Ross Barkley

[BlueToff]

I would argue that muscle can still be needless weight...

Yes but it's his physique and power that make him such a difficult player to play against, combined with his skill on the ball of course.

There's not many players in the top leagues who beat a man so easily and so often as what Barkley does. Any pros that I've seen asked about him (who have played against him) have commented how difficult he is to shirk off the ball.

He's started every game this season, so his stamina is obviously not an issue. His job isn't currently to track back. He's there to be our main source of attacks...

 

[DrEFC]

I think it's a bit of an issue - would do a lot more off the ball if he wasn't lugging about all of that needless weight

This is football, not boxing

People are gonna get prissy but I know what you mean. His stamina would probably be better. But fitness wise, I feel he's improved a lot this year, and has been getting up and down the pitch better despite being a mass of muscle. If he can keep both and maintain the fitness, well, we have a winner, as no one can shrug his off the ball which will be key if he's gonna be a playmaker.

 

[Goat]

Yeah lads, Ross Barkley needs to lose some weight.

lollollollollollollollollollollollollol

 

[ElGato]

When you see him in full flight at pace he hardly looks like a lad carrying needless weight, He's just a big solid lad.

Yeah, when he's got the ball our kid... don't get me wrong, Sparkley is certified class, but if you watch him off the ball, he seldom presses the opposition. Don't know whether that is Bobby's instructions, or his training - I imagine it's probably a bit of both

 

[BlueToff]

Fairdos to you... I'd like to see him lose a bit of that weight if it meant he did a bit more running

But running when?

I'm not trying to be all defensive or precious... just genuinely interested.

He's an attacker. I'd rather see him run 30 yards with the ball going forward than press 30 yards up the pitch for no real reason, if you get me?

 

[BlueToff]

Yeah, when he's got the ball our kid... don't get me wrong, Sparkley is certified class, but if you watch him off the ball, he seldom presses the opposition. Don't know whether that is Bobby's instructions, or his training - I imagine it's probably a bit of both

Genuinely do think it's just tactics mate.

There was a spell before xmas where Cleverley was next to him in midfield, with Barry sitting deeper.

Barkley had a run of a few quiet games - and if you look back it's because Cleverley was bursting forward and Barkley was using a lot of his energy to try and plug the gaps.

Since Besic and then McCarthy came back in (and while this isn't a slight on Clevs who is a good player), he's been able to stay further forward and his all-round game has clicked up a gear.

Obviously that's not the only reason but it's certainly one of them.

 

[Chimpy Glassman]

Yeah lads, Ross Barkley needs to lose some weight.

lollollollollollollollollollollollollol

State of him. Not on, that.

 

[SteRobbo84]

Ross is boss. Looking forward to watching him marauding menacingly later.

 

[ElGato]

But running when?

I'm not trying to be all defensive or precious... just genuinely interested.

He's an attacker. I'd rather see him run 30 yards with the ball going forward than press 30 yards up the pitch for no real reason, if you get me?

It's a balance isn't it? Like I say Sparkley is class, and he's got the ability to shrug off anyone and move forward. If you remember city a couple of years ago when he scored THAT goal he had Toure in his pocket, physically, mentally and technically.

I think the relationship between upper body strength and stamina is an interesting one. Look at Pochetinno's players and they are all stripped down to the tendon on the upper body - specifically so that they can press and press and press for ninety minutes, and then recover faster. It's one hundred percent down to the training regime.

Get a lot more injuries when you're stacked an all

 

[Matty_j1878]

It's a balance isn't it? Like I say Sparkley is class, and he's got the ability to shrug off anyone and move forward. If you remember city a couple of years ago when he scored THAT goal he had Toure in his pocket, physically, mentally and technically.

I think the relationship between upper body strength and stamina is an interesting one. Look at Pochetinno's players and they are all stripped down to the tendon on the upper body - specifically so that they can press and press and press for ninety minutes, and then recover faster. It's one hundred percent down to the training regime.

Get a lot more injuries when you're stacked an all

MATE?

 

[Bungle]

Absolute state of the lad

 

[Matty_j1878]

Absolute state of the lad

View attachment 18718

Dead fat him mate, never going to amount to anything.

 

[BlueToff]

It's a balance isn't it? Like I say Sparkley is class, and he's got the ability to shrug off anyone and move forward. If you remember city a couple of years ago when he scored THAT goal he had Toure in his pocket, physically, mentally and technically.

I think the relationship between upper body strength and stamina is an interesting one. Look at Pochetinno's players and they are all stripped down to the tendon on the upper body - specifically so that they can press and press and press for ninety minutes, and then recover faster. It's one hundred percent down to the training regime.

Get a lot more injuries when you're stacked an all

It's also a lot down to his natural physique as well mate.

That leg-break he had obviously meant that he had to train mainly upper body during his recovery. He did that when he was 17/18, so still growing and obviously in the last few years filled out.

He can do that tracking job, it just negates the best part of his game and at the moment he doesn't need to do it.

Obviously in certain situations he does, and in fairness against Bournemouth he did it well

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

he seldom presses the opposition. Don't know whether that is Bobby's instructions, or his training - I imagine it's probably a bit of both

Must admit, that used to be one of the things I used to have a go at him for, but I think that was more down to instructions from Martinez rather than himself. Saying that though, lately the defensive side of his game has been really good, he's been tracking back when we haven't had the ball.

 

[ElGato]

So many lads googling Ross Barkley topless