On 29/07/2018 at 13:14, Munkworth said:

Baka takes a risk every time he makes a pass 

I think your find most of those aren't passes, he's just mis controlling the ball!!!

I've lost count already how many times he's lost the ball that consequently led to a goal scoring opportunity for the opponent. When he lost the ball Jorginho and Fabregas were caught out of position.

Utter sh*te.

Edited August 5, 20187 yr by the special one

11 minutes ago, the special one said:

I've lost count already how many times he's lost the ball that consequently led to a goal scoring opportunity for the opponent. When he lost the ball Jorginho and Fabregas were caught out of position.

Utter sh*te.

It's better to just say we were collectively poor today, i don't think anybody had a great game. Caballero probably get's a 7 out of 10, but nobody else was better than a 4 or 5.

He might have been decent some 3 years ago, but that Barkley is not the one we have now. Exactly one of reasons we should have gone for golovin at 27m......a hungry attacking mid wth legs to burn. Yes we have many MF's, but most of them are not up to par and certainly not Chels quality.

6 minutes ago, atomis said:

He might have been decent some 3 years ago, but that Barkley is not the one we have now. Exactly one of reasons we should have gone for golovin at 27m......a hungry attacking mid wth legs to burn. Yes we have many MF's, but most of them are not up to par and certainly not Chels quality.

Exactly this! apart from Kante all are midfielders are slow and stiff. Fabregas Jorginho Barkley Loftus Cheek Drinkwater and Bakayako is one of the slowest PL midfields. Lets hope we have alot of the ball this season and running is minmial.

I thought Barkley looked decent for a 15 million homegrown midfielder. given the cost and the homegrown quota - surely there is a place for him in the squad. Plus this is the first time in a long time that he is looking fit - He may not or may not get back his form from 3 years - but if he can get more consistent and improve, this would be one of the smarter buys by the board. Given the money we burnt on other players, I have no problem with his purchase.

Thought he looked decent today and showed some good touches. Seems to be some potential there. 

5 hours ago, jack_super_class said:

Exactly this! apart from Kante all are midfielders are slow and stiff. Fabregas Jorginho Barkley Loftus Cheek Drinkwater and Bakayako is one of the slowest PL midfields. Lets hope we have alot of the ball this season and running is minmial.

Problem is Jack that when we lose the ball we have no legs to win it back. We desperately need more energy at attacking midfield. 

Not the worse, but the whole team was disappointing today.

The time to judge Barkley is when he is playing with Kante and Jorginho.  He did some good things today without being spectacular.

Edited August 5, 20187 yr by strider6004

I would not swap Barkley out for Kante. I hope Sarri swaps out Fabregas instead. I feel that Kante will is perfectly capable of retaining the ball and making the passes needed. If Conte made him better in his time here, then Sarri will go one step ahead and improve his offensive ability. I think Barkley and Ruben should be challenging for that spot in midfield. 

Edited August 6, 20187 yr by enigma

I agree with the others in here who thought there were signs of a player there yesterday. I thought he was the best of the midfield three (not saying much) but at least when he got the ball he looked like he was willing to drive forward with it at times. There’s bound to be a little rust, as others have said - he’s homegrown and when you compare him to a signing like Drinkwater, it’s night and day.

What people tend to forget with him, is he came back from injury and hardly played a game for us last season. Before that he had been out for pretty much a whole season at Everton. He has played very few competitive games since suffering his injury at Everton. To be an elite level athlete of any kind requires very high amounts of fitness, and for the period of time he hadn't played competitive football, I think it's understandable if he's still shaking off the rustiness. 

Edited August 6, 20187 yr by enigma

Amazing how Barkley has gone from looking good to pre season to absolute dog sh*t that should be sold within one game. Its like people are expecting our players to adapt into world beaters within 5 minutes of Sarri being here. Give the lad time ffs and judge him when he's got Kante next to him. 

Thought he did okay yesterday all things considered, I think we need to try and persist with him as the attacking player in the midfield three. 

He's looking really strong at the moment, he's winning his share of tackles and he's not getting shrugged off the ball easily. There's enough promise there to be hopeful. 

14 minutes ago, ForeverCarefree said:

Thought he did okay yesterday all things considered, I think we need to try and persist with him as the attacking player in the midfield three. 

He's looking really strong at the moment, he's winning his share of tackles and he's not getting shrugged off the ball easily. There's enough promise there to be hopeful. 

I noticed that yesterday as well, it was nice to see, he has a lot of upper body strength, shoulder to shoulder he looked solid.

Barkley did some research on Sarriball before Sarri was named gaffa

 

Can't fault his effort this season. Summer training sessions to get fit, research on the new manager and his methods. Fair pay to him. Done everything possible to make his mark so far. 

I think Barkley will eventually thrive in the LCM position, hes got good potential still and with a new manager and system that suits him, I think he'll improve. 

Of all our CM's hes the one with thats most likely to push on to scoring about 10 goals a year.

47 minutes ago, Delnino said:

I think Barkley will eventually thrive in the LCM position, hes got good potential still and with a new manager and system that suits him, I think he'll improve. 

Of all our CM's hes the one with thats most likely to push on to scoring about 10 goals a year.

I hope you are right, but with Barkley and players like him, all you ever hear is that "they have potential".

He is on a long list of players who so much was / is hoped for but it never materializes. One good game and one spectacular goal every once in a blue moon is fine when you play for the likes of Everton and Birmingham, but we need players to show up week in, week out and I'm not convinced Barkley will ever be that player. Time will tell and now he is working with Sarri and Zola, you can but hope that he comes good, but I honestly won't be surprised to see him moved on in a season or so.

 

 

At the very least, his 15m purchase should be decent business, he could be sold in 12 months time and we should see 25-30m for him.

Edited August 7, 20187 yr by Delnino

I would've been fine with him leaving before pre-season began this summer, but it looks like he's approached his recovery with a great attitude.

He wasn't spectacular on Sunday, nobody was, but I think there was a lot of promise there. The physicality and tenacity was there, even if he did take the odd heavy touch and choose the wrong pass. Significant upgrade on what Bakayoko and Drinkwater showed (albeit in deeper roles) last season, Can see that position being his to lose right now.

Suspect (and hope) he'll lineup alongside Kante and Jorginho in the season opener, and I fancy that to be the strongest central midfield we've fielded in a long time.

5 hours ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Can't fault his effort this season. Summer training sessions to get fit, research on the new manager and his methods. Fair pay to him. Done everything possible to make his mark so far. 

It’s weird to see this sort of attitude from a player these days isn’t it! Fair play to him. 

2 hours ago, Munkworth said:

It’s weird to see this sort of attitude from a player these days isn’t it! Fair play to him. 

I expect having someone like Zola on the training staff helps motivation too.

That penalty from last night is worth another look isn't it? Phwoor.