Ross Barkley

[paulbefc]

Hardest position in football for me. If you're not pinging one in from 25 yards or cutting open defences at will then your performances are criticised.

It requires a decent footballing brain and a cool head, or failing that at least a knack for goalscoring e.g. Cahill. It also helps to be hard working and press well to get your team on the front foot.

Barkley currently struggles in every single on of these departments.

 

[Tubey]

The likes of Lampard wouldn't look anything but average in this team right now. Barkley needs to be playing 15 yards further back where he can influence the game properly with breaking runs.

He doesn't though - he just needs the right players and system around him.

 

[MikeH72]

City are desperate to land him in January though lads

 

[dannyboy]

He doesn't though - he just needs the right players and system around him.

Maybe, but I think we'd get a lot more from him if he was playing in the middle of the park joining in with a number 10.

It'd give the opposition more to think about, rather than us having two blokes 'protecting' our defence around the centre circle.

 

[MACCA75]

Gerrard often had utter crap around him, but he single handedly dragged his team to trophies. If Ross is playing poorly, then it's down to him.

 

[Tubey]

Maybe, but I think we'd get a lot more from him if he was playing in the middle of the park joining in with a number 10.

It'd give the opposition more to think about, rather than us having two blokes 'protecting' our defence around the centre circle.

He'd play better in a deeper position with the side we have now, but he'd be a massive downgrade on Gana defensively so there's no point in doing so.

Let me put it this way (and this is NOT a knock on Lukaku; as said, he doesn't benefit from Barkley as much as vice versa) - if Giroud was our striker right now, Barkley would be a different player IMO. Just that one change.

 

[davek]

Embarrassing drivel the excuses that come out for Ross. It's Moyes fault, it's Hodgsons fault, it's Warnock, it's Allardyce. What is Southgate doing, Martinez has destroyed him..

He's just not that good. Needs replacing.

I'm sorry mate, but you and others are just scapegoating a lad of 22 for the inadequacies of this whole team. We're people doing that at the arse end of the Martinez era? Np, they were pointing the finger at the manager. Well guess what, you and others need to focus on the feller who's supposed to be coaching this lot....which he's patently not doing.

 

[davek]

I'm sure the manager doesn't tell him to put in a half arsed shift.

He needs dropping, if he wasn't the local lad made good, he'd be getting dogs abuse for his last few shifts.

The manager wants to drop himself.

 

[paulbefc]

But lukaku's movement is pretty poor mate, he is a power player who like to run in behind. Barkley usually picks the ball up to high up the pitch for the through ball behind the defenders to be an option. Moving him back maybe the answer.

It could be although I can't see a manager trying that.

 

[Tubey]

I'm sorry mate, but you and others are just scapegoating a lad of 22 for the inadequacies of this whole team. We're people doing that at the arse end of the Martinez era? Np, they were pointing the finger at the manager. Well guess what, you and others need to focus on the feller who's supposed to be coaching this lot....which he's patently not doing.

It's not coaching - it's the lack of plan. Nothing has changed; it's tactically identical to Martinez, but with a few long balls thrown in.

Whether that's down to Koeman being awful, or the squad being threadbare, I don't know - I suspect it's 50/50.

What I do now see is that the main criticism of Koeman from Southampton fans was spot on - he does not believe in using young players at all.

 

[davek]

He has the energy yes, he could work all day in the gym on a treadmill, but put on on the football picth and the wonderful athlete is out of his comfort zone, we need player who understand what is going on during the game, and he simply dosent

There's 11 put there on the pitch mate. You only point at Barkley because

a) he's local

b ) you KNOW he's head and shoulders above any other player we have talent wise.

I understand the frustration, but if he's not being coached well that's down to someone else, isn't it?

 

[nsno-chris]

Doesn't have the engine. Lol. FFS, I've seen him go box to box without breaking sweat.

He's got the energy if he had a manager who knew what the 'kin hell to do with him.

You've seen have 2 or bursts box to box. Playing in the middle means constant running and tracking. Doesn't have the awareness of what's happening around him to play there, people would run off him very easily exactly how they did today when he decided to have a convo with rom after playing a suicide ball

 

[paulbefc]

He's not that type of player. He's one of those who will play off a striker and make late runs into the box, or drive into space when it opens up.

The problem is that Lukaku and Barkley can't play together. Lukaku needs the David Silva type of playmaker to take the ball in and make smart passes, whereas Barkley needs the hold-up striker who can drag players out of position and bring players into the game.

Both are very good players; just not together.

I think I see where you're coming from with the hold-up striker, but I'm not sure Barkley's shown anywhere near enough over the last 3 and a bit years to suggest the problem could be solved as easily as playing with a different striker.

I think it's more likely he needs to be moved back. The no. 10 role requires too many skills that he doesn't appear to have e.g. decision-making under pressure.

 

[davek]

It's not coaching - it's the lack of plan. Nothing has changed; it's tactically identical to Martinez, but with a few long balls thrown in.

Whether that's down to Koeman being awful, or the squad being threadbare, I don't know - I suspect it's 50/50.

What I do now see is that the main criticism of Koeman from Southampton fans was spot on - he does not believe in using young players at all.

The first five games were played by the same players, so i defo think it's the manager who's lost his way. The players proved they can win earlier in thr season. The manager has sent us into a slump.

 

[MikeH72]

There's 11 put there on the pitch mate. You only point at Barkley because

a) he's local

b ) you KNOW he's head and shoulders above any other player we have talent wise.

I understand the frustration, but if he's not being coached well that's down to someone else, isn't it?

Yes, the fact he's been crap for two and a half years must be down to someone else. Obviously.