Ross Barkley

[Jordinho]

You never questioned Danny Rose during those years he looked completely hopeless down the left? He wasnt winger he wasn't a left back, showed very little intelligence on the field, reckless tackler.....or Harry who appeared clumsy, his first touch was a bit heavy, he had no change of speed. Did you think he would become the players he is now?

Looking back to 2012, I didn't really have much of an opinion either way. He was a bit suspect defensively, but there's was no harm in sticking with him as he wasn't costing us a fortune and he was good enough for where we were at the time.

Sometimes I can look at a player and just know he isn't good enough/the right player for us. I don't think I've ever been wrong on those calls.

 

[Gutter Boy]

Which, I think, is exactly the role that Poch sees for him. There is barely a player out there for which we could afford either the transfer fee or wages who would displace one of our first choice players. The bench is another matter. My thoughts are that Poch sees Barkley as a potential back up at number 10, who has a fair chance of being developed into Dembele's long term replacement.

No way he's got the positional or defensive ability to play in CM. We've also got Wink and Onomah for that role, who have much higher ceilings.

He'd be Alli's back-up as our direct AM (alongside a creator like Eriksen/Lamela and a wide forward like Son).

I think his actual ideal position would be a #8 in a classic 1990s 4-4-2. Sort of the Alan Nielsen or Jason Dozzell role

 

[Gutter Boy]

This one isn't going away, I would be surprised if we don't get him in the end. Everton are preparing for it with Klassen and attempting to sign Sigurdsson too.

I quite like him and hope these last two pages bite some people on the arse

West Ham tend to pick up players like Barkley - ones the top clubs don't want but are too expensive for the better mid-table ones

 

[monkeybarry]

No way he's got the positional or defensive ability to play in CM. We've also got Wink and Onomah for that role, who have much higher ceilings.

He'd be Alli's back-up as our direct AM (alongside a creator like Eriksen/Lamela and a wide forward like Son).

I think his actual ideal position would be a #8 in a classic 1990s 4-4-2. Sort of the Alan Nielsen or Jason Dozzell role

Harsh

If he can be coached he definitely has the ability and potential to be the kind of player that can be good in one role and do a job in others.
He could become Joe Cole level

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Is that per 90 or overall?

It seems to me that he appears to post good numbers because he's undroppable in that Everton team. When you filter down to per 90 numbers he more Sissoko than he is Eriksen.

I just looked at the most assist in the division numbers

HE was also very high on chance creation

Dont forget he was mainly feeding the donkey Pookaku

 

[Bedfordspurs]

You never questioned Danny Rose during those years he looked completely hopeless down the left? He wasnt winger he wasn't a left back, showed very little intelligence on the field, reckless tackler.....or Harry who appeared clumsy, his first touch was a bit heavy, he had no change of speed. Did you think he would become the players he is now?

Rose didn't look hopeless but i agree with your sentiments

 

[DeleHarry]

Rose didn't look hopeless but i agree with your sentiments

He did to me......I cannot believe what Poch has turned him into.

 

[DeleHarry]

No way he's got the positional or defensive ability to play in CM. We've also got Wink and Onomah for that role, who have much higher ceilings.

He'd be Alli's back-up as our direct AM (alongside a creator like Eriksen/Lamela and a wide forward like Son).

I think his actual ideal position would be a #8 in a classic 1990s 4-4-2. Sort of the Alan Nielsen or Jason Dozzell role

What do you think about Kovacic at Real who we've been linked with in the last few days. Or Coric at Dynamo? Could we do with their qualities of we already have players in Onomah and Winks who are just as good

 

[scaramanga]

I just looked at the most assist in the division numbers

HE was also very high on chance creation

Dont forget he was mainly feeding the donkey Pookaku

Obviously evenly matched chances to Lukaku will be converted at a lower rate than to Kane, but to create so many chances but have so few assists suggests to me that the chances he creates aren't the best. Even allowing for Lukaku.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Obviously evenly matched chances to Lukaku will be converted at a lower rate than to Kane, but to create so many chances but have so few assists suggests to me that the chances he creates aren't the best. Even allowing for Lukaku.

Do you not think Poch could improve him significantly like he did with Rose as an example of a British player Poch improved?

 

[Bedfordspurs]

He did to me......I cannot believe what Poch has turned him into.

He always had the something for me (I even posted it when he was on loan at sunland)

To excel in mediocrity is harder IMO than shining with better players

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Obviously evenly matched chances to Lukaku will be converted at a lower rate than to Kane, but to create so many chances but have so few assists suggests to me that the chances he creates aren't the best. Even allowing for Lukaku.

Or they simply had brick attackers which is why they have been addressing that side of their squad

 

[Gazza]

Look he is an overrated brick English player that plays for another club but when he signs for us instantly he still be a world class player and a master stroke of a signing.

We need this sort of balance of views when judging a player

 

[Gutter Boy]

What do you think about Kovacic at Real who we've been linked with in the last few days. Or Coric at Dynamo? Could we do with their qualities of we already have players in Onomah and Winks who are just as good

Aren't they both more in the Eriksen mould - passing playmakers?

The thing I think we really need to complement our existing AMs is a quick dribbler who can create in tight spaces. A Bernardo Silva. I'm not sure who a plan b in the mould would be

 

[scaramanga]

Do you not think Poch could improve him significantly like he did with Rose as an example of a British player Poch improved?

There's a chance - that's why I don't mind the deal if it's capped at around £20M and Barkley doesn't mind splinters in his arse.

He's been playing first team football for around 6 years now though - that's not exactly getting him early in his career. He's also shown little in the way of intelligence (even for a footballer) - that can't be taught.

 

[r-u-s-x]

He can beat a player though - and burst past with pace. He has a great talent to do that and I would argue with anyone on that point its a great skill set that not many players have. The gamble is whether we can teach him positional play, when to try and take on a player and what to do after he has done this.

 

[Gutter Boy]

He can beat a player though - and burst past with pace. He has a great talent to do that and I would argue with anyone on that point its a great skill set that not many players have. The gamble is whether we can teach him positional play, when to try and take on a player and what to do after he has done this.

So Sissoko. Or Njie but more brute than raw.

 

[scaramanga]

He can beat a player though - and burst past with pace. He has a great talent to do that and I would argue with anyone on that point its a great skill set that not many players have. The gamble is whether we can teach him positional play, when to try and take on a player and what to do after he has done this.

Pretty much sums it up for me. For £20M I'd take a risk on that (very raw) talent.

I suspect there will be plenty of little teams like West Ham willing to make him a guaranteed starter and pay over the odds though.

 

[tommysvr]

West Ham tend to pick up players like Barkley - ones the top clubs don't want but are too expensive for the better mid-table ones

Sounds a lot like us too. Who was the last genuine star (not a prospect like Bale or Alli) that we beat a big club too? I can only think of VDV somewhat fitting that.

 

[r-u-s-x]

So Sissoko. Or Njie but more brute than raw.

nope he knows what he is doing rather than bundle through - he is top class at it dembele with pace in the final third. Its the fact he tries it too often when better things are on, and very hit and miss once the space has opened that's the issue.

Personally I like him on a punt but not as a key signing - he is running down his contract at Everton partially in the hope of going to a team that he would not get into on pure ability in the open market. Emirates Marketing Project are in need of more homegrown players, if he doesn't join us this year think he will be next years Delph etc.