2017/18 Ross Barkley

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

Ross wants like 150 a week. He's not going for even 35M with those kind of demands. It's insane. 150 a week for a bench player.

Source?

 

[davek]

...you'd think we've been like Usain Bolt when he's been in the side. For too long we've lacked creativity, especially away from home and against the better teams. We've hardly been devastating with Barkley playing. Arguably our best attacking performance last season was the 2nd half against Sunderland when we broke with speed and purpose. That was the game where Barkley was substituted at half time.

We, and he, never had a problem away from home until last season. Too timid, to settled in our own half, too few numbers committed to attack.

 

[Jamiednm]

No one at the club can rival Barkley for dawdling on the ball then falling on his arse.

 

[Eggs]

We, and he, never had a problem away from home until last season. Too timid, to settled in our own half, too few numbers committed to attack.

..similar to what we're seeing in pre-season. Barkley in the side or out of the side isn't making any difference then.

 

[davek]

..similar to what we're seeing in pre-season. Barkley in the side or out of the side isn't making any difference then.

The two EL games have seen a team sit back and frustrate by leaving not much room to exploit. Away from home last season we had teams opening up and still we sat back in numbers and failed to hit on the break in sufficient numbers.

 

[toffee-L]

We, and he, never had a problem away from home until last season. Too timid, to settled in our own half, too few numbers committed to attack.

Our away performances were mostly pants last season, I think largely because of the centre halves who were too scared to press high and squeeze the game. Barkley however rarely contributed to those performances and shone at home after Christmas, symbolic of the team really.

Still, I'd take away struggles ANY day over the home pains the season before.

 

[Paul E]

We look very average without him. Pre-season or not, there have been some poor performances thus far. We lack any kind of dynamism and our general play seems to have slowed down because of a lack of movement and pace. Any pre-season optimism has gone for me. We need at least 3 more first team regulars to challenge for Europe next season.

 

[PeregrineT]

No excuses. Get the job done or do one.

You know nothing about sports. But thats usually the case with the one who is loudest.

 

[technojoe]

Not in the same category style wise.

Really?? Hmmmmmm

 

[Eggs]

The two EL games have seen a team sit back and frustrate by leaving not much room to exploit. Away from home last season we had teams opening up and still we sat back in numbers and failed to hit on the break in sufficient numbers.

..exactly, but the point you've been making is that we're missing Barkley's pace. All I'm saying is Barkley played last season when we struggled in the same pedestrian manner. Everton play poorly and we are missing Barkley but just think about the Derby matches last season when he did play and was woeful.

 

[davek]

..exactly, but the point you've been making is that we're missing Barkley's pace. All I'm saying is Barkley played last season when we struggled in the same pedestrian manner. Everton play poorly and we are missing Barkley but just think about the Derby matches last season when he did play and was woeful.

But for Barkley to impact on open games away from home he has to have bodies with him offering runs to distract defenders and pull them out of position and to be there for a pass.

We committed only one or two to a break by and large...the S'land game you mentioned earlier being the exception in that respect.

 

[Eggs]

But for Barkley to impact on open games away from home he has to have bodies with him offering runs to distract defenders and pull them out of position and to be there for a pass.

We committed only one or two to a break by and large...the S'land game you mentioned earlier being the exception in that respect.

...I'm not disagreeing, Dave. Earlier you were indicating that Barkley's absence was the reason the team are pedestrian. That isn't the case. The team model and application is the reason.

 

[davek]

...I'm not disagreeing, Dave. Earlier you were indicating that Barkley's absence was the reason the team are pedestrian. That isn't the case. The team model and application is the reason.

It is the reason. But only if you set up the team the right way for him to have an effect and you have the right attitude to going all out for three points.

 

[Tubey]

But for Barkley to impact on open games away from home he has to have bodies with him offering runs to distract defenders and pull them out of position and to be there for a pass.

We committed only one or two to a break by and large...the S'land game you mentioned earlier being the exception in that respect.

Absolutely spot on.

When people moaned today about us not keeping possession - this is why. What Barkley does is carry a ball and not give the stupid pass into a position which is likely to result in a turnover. So the "dawdling" people complain about with him isn't what they think; it's simply that he's waiting to transition the ball intelligently rather than give a pass that anybody could do.

If people went to Goodison last year or watched away games and didn't see the chronic lack of movement from our attack, then I can't help them. But Barkley wasn't the problem - he was doing exactly what he was tasked to do; get in between the lines, take the ball, turn it and look to progress an attack.

We've missed that badly in pre-season. Indeed, the only time we had an element of it was through Lookman in that last 20, because he cut into that line and took the ball to feet.

 

[davek]

Absolutely spot on.

When people moaned today about us not keeping possession - this is why. What Barkley does is carry a ball and not give the stupid pass into a position which is likely to result in a turnover. So the "dawdling" people complain about with him isn't what they think; it's simply that he's waiting to transition the ball intelligently rather than give a pass that anybody could do.

If people went to Goodison last year or watched away games and didn't see the chronic lack of movement from our attack, then I can't help them. But Barkley wasn't the problem - he was doing exactly what he was tasked to do; get in between the lines, take the ball, turn it and look to progress an attack.

We've missed that badly in pre-season. Indeed, the only time we had an element of it was through Lookman in that last 20, because he cut into that line and took the ball to feet.

...and all that stems from a very cautious approach to games...more especially away games.