24 May 2015 19:27:48
This is not a knee jerk reaction, and I know I've spoken at length about Ross before, but today was quite a defining moment for me, because he just isn't equipped to be a great footballer and in fact it makes him a nuisance on the field. There was a moment in the 1st half where he was mid way between our penalty box n half way, Spurs were on the ball and he legged it towards our penalty box, stopped and legged it towards the half way line, no one around him wasnt marking anyone or marking space, then back at midway again he stopped his head all over the place and scratched his head. Now that is worrying for me. He has all the balance and skills but his actual game understanding is so poor, he even passed the ball twice in succession to Spurs players when no Everton player was there. A decision has to be made, not on the lines of ohh he's only 21 nonsense that keeps coming out, but on the basis of can he manage a game, does he understand how it plays n pans out, i'm sorry but he just hasn't got it, he's clueless at the moment and it showed in the first 5 minutes of 2nd half Ossie playing in Ross' role did more than Ross did in the entire 45 mins and continued to do more.Personally with the numbers being quoted for him i'd sell, because we can't be hoping n wishing for him to suddenly understand a game of football, get 2 or 3 in with that money who do.
24 May 2015 21:49:24
Very well said.
24 May 2015 23:54:15
I disagree, Barkley definitely has the ability. Martinez has done something to that kid and the rest of the dressing room this season, we can all see it in the players. No one is playing with the drive and cofidence of last season. Hopefully Distin will reveal everything soon
25 May 2015 00:49:22
thing is manno, while no one has been consistently brilliant, near enough everyone has had good individual spells this season. Lukaku with 20 goals, jags and stones partership etc. yet, barkley hasn't had a single good game all season, bar maybe qpr but let's be honest, phil neville could of bossed qpr's midfield. I also don't get it, he's done nothing when he's played for england, wasnt very good when moyes played him and hasn't exactly been phenominal under martinez. 3 managers, the age thing is a ridiculous excuse, look at rom, stones and besic, all the sane age and are much more mature and streets ahead in terms of how they fit into the team. The position excuse is also silly as he has played behind lukaku for a while now. He has 2 assists in 104 games. Not to mention only 12 goals. That is a really bad record. Now while I've had a go at degsy about mccarthy's record being irrelevant, for barkley, who plays in a much more advanced position, that is appalling. But it isn't just his goal/assist contribution that annoys me. Its how isolated he leaves lukaku by running around, not knowing where to be. he's like rodwell, a headless chicken who runs around trying to look busy. I understand decision making being a bit off at his age but whereas stones and lukaku are vastly improving theirs, his is getting worse. Aiden mcgeady has more assists this season than barkley has in his entire football career. He doesn't look like ever improving and looks to be getting worse with each game. The excuses are also wearing thin, 'Hes out of position!'-not anymore and is still bad. 'He played in the world cup'-what a dead rubber match vs costa rica, ha. 'He broke his leg'-it happened 4 years ago, will this be getting said in another 4 years?. 'The fans are on his back!'-are you suprised? I don't get all the excuses for him, maybe its because he's a local lad, the fans that love barkley are the same that hate lukaku, I know who i'd rather have.
25 May 2015 09:34:19
Spot on. Everyone is being blinkered and don't want to admit he's not going to be the Ballack, Gascoigne nonsense that has been thrown at him. Jeeez I want to be wrong, but its not hard to see he hasn't got that football maturity, its obvious. I think even Martinez was embarrassed by his performance yesterday, it was bordering on being drunk in charge of a football nit was that bad. Galloway showed more understanding yesterday of what was needed, drive, looking for the pass, moving in space and yes he made a couple of errors but you can excuse that when he's giving a footballing shift. The only shift from Ross yesterday was from his head not knowing what to do, to say its Martinez fault is ridiculous, he big's him up too much for my liking but he's giving him confidence and license to do as he wants and excuses his decision making and still Ross can't perform. Mourinho will struggle to get anything out of him believe me, the only saving grace he will have there is he'll have better players around him and he'll be a bit part player, just to fill in the number of English players quota they need,