Gareth Barry

[Blue Mooner]

Judas b@stards. One of our best players last season and will be invaluable again this season.

He is on a fantastic contract and I would suggest the club want to keep him but on reduced terms. Barry and his agent are therefore keeping his options open.

 

[Mr Ed (The Stables)]

Perhaps I'm in the minority here, but I thought the introduction of both Milner and Barry after 60 odd minutes brought a lot of stability and solidity to the team.

If the template is that in most games we go 5-0 up after 30 minutes, and then allow the opposing team to score 3 and then have another 4 chances after that to score I'm not sure this aging ticker will last much longer.

At least with the introduction of Milner and Barry although we didn't look like scoring anytime soon, we didn't look like conceding either.

It's a squad game and unless Barry is replaced with someone who is prepared to do the mundane water carrying type work in midfield that we all know is necessary, then there is no point letting him go. He'll do a great job coming on for the last 20 minutes away from home somewhere when we are 2-1 up to shore it up and see us over the line.

Just my opinion.

 

[kaz7]

Perhaps I'm in the minority here, but I thought the introduction of both Milner and Barry after 60 odd minutes brought a lot of stability and solidity to the team.

If the template is that in most games we go 5-0 up after 30 minutes, and then allow the opposing team to score 3 and then have another 4 chances after that to score I'm not sure this aging ticker will last much longer.

At least with the introduction of Milner and Barry although we didn't look like scoring anytime soon, we didn't look like conceding either.

It's a squad game and unless Barry is replaced with someone who is prepared to do the mundane water carrying type work in midfield that we all know is necessary, then there is no point letting him go. He'll do a great job coming on for the last 20 minutes away from home somewhere when we are 2-1 up to shore it up and see us over the line.

Just my opinion.

My opinion as well

 

[manalive]

I knew this post was coming but he isn't a scapegoat at all - it's a valid discussion irrespective of his performance today (which wasn't bad). People attach the word 'scapegoat' to any discussion of a player that isn't worshipful.

No need for daft snail gifs though....unfunny shite.

Agreed. Barry had a great season and people are judging him on a few minutes played today - ridiculous

Plus he was playing far more advanced than his comfort zone today.
Keep as back up for yaya and fernandinho without a second thought imho.

 

[BosnianDragon]

Love the way Barry is playing. He is good for the team.

 

[Deleted member 52846]

Said it many times now, but he was arguably our third best player in the title winning season. His form dramatically dipped for a large chunk of last season though, didn't play well for ages and was woeful for a bit, but I think that was just poor form more than anything. From Newcastle at home onwards last season he was very good again.

However, I think the Fernandinho signing was much needed. Although Barry is a good Prem player, I've not seen him play well in Europe once. To the point where his flaws are just exploited by top sides (München, Dortmund, Madrid) quick counter attacking sides (Napoli) and quick movement/quick passing sides (Ajax). Unfortunately him and Yaya are simply too immobile to play together in Europe (Yaya is fast when he gets chance to open his stride out but off the mark he is not fast at all).

I do think he will be a valuable squad player this season. Any injuries, suspensions, or time when we need someone to break up play better than Fernandinho or Yaya can, he will play.<br /><br />-- Wed Jul 31, 2013 9:36 pm --<br /><br />

Judas b@stards. One of our best players last season and will be invaluable again this season.

He is on a fantastic contract and I would suggest the club want to keep him but on reduced terms. Barry and his agent are therefore keeping his options open.

Barry doesn't have an agent.

 

[Tricky Dickys Right Foot Shot]

He's been a great player for us but he started showing a decline last season near January time, he's looked more sluggish then usual and his ability to read the game is getting worse!

With him saying that he fears for his place and at the age of 32 I think he knows himself deep down that he can't handle it anymore at a top level what we're fighting at, not week in week out anyway!! He's had 4 full seasons at us playing over 40 games a season no chance he'd be able to do that this season!!

 

[6one]

Perhaps I'm in the minority here, but I thought the introduction of both Milner and Barry after 60 odd minutes brought a lot of stability and solidity to the team.

If the template is that in most games we go 5-0 up after 30 minutes, and then allow the opposing team to score 3 and then have another 4 chances after that to score I'm not sure this aging ticker will last much longer.

At least with the introduction of Milner and Barry although we didn't look like scoring anytime soon, we didn't look like conceding either.

It's a squad game and unless Barry is replaced with someone who is prepared to do the mundane water carrying type work in midfield that we all know is necessary, then there is no point letting him go. He'll do a great job coming on for the last 20 minutes away from home somewhere when we are 2-1 up to shore it up and see us over the line.

Just my opinion.

My opinion as well

That's all true. Which is why it's a worry when those 2 play instead of others.

 

[nunogo]

How have people come to the conclusion he is "past it"? Because of a couple of pre season games, I presume?

Yes, he is slow but he has been for the majority of his career. Barry doesn't need pace. It's not like he's suddenly lost pace and can't adapt his game.

It's funny, pretty much every time we put in a shambolic defensive display, Barry isn't in the team. Barry would have been covering Kolarov and Richards' forward runs yesterday. A proper defensive midfielder unlike Yaya, Yaya isn't clever enough when we don't have the ball and that's why Barry is still valuable.

 

[City_Sean]

i'd rather see garcia go than barry, barry still has a lot too offer in my eyes, well far more than Garcia does.