Ross Barkley

[blulouie]

Neville was grinning like a Cheshire Cat at that performance in that position.

He seemed to indicate it would make a big difference for England. Which would make sense with Rooney, Ox, Welbeck and Sterling all competing for the No10 and only Henderson competing for a place alongside Wilshire. Lets remember its the position Roy started him in the WC.

Good point,the way him and Besic played together you'd think they'd been doing it for years .Besic broke up so much of their play it allowed Ross to express himself .
Not to under estimate Besic either,I thought he was fantastic looking for that incisive pass most of the time...worked great with Barkley.
Good to see Roberto having faith in two young lads like that.Pity Hodgson doesnt see it that way.Barkley or Henderson.....no contest for me.

 

[LinekersLegs]

True but a player with his ability on the ball allows us to control the game when in possession. I think it's his best position I'm just not sure how the other players fit around him. Although would like to see him in a midfield 3.

Think it all depends on the quality and tactics of the opposition. He had some superb games last season as the #10 but against poor sides that sat deep he often struggled - the deeper role last night gave him the space to run at QPR and make creative passes.

The midfield three can sometimes stifle our fullbacks but they seem a little out of form anyway and Ross did an excellent job on the left midfield against Arsenal at home. Assuming that McCarthy and Mirallas are out, perhaps for S'ton a 433 with Barry sitting deep, Besic and Barkley flanking him, Naismith as the 10 and Lukaku and Eto'o as two strikers?

 

[cjuk87]

I had a mini *slightly too loud* rant after 5 mins that Ross hasn't looked himself since the villa game and all this talk of a big money move is garbage, he doesn't deserve the status etc...well, he shut me up last night!

 

[bluegirl]

I think we discovered last night he is a holding midfielder. Not a winger and not a number 10. Therefore we should stop playing him out of position and play him there. He is guaranteed to burst forward to make sure you have a sitter with him in McCarthy.

I'd play the diamond, especially with us only have one decent winger, change the formation...

Howard
Coleman Stones Jagielka Baines
McCarthy
Besic Barkley
Naismith
Lukaku Mirallas

 

[cjuk87]

I think we discovered last night he is a holding midfielder. Not a winger and not a number 10. Therefore we should stop playing him out of position and play him there. He is guaranteed to burst forward to make sure you have a sitter with him in McCarthy.

I'd play the diamond, especially with us only have one decent winger, change the formation...

Howard
Coleman Stones Jagielka Baines
McCarthy
Besic Barkley
Naismith
Lukaku Mirallas

God i'd love that! Lukaku getting service, Barkley at times pushing up with Naismith, Besic providing cover with McCarthy.

 

[bluegirl]

God i'd love that! Lukaku getting service, Barkley at times pushing up with Naismith, Besic providing cover with McCarthy.

All our best players on the pitch in a balanced formation. Has to be the team and formation for me. If we play all of them, keep them all fit I'd think we'd be chasing 4th for sure!

Naismith creating space for others, Mirallas and Rom linking up and creating chances, Ross pinging long balls and running from deep and McCarthy and Besic breaking up everything. Coleman and Baines on the wings too giving us width.

 

[cjuk87]

All our best players on the pitch in a balanced formation. Has to be the team and formation for me. If we play all of them, keep them all fit I'd think we'd be chasing 4th for sure!

Naismith creating space for others, Mirallas and Rom linking up and creating chances, Ross pinging long balls and running from deep and McCarthy and Besic breaking up everything. Coleman and Baines on the wings too giving us width.

The only worry i have with it is..

won't the players get a bit confused not being able to pass back to Distin?

 

[micknick]

I think we need a reality check. We were playing one of the favourites for relegation at home not Chelsea away.

 

[LinekersLegs]

I think we need a reality check. We were playing one of the favourites for relegation at home not Chelsea away.

Tbf on him he did play well in the role against City last week but agree it is a little early to be concluding he can be our Fabregas/Toure.

 

[Saint Domingo]

I think we discovered last night he is a holding midfielder. Not a winger and not a number 10. Therefore we should stop playing him out of position and play him there. He is guaranteed to burst forward to make sure you have a sitter with him in McCarthy.

I'd play the diamond, especially with us only have one decent winger, change the formation...

Howard
Coleman Stones Jagielka Baines
McCarthy
Besic Barkley
Naismith
Lukaku Mirallas

Would be a great formation and so interchangeable with Naismith and Mirallas swapping or Besic and McCarthy taking it in turns to power forward. Against really poor sides at home you could even put Gibson at the base of the diamond and have him starting the sttacks off with his passing range. Then you'd have McCarthy or Besic fresh for the tough aways just to close everything down. Pace and power is what modern central midfield is about in the premier league. These lads have it. Barry does not and is becoming an increasing liability.

 

[marty mcfly]

I think we discovered last night he is a holding midfielder. Not a winger and not a number 10. Therefore we should stop playing him out of position and play him there. He is guaranteed to burst forward to make sure you have a sitter with him in McCarthy.

I'd play the diamond, especially with us only have one decent winger, change the formation...

Howard
Coleman Stones Jagielka Baines
McCarthy
Besic Barkley
Naismith
Lukaku Mirallas

I think we have to remember it was QPR. I would also play Besic furthest back in that formation.

 

[Eggs]

....a few months ago I said I'd like Barkley to attempt Ronaldo technique free kicks. The boy has got explosive power in his boots and I'm sure he can get violent pace and power via Ronaldo technique. The best natural kicker of a football I have witnessed is jimmy Case, very similar to Ronaldo. Delighted last night to see him attempt one (following the foul on Mirallas). It was a damp squid but it was really encouraging to see the attempt and I really hope he doesn't give up.

Practice makes perfect.

 

[strummer]

He looked much better in the deeper role for me . I'd like to see him play as the 2nd striker when we're looking to play on the break.either way it was thrilling to see him run through and slam 1 home like that

 

[Stephenlloyd]

↑
Martinez did one thing right today.

He sacrificed a defensive mid for an attacking mid.

He very rarely if ever does this and id like to see it from the start against QPR.

Barkley wasn't at his best but at least tried to take the game to them.
I'm as frustrated as the next Everton fan about Ross this season but people need to calm down
I think there are people in the forum who would be happy if he was Jordan Henderson basically passing the ball back or square for 90 minutes while running around flapping your arms
I was expecting big things this season but the injury 2 days before the season started was a downer
Hopefully it's just a bit a confidence he needs and once he has 10/15 games under his belt he will start to improve
Comparing him to Rooney obviously there is no comparison when Rooney broke through but Rooney didn't have a bad injury like Ross who missed 18nonths in 2 yrs from 15 to 17 then had a manager not prepared to play him
Since he broke into the team we have played about 50 prem games and he's probably missed a 3rd through nigiling injuries
But looking at Rooney we all remember some of his performances especially the Bolton game
But 3/4 yrs on Man Utd had knocked that out of his game
Listen to older Man Utd players who where at the club when Rooney & Ronaldo were 18 and they all say Ronney was the more finished article
Look at them now Ronaldo is on another planet
Martinez has come out this week saying he wants Ross to take risks and knows loosing the ball is a consequence
He just doesn't want him to loose that natural ability
There was 2 games last year when for me he showed discipline the arsenal 3-0 when he played left side of Barry & McCarthy and had 98% pass completion and also played a few clever through balls behind there full backs that got there defence turning
Also the England Italy game to come on in a world cup game 2-1 down with a slaging from the manager in your head
He played 19 passes and every one found an England player
Yet lallana gave the ball away 50% of the time after coming on in the same game
But obviously he won't get slagged
As you can tell I'm a class half full when it comes to Barkley and I still think he will become a fantstic player for efc world class? who knows
One last point
Last year he came into a team playing in and unfamiliar number 10role for most of his youth has been a attacking centre midfielder

 

[Stephenlloyd]

↑
Martinez did one thing right today.

He sacrificed a defensive mid for an attacking mid.

He very rarely if ever does this and id like to see it from the start against QPR.

Barkley wasn't at his best but at least tried to take the game to them.
I'm as frustrated as the next Everton fan about Ross this season but people need to calm down
I think there are people in the forum who would be happy if he was Jordan Henderson basically passing the ball back or square for 90 minutes while running around flapping your arms
I was expecting big things this season but the injury 2 days before the season started was a downer
Hopefully it's just a bit a confidence he needs and once he has 10/15 games under his belt he will start to improve
Comparing him to Rooney obviously there is no comparison when Rooney broke through but Rooney didn't have a bad injury like Ross who missed 18nonths in 2 yrs from 15 to 17 then had a manager not prepared to play him
Since he broke into the team we have played about 50 prem games and he's probably missed a 3rd through nigiling injuries
But looking at Rooney we all remember some of his performances especially the Bolton game
But 3/4 yrs on Man Utd had knocked that out of his game
Listen to older Man Utd players who where at the club when Rooney & Ronaldo were 18 and they all say Ronney was the more finished article
Look at them now Ronaldo is on another planet
Martinez has come out this week saying he wants Ross to take risks and knows loosing the ball is a consequence
He just doesn't want him to loose that natural ability
There was 2 games last year when for me he showed discipline the arsenal 3-0 when he played left side of Barry & McCarthy and had 98% pass completion and also played a few clever through balls behind there full backs that got there defence turning
Also the England Italy game to come on in a world cup game 2-1 down with a slaging from the manager in your head
He played 19 passes and every one found an England player
Yet lallana gave the ball away 50% of the time after coming on in the same game
But obviously he won't get slagged
As you can tell I'm a class half full when it comes to Barkley and I still think he will become a fantstic player for efc world class? who knows
One last point
Last year he came into a team playing in and unfamiliar number 10role for most of his youth has been a attacking centre midfielder

I wrote the above piece about Ross last week
And I think it sums up the last few years of his career
He's now played 3 games as a centre mid
Liverpool 3-3 last yr 2nd half
3-2 loss palace at the back end of last season and to be fair he was the one taking the game to palace in the 2nd half
And of course last night
I think evertonian knows where this lad will end up playing
Though it still maybe a couple of years before he's there every week