Visiting Citizen

Saw most of your game on Saturday and you'll be pleased to hear that was just a typical Barry performance. The block on Eto'o was fantastic. As I said in my first post, on deadline day, he is (was) my favourite City player and I'm glad he's endearing himself to you guys so quickly.

I'll add one last thing, you won't get a lot of 9/10 or 10/10 performances from him although we got a couple back-to-back last April at Old Trafford and then at Wembley in the semi-final against Chelsea, but you will get 7/10 or 8/10 every week. He's Mr Consistency and provided he's used correctly can be relied upon to do his job no problem. Don't put him in your fantasy team though, Lukaku on the other hand . . .

Hi guys, City fan in peace. I hope this is the right place to post this but just wanted to let you know if the Barry deal does go through, which it looks like it will, you've signed one of my favourite ever City players. He's been instrumental in our development over the past few years and I'm gutted he's gone. The majority of non-City and Villa fans in England think he's poor because of the England v Germany game at the 2010 World Cup when Mezut Ozil outpaced him and sealed the win for the Germans. However, the fact Capello insisted on taking Barry to South Africa despite the fact he was only half-fit should tell you everything you need to know. He's never been the fastest player but he makes up for it with intelligence. His positioning and reading of the game are up there with the very best and he's got the stamina, work-rate and strength to ensure he performs exceptionally in the holding midfield role. His passing is good without being spectacular, he'll look to keep possession first and foremost but he always tries to move the ball quickly and give it to the players he knows can cause damage to the opposition. I truly believe he's a fantastic player and whilst his best days are probably behind him he will still be a valuable addition to your side. I'll end with a quote that a Villa fan posted on the City forum I use shortly after we signed him in 2009: When you first see Barry play you may wonder what all the fuss is about, but when he's out of the team, you'll know what all the fuss is about. He's the oil that makes the engine run smoothly and it's worth adding that in the 2011/12 season, the year we won the league, David Silva, amongst others, voted for Gareth Barry as player of the year. I fear he'll be sorely missed and wish him and Everton the best of luck for the rest of the season.