Jesus Christ, who the f**k actually cares?

Should be starting every game for me.

Did more in his 25 minutes than the other three combined.

Alright he’s a bit rough around the edges but at least he makes things happen.

4 minutes ago, ForeverCarefree said:

Should be starting every game for me.

Did more in his 25 minutes than the other three combined.

Alright he’s a bit rough around the edges but at least he makes things happen.

Agree completely.

Barkley always on the bench for big matches such as today (look to the United/Liverpool games at the Bridge too).

Kovacic seems to have automatic selection in these matches and I'm really struggling to see what he is bringing to the team.

4 minutes ago, Nickcook26 said:

Agree completely.

Barkley always on the bench for big matches such as today (look to the United/Liverpool games at the Bridge too).

Kovacic seems to have automatic selection in these matches and I'm really struggling to see what he is bringing to the team.

It's simple for me, it's actually quite clear to see, Kovacic is not an attacking midfielder. I don't care about sh*tty passing stats that people keep throwing around, what I am seeing with my eyes is a player that can't set up goals or score any himself. He doesn't attack the penalty area like an attacking midfielder should do. He's very rarely around the penalty area when there is attack, he doesn't get on the end of crosses, he never looks like a threat to score. He just doesn't do anything an attacking midfielder should do.

Barkley is far from perfect, we all know this, but he is a natural attacking midfielder. He is always around the penalty area, he takes shots, he may not get his pass forward right every time, but he is looking to play other attacking players through on goal. He has goals and assists in him, he makes himself available in the penalty area. So far this season, Barkley has looked like the only natural attacking midfielder we have.

Kante, Kovacic and Loftus-Cheek should all be competing for the same spot, it shouldn't be Barkley competing for the attacking midfield spot with Kovacic. If anything, the only person Barkley should be sharing his spot with is Loftus-Cheek. I personally think Loftus-Cheek's best position is a bit deeper, but he's decent in attacking positions too and much better at it than Kovacic is.

I reckon because Sarri is still trying to figure the team out, he rotate Kovacic/Barkley on a game to game basis, Barkely got starts after a couple of games, one sloppy game he's back on the bench again, now he's likely to get picked for next weekend after the disaster yesterday. It's unfortunate, because Barkley isn't the consisent 7/10 player week in week out, he's take risks, sometime it doesn't pay off and he's dropped. We need a player who's willing to take risks instead of playing safe and leave all the difficult stuffs to Hazard. Everytime he plays, he brings that energy and urgency, and we had none yesterday. No body was even willing to tackle yesterday, they just ran through us.

Agree completely Kovacic doesn't offer enough going forward for that position and is probably better suited deeper leaving Ross and RLC fighting it out for that attacking midfield role.

17 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

It's simple for me, it's actually quite clear to see, Kovacic is not an attacking midfielder. I don't care about sh*tty passing stats that people keep throwing around, what I am seeing with my eyes is a player that can't set up goals or score any himself. He doesn't attack the penalty area like an attacking midfielder should do. He's very rarely around the penalty area when there is attack, he doesn't get on the end of crosses, he never looks like a threat to score. He just doesn't do anything an attacking midfielder should do.

Barkley is far from perfect, we all know this, but he is a natural attacking midfielder. He is always around the penalty area, he takes shots, he may not get his pass forward right every time, but he is looking to play other attacking players through on goal. He has goals and assists in him, he makes himself available in the penalty area. So far this season, Barkley has looked like the only natural attacking midfielder we have.

Kante, Kovacic and Loftus-Cheek should all be competing for the same spot, it shouldn't be Barkley competing for the attacking midfield spot with Kovacic. If anything, the only person Barkley should be sharing his spot with is Loftus-Cheek. I personally think Loftus-Cheek's best position is a bit deeper, but he's decent in attacking positions too and much better at it than Kovacic is.

I do actually agree with this, especially your last paragraph, Kovacic/RLC/Kante should be competing for that spot, the Kovacic-Jorginho-Kante midfield is getting worse and worse by the week. 

Jorginho is very easily exploited defensively by quality opposition, we aren't getting the best out of Kante in his current position and having Kovacic in the mix doesn't really do a lot for our team. 

Barkley for me, however, is too hit and miss, it's easy to be fickle with Ross Barkley, because he'll have a good game then he'll have a dreadful game the next, but he definitely provides a better balance than what Kovacic does when playing next to Kante and Jorginho. I think it's time for Sarri to try and do something different, Kante is not being utilised correctly and Jorginho is very vulnerable defensively. I really don't know what to say but something has to change otherwise I can see us dropping out of the top 4, our recent performances have been horrendous. It's either Sarri sticks to his guns and waits for the players to adapt or he makes modifications to his system, where we can get the best out of Kante and Jorginho isn't a defensive liability, obviously, that will come at a cost of something else. 

He doesn't look like he can play the deeper role in that 3 man midfield. He has played his last few games in that position now and it hasn't worked. It's either attacking midfield or nothing for Barkley, I would rather see Loftus-Cheek playing deeper and Barkley playing behind the attackers if those two are playing together. 

If I had to pick one to play the Kante role, it would be Loftus-Cheek. He has the legs and power on the ball to play that role better than Barkley.

think hes still learning tbf

did anyone see he said he basically didn't know much about tactics lol..

everton!

Gone off the boil a bit in recent weeks. 

Not sure if it's because he's now being rotated a bit more heavily and being asked to play different positions so it's harder to build up form? 

Would like to see him get a start in the left sided, attacking role against Brighton to see how he gets on. 

He's a lot better than what I thought he would be so I'll give him that, I do like him, but he needs to improve his consistency if he's ever going to have a future here. 

 

6 hours ago, Slojo said:

He's a lot better than what I thought he would be so I'll give him that, I do like him, but he needs to improve his consistency if he's ever going to have a future here. 

 

I think we will keep Barkley for a long time, but I don't think he will ever be a regular starter for us, not unless he improves his consistency. I do think playing him in Kante's position when Kante isn't playing is pointless though, we are going to get nothing out of him playing him there. He's an attacking midfielder, not a defensive one or one that is comfortable with his back to goal (although it has improved) and dribbling out of trouble. He's better when he has his head up towards goal.

6 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

I think we will keep Barkley for a long time, but I don't think he will ever be a regular starter for us, not unless he improves his consistency. I do think playing him in Kante's position when Kante isn't playing is pointless though, we are going to get nothing out of him playing him there. He's an attacking midfielder, not a defensive one or one that is comfortable with his back to goal (although it has improved) and dribbling out of trouble. He's better when he has his head up towards goal.

I agree, I think Kovacic is best suited for that role, as for Barkley he's best when given the freedom to go forward we've seen this. At times he is brilliant, then at times he's extremely wasteful, as we've pointed out consistency. 

Plays like that again and i'l start calling him Ross Cleverley.

Had a couple of decent attempts (and a few we should probably never speak of again ), really glad we've got him, and that £15m fee looks like an absolute steal.

NGL, thought he was a passenger last night. Ruben and Kovacic both ahead of him.

He looks so low on confidence and idk why. Last few games he played it very safe almost hiding behind our others midfielders. It´s strange he was getting better and better.

Had a good 3 or 4 games, but been disappointed with him lately. Offering basically nothing.

Good to have him in reserve though.

Feels like he’s be rotated out of form. Was playing well and consistently at LCM.

Got moves around the pitch playing on the right or coming on late as a sub seems to have lost his momentum.

Not sure why anyone is surprised about Barkleys form being inconsistent. He has ALWAYS been like that. Ask any Everton supporter - he can be a match-winner one week absolute pants the next. Can't see that ever changing. He's a handy squad player but will never be a player you are looking to rely on week in, week out.

57 minutes ago, Nibs said:

Not sure why anyone is surprised about Barkleys form being inconsistent. He has ALWAYS been like that. Ask any Everton supporter - he can be a match-winner one week absolute pants the next. Can't see that ever changing. He's a handy squad player but will never be a player you are looking to rely on week in, week out.

I'm not sure we can rely on any of this lot week in week out! Mentally we are weak as a team

True. It does make you realise, how much we took the likes of JT, Lamps, Drogba, Essien etc for granted.

Looked uninspired yesterday. Kept moving the ball sideways and backwards. 

Looks a shadow of how he was at the start of the season. Kept help thinking the possession system is blunting some players natural instincts.

Rubbish last night, I don't think it's a coincidence that his best performances have been away from home against poor opposition (Southampton/Burnley).