Ross Barkley

MartyMcFly · September 20, 2016

Dirty Dutch said:
On the last thing i agree with you, but i think players like Sissoko and Wijnaldum arent anywhere near worldclass.

Yea unfortunately I doubt Barkley will be either and we should stop thinking he will be. It doesn't mean he can't be a very good player for us.

Dirty Dutch · September 20, 2016

davek said:
THE most talented player at the club. Our new manager is a former world class player. I expect Koeman to make this lad better than he is. To do that he needs to stop flapping his gums about him in the media and start coaching him. Maybe he can get off from FF a bit later for his golf sessions for a couple of days per week to earn some of the £6M he gets to do exactly that?

The only thing he said was that he has to improve and not giving the ball away like 3 times in 10 sec. If Barkley can't handle that he is mentally not good enough to play at the top level.He's not slagging him off in the media he just says it how it is.

Woolly Blue · September 20, 2016

Ross was poor tonight, but he was by no means in his own in that respect.

He has bags of talent and the physique needed, but his footballing brain still needs some development, and may never quite be good enough to be a consistent performer so far forward up the pitch. He could do worse than look how Gana consistently makes space for himself before he receives the ball so he doesn't always have someone up his arse when the ball gets to his feet. Coaching would help with that, but with some players it's almost natural.

Foot Long Hot Dog · September 20, 2016

davek said:
THE most talented player at the club. Our new manager is a former world class player. I expect Koeman to make this lad better than he is. To do that he needs to stop flapping his gums about him in the media and start coaching him. Maybe he can get off from FF a bit later for his golf sessions for a couple of days per week to earn some of the £6M he gets to do exactly that?

No agenda there at all......nooooooo, none

lol

The Esk · September 21, 2016

Woolly Blue said:
Ross was poor tonight, but he was by no means in his own in that respect.

He has bags of talent and the physique needed, but his footballing brain still needs some development, and may never quite be good enough to be a consistent performer so far forward up the pitch. He could do worse than look how Gana consistently makes space for himself before he receives the ball so he doesn't always have someone up his arse when the ball gets to his feet. Coaching would help with that, but with some players it's almost natural.

Great defenders read the game, great midfielders find space and pick passes, great attackers rely on instinct to score - all have innate ability but they have more football intelligence than most (not to be confused with intellect) - Ross has the same innate ability and shows glimpses of that footballing intelligence but cannot apply it consistently enough to perform at the highest levels.

The most worrying thing for me is that tonight did not require the highest of levels, but because he wasn't on his "A" game he couldn't perform. In sport the true greats either as a team or as an individual find a way of winning even when not at their best - Ross has never shown that.

tsubaki · September 21, 2016

Woolly Blue said:
Ross was poor tonight, but he was by no means in his own in that respect.

He has bags of talent and the physique needed, but his footballing brain still needs some development, and may never quite be good enough to be a consistent performer so far forward up the pitch. He could do worse than look how Gana consistently makes space for himself before he receives the ball so he doesn't always have someone up his arse when the ball gets to his feet. Coaching would help with that, but with some players it's almost natural.

There are certainly questions over his role as an attacking midfielder, but I do wonder if playing him up front might actually be a better use of his talents - he is big enough, quick enough, and can finish; and he would have less time on the ball (ie: less time to overthink things).

Mickey · September 21, 2016

Played too much football last three seasons needs a breather out the spotlight. Has had no competition and played himself into poor form when normally players would be sat on the bench when performances dropped.

Woolly Blue · September 21, 2016

The Esk said:
Great defenders read the game, great midfielders find space and pick passes, great attackers rely on instinct to score - all have innate ability but they have more football intelligence than most (not to be confused with intellect) - Ross has the same innate ability and shows glimpses of that footballing intelligence but cannot apply it consistently enough to perform at the highest levels.

The most worrying thing for me is that tonight did not require the highest of levels, but because he wasn't on his "A" game he couldn't perform. In sport the true greats either as a team or as an individual find a way of winning even when not at their best - Ross has never shown that.

He suffers a bit from a lack of self confidence, being a local lad with high expectations from the fans doesn't help in that respect either so he may well end up being "good" rather than "great". There's still time for it to click consistently with him and regardless of whether or not it "clicks" he'll still be a good player, just not necessarily someone who will regularly take a game by the scruff of the neck and make it his.

tsubaki said:
There are certainly questions over his role as an attacking midfielder, but I do wonder if playing him up front might actually be a better use of his talents - he is big enough, quick enough, and can finish; and he would have less time on the ball (ie: less time to overthink things).

Aye, maybe, I'm not convinced he's a natural finisher though.

Elong · September 21, 2016

Looks like Tarzan, acts like Jane.

davek · September 21, 2016

Laughing here. A player rated by Xavi - the best midfielder in living memory - getting told by some on here that he's too thick to be a top player.

I think I'll go with Xavi's analysis.

YMJ · September 21, 2016

davek said:
He's not a number 10 mate. That's his only problem. Martinez and now Koeman play him out of position. He's a CM in the mould of Toure. Play him there or play him nowhere. Simple as that.

Thats not his only problem Dave.

I praised him after the match at the weekend when he did OK, but most of this season, not just Sunderland and tonight, he has been woeful. Great players make space for themselves and make things look easy. They have a vision of what is developing before it happens and can sense where to be and what to do without having to think about it. They play on instinct. Sporadically he shows that instinct but not often enough, and seemingly not at all just now.

At the moment he is struggling to control the ball, let alone control the game.

So I would be inclined to agree with your suggestion that we play him nowhere. It is very insightful of you to suggest the best solution at this moment in time.

davek · September 21, 2016

YMJ said:
Thats not his only problem Dave.

I praised him after the match at the weekend when he did OK, but most of this season, not just Sunderland and tonight, he has been woeful. Great players make space for themselves and make things look easy. They have a vision of what is developing before it happens and can sense where to be and what to do without having to think about it. They play on instinct. Sporadically he shows that instinct but not often enough, and seemingly not at all just now.

At the moment he is struggling to control the ball, let alone control the game.

So I would be inclined to agree with your suggestion that we play him nowhere. It is very insightful of you to suggest the best solution at this moment in time.

His manager tells the world he's not up to it. I wonder if that might be having an effect?

MartyMcFly · September 21, 2016

YMJ said:
Thats not his only problem Dave.

I praised him after the match at the weekend when he did OK, but most of this season, not just Sunderland and tonight, he has been woeful. Great players make space for themselves and make things look easy. They have a vision of what is developing before it happens and can sense where to be and what to do without having to think about it. They play on instinct. Sporadically he shows that instinct but not often enough, and seemingly not at all just now.

At the moment he is struggling to control the ball, let alone control the game.

So I would be inclined to agree with your suggestion that we play him nowhere. It is very insightful of you to suggest the best solution at this moment in time.

Very few players are great at 22 and why exactly does he have to be great. He's 22 and already an important player for us. He just struggles in and around the penalty box.

Elong · September 21, 2016

davek said:
Laughing here. A player rated by Xavi - the best midfielder in living memory - getting told by some on here that he's too thick to be a top player.

I think I'll go with Xavi's analysis.

He might be clever at football, but he doesn't know how to translate that to his feet. It's all in his head. He needs psychiatric help.

YMJ · September 21, 2016

davek said:
His manager tells the world he's not up to it. I wonder if that might be having an effect?

If you're taking about after the Sunderland game then I don't think he said he wasn't up to it. He said he was making mistakes a player of his quality shouldn't be making. Something I think we all agree with.

However, he is making those mistakes and is losing confidence after every error. Time to take him out of the firing line like you suggested.

If he has said it tonight I can't comment as haven't seen/heard what the manager has said tonight.