Ross Barkley

[Dennism]

What exactly are the arguments against signing Ross Barkley? He isn't being signed necessarily to be an immediate starter. He is still young at 23 and has hit a wall in his development at Everton. He has room for improvement and our manager has proven to be the sort to be able to take players in those exact situations and push them forward. He is very good right now even though he hasn't continued the rapid improvements that he made at a younger age.

He is a top 5 creator from midfield in the Premier League despite being in and out of the squad. He can play in an advanced role right behind a striker or in a deeper role. He is strong on the ball and can create from dribbling or passing (much like Mousa Dembele). I haven't seen his work rate questioned anywhere-- but I could be mistaken there. Best case scenario, in a year or two, he has forced his way into the starting XI and we have yet another top notch English talent. The competition will be good for him and he's a top 6 starting quality player that we are signing without banking on him being a savior. He is the exact sort of player that teams who compete in multiple tournaments successfully have and would be a very strong indication of the progress we're making in building a squad to compete with the top across England and Europe. For between 20m and 30m, what is the issue?

I am in favour of signing him. However, I suspect the argument against is that he loses the ball to often. If this was not corrected it could be a problem for our team.

 

[Deleted member 22380]

I think we need to sign him. Dembele can't play 2 games in a week and Barkley is a good alternative to play next to Wanyama or Dier. And he can push up and be a backup to Dele.

 

[allatsea]

I think we need to sign him. Dembele can't play 2 games in a week and Barkley is a good alternative to play next to Wanyama or Dier. And he can push up and be a backup to Dele.

How about Winks ?

 

[EQP]

How about Winks ?

Or Onomah. Or moving Eriksen back to play deeper if need be.

 

[neilp]

Or Onomah. Or moving Eriksen back to play deeper if need be.

We shouldn't be needing to move players out of their best positions though.

 

[jonnyp]

He has great talent but doesnt have the brain to match. That's his problem and that's why he has completely stagnated and even fallen back some. You cant teach brains. Barkley holds on to the ball wayyy too long and constantly makes the wrong decisions. If people on here actually watched him play in matches and didnt just see MOTD and squawka stats, im sure you'd see a vastly different majority opinion of him on SC.

Football is a squad game but Pochettino prefers a smaller squad. So you have to perform up to par and earn Poch's trust. Barkley hasnt performed up to par since he first broke through like 3 or 4 seasons ago. That's too long for it to only be a management issue. He's been found out. Poch can teach him to make the necessary adjustments and improve all he wants but you dont think his other managers sere doing the same? At some point, its not the quality of the managers but the player. Barkley simply does not have it in him.

Are you saying he's so intellectually limited that he can't be coached to release the ball faster? I seriously doubt that, so I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.

This is the same argument people have been lumping at Dembele his whole career up until very recently. As I said, and a point I agree with you, his decision making at times is terrible, but nothing that cannot be fixed IMO. I've seen him plenty, and he does have a footballing brain. Will he ever be world class like his talent alluded to at 17? No, most likely not, but he can still become a fantastic midfielder if coached right.

All in my opinion of course.

 

[kernowspurscoach1977]

Or Onomah. Or moving Eriksen back to play deeper if need be.

Not onomah - he has shown nothing in any games to suggest he is at the level that we are looking for.

 

[Frozen_Waffles]

I see where people are going with the Dembele comparisons but I have to disagree, Dembele is our ball carrier, a bit like Modric was for us, though not the same in strength. He keeps possession and drives our team forward in situations where we are under pressure.

Although I see the strength and dribbling abilities in Barkley, he is not good enough in that way to be considered a CM.

From what I have seen, his ability is more in his distribution and ability to strike for goal. He is definitely in the mould of what we need but as an AM.

I personally wanted Zaha after some of this season's performances and Barkley has not impressed me anywhere near as much.

However there is definite talent there and at a reasonable price he should definitely be considered, but there are a few question marks, most of which could be put down to his youth.

We have seen many times before - Huddlestone, Lennon and Defoe
.. Players who have talent but don't have the mentality to push on, I would worry about him being in that category.

Also he struggles with pressure and for a one club English player, it could be a big step for him.

Everton seemingly want 50m and Spurs would be looking to pay less than half that. So this one will go to the wire, I cannot see any other club in the top 6 going for him and he would probably be on a similar salary at Spurs.

I would be happy with the signing, but it could be a long term project.

 

[Cravenspurs]

I think we need to sign him. Dembele can't play 2 games in a week and Barkley is a good alternative to play next to Wanyama or Dier. And he can push up and be a backup to Dele.

How about Winks ?

This is how I feel. Winks is the man in the midfield to replace Dembele for me 100%.

But I do see the depth of Barkley though as he can play multiple roles. He has some real natural qualities that for me make him very attractive.

 

[mill]

Barkley really isn't a cm

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

There's definitely a place in the squad for him but it depends how Poch plans on utilising him. He's at his best when he plays behind Lukaku but Koeman keeps shoving him out wide and he disappears... a bit like AVB did with Sig.

There's a reason for this though, Koeman doesn't think Barkley impacts the game enough playing at number 10 - similar to how Siggi didn't for us when given the oppurtunity

 

[Hoopspur]

Surely though this is about the overall squad. If Barclay arrives at Spurs and does perform better than Ericksen, Alli, Dembele or whoever then he will deserve to be in the team. It is a challenge for him but also for the rest of the players. No one should be guaranteed a place.

 

[daveduvet]

This transfer and the fans reaction reminds me of the Toby and Victor signings.

So I'm on board

Got to agree; he's not an 'exciting' signing, but there's definitely some talent in him. I think back to when everyone was slagging Rose before Poch; and also Kane & Walker. I'd like to believe that 20m would be tops, and that being surrounded by those we have in the 'trusted' squad of players would be beneficial to his game. And prem experience reduces the 'breaking in' time.
Overall I think I'd be glad to sign him but not outright excited. Onions

 

[StevePil]

Seriously cant be comparing Barkley to Onomah...!
I hope Onomah makes it as he looks a good kid but I have watched him live a few times now and have never seen anything in him which makes me think he will never make our first 11.... he will be sold within the next year in my opinion, maybe even this summer.

Barkley is a no brainer if below 30million, poch could do wonders with him and when he burst on the scene he was going to be the next rooney according to everton, there is a player in there!

Look what Poch has done to Kane, Rose for example - just imagine!

 

[tiger666]

Seriously cant be comparing Barkley to Onomah...!
I hope Onomah makes it as he looks a good kid but I have watched him live a few times now and have never seen anything in him which makes me think he will never make our first 11.... he will be sold within the next year in my opinion, maybe even this summer.

Barkley is a no brainer if below 30million, poch could do wonders with him and when he burst on the scene he was going to be the next rooney according to everton, there is a player in there!

Look what Poch has done to Kane, Rose for example - just imagine!

What games have you watched Onomah live?

 

[StevePil]

What games have you watched Onomah live?

I have regularly attend PL2 games @ Stevenage and seen him up against kids his age and he struggles.... also seen him 3 times in the cup this year - Liverpool (a) Wycome and Gillingham (h) not once has he impressed, don't say he scored against Gillingham - I know, I was there but he still didn't impress

 

[THFCSPURS19]

I have regularly attend PL2 games @ Stevenage and seen him up against kids his age and he struggles.... also seen him 3 times in the cup this year - Liverpool (a) Wycome and Gillingham (h) not once has he impressed, don't say he scored against Gillingham - I know, I was there but he still didn't impress

Onomah was great against Gillingham.

 

[shelfboy68]

Seriously cant be comparing Barkley to Onomah...!
I hope Onomah makes it as he looks a good kid but I have watched him live a few times now and have never seen anything in him which makes me think he will never make our first 11.... he will be sold within the next year in my opinion, maybe even this summer.

Barkley is a no brainer if below 30million, poch could do wonders with him and when he burst on the scene he was going to be the next rooney according to everton, there is a player in there!

Look what Poch has done to Kane, Rose for example - just imagine!

Agree I don't see anything in onomah to suggest he should be playing in a spurs shirt, I to hope he makes it in the game but it won't be at spurs.

 

[Riandor]

Onomah was great against Gillingham.

With the greatest respect to Gillingham...

He has done nothing to suggest he will be suited to the PL, not yet. Not everyone can be a Dele Alli of course.

Now, if he is supposed to be a deeper midfielder, then he has time and if he is happy staying to learn then great, but at some point he does need more game time.

But anyway, this is the RB thread.
I for one would be more than pleased with Ross, he has talent.

 

[Nicholasw23]

Chatting with an Everton fan, who said Barkley can't head the ball or tackle, other that that he is fine...