Will Barkley reach the heights Gerrard did?

[tim cahill]

The potential is there but it's been a poor season for Ross and I'm not certain he'll be first choice next year. I've always thought he'd settle into a deeper midfield role and hopefully he will but I don't think he's going to be a great no 10. He just isn't involved in enough goals.

 

[tim cahill]

We can only hope Ross has as much impact on our team as Gerrard did on theirs, it would be some achievement like. I can't see it happening but if Ross moves to a more ambitious club he could well end up with a good few medals, there is a belter player in there waiting to get out.

I'm not convinced a more 'ambitious' club would be that interested in him at this point. He's hardly worth his place in our team.

 

[bluemangroup]

The criticism of him is a bit overboard. A bad season early in his career may be no bad thing long term.

 

[toffeeblue9]

Erm...



He has composure. Bags of it. What he doesn't have is an old head on his shoulders yet.

It's a matter of time with Ross. He plays one of, if not the hardest position in football to excel in IMO.

The comparison with Gerrard is strange to me - I think he's nothing like him. Yes, he'll drive with the ball sometimes, but he's a totally different player - he's a technical player in the mould of Zidane rather than Gerrard.

Ha, I'd argue that he scored that goal in spite of himself. His pace and power make the goal and although he scores at the end, as a result of not a single Newcastle challenge and one of their defenders ending up on their a*se, he misses the pass to Lukaku which is the obvious ball. Had that Newcastle player not fallen over, I reckon we're all pointing to this as another example of his poor decision making.

I'm not trying to say he's a bad player, far from it, but the ability to get your head up, see a pass and give it is a pretty fundamental ability for a top midfielder. Gerrard had that from very early on, over the course of two years of watching Barkley, I've not seen that aspect of his game develop anything like what I'd have wanted.

I actually agree with you though - he's not particularly like Gerrard. they're both scouse, powerful and like to drive forward with the ball. That's about where the similarity ends though.

My worry is that he may end up the midfield equivalent of Theo Walcott - reliant on his natural ability and power so much that the "football brain" side of his game never develops. I wasn't worried about that two years ago as I assumed it would come with time, but being honest I've seen little evidence of any improvement on that front since then. I sincerely hope someone vaults me on this next season and he shoves this post back down my throat.

 

[blue4eva77]

No chance

As much as i hated starfish .. he had for most of his career the aggression and the will to win that i just can't see barkley having

as for technical ability ross could easily be as good

You think Steven Gerrard's technical ability is better than Ross Barkley ?

 

[Cels]

He's taken a lot of stick this season, but if he has the right people around him he will learn and progress into the player we know he can be.

Reach the heights of Gerrard? I'm sure in time, and with the right guidance, he'll be throwing in disgusting tackles like Gerrard did on Gary Naysmith, beating up DJ's, and also telling everyone that he'll not put up with cheating at his club, whilst at the same time diving left right and centre on the pitch

 

[hibbos left peg]

I don't think ross will ever compare Liverpool to Stoke

 

[Liamliverpool86]

You think Steven Gerrard's technical ability is better than Ross Barkley ?

You would be stupid to diminish gerrards technical ability when you see his goals over the years

But would also be stupid to compare when barkleys only 21

 

[Tubey]

Ha, I'd argue that he scored that goal in spite of himself. His pace and power make the goal and although he scores at the end, as a result of not a single Newcastle challenge and one of their defenders ending up on their a*se, he misses the pass to Lukaku which is the obvious ball. Had that Newcastle player not fallen over, I reckon we're all pointing to this as another example of his poor decision making.

I'm not trying to say he's a bad player, far from it, but the ability to get your head up, see a pass and give it is a pretty fundamental ability for a top midfielder. Gerrard had that from very early on, over the course of two years of watching Barkley, I've not seen that aspect of his game develop anything like what I'd have wanted.

I actually agree with you though - he's not particularly like Gerrard. they're both scouse, powerful and like to drive forward with the ball. That's about where the similarity ends though.

My worry is that he may end up the midfield equivalent of Theo Walcott - reliant on his natural ability and power so much that the "football brain" side of his game never develops. I wasn't worried about that two years ago as I assumed it would come with time, but being honest I've seen little evidence of any improvement on that front since then. I sincerely hope someone vaults me on this next season and he shoves this post back down my throat.

So the calm left footed finish into the roof of the net after that run wasn't composure then? Or recognising the defence had given him space to run into?

He's had two proper seasons and already did more than Gerrard did in his first two, despite a potential career ending injury in his teens. 12 England caps already and not even nearly 22 years old.

Ross is the least of my concerns with Everton right now. Even if he only shows mild improvement next year I wouldn't be concerned - even the very best this league has ever seen in his position weren't pulling up trees at age 22, such as Paul Scholes, Gerrard etc. who were also in much better overall sides. What was Lampard doing at his age? Barely anything.

Patience FFS

 

[Chang Elephant]

Traditionally whenever we've needed to reinvest in the squad to any great extent, we've sold a player for big bucks to do so (Rooney, Fellaini, Lescott etc.)

Would you be willing to sell someone like Lukaku, Stones or Barkley in order to reinvest or would you be happy with a smaller transfer kitty this summer?

Gerrard is a snidey piece of work, and not half as good as the media want him to be, but nevertheless you can't dispute that we'd probably love a player to retire having had as big an impact on the pitch for us as he did for them.

Ross is probably the nearest we have in terms of playing style. Do you reckon he will reach that level (or beyond)?

Bruce ?

 

[Neiler]

Without question and better.

What a ridiculous question.

If the bad Englanders leave him to have a summer off, most gifted player of his generation.

He's going to make the PL look easy.

 

[Moomin]

So the calm left footed finish into the roof of the net after that run wasn't composure then? Or recognising the defence had given him space to run into?

He's had two proper seasons and already did more than Gerrard did in his first two, despite a potential career ending injury in his teens. 12 England caps already and not even nearly 22 years old.

Ross is the least of my concerns with Everton right now. Even if he only shows mild improvement next year I wouldn't be concerned - even the very best this league has ever seen in his position weren't pulling up trees at age 22, such as Paul Scholes, Gerrard etc. who were also in much better overall sides. What was Lampard doing at his age? Barely anything.

Patience FFS

Paul Scholes played as a striker to replace the banned Cantona behind Cole. Think he was about 19 then, had a great season scoring quite a few goals. The next season he had a lull but came back better after that. Hopefully Ross will do the same

 

[barneygumble]

I don't think so.

Gerrard, even as a kid had this huge hunger, he was dirty, but raw, but was definitely a game changer. Barkley to me, is what i'd describe as a bit of an enigma, showed what he can do, but more often than not doesn't. Put it this way, if Osman had scored only 2 goals, and provided 1 assist in 28-29 games this season, we'd all be lining him up to be hung. Barkley is in my opinion, the example of Martinez tenure. Starts off quick, exciting, dangerous but then flatters to deceive, sloppy and lazy.

I hope he can be a star, i'd love it, but he needs to get his head down.

Like Gerrard? No. He's a one of a kind player imo, as much as that's annoying to say.

 

[Huyton Layne]

So the calm left footed finish into the roof of the net after that run wasn't composure then? Or recognising the defence had given him space to run into?

He's had two proper seasons and already did more than Gerrard did in his first two, despite a potential career ending injury in his teens. 12 England caps already and not even nearly 22 years old.

Ross is the least of my concerns with Everton right now. Even if he only shows mild improvement next year I wouldn't be concerned - even the very best this league has ever seen in his position weren't pulling up trees at age 22, such as Paul Scholes, Gerrard etc. who were also in much better overall sides. What was Lampard doing at his age? Barely anything.

Patience FFS

Can't let that just slide by Tubes. If we're saying his first two full seasons then Frank Lampard had made himself a constant starter for West Ham and scored 10 goals in his first full season and 6 the next. If we're talking same age then by 22 he'd scored 14 in a season and started 47 games which was second most for the squad.

 

[Chang Elephant]

Gerrard is an ant compared to Barks