Gareth Barry

[Shaelumstash]

Ever since that England v Germany match where Gazza was the only player who tried to keep his position, whilst his team mate's went to sleep, where a 19 year old whippet (Ozil) out pace a 27 year old bloke who's never had pace and should have never had to be in that position anyway. People have had it in for him, he's almost become the embarrassing turrets mate on a night out at a classy restaurant.

Well for the last two seasons he's more than held his own in a fantastic league winning side and I might add, at long periods our best player.

Some of the crap aimed at Barry is embarrassing and reaks of school boy analysis.

His legs are slowing and he loses the ball quite often. Compare his passing range from deep with Yaya and it's way below. Fernandinho likes to run with teh ball and can do Barrys jonb, again Barry is below that level. Rodwell can tackle as good as Barry, he has an engine on him and he like to run forward too. Barry again is lacking.

Barry has experience, he can read games very well but make no mistake he is waning. Compare him to the other likely top 6 teams for player in the same position.

United - Carrick
Chelsea - Luiz/Mikel
Arsenal - Arteta/Diaby
Spurs - Sandro/Paulinho
Liverpool - Lucas

I'd only give him the no over Mikel and Arteta (who is a better passer but not as good as a defender obviously). That speaks volumes for me. Why would a team aiming for the top keep a player who struggles to get into the likes of Liverpool or Spurs? Barry is a very expensive squad option for us to keep. He is a warrior like figure who brakes play, roughs teams up and keeps things ticking. The problem comes when our opponents have more pace and aren't frightened to target Barry and therefore give him a nightmare. We won the title with him and for that he deserves respect, we must look at the future rather than dwell on the past. Time to move on and have younger players who are our future in our main point of focus. Any games spare when we mull over Barry and Rodwell must be given to Rodwell this season and we say Goodbye in the summer.

Say what you want about Barry, but to say he gives the ball away a lot is just absolute bollocks. His pass completion is 86% which is one of the highest in the league.

The best thing about Barry's game though is his choice of pass. He always picks the intelligent pass, and does it quickly. You notice the difference when a less intelligent player like Milner or Garcia replace him in the middle.

 

[Freestyler]

You don't get any better as you get older, especially at his age.

That reason alone, any team we play who are quick in passing the ball just shows Gareth's age and he's not quick enough anymore.

Ideal for teams who don't zip it about too quick, last season shown now that his pace he once had has disappeared. Chasing shadows these days against good passing teams, i want him to stay though.

He'll just be used whenever required in the right games i think, definitely can't see him staying after this season.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

You don't get any better as you get older, especially at his age.

That reason alone, any team we play who are quick in passing the ball just shows Gareth's age and he's not quick enough anymore.

Ideal for teams who don't zip it about too quick, last season shown now that his pace he once had has disappeared. Chasing shadows these days against good passing teams, i want him to stay though.

He'll just be used whenever required in the right games i think, definitely can't see him staying after this season.

pirlo seems to be getting better

 

[NipHolmes]

Ever since that England v Germany match where Gazza was the only player who tried to keep his position, whilst his team mate's went to sleep, where a 19 year old whippet (Ozil) out pace a 27 year old bloke who's never had pace and should have never had to be in that position anyway. People have had it in for him, he's almost become the embarrassing turrets mate on a night out at a classy restaurant.

Well for the last two seasons he's more than held his own in a fantastic league winning side and I might add, at long periods our best player.

Some of the crap aimed at Barry is embarrassing and reaks of school boy analysis.

His legs are slowing and he loses the ball quite often. Compare his passing range from deep with Yaya and it's way below. Fernandinho likes to run with teh ball and can do Barrys jonb, again Barry is below that level. Rodwell can tackle as good as Barry, he has an engine on him and he like to run forward too. Barry again is lacking.

Barry has experience, he can read games very well but make no mistake he is waning. Compare him to the other likely top 6 teams for player in the same position.

United - Carrick
Chelsea - Luiz/Mikel
Arsenal - Arteta/Diaby
Spurs - Sandro/Paulinho
Liverpool - Lucas

I'd only give him the no over Mikel and Arteta (who is a better passer but not as good as a defender obviously). That speaks volumes for me. Why would a team aiming for the top keep a player who struggles to get into the likes of Liverpool or Spurs? Barry is a very expensive squad option for us to keep. He is a warrior like figure who brakes play, roughs teams up and keeps things ticking. The problem comes when our opponents have more pace and aren't frightened to target Barry and therefore give him a nightmare. We won the title with him and for that he deserves respect, we must look at the future rather than dwell on the past. Time to move on and have younger players who are our future in our main point of focus. Any games spare when we mull over Barry and Rodwell must be given to Rodwell this season and we say Goodbye in the summer.

Say what you want about Barry, but to say he gives the ball away a lot is just absolute bollocks. His pass completion is 86% which is one of the highest in the league.

The best thing about Barry's game though is his choice of pass. He always picks the intelligent pass, and does it quickly. You notice the difference when a less intelligent player like Milner or Garcia replace him in the middle.

I meant advancing passes rather than sideways. Yaya can pass like Gerrard, Barry simply keeps us ticking. He's likely to have a good percentange too because he passes to Yaya or to defense. Allen at Liverpool is the same. Still the danger comes from Gerrard when he lines up a killer move with a single accurate pass.

The worst thing about Barry is the way he cannot track a player and resorts to a foul. Once he's booked he treads in thin ice. In Europe this will always be the case against top teams.

I want him to stay but only for this season. Next season I want Garcia and Barry off the books and a move for Vidal or Gundogan. That's what we need to be the best, a box to box player with an engine like Milners who doesn't lack in quality.<br /><br />-- Sun Jul 28, 2013 12:45 pm --<br /><br />

You don't get any better as you get older, especially at his age.

That reason alone, any team we play who are quick in passing the ball just shows Gareth's age and he's not quick enough anymore.

Ideal for teams who don't zip it about too quick, last season shown now that his pace he once had has disappeared. Chasing shadows these days against good passing teams, i want him to stay though.

He'll just be used whenever required in the right games i think, definitely can't see him staying after this season.

pirlo seems to be getting better

Vidal makes it so because he does all the work. Pirlo for Italy has De Rossi. As long as he is complimented he will give you a superb service. He is imo the best passer now in the game, even above Xavi although not much in it. The problem with Pirlo is pace but Juventus set up to suit him rather than exploit his frailties.

 

[lancs blue]

You don't get any better as you get older, especially at his age.

That reason alone, any team we play who are quick in passing the ball just shows Gareth's age and he's not quick enough anymore.

Ideal for teams who don't zip it about too quick, last season shown now that his pace he once had has disappeared. Chasing shadows these days against good passing teams, i want him to stay though.

He'll just be used whenever required in the right games i think, definitely can't see him staying after this season.

pirlo seems to be getting better

Pirlo has a greater passing range than Barry, who mostly uses short passes. Barry has done a good job for us and I agree with the posters above that he gets a lot of unjustified stick but there were definite signs last season that he's starting to decline.

 

[Hart of the Matter]

Barry still starts for me. He offers something noone else in our squad can, and that's momentum. When the ball comes to him he has one touch and passes forward. He's like a pendulum doing it and its a massive loss when he isn't. I will try to explain this a bit clearer: city on-song are all about speed of ball movement. Barry finds silva or ageuro or yaya every single time, without a pause, and this allows them to open defences up. It sounds like nothing but you watch him. He's constantly releasing players in promising positions. The fact that he does this so often keeps the opposition on the back foot and disorganised whilst our flair players pick holes.

I agree he's slow but he's a clever 'coverer' and in a correctly balanced team that shouldn't be an issue. Garcia is too slow to play alongside him, for example.

Until we find someone who does this-maybe fernandinho can- then he starts for me. A hugely underrated cog in our on-song unit.

Spot on.

 

[ifiwasarichfan]

Barry still starts for me. He offers something noone else in our squad can, and that's momentum. When the ball comes to him he has one touch and passes forward. He's like a pendulum doing it and its a massive loss when he isn't. I will try to explain this a bit clearer: city on-song are all about speed of ball movement. Barry finds silva or ageuro or yaya every single time, without a pause, and this allows them to open defences up. It sounds like nothing but you watch him. He's constantly releasing players in promising positions. The fact that he does this so often keeps the opposition on the back foot and disorganised whilst our flair players pick holes.

I agree he's slow but he's a clever 'coverer' and in a correctly balanced team that shouldn't be an issue. Garcia is too slow to play alongside him, for example.

Until we find someone who does this-maybe fernandinho can- then he starts for me. A hugely underrated cog in our on-song unit.

Spot on.

In the very simplest terms, when Gareth Barry plays well, City play well.

I do think however that for the Champions League games we are going to need more pace and mobility than what Gareth can offer.

 

[Aytoun]

Glad he came on yesterday to showcase his full range. Deceptively slow, gave the ball away under no pressure & a nasty foul when out of position. No own goal though.
New management WILL look at videos & Barry & several others dead men strolling.

 

[Blue Elmo]

I'll be disappointed to see him leave cause he is a terrific player. Lacking in pace and attacking ability yes, but his ability to read a game, break up play, and distribute is up there with the best. His age will see his game time limited, but I am glad that we bought him at his peak and got tremendous value for money for him. Looking back 12 million is a steal.

 

[dctid]

He is a squad player but there should still be a role for him certainly cup games certainly as a late sub to kill of a game and maybe to play lesser games don't see an automatic start and don't see much cl if any game time BUT his performances last season whilst hardly set the world alight were always pretty good

He is a consistent performer give him 12 months extension and let it be known he goes next year