Ross Barkley

[The Mighty Quint]

He's the third best overall player this season according to Squawka.

http://www.squawka.com/football-pla...08/2015#03/04/2016#season#1#all-matches#total

... and 11th on WhoScored.

https://www.whoscored.com/Regions/2...erStatistics/England-Premier-League-2015-2016

Sort of tallies with my own eyes too. I don't understand criticism of him, at all. Basically, you want him running around like Thomas Gravesen every minute of every game - sorry, isn't that type of player, never will be, but he's elite level at what he does, and you have zero clue about football if you can't see that.

There is not another English midfielder in this league that has the skill, control and technique he has, he moves around the pitch like Zidane.

Rolls Royce midfielder, has come on so much this season, assists and goals added to his game.

 

[Saint Domingo]

For the life of me I can't understand how someone like Lallana would start ahead of him, twenty odd games foe England without a stiff of a goal for an AM is a poor return.

Hodgson took Martin Kelly to the last Euros and had Flanagan on standby for the World Cup. He also moved Englands best player to the LW in the World Cup to accommodate Sterling in a position he'd never played for England. That should tell you why Lallana Milner and Henderson are all guaranteed places in the squad.

 

[duncs pigeon]

For the life of me I can't understand how someone like Lallana would start ahead of him, twenty odd games foe England without a stiff of a goal for an AM is a poor return.

Different type of players mate, wouldnt want to see Ross pushed out on the wings-and wouldnt want to see Lallana in the middle

 

[Saint Domingo]

For the life of me I can't understand how someone like Lallana would start ahead of him, twenty odd games foe England without a stiff of a goal for an AM is a poor return.

Hodgson took Martin Kelly to the last Euros and had Flanagan on standby for the World Cup. He also moved Englands best player to the LW in the World Cup to accommodate Sterling in a position he'd never played for England. That should tell you why Lallana Milner and Henderson are all guaranteed places in the squad.

 

[dublinbluenose]

The Journo on Sunday Sup didn't have a clue what he was talking about, said he'd had a bad season with Everton, his stats are better than Alli.

Yeah, I actually think him and Alli are quite different and would compliment each other with someone like Barry behind them.

 

[royalbalou]

The Journo on Sunday Sup didn't have a clue what he was talking about, said he'd had a bad season with Everton, his stats are better than Alli.

Had his best season so far with us both in creating and scoring goals. One journo says he's having a bad season...another says United will break the bank for him...kinda sums them up

 

[Tubey]

There is not another English midfielder in this league that has the skill, control and technique he has, he moves around the pitch like Zidane.

Rolls Royce midfielder, has come on so much this season, assists and goals added to his game.

Everton could sign Messi and people would moan about him not winning headers.

It's just weird.

 

[larbert toffee]

I am a fan of Ross but I was an even bigger fan of Bally, Ross could do no worse than sitting down and watching Bally vids whether playing for club or country he was effective in making our beautiful game look simple whilst also taking care of himself and his teamates.One of the best all round midfielders we are ever likely to see grace the Goodison pitch.

 

[Kiwi]

Again, statistically by two analysis sites, he's playing at a very high level - and he is.

Comparing to a player 40 years ago is daft. The game is completely different, played at a different tempo with different roles.

Barkley does what nobody else in the team does. The job you're describing is the work of James McCarthy, not Ross Barkley. Ross retains possession, keeps play moving and moves into clever attacking areas to upset a rigid defence.

He's a Rolls Royce of a footballer, after decades of Everton being used to a more industrious player in his role like Tim Cahill, and as such Evertonians don't understand what he does.

This is doubly the case when we're struggling as an overall side. Because we're so often chasing down results, Barkley's lack of "headless chicken mode" comes across as lacking - but if you put Ibrahimovic in our set up, he'd look the same, but that wouldn't be an indication of his quality as a footballer; it'd be more of an indication of our stupidity as a side.

He'd walk into absolutely any side in English football in his position, and outside of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich he'd be an automatic starter for any side in world football.

Agreed, you only have to watch him for 5 minutes to see the quality he has, absolutely glides with the ball at feet unlike very few other players in the league and world, technically excellent seemingly effortlessly. Over the last two and a half seasons he has become a far better, more mature and consistent player, growing many aspects of his game.
In spite of Martinez's many faults, you have to acknowledge the faith placed in and development of Ross under his management.

 

[sageyefc]

Everton could sign Messi and people would moan about him not winning headers.

It's just weird.

Nothing wrong with wanting players to keep improving, no matter how good theyve been. Ross can get even better

 

[Steve Wigan]

Its all about opinions, Tubes. Barkley has qualities, but is currently limited. I did say that I wasn't comparing contemporaries didn't I? The game has certainly changed, and I'm old enough to remember 'the old way, and to compare ...but the game today relies on speed, fitness more than ever, strength, and involvement, as well as ability. Ibrahimovic in the Everton side you would quickly see echoes of the Samuel Eto period at Everton.Barkley is a young ....man why is he not prepared to tackle, why does he play as if most of the time he is acting with restraint...if he is amongst the top four players in the world(your opinion) why does he not show this?

 

[Tubey]

Nothing wrong with wanting players to keep improving, no matter how good theyve been. Ross can get even better

That's fine, but there's reasonable expectations, then there's being irrational.

It's like saying, "yes, he's the complete footballer, but... can't he grow another two feet and run 3 seconds faster over 100m?"

I'll never get why people can't just enjoy the player Barkley is, instead of wanting him to be Thomas Gravesen. I'd understand it if he was actively bad at what he did - like Rodwell - but he's a genuinely elite level playmaker (and will only get better) and people still moan about him not throwing tackles and running around nipping at peoples ankles.

 

[Tubey]

Its all about opinions, Tubes. Barkley has qualities, but is currently limited. I did say that I wasn't comparing contemporaries didn't I? The game has certainly changed, and I'm old enough to remember 'the old way, and to compare 1 Ibrahimovic in the Everton side you would quickly see echoes of the Samuel Eto period at Everton.Barkley is a young ....man why is he not prepared to tackle, why does he play as if most of the time he is acting with restraint...if he is amongst the top four players in the world(your opinion) why does he not show this?

Bold bit sums up your lack of understanding of what he does and what he's employed to do. To answer, it's because his role in the side means he doesn't need to, and indeed we'd be doing something wrong if he did.

He's not a "Dog of War" and never should be. He doesn't act with restraint at all; he focuses on what he does best and pulls that off very consistently and well.

 

[mahermi1]

I am a fan of Ross but I was an even bigger fan of Bally, Ross could do no worse than sitting down and watching Bally vids whether playing for club or country he was effective in making our beautiful game look simple whilst also taking care of himself and his teamates.One of the best all round midfielders we are ever likely to see grace the Goodison pitch.

Bang on Bally was a skillfull,aggressive always on the move type of player, who ran games. If Ross ever needs a role model it would have been him. Alan Ball was my favourite ever Everton player, I remember owning a pair of them white boots a Christmas present off my parents, as a 10 year old at the time one of the best presents I ever remember.

 

[Toffee-nerd]

Would love to see us put him, rom and stones signed up on new long term contracts this summer.