Ross Barkley

[hong0311]

Don't talk about signing him for 20M, wouldn't even sign him for free since he's such a liability on the pitch.

[Tomaszk]

That's enough for a few weeks starting I think. He's played himself out the team with effort and nothing else. That's not good at all.

[messi11]

He's going through a bad patch atm. 
Lets support him 

[Sidmon]

The concern is and it backs up the "play if fit" clause claims, is that Ross wasn't put on the bench like you'd expect when nursing someone back to fitness. As soon as he was even half fit he was back in the team taking AEG out who was so on form was a nomination for Premier League POTM. While I agree with the feelings that such a clause sounds like a Champ Manager theory, these kinds of actions do little to stop the suspicion of it. We had the same theories on Drinkwater last year though when he was continually picked despite being unfit and shite, but that (fortunately) proved unfounded and now Drinkwater plays on the other side of the continent!

[AvfcRigo82]

6 hours ago, Zhan_Zhuang said:

I agree, I said this week's ago and yet I got severely criticised by some.

 

6 hours ago, Villan_of_oz said:

I was criticised for sharing the same opinion, but none of the protagonists have commented recently

Hyperbole apparently...   

[Villan_of_oz]

4 hours ago, messi11 said:

He's going through a bad patch atm. 
Lets support him 

I'd gladly support him through a lack of form if that was the only problem.

It's the lack of effort that is unforgivable. He just doesn't try very hard, the sooner he's off back to Chelsea the better. Imagine what this is costing the club per week.

[cheltenham_villa]

The worry is where do the other options come from. Weve stopped scoring goals, only 7 since our break. Would probably consider grealish into the middle and AEG back on the wing. 

Weve been playing Luiz and McGinn as a holding 2 and the only we changed from that West Ham took us apart.

I'm not worrying about Barkley, I think his form will return, I'd like so seen Deano give us something that creates chances.

[cyrusr]

6 hours ago, messi11 said:

He's going through a bad patch atm. 
Lets support him 

Possibly, but that doesn’t mean start him.

Players in bad form should be dropped and Barkley has been very inconsistent/bordering poor since return from injury. Yesterday was his worse game and should have been subbed much sooner. Sanson did far more in 15 minutes than Barkley did in 75; says it all really.

Unless he has an absolutely storming training week, he needs to be dropped. With possibility of Sanson/Trezeguet/El Ghazi all potential options (depending on formation etc) to come in. We have options and we need to utilise them.

Reading the comments of inconsistency at Everton/Chelsea seem to ring true. Sadly though for Barkley he’s not 21/22 learning the trade. At 27 he is meant to be coming into his prime. He needs to get focused again and quickly otherwise he will be going down the Drinkwater road.

[Villa87]

Deano dropped Ghazi after his purple patch. He then hauled him off at half time against a West Ham. I cannot understand why we would persist in playing him when he is so off his game. His passing is shocking, he ambles about and he is so slow with the ball at his feet. Really disappointing because 4 games ago I was calling for patience. 

[Thug]

25 minutes ago, Villa87 said:

Deano dropped Ghazi after his purple patch. He then hauled him off at half time against a West Ham. I cannot understand why we would persist in playing him when he is so off his game. His passing is shocking, he ambles about and he is so slow with the ball at his feet. Really disappointing because 4 games ago I was calling for patience. 

This is the bit that really puzzles me.  He dragged off El Ghazi at 45 minutes.  Barkley was just as poor in that game.  The difference is that in the 5-6 games prior to that AEG was on fire, and in this game he was out of position.

Barkley has been dogshit since the Liverpool game, but continues to be given minutes.

This persistence with playing loan players until they find form will ruin our team morale. 
 

[Skruff]

Some of it is down to tactics. 

It was clear he was pressing high up the pitch, at times higher up than Watkins. Constantly made runs in behind Watkins  and took up positions as a striker throughout the game. 

It's unreasonable so expect him to contribute too much further down the pitch when he's been instructed otherwise. 

However the pressing seemed half arsed, never close to getting the ball, getting a foot in or getting physical at all. It looks more like pointless running then pressing. He's completely  switched off as soon as we drop down defending deeper. If you compare him to any of our other attacking players they all track back to put in tackles or cover runs when we're under pressure, he just doesn't. 

Added that to poor form going forward. I don't see there's anything justifying giving him a starting spot. 

[Vive_La_Villa]

38 minutes ago, Villa87 said:

Deano dropped Ghazi after his purple patch. He then hauled him off at half time against a West Ham. I cannot understand why we would persist in playing him when he is so off his game. His passing is shocking, he ambles about and he is so slow with the ball at his feet. Really disappointing because 4 games ago I was calling for patience. 

Can only imagine he is looking good I’m training. Just struggling to reproduce it on the pitch. 

[ozvillafan]

3 hours ago, Villan_of_oz said:

I'd gladly support him through a lack of form if that was the only problem.

It's the lack of effort that is unforgivable. He just doesn't try very hard, the sooner he's off back to Chelsea the better. Imagine what this is costing the club per week.

I actually think Barkley's problem is the opposite: He's trying too hard.

Granted - he doesn't do nearly enough off the ball. Never has in his career. But when on the ball?

There was an incident in the first half that summed him up perfectly. He received the ball under pressure, took a good first touch and turned (towards our goal) out of trouble retaining possession. He then hit a deliciously masked "no-look" square ball....

...straight to an unmarked Brighton player.

Meanwhile, Targett was completely isolated on our left wing, waiting for the easy ball and clearly in Ross' field of vision.

The simple play was the better one, but Ross tried a little too hard to fashion something spectacular. He has done this a lot lately but the only affect it has is handing over possession and increasing his own frustration.

Get back to basics, Ross! If you are in a good position - run at them. If you aren't - play the easy ball. You'll find yourself doing much better much sooner.

Edited February 14, 2021 by ozvillafan
"too", not "to"

[DCJonah]

Something strange going on with him. Before his injury he looked so strong and fast. Both in the Liverpool and Leicester games, he'd drive with the ball, it was one of the main things that stood out for me. 

Now he just looks slow and sluggish. I got the reason for trying to get him back to match fitness quickly. And having Barkley does take some focus away from Jack. 

Something isn't right and I think he needs to be dropped and I imagine he will in the next game.

I think all these calls of lazy and needs to be sent back to Chelsea are extremely harsh. I really don't get what he's done to deserve what almost seems like hatred at this point in time.

It's currently not working out. But saying that we're still getting the points even with him starting and he was only slightly worse than mcginn, traore and Jack yesterday. 

[Vive_La_Villa]

23 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

Something strange going on with him. Before his injury he looked so strong and fast. Both in the Liverpool and Leicester games, he'd drive with the ball, it was one of the main things that stood out for me. 

Now he just looks slow and sluggish. I got the reason for trying to get him back to match fitness quickly. And having Barkley does take some focus away from Jack. 

Something isn't right and I think he needs to be dropped and I imagine he will in the next game.

I think all these calls of lazy and needs to be sent back to Chelsea are extremely harsh. I really don't get what he's done to deserve what almost seems like hatred at this point in time.

It's currently not working out. But saying that we're still getting the points even with him starting and he was only slightly worse than mcginn, traore and Jack yesterday. 

Some fans hate players who aren’t playing well. Especially when it comes accross as they are not trying.  Can you imagine the abuse he would be getting if there was crowds!

I think Smith needs to do what’s right by the teams and even by Barkley and get him out the firing line until he’s in a better place.

[villa89]

Must be hard when he wasn't able to train but he offers nothing on the pitch. A total passenger. Has to be dropped for Samson now. 

[Panto_Villan]

23 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Some fans hate players who aren’t playing well. Especially when it comes accross as they are not trying.  Can you imagine the abuse he would be getting if there was crowds!

I think Smith needs to do what’s right by the teams and even by Barkley and get him out the firing line until he’s in a better place.

Maybe some people hate him, but I think most people just think he shouldn't be playing. The reason people are frustrated is that he may well not be dropped, and if the coaching staff apparently like what they see then we might even buy him.

He needs to go back on the bench and try and force his way back into the squad through performances, that's all.

[Follyfoot]

For him to play he has to come onto the bench and then win his place back in the team. He is not good enough at the moment and that should be the end of it until he proves otherwise. Absolute disgrace watch we have done to El Gazi, It was champagne football with him on the left and Jack in the middle as a 10

Edited February 14, 2021 by Follyfoot

[Risso]

He's done knack all for weeks now. Starting to look suspiciously like there's a "must start" in the loan agreement, because I'm buggered if I can think of another reason he's starting games at the moment. Utterly anonymous.

[Keener window-cleaner]

I feel we also need to put this into perspective and not overly criticize the signing of Ross. It was a huge coup that we signed him, a marquee signing and a signing very few thought we would be able to make given we just hanged on in the PL. He is an immense talent and on his day one of the best in England, a match winner and a player who has everything. He looked a little bit rusty to begin with but contributed with vital goals and linked up perfectly with Jack on the left. In several games they have played the pants of opponents on that left hand side. I had great hope he could be the factor that pushes us up further in the table.

Then came his injury, and he hasn't been near the same level. But that doesn't mean it was a bad signing. I think we all hope that he will find hs form, and for that he needs to play games, hence why he is starting.

The worrying think though is that he doesn't seem to improve, and mostly he doesn't put the shift in required. As I said in earlier posts, it could be a confidence thing, after he scored the other day he suddenly started to make sprints and looked lively. The fact that he realises that he wont make the England squad, that's he is not back in form and not performing, critique against him probably makes him even lower.

I don't know, perhaps he needs a arm around the shoulder to get his confidence back. Anyways he needs to work harder on the pitch, show the same attitude El Ghazi did.