Was Gareth Barry the Player You Expected?

[blue_bird]

One player you hope is replaced this summer? Ha ha ha nice one cleavers, VERY funny......you ARE joking, right?!!

Actually I wasn't, he started very well for us, but ever since Villa Park he's faded badly, he wouldn't have been in my team much this year, but we don't have any other options. There are better players out there, and since we've targeted winning the title net year we need to have better.

I think he lacks any pace, doesn't get forward nearly enough, and he isn't a very good defensive midfielder. I'd agree he's not at his best alongside De Jong, but I wouldn't replace De Jong to get better out of Barry.

To be able to win this league we need better players than we currently have, therefore he'd be one of those I'd replace (in the starting 11).

I really don't see why people only remember that bloody Villa game! Granted he was poor that day and possibly the fixture after that but that's about it. People only remember what they want to and Barry has unfairly (imo) been given a lot of stick on here. As I have said many times before his workrate gets vastly over looked. You only need to see how dramatically the game changed last week against Spurs after he went off to see how important he is to the team.

 

[without a dream]

He's played a different role to the role I was expecting him to play, I was fully expecting us to play a 4-3-3 with NDJ, Barry and Stevie in the middle with Barry playing in a similar style to how Alonso did at Liverpool. Then came Tevez and Ade and we were never going to drop one of them so we went 4-4-2, at the beginning of the season he was fantastic as the more defensive player but then Stevie's injury and lack of form resulted in him being the more attacking of the 2 a role he's not suited for imo.

 

[cleavers]

I really don't see why people only remember that bloody Villa game! Granted he was poor that day and possibly the fixture after that but that's about it. People only remember what they want to and Barry has unfairly (imo) been given a lot of stick on here. As I have said many times before his workrate gets vastly over looked. You only need to see how dramatically the game changed last week against Spurs after he went off to see how important he is to the team.

I've seen plenty of games since the Villa away game, I just don't happen to agree. I've never given Barry any stick, I just answered a question posed.

I don't personally see him as the next level, if we want to win things, we need better, more all round players. He "works hard" isn't enough, we've had years and years of players that worked hard, and for the levels we were at they were (just) good enough. Barry was (just) good enough this season, but in my opinion he's not the next level we're aiming for, and like it or not, to step up to the next level, ie title winning, we need better.

 

[the goats backside]

I thought he had a good season, played on when injured which has now probably cost him his world cup place. so its a thank you GB for this season from me<br /><br />-- Tue May 11, 2010 11:35 am --<br /><br />

I really don't see why people only remember that bloody Villa game! Granted he was poor that day and possibly the fixture after that but that's about it. People only remember what they want to and Barry has unfairly (imo) been given a lot of stick on here. As I have said many times before his workrate gets vastly over looked. You only need to see how dramatically the game changed last week against Spurs after he went off to see how important he is to the team.

I've seen plenty of games since the Villa away game, I just don't happen to agree. I've never given Barry any stick, I just answered a question posed.

I don't personally see him as the next level, if we want to win things, we need better, more all round players. He "works hard" isn't enough, we've had years and years of players that worked hard, and for the levels we were at they were (just) good enough. Barry was (just) good enough this season, but in my opinion he's not the next level we're aiming for, and like it or not, to step up to the next level, ie title winning, we need better.

Its all about opinions but i cant forget how pants SG and FL were for England, as soon as GB was picked with them Englands midfield clicked

 

[Nervous Nedum]

I think he's had a solid season, considering we obviously aren't playing him to his strengths. As stated many times in this thread already, him and De Jong together in the centre of midfield is our major weak point (along with our fullbacks), and that has to change over the summer. He isn't an attacking player, and he doesn't have that spark to change a game. But he has bags of energy and you will see him all over the pitch throughout a game. Alongside a Gourcuff/Hamsik/Ozil I think he would be great, and we could easily change him for De Jong incase of fatigue or injury.

 

[u2fme2]

nope. been verey disappointed with him this season.
But looking for more from him next season

 

[cleavers]

Its all about opinions but i cant forget how pants SG and FL were for England, as soon as GB was picked with them Englands midfield clicked

Can't say I'm interested in England, only City.

 

[cockneycarparkm32]

I think he started really well this season ,but like a lot of England fringe players he had one eye on the world cup , and has been tip-toeing his way to South Africa. Sorry if people are offended but its all about opinion, the same goes for Gerrard at Liverpool,his last swansong. Ferdinand (Plug) also.

 

[the goats backside]

Its all about opinions but i cant forget how pants SG and FL were for England, as soon as GB was picked with them Englands midfield clicked

Can't say I'm interested in England, only City.

I can understand that, was just trying to say maybe its the people around GB that dont suit his style of play

 

[M22_blu]

For me he's better than I thought, always thought he was a jack of all trades but not really special at any type of player. He's a great tackler, passer and reads the game really well, if he just had that extra yard of pace he'd be 1 of the best about. We'll see the best of him next season when we havent gota play that idiot next to him and get a good quality centre midfielder in.