all but he's over the hill and past it now. If he wanted to last longer in the game he should be looking at championship clubs because that's were he's at right now.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Barry plays we lose, that simple. Men his age do not belong in the premier league.

 

[streeky]

Only reason this fella has a good footballing brain is because he is 20 yds deeper than he should be and can be reactive. push him up alongside gueye and lets see his brain work then.

 

[Woolly Blue]

the Barry substitution was a mitigated disaster, he cannot run who gave him another 2 year contract please go to specsavers

No-one did Joey, he's got a one year extension.

 

[Joey66]

No-one did Joey, he's got a one year extension.

He should have been out the door in January villa on a free!
I heard it was a two year deal one is too much, he has laboured this year never gets subbed gets dropped oh let's give him a new deal another Gibson on the payroll we just seem to replicate the oap or crocked let's keep them mentality???

 

[Zatara]

"His goose has been cooked".

 

[Woolly Blue]

He should have been out the door in January villa on a free!
I heard it was a two year deal one is too much, he has laboured this year never gets subbed gets dropped oh let's give him a new deal another Gibson on the payroll we just seem to replicate the oap or crocked let's keep them mentality???

Your apology for being wrong is accepted Joseph.

xxx

 

[Paul w]

"His goose has been cooked".

I actually thought it would have been better to start him last night,but that would have been wrong,I think it's time for Gareth to realise he cannot compete at that.

 

[Zatara]

I actually thought it would have been better to start him last night,but that would have been wrong,I think it's time for Gareth to realise he cannot compete at that.

Oh im the opposite, i posted before the game that if he plays we lose...2nd half when he came on i thought we would lose...hes too slow

 

[blueblue]

But, I thought McCarthy was useless, or so I have been led to believe on here.