Ross Barkley

[Steve_E]

http://theexecutionersbong.wordpress.com/2013/08/19/ross-barkley-a-different-type-of-number-ten/

 

For people who might not have read it, there's also a comparison of last weekend's Norwich away game to last season's Norwich away game in the article that's positive and worth a read imo.

 

I'd like to keep Mirallas more in the middle against West Brom when we attack as well. So he can support Jelavic but also allow him to make diagonal runs in behind the slow WBA full backs Ridgewell and in particular Jones. I think that area in behind their full backs can exploited by someone with his pace.

 

I didn't see their game this weekend, but with Lukaku last year, they often played very direct with Ridgewell and Olsson (who have more accurate long balls than Jones and McAuley) often going long with Long and their "wingers" Morrison and Dorrans or Brunt very narrow, looking for the second ball. Or they simply played it over the top for the very fast Lukaku and Long to chase it. I think they might use Anelka the same way they did Lukaku though. So I'd consider playing three centre backs. Distin, Jagielka and Stones to counter them playing two fast centre forwards. That would also allow Coleman to fill that wide right spot on offense without danger of getting caught out, we could simply move to sort of a 4-4-2 with Stones as the "right back", Coleman as the "right mid" and Mirallas as the "second striker" when we attack. Then transition back to a 3/5-man defense. However, that would probably mean there's no place for a number 10/Barkley and I don't want to drop him after the Norwich game. Could he play next to Fellaini in Osman's place?

[Bailey]

Tough call. Given West Brom are also likely to press more agressively that Norwich, playing with 5 at the back would also give us more passing options and angles.

 

Given our performance at the weekend I think its more than likely we will stick with the same set up as last week.

[StevO]

http://theexecutionersbong.wordpress.com/2013/08/19/ross-barkley-a-different-type-of-number-ten/

 

Fellaini has his heart and mind set on a move for united, was clearly not focused on our game on Saturday (if you listen to some opinions). Yet we won every second ball in the game, Fellaini had the second most touches of any player in the EPL. I still think he's pretty important to us.

[Hafnia]

 

Fellaini has his heart and mind set on a move for united, was clearly not focused on our game on Saturday (if you listen to some opinions). Yet we won every second ball in the game, Fellaini had the second most touches of any player in the EPL. I still think he's pretty important to us.

 

I just think his body language and overall attitude is stat that can't be measured, he played statues for their first goal and made no attempt to get goal side, sheer lazy attitude.

[bluenosetoffee]

 

lets hope he doesn't get to much hype hes still young,

 

 

That is exactly what I am hoping doesn't happen, you know with English media when a new player comes on the scene that they have to put all this pressure on them, saying Barkley and Wilshere England internationals....After that goal against Norwich everyone is up his ar$e. All of us knew the quality he had from U21 games etc. I bet if he doesn't play against WBA. Everyone will be all over it saying, he played so well against Norwich why not against WBA. It really gets on my nerves the way we put pressure on English players. Not just footballers but cricket, tennis etc.

[StevO]

 

I just think his body language and overall attitude is stat that can't be measured, he played statues for their first goal and made no attempt to get goal side, sheer lazy attitude.

 

Or as Matt said, he didnt give away a free kick or get himself booked like he would previously. Maybe he has matured as a player.

Pienaar and Baines got rinsed for that goal too. I dont think his body language suggests anything at all.

[Hafnia]

 

Or as Matt said, he didnt give away a free kick or get himself booked like he would previously. Maybe he has matured as a player.

Pienaar and Baines got rinsed for that goal too. I dont think his body language suggests anything at all.

 

Baines wasn't himself in that game either, I think we all know why now. It could have been worse, when Man City unsettled Lescott we got hammered on first game of the season - Moyesie wasn't too pleased about that, hypocrite.

[Cake]

Tough call. Given West Brom are also likely to press more agressively that Norwich, playing with 5 at the back would also give us more passing options and angles.

 

Given our performance at the weekend I think its more than likely we will stick with the same set up as last week.

 

I work with quite a few West Brom fans, regular match-goers. They are not looking forward to playing us on Saturday.

 

Given their result last Saturday after an abject performance 1st game of the season in front of their own fans they will park the bus against us on Saturday and whack it long for Long (no pun intended) to chase down with their midfield running on for any loose balls or poor clearances. I don't think this will be a classic and if we're not fully 'on it' (hate that!) we'll get suckered (hate that Americanism, too).

 

I hope we batter them as it will save me from a lot of gurning from the hillbillies when I return to work the following week.

[thoward18]

 

I just think his body language and overall attitude is stat that can't be measured, he played statues for their first goal and made no attempt to get goal side, sheer lazy attitude.

 

That's a pretty big leap to make, don't you think? Every single midfielder in the world is going to (fail to) make a play like that a couple times per season. If he goes 5 games in a row refusing to battle for balls then you'll have something, but taking one individual incident and trying to use it to project Fellaini's attitude towards the possibility of a transfer is pretty drastic.

[Bailey]

 

That's a pretty big leap to make, don't you think? Every single midfielder in the world is going to (fail to) make a play like that a couple times per season. If he goes 5 games in a row refusing to battle for balls then you'll have something, but taking one individual incident and trying to use it to project Fellaini's attitude towards the possibility of a transfer is pretty drastic.

Not to mention the other challenges he got stuck into, the times be was trying to drive us forward and the times he was racing back to cover Coleman or Baines when they were caught out of position.

[Sibdane]

I don't get the whole "Fellaini-at-fault" claim for the first goal. The Norwich scorer had momentum going forward, and Fellaini probably didn't expect the ball to come hobbling wildly through Baines and Pienaar like it did. And to add to that, it looks like Fellaini tried to go after the ball, but Whittaker got there first and was able to touch it away. It's not like he didn't try to go after it. :dont know:

 

I keep watching the replay, and I just don't see where he warrants the type of criticism he is getting for it. I think Baines and Pienaar are more at fault, tbh.

[Peter H]

Nice blog post from swedish football journalist Kalle Karlsson. Google translated with some quick edits to make it easier to read. http://bloggar.aftonbladet.se/premierleague/2013/08/19/slutsatser-efter-helgen-del-2/

 

 

...

 

Breakthrough for super talent!

Whats up and coming in English football? Are there any new up and coming players knocking on the door?

That is a subject that is constantly discussed in pace with the amount of foreign players in the Premier League growing all the time.

But at Carrow Road, we saw what I would describe as a breakthrough of a future great player.

 

It has long been talked about Ross Barkley at Everton. The kid played after all from the start of the second round of the Premier League as early as two years ago. When he was only 17 years old.

But he has had to bide his time. The season 2011/12 he played six games, including two from the start. Last season there was a total of seven games (two from the start) and loans to Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United.

Young players will always be talked about as future superstars in England. This happens constantly. Jose Baxter had the same type of pressure on him. He was predicted a bright future at Everton, but is now found in Oldham in League One.

The risk of Ross Barkley going the same way however is very small as I see it.

In the opener against Norwich the19-year-old demonstrated why he is branded as a super talent.

Barkley was the best on the pitch in his midfield role next to Leon Osman. The way he pounded the ball into the goal for 1-1 (with the wrong foot) was awesome, but his other qualities were even more delicious: The drive in his running, the ability to advance the ball up the pitch, the mature creation of space. Of his 53 passes he hit 51 to the right address.

Ross Barkley has been compared to Steven Gerrard and although one should be careful with such comparisons, it is easy to see why it is made in this case.

Ross Barkley is an extraordinary talent with an extraordinary drive and two good shooting feet. And this time he is in the Premier League to stay.

 

...

[Romey 1878]

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/everton-boss-can-see-ross-5759598

[Lowensda]

I'm going to burst a bubble here and it's not out of being a miserable tosser or anything, it's more to calm the excitement that surrounds him.

 

I have a horrible feeling that we (us fans & the media) are piling a lot of pressure on him, after one, very exceptional game.

 

I've seen games for the U21's and for Everton, where he's not been very productive. Valencia, he didn't play all that well and i've seen games where he's 'ghosted' through.

 

I hope this added pressure, after one game doesn't affect him.

 

I still think he'll be an incredible talent, I just hope that people don't expect a 10/10 from him every game.

 

IMO.

[Hafnia]

I'm going to burst a bubble here and it's not out of being a miserable tosser or anything, it's more to calm the excitement that surrounds him.

 

I have a horrible feeling that we (us fans & the media) are piling a lot of pressure on him, after one, very exceptional game.

 

I've seen games for the U21's and for Everton, where he's not been very productive. Valencia, he didn't play all that well and i've seen games where he's 'ghosted' through.

 

I hope this added pressure, after one game doesn't affect him.

 

I still think he'll be an incredible talent, I just hope that people don't expect a 10/10 from him every game.

 

IMO.

 

I believe he was trying too hard to make an impression every time he got the ball under Moyes - because let's be honest he never got a fair crack of the whip. He had a great game versus QPR, had a dodgy few minutes against Blackburn and was taken off and barely featured after that.

 

For me at the time I was incensed by the decision, it was rumoured that he was in tears after the Blackburn game. Lets put it this way, he had plenty of time to dwell on that, and for a player he seems very much like a confidence player that would have been devastating and no doubt led to him trying too hard.

 

I actually think that at times he has been too advanced for the strikers he's played with - he sees runs that they don't.

 

What he now has is a manager who doesn't fear a player getting tackled, he wants the players to play without fear. I said over 2 months ago that under Martinez you will see a new Ross Barkley - the player with the same ability, just wouthout the fear of being instructed what to do - or more like not what to do.

 

Certain players are ideal for certain managers - Martinez embraces the unpredictability and "fearless" nature of young players, Moyes was petrified by it. Moyes loves the predictability, discipline and experience of the likes of Neville, Cahill, Kilbane, Bents - Martinez sees that the trade off by going with young talent is worth it in the long run.

 

I don't doubt for one second that Barkley is gonna make a howler that costs us a goal or two and maybe even a result - but I also don't doubt that he is on the right trajectory now to become a massive star, who will have a mentor who will take the hits for him. Put it this way, for the errors that Jags, Distin and Neville have made, do we think that Barkley will make many more? Nope, I also envisage him winning us more games.

 

To quote Martinez:-

 

“He’s desperate to keep his place. All he wants to do is stay in the team and keep enjoying his football. Thats what I want him to do.

[Lowensda]

 

I believe he was trying too hard to make an impression every time he got the ball under Moyes - because let's be honest he never got a fair crack of the whip. He had a great game versus QPR, had a dodgy few minutes against Blackburn and was taken off and barely featured after that.

 

For me at the time I was incensed by the decision, it was rumoured that he was in tears after the Blackburn game. Lets put it this way, he had plenty of time to dwell on that, and for a player he seems very much like a confidence player that would have been devastating and no doubt led to him trying too hard.

 

I actually think that at times he has been too advanced for the strikers he's played with - he sees runs that they don't.

 

What he now has is a manager who doesn't fear a player getting tackled, he wants the players to play without fear. I said over 2 months ago that under Martinez you will see a new Ross Barkley - the player with the same ability, just wouthout the fear of being instructed what to do - or more like not what to do.

 

Certain players are ideal for certain managers - Martinez embraces the unpredictability and "fearless" nature of young players, Moyes was petrified by it. Moyes loves the predictability, discipline and experience of the likes of Neville, Cahill, Kilbane, Bents - Martinez sees that the trade off by going with young talent is worth it in the long run.

 

I don't doubt for one second that Barkley is gonna make a howler that costs us a goal or two and maybe even a result - but I also don't doubt that he is on the right trajectory now to become a massive star, who will have a mentor who will take the hits for him. Put it this way, for the errors that Jags, Distin and Neville have made, do we think that Barkley will make many more? Nope, I also envisage him winning us more games.

 

To quote Martinez:-

 

“He’s desperate to keep his place. All he wants to do is stay in the team and keep enjoying his football. Thats what I want him to do.

 

I completely agree with what your saying but the Valencia game that I used as an example, had Martinez at the helm, not Moyes.

 

The rest I agree, I just hope people don't pile too much pressure on him. That's what Moyes did in part and look what happened.

 

I hope people accept he's a talent, like you say, allowed to make errors. I fear if he starts showing less than 10/10 before he's an accomplished player, they'll hound him for not being what he could have been.

 

It's caution more than anything.

[Hafnia]

 

I completely agree with what your saying but the Valencia game that I used as an example, had Martinez at the helm, not Moyes.

 

The rest I agree, I just hope people don't pile too much pressure on him. That's what Moyes did in part and look what happened.

 

I hope people accept he's a talent, like you say, allowed to make errors. I fear if he starts showing less than 10/10 before he's an accomplished player, they'll hound him for not being what he could have been.

 

It's caution more than anything.

 

No I agree, even the best players in the world don't perform at the highest every game. Its just making sure his worst game is a 7/10 rather than a 5/10.

[SimonButtle]

I think he will be ok as i don't think Martinez will start him every game. If we can get a CM/DM brought in and maybe shift Osman upfront, he can be gradually eased in over the season. He is going to need a settled 2 behind him though, whether it's Felli+Gibson, Gibson+Another, Felli+Another etc,etc. So that if he does lose the ball he doesn't have to have the worry about getting it back so much, just concentrate on what he's good at.

[tolne]

He's included in the team of the week by Sky.

 

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11096/8879850/pl-team-of-the-week

 

This bit really bothers me though

 

 

"...the Toffees will be hoping to keep hold of Barkley in the way that they couldn't with players like Jack Rodwell"

 

Really... because we really missed a beat when we shipped out Rodwell to fill City's bench and the local player quota. The players we couldn't hold onto in recent years are very few far and in between. I thought we really would miss Arteta but we did okay; Pienaar left, saw that he made a mistake and came back; Rooney leaving brought us the core group of players we have today... Lescott fattened up our funds as well. I don't understand what they're on about

[Bailey]

I agree with Tens post. The lad is pure class but lets not get carried away. He needs to show that ability week in week out, which I am sure he will do in time.

[Cornish Steve]

Ross Barkley is also in Garth Crooks' team of the week: "When I saw Barkley collect the ball and rifle a shot past Norwich's John Ruddy, I thought, 'what a great left-foot strike'. What I didn't know until Danny Murphy mentioned it on Match of the Day was that the lad is right-footed. I think Everton have a player here."

[pete0]

Ross Barkley is also in Garth Crooks' team of the week: "When I saw Barkley collect the ball and rifle a shot past Norwich's John Ruddy, I thought, 'what a great left-foot strike'. What I didn't know until Danny Murphy mentioned it on Match of the Day was that the lad is right-footed. I think Everton have a player here."

How does that man continue to be employed as a pundit?

[MikeO]

How does that man continue to be employed as a pundit?

 

Comedy value I think.....there can be no other explanation.

[c1982]

In the senior England squad.

[Romey 1878]

In the senior England squad.

 

 

As happy as I am for him I think it's ridiculous.

[Guest blueboy122]

Have to agree with Romey. The England squad selections are a joke. Ross played superbly well against Norwich and had another good game at the weekend but since when do 2 good games warrant a international call up.

 

England caps are given away like confetti these days.

[Lowensda]

Not even got that many caps for the U21's...silly, typical England selection.

 

Is he grabbing headlines? Yes. Get him in the senior squad, get him selling shirts.

[MikeO]

Raheem Sterling back in.....having played eighteen minutes of football this season (and not started a game since Feb apparently). Squad picked on merit?

 

Woy has lost the plot.

[BlueBlood81]

Although it is a bit of a joke decision, congratulations are definitly in order to our Ross.

 

Hope it doesnt go to his head though and he keeps his feet on the ground!

[Matt]

Raheem Sterling back in.....having played eighteen minutes of football this season (and not started a game since Feb apparently). Squad picked on merit?

 

Woy has lost the plot.

when did he ever have it?

 

Good for Ross. I dont think he will get played, but if Sterling got picked last year why not our boy? Him in front of Wilshere along side Rooney in a midfield triangle, behind the striker, sounds awesome to me.

Edited August 27, 2013 by Matt