The Ross Barkley Thread | Page 30 | Vital Football

The Ross Barkley Thread

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I’m just thankful we didn’t buy Ross in January. Potentially a great talent but I’ve got a feeling it won’t materialise. Our 4 paid for incomings have been tremendous and let’s hope the 5th Sanson will be as well. He won’t have to do much to offer more than Ross at the moment if Dean has the nerve to pick him.
 
ldgavfc said:
I think people are turning on him because he's not a Villa player. Have his performances been any worse than Traore or even Grealish against Brighton? Not at all. He scored the winner against Southampton, he's literally a match winning player. When he plays at his best he links up the entire attack. Watkins has scored the vast majority of his goals when Barkley has been in the team because he creates space for him, draws defenders and links up Grealish with the rest of the attack.

El Ghazi had a great little burst of form in December but against very weak teams on the whole. Barkley is a superior player. Having said that, I want to see Sanson or Ramsey given a chance against Leicester as well as Trezeguet for Traore. Starting out of form players when we have options on the bench waiting for opportunities doesnt make sense.
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Can't agree with that assessment. Not being a Villa player has nothing to do with it. We've had plenty of loan players down the years, and those that put in a shift and play well are not "turned on" by the fans. Milner, Abraham, Kyle Walker, Ryan Bertrand, Robbie Keane to name a few. In my opinion, yes he has been worse than Grealish and Traore, mainly due to the fact that he doesn't do the basics of football that include running hard, defending and challenging for the ball.
I don't think anyone will argue that he has bags of ability, can be a match winner and more influential than many, but for me that's not enough if we are handicapped by his lack of effort in 4 games out of 5. If he had put in minimal effort against Brighton we could've got a result.
 
gmvillan said:
In my opinion, yes he has been worse than Grealish and Traore, mainly due to the fact that he doesn't do the basics of football that include running hard, defending and challenging for the ball.
I don't think anyone will argue that he has bags of ability, can be a match winner and more influential than many, but for me that's not enough if we are handicapped by his lack of effort in 4 games out of 5. If he had put in minimal effort against Brighton we could've got a result.
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This is where I am and I'll add that if Hourihane was putting in these performances he'd be slated too. 90% of the game is playing without the ball and Ross is anonymous until the ball is at his feet.

Thank god for Watkins, could you imagine Wesley and the same field as Barkley? Watkins work ethic IMO demands the same from his teammates but Barkley barely breaks out into a jog. He's incredibly selective above closing down and non-committal in his tackling.

Barkley in and around the box with Grealish is tremendous to watch but as has been said many times its a luxury we can only afford in so many games e.g. vs. Newcastle where he doesnt need to work at all.
 
CDX_EIRE said:
This is where I am and I'll add that if Hourihane was putting in these performances he'd be slated too. 90% of the game is playing without the ball and Ross is anonymous until the ball is at his feet.

Thank god for Watkins, could you imagine Wesley and the same field as Barkley? Watkins work ethic IMO demands the same from his teammates but Barkley barely breaks out into a jog. He's incredibly selective above closing down and non-committal in his tackling.

Barkley in and around the box with Grealish is tremendous to watch but as has been said many times its a luxury we can only afford in so many games e.g. vs. Newcastle where he doesnt need to work at all.
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Totally agree
 
ldgavfc said:
I think people are turning on him because he's not a Villa player
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Weak attempt to deflect any criticism from one of your favourite players.

He's getting stick because most people on here can read the game better and are a better judge of player than you appear to be.
 
crimsondonkey said:
Weak attempt to deflect any criticism from one of your favourite players.

He's getting stick because most people on here can read the game better and are a better judge of player than you appear to be.
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Like you, who laughed when I said we would finish somewhere between 8th and 14th this season with the signings we made?

Stop your personal vendetta against me, I'm not your enemy mate.
 
gmvillan said:
Can't agree with that assessment. Not being a Villa player has nothing to do with it. We've had plenty of loan players down the years, and those that put in a shift and play well are not "turned on" by the fans. Milner, Abraham, Kyle Walker, Ryan Bertrand, Robbie Keane to name a few. In my opinion, yes he has been worse than Grealish and Traore, mainly due to the fact that he doesn't do the basics of football that include running hard, defending and challenging for the ball.
I don't think anyone will argue that he has bags of ability, can be a match winner and more influential than many, but for me that's not enough if we are handicapped by his lack of effort in 4 games out of 5. If he had put in minimal effort against Brighton we could've got a result.
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He's not a workhorse, I agree. He does press the defence and goalkeeper and plays in a very forward thinking no. 10 role. I don't think he's been any worse than Traore and wasn't any worse than Grealish against Brighton, nothing was clicking in an attacking sense whatsoever and Barkley's lack of form was a big part of that.

I do feel that if we had signed him permanently, people would be cutting him a lot more slack. He's won us games this season and has been involved in some of the best attacking plays I've seen us play in decades.
 
ldgavfc said:
Like you, who laughed when I said we would finish somewhere between 8th and 14th this season with the signings we made?

Stop your personal vendetta against me, I'm not your enemy mate.
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No I hoped you were right, I laughed when you were getting carried away with a top 4 finish :lol:
 
ldgavfc said:
Like you, who laughed when I said we would finish somewhere between 8th and 14th this season with the signings we made?

Stop your personal vendetta against me, I'm not your enemy mate.
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If we don't improve our form, then crimson might be having the last laugh !
 
ldgavfc said:
He's not a workhorse, I agree. He does press the defence and goalkeeper and plays in a very forward thinking no. 10 role. I don't think he's been any worse than Traore and wasn't any worse than Grealish against Brighton, nothing was clicking in an attacking sense whatsoever and Barkley's lack of form was a big part of that.

I do feel that if we had signed him permanently, people would be cutting him a lot more slack. He's won us games this season and has been involved in some of the best attacking plays I've seen us play in decades.
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Frankly, I do not think that our criticism of Ross is based on just one performance against Brighton. I am starting to think that criticism of any kind is not right in your eyes?
 
ldgavfc said:
Ido feel that if we had signed him permanently, people would be cutting him a lot more slack.
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I feel if we had signed him permanantly he would be getting a lot more stick than he is.
Taking into consideration the sort of money Chelsea would have asked for him if his performance had been as hit and miss as they have been I think he would be getting slaughtered.
I thinks its the fact we can get rid of him that is protecting him.
 
wittonite said:
I feel if we had signed him permanantly he would be getting a lot more stick than he is.
Taking into consideration the sort of money Chelsea would have asked for him if his performance had been as hit and miss as they have been I think he would be getting slaughtered.
I thinks its the fact we can get rid of him that is protecting him.
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:clap::agree:
This.... And the manager would also be getting pelters for having signed him... Snodgrass comes to mind as a comparison.. He also won us a few games in his time, with albeit 50% of the ability that Barkley has - but when we didn't have the ball Snodgrass was working his b****cks off up and down the line helping out Hutton or Elmo. That's why most Villa fans liked Snoddy. Aston Villa is a working man's club and that demands a team that reflects that ethos. It's why players like Ginola, Berger, Baros etc never fitted in....
 
When he's good he's brilliant I just don't think it's going to happen often enough. If we could get him at a knock down price and sensible wages he might be worth a punt
 
LewChatterley'sLover said:
He can't be match fit.
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Said every fan of every team he's ever played for, over the last six or seven years.

Can't be lacking match sharpness on a constant basis can he though? Or sharp one game when he decides to turn up and then suddenly not match fit in the next five games when he strolls around.

I'm afraid the answer is much simpler - he's bone idle and lacks consistent commitment.
 
gmvillan said:
:clap::agree:
This.... And the manager would also be getting pelters for having signed him... Snodgrass comes to mind as a comparison.. He also won us a few games in his time, with albeit 50% of the ability that Barkley has - but when we didn't have the ball Snodgrass was working his b****cks off up and down the line helping out Hutton or Elmo. That's why most Villa fans liked Snoddy. Aston Villa is a working man's club and that demands a team that reflects that ethos. It's why players like Ginola, Berger, Baros etc never fitted in....
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Ah ha. I watched Snoddy playing for the Baggies this week and thought exactly the same.
He pulls on a shirt and he earns his wages, and takes pride in his days work.
As you say 50% of the ability, but 150% of the application.
 
wittonite said:
Ah ha. I watched Snoddy playing for the Baggies this week and thought exactly the same.
He pulls on a shirt and he earns his wages, and takes pride in his days work.
As you say half the ability, but twice the application.
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Pedant alert.....OCD creeping in again :silly:
 
gmvillan said:
:clap::agree:
This.... And the manager would also be getting pelters for having signed him... Snodgrass comes to mind as a comparison.. He also won us a few games in his time, with albeit 50% of the ability that Barkley has - but when we didn't have the ball Snodgrass was working his b****cks off up and down the line helping out Hutton or Elmo. That's why most Villa fans liked Snoddy. Aston Villa is a working man's club and that demands a team that reflects that ethos. It's why players like Ginola, Berger, Baros etc never fitted in....
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Think you're spot on here GM.

I don't think he even fits Deans system 100% but it was decent management. Get a lad in to keep Grealish happy and also take in a lad of greater standard quality-wise on a short-term basis. I also think a part of Dean and coaches thought they'd get him in and crack the code too. I think they've probably realized they bit off more than they can chew. You can't teach work ethic, changing that comes from within the individual and I dont think Barkley is arsed.

I doubt we sign him unless Chelsea basically give him to us.
 
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