Ross Barkley

[davek]

That's a strange interpretation of the manager asking Ross to add some aggression to his game.

He had Davis at S'ton as head cook and bottle washer. He seemed to adapt Davis to a game where his limited talents could be spread thinly across a range of tasks all over the pitch. I think if you try and do a similar adaptation with Barkley you stand the danger of losing an explosive talent from the middle of the pitch in order that he depletes his energy all over it doing bits and pieces as part of a defensive set up.

 

[markDee]

If he starts being more aggressive like Koeman is asking (and he should coz he's massive) then there's no reason why he can't be as good as Yaya Tore. Even city fans a couple of seasons ago were making that same assumption.

He's playing more like Phil Neville at the moment though

 

[davek]

I don't think an elite team could trust him in that position, he loses the ball far too much.

I think that's why only an elite team can accommodate him at times. They have the quality to close down and neutralise any mistakes made in the CM area. They'd put up with a Yaya Toure type if they got the punch from deep going forward. RB can do that.

 

[neil999]

C'mon ross

 

[davek]

If he starts being more aggressive like Koeman is asking (and he should coz he's massive) then there's no reason why he can't be as good as Yaya Tore. Even city fans a couple of seasons ago were making that same assumption.

He's playing more like Phil Neville at the moment though

I dont think his frame size or athleticism automatically translates to that type of game. It's down to aggression and RB doesn't look like a lad with that edge in him.

 

[bring the ghost on]

He had Davis at S'ton as head cook and bottle washer. He seemed to adapt Davis to a game where his limited talents could be spread thinly across a range of tasks all over the pitch. I think if you try and do a similar adaptation with Barkley you stand the danger of losing an explosive talent from the middle of the pitch in order that he depletes his energy all over it doing bits and pieces as part of a defensive set up.

Take your point but they are very different players and hopefully Koeman realises that.

I do think Ross needs more aggression in his game, he should be really stamping his authority on the game.

 

[bring the ghost on]

I think that's why only an elite team can accommodate him at times. They have the quality to close down and neutralise any mistakes made in the CM area. They'd put up with a Yaya Toure type if they got the punch from deep going forward. RB can do that.

So you would agree that Ross can't really be trusted with that role in the Everton side?

 

[davek]

So you would agree that Ross can't really be trusted with that role in the Everton side?

Not against elite teams who will defo punish us after taking possession from a mistake back there.

He played against a poor QPR team there a couple of seasons back and was glorious in that role. For that type of opposition or even midtable I think it's something he has in him and can do right now at Everton.

I noticed yesterday that Koeman (having previously suggested that he can operate in this CM berth) stated that he sees him as only in the more forward role he's been playing. That flip flop makes no sense to me. If anything it should have strengthened Koeman's resolve to switch him back there and see if that suits his set up better.

 

[Lowste]

Not against elite teams who will defo punish us after taking possession from a mistake back there.

He played against a poor QPR team there a couple of seasons back and was glorious in that role. For that type of opposition or even midtable I think it's something he has in him and can do right now at Everton.

I noticed yesterday that Koeman (having previously suggested that he can operate in this CM berth) stated that he sees him as only in the more forward role he's been playing. That flip flop makes no sense to me. If anything it should have strengthened Koeman's resolve to switch him back there and see if that suits his set up better.

Sadly for Ross he is suffering because at present we have little or no idea of the style of play we are going to adopt.
We thought we were going to be a team that pressed teams and broke quickly - not really happened
At the moment we look like a team defending deeply and hitting long balls into channels or even just hitting long balls.
If we carry on to adopt this style of play sadly there maybe no room for Ross, as simply he is a footballer.
If we are to get the best out of him, we need to play football on the floor and build through midfield. If we keep bypassing the midfield or just using our CM's as workhorses he will not fit in...
The future of Ross may also be linked to the future how we set up and play as a team

I am sure RK will see the benefits of a focused and confident Ross Barkley.....

 

[Deulofeumygod]

Score a blinder and stick your finger up to the world. So fed up of the amount of negativity on here surrounding a 22 year old

 

[Eggsyblueskin]

Not against elite teams who will defo punish us after taking possession from a mistake back there.

He played against a poor QPR team there a couple of seasons back and was glorious in that role. For that type of opposition or even midtable I think it's something he has in him and can do right now at Everton.

I noticed yesterday that Koeman (having previously suggested that he can operate in this CM berth) stated that he sees him as only in the more forward role he's been playing. That flip flop makes no sense to me. If anything it should have strengthened Koeman's resolve to switch him back there and see if that suits his set up better.

For me the main thing missing from his game is that defensive ability. If he was a wide player it could be accommodated , but playing centrally you have to be able to defend at times or you leave a hole which the opposition can exploit. If Koeman can add this to his game,than he will come close to the player we hoped he would become. Until then he will have to play further forward.

 

[davek]

For me the main thing missing from his game is that defensive ability. If he was a wide player it could be accommodated , but playing centrally you have to be able to defend at times or you leave a hole which the opposition can exploit. If Koeman can add this to his game,than he will come close to the player we hoped he would become. Until then he will have to play further forward.

Defending is as much about positioning and closing down space as it is about "getting stuck in". Barkely can adapt to that.

 

[Eggsyblueskin]

Defending is as much about positioning and closing down space as it is about "getting stuck in". Barkely can adapt to that.

Agreed . I would also add that the last home game he performed far better defensively( including getting stuck in) .

 

[Whistlin' Dixie]

Defending is as much about positioning and closing down space as it is about "getting stuck in". Barkely can adapt to that.

He's still standing still watching the ball, instead of reading/gambling on where it'll end up, as well as letting someone not three yards away from him collect the ball and waltz past unfettered.

He really ought to have been positioning himself better and closing down long ago. The older the dog, the harder it is to teach new tricks to.

 

[Caolam]

We are getting a wee bit ahead of ourselves. Koeman is steadying the ship at present, we are very much n a transitional period; he is trying to change a team which finished in the bottom half of the league into one that is difficult to beat. I was encouraged to hear him say we need more goals, so hopefully we will now start to see if we can develop a style which produces a few.
Barkley is having a rough time at the moment, just when he should be stepping up to the plate he finds himself in a team trying to adapt to a new manager who is wholly different to the previous one and he seemed to have lost his way a bit. Things will settle for Everton and Barkley, this transition takes a bit of time.