Gareth Barry

[Chang Elephant]

Barry is a good player who generally plays well within himself, but I think he's the reason Everton concede midfield most weeks.

There must be some reason why the opposition midfield runs through us regularly

 

[rochdaleblue]

Barry has been boss this season mate.
The tactics are the reason we concede the midfield at times.
Barry does so much clearing up we would be even further down the table without him

We can complain about a lot of things this season, but the performances of Gareth Barry is not one of them.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Barry has been boss this season mate.
The tactics are the reason we concede the midfield at times.
Barry does so much clearing up we would be even further down the table without him

I really don't think we would be. Our record without Barry is excellent. I can see the point people are making, when he gets on the ball he looks good, but ask yourself is Barry really such a brilliant player that he is able to buy himself time and space at the age of 35 in a way no other prem player even of the calibre of Scholes has managed? Or are we tactically compensating for him to give him this room? All those midfield passing patterns into McCarthy into Barkley, sucking in opposition midfield players to only go back to Barry in a bit of space who can then pass wide. Every time Stones or Funes Mori engages in midfield exchanges to free up Barry in a bit of space.

It's this warping of other areas of the team that contribute to poor performances at times. Centrebacks or fullbacks stepping out trying to get Barry in time and space, making mistakes then getting caught out of position. Ross and McCarthy doing Barry's pressing for him and getting caught in over elaborate midfield exchanges they don't want to be in. Is it any wonder then we often look knackered after 70 mins?

In my opinion all of this fundamentally boils down to tactically building the team to accommodate a player Martinez feels is vital. For me though it is only that role which is vital. If it was performed by a player young enough to create his own time and space, do his own pressing, and have strength in possession when under pressure, then all of the above shenanigans wouldn't need to happen. We'd be stronger in defence, more compact in midfield over 90 mins winning the ball back more regularly and we'd break teams down more effectively with a quicker transition from back to front.

You see some teams doing this sort of thing for the truly great players: Juventus and Italy for Pirlo when his legs had gone, Barcelona for Xavi. They were greats though who could kill you with one pass. Liverpool tried it with Gerrard and it didn't work, Barry is nowhere near the level to make it work.

Maybe some of the above (along with Tim Howard) might be a more tangible reason why we've been a bottom half side for 18 months rather than 'inexperience' 'bad luck' 'referees' etc.

We have a devastating front line and international quality defenders. Time to open the eyes and look in the places people don't want to as to why this team is failing. Martinez has made one hard choice with Howard, time to do the right thing with Barry this summer.

 

[daz4matty]

I really don't think we would be. Our record without Barry is excellent. I can see the point people are making, when he gets on the ball he looks good, but ask yourself is Barry really such a brilliant player that he is able to buy himself time and space at the age of 35 in a way no other prem player even of the calibre of Scholes has managed? Or are we tactically compensating for him to give him this room? All those midfield passing patterns into McCarthy into Barkley, sucking in opposition midfield players to only go back to Barry in a bit of space who can then pass wide. Every time Stones or Funes Mori engages in midfield exchanges to free up Barry in a bit of space.

It's this warping of other areas of the team that contribute to poor performances at times. Centrebacks or fullbacks stepping out trying to get Barry in time and space, making mistakes then getting caught out of position. Ross and McCarthy doing Barry's pressing for him and getting caught in over elaborate midfield exchanges they don't want to be in. Is it any wonder then we often look knackered after 70 mins?

In my opinion all of this fundamentally boils down to tactically building the team to accommodate a player Martinez feels is vital. For me though it is only that role which is vital. If it was performed by a player young enough to create his own time and space, do his own pressing, and have strength in possession when under pressure, then all of the above shenanigans wouldn't need to happen. We'd be stronger in defence, more compact in midfield over 90 mins winning the ball back more regularly and we'd break teams down more effectively with a quicker transition from back to front.

You see some teams doing this sort of thing for the truly great players: Juventus and Italy for Pirlo when his legs had gone, Barcelona for Xavi. They were greats though who could kill you with one pass. Liverpool tried it with Gerrard and it didn't work, Barry is nowhere near the level to make it work.

Maybe some of the above (along with Tim Howard) might be a more tangible reason why we've been a bottom half side for 18 months rather than 'inexperience' 'bad luck' 'referees' etc.

We have a devastating front line and international quality defenders. Time to open the eyes and look in the places people don't want to as to why this team is failing. Martinez has made one hard choice with Howard, time to do the right thing with Barry this summer.

I think barry will be phased out in the summer and may even go to the states.
But for me this season he has been very good and its the tactics why we have struggled.

 

[Groucho]

I think barry will be phased out in the summer and may even go to the states.
But for me this season he has been very good and its the tactics why we have struggled.

I can't currently see a case for phasing him out.

 

[daz4matty]

I can't currently see a case for phasing him out.

Age is my reasoning

 

[Groucho]

Age is my reasoning

He's playing well and is in form. Age is just a number, man.....

 

[Goat]

I honestly never expected him to see out his contract.

Suspect he might look for pastures new in the Summer, but ive been saying that for 2 years.

 

[bluestevon]

I can't currently see a case for phasing him out.

Could argue a case that it's a team game mate, and although Barry is playing personally well do his weaknesses cause problems elsewhere

same could be argued about Lampard and Gerrard towards the end of their careers in the top flight, playing individually still well, but the team often performed better when they missed games.

Not saying i think that, but it's an interesting take on things and does have merit in some regard

 

[Groucho]

Could argue a case that it's a team game mate, and although Barry is playing personally well do his weaknesses cause problems elsewhere

same could be argued about Lampard and Gerrard towards the end of their careers in the top flight, playing individually still well, but the team often performed better when they missed games.

Not saying i think that, but it's an interesting take on things and does have merit in some regard

In that case, you could say that about any player.

 

[bluestevon]

In that case, you could say that about any player.

Can and think the best managers actually do mate, then analyse how the overall team is balanced by the players they have, it's what separates a decent and exceptional manager in a lot of ways.

Case in point being managers shoehorning both Gerrard and Lampard into the same midfield and ending up pushing Scholes wide who was actually a better player than either but not as media hyped. Overall the team suffered as a result of just not having balance, shape or people in the right roles.

An example, we play Barry we HAVE to play either McCarthy or Besic to provide the energy and pace to cover that he lacks

Think about another thing though, right atm we are in the midst of having several players - Baines, Deulofeu mainly who have been dropped as overall the team benefits according to the head honcho from having Lenon and Oviedo starting, neither Del or Baines was playing particularly badly but the manager has made a call that the team overall is stronger with the changes, also could argue he stuck with Kone for the reason that despite being woeful Lukaku seemed to actually play better when Kone started, then again making a decision for the greater good not entirely depending on how the individual played but more the bigger picture.

BTW i think Barry has played really well this season, but part of me really wonders what we'd play like with a fit and on form Besic and McCarthy in the middle

 

[Carlito]

Barry has been boss this season mate.
The tactics are the reason we concede the midfield at times.
Barry does so much clearing up we would be even further down the table without him

Don't get me wrong, I think he's a very decent player - always has been. He keeps things ticking over, and I think he'd look great if Everton were still a good side.

Centre midfield is much too passive for me, though. Besic coming in really highlighted what's been missing.

 

[bluestevon]

Don't get me wrong, I think he's a very decent player - always has been. He keeps things ticking over, and I think he'd look great if Everton were still a good side.

Centre midfield is much too passive for me, though. Besic coming in really highlighted what's been missing.

Call it a personal preference, but prefer a lot more energy in the centre mid, Barry for all his good qualities isn't creative enough to cancel out his weak points - pace mainly, got a brain that if you could stick it into McCarthy though you'd have some player

 

[Zatara]

I really don't think we would be. Our record without Barry is excellent. I can see the point people are making, when he gets on the ball he looks good, but ask yourself is Barry really such a brilliant player that he is able to buy himself time and space at the age of 35 in a way no other prem player even of the calibre of Scholes has managed? Or are we tactically compensating for him to give him this room? All those midfield passing patterns into McCarthy into Barkley, sucking in opposition midfield players to only go back to Barry in a bit of space who can then pass wide. Every time Stones or Funes Mori engages in midfield exchanges to free up Barry in a bit of space.

It's this warping of other areas of the team that contribute to poor performances at times. Centrebacks or fullbacks stepping out trying to get Barry in time and space, making mistakes then getting caught out of position. Ross and McCarthy doing Barry's pressing for him and getting caught in over elaborate midfield exchanges they don't want to be in. Is it any wonder then we often look knackered after 70 mins?

In my opinion all of this fundamentally boils down to tactically building the team to accommodate a player Martinez feels is vital. For me though it is only that role which is vital. If it was performed by a player young enough to create his own time and space, do his own pressing, and have strength in possession when under pressure, then all of the above shenanigans wouldn't need to happen. We'd be stronger in defence, more compact in midfield over 90 mins winning the ball back more regularly and we'd break teams down more effectively with a quicker transition from back to front.

You see some teams doing this sort of thing for the truly great players: Juventus and Italy for Pirlo when his legs had gone, Barcelona for Xavi. They were greats though who could kill you with one pass. Liverpool tried it with Gerrard and it didn't work, Barry is nowhere near the level to make it work.

Maybe some of the above (along with Tim Howard) might be a more tangible reason why we've been a bottom half side for 18 months rather than 'inexperience' 'bad luck' 'referees' etc.

We have a devastating front line and international quality defenders. Time to open the eyes and look in the places people don't want to as to why this team is failing. Martinez has made one hard choice with Howard, time to do the right thing with Barry this summer.

This type of player doesnt come cheap. Also there needs to be a few players shifted which co-incidently (or planned) will happen this summer.

i can see one of the key signings being another central player depending on how Martinez wants to play tactically without Barry.

 

[bluestevon]

This type of player doesnt come cheap. Also there needs to be a few players shifted which co-incidently (or planned) will happen this summer.

i can see one of the key signings being another central player depending on how Martinez wants to play tactically without Barry.

Ideally your looking at Besic and McCarthy to take over in centre mid, IF they can do the type of role Martinez wants though is up for debate, McCarthy offers a lot of endeavour but nothing going forward the other player really has to be able to contribute to that part of the game - something it looks like Besic CAN do.

Problem being though is Barry is the bloke who is charged with starting the moves from the back, McCarthy isn't capable of doing that so has to be Besic in that role with McCarthy becoming a true out and out defensive mid, any central player we sign would ideally be capable of playing either role so if we miss one of Besic or McCarthy then they can slot into the missing players role and we can keep the way we play intact.

Tough to find such a player though as your looking at the type of player every team would like to have there...

IF he can stay fit though then think Besic out of all three is the long term key to the central mid and the one we need to find who works well with him be it McCarthy or a new player