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Trevor Lynes
1 Posted 07/10/2015 at 11:11:40
To be taken seriously Barkley ’must’ start scoring goals much more often. Goalscoring has been left to just Lukaku, Mirallas and Naismith with Jagielka our fourth highest scorer last season.

Barkley should be scoring in double figures and until he is doing that he will not be fulfilling his undoubted potential.

Liam Reilly
2 Posted 07/10/2015 at 13:29:58
The boy certainly has the ability but is holding back; I suspect because he’d rather keep it safe than lose the ball. I’d like to see him given license to take more risks around the opposition penalty area and let’s see what he can really do.

Good to see another young prospect, Tom Davies from our Under-21s, invited to train alongside the England senior side:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3263364/England-stars-gear-Euro-2016-qualifier-against-Estonia-17-year-old-joining-Roy-Hodgson-s-squad-training.html

Julian Wait
3 Posted 07/10/2015 at 17:20:35
And stop using him in our own six-yard box...
Les Martin
4 Posted 07/10/2015 at 19:37:15
I think our season will be defined down to Ross’s ability to complete the course of the season, should he wane or become injured I wonder who will create his midfield spark and running with the ball.
Dave Ganley
5 Posted 07/10/2015 at 20:45:38
Let me start this by saying I love Ross and really want him to be a success as it would really benefit Everton. However, whilst Ross’s game has improved immeasurably from last season (let's face it, it couldn’t get much worse), he hasn’t been the most influential player this season. He has had two or three good games and several so-so games.

This is not a post to criticise Ross, far from it, but I feel this is a bit of a lazy journalist article taken from hearsay and not from a first-hand account of watching Everton this season. I would say, in equal measure, the defence, Gareth Barry, Tom Cleverley (when he was fit), Kone, and to a lesser extent Naisy have all been instrumental in one way or another to our decent start to the season. I wouldn’t say anybody has been outstanding yet this season but collectively, as a team we have been effective.

The article tries to make out Ross is running the show when that is far from the case. We had enough issues with Martinez trying to big up Ross last season with predictable results. This article I feel is insulting to the rest of the team who have, for most part, pleasantly surprised us with their endeavour after last season's travails.

For the last couple of games, Ross has not been particularly effective whilst others have been in my opinion. Again, that is not a criticism, just an observation. Ross still goes up blind alleys, shoots when he should pass and at times plays safe when he should be more positive.

It doesn’t help being played out of position either. This is okay with me because he is slowly building up lost confidence from last season but let's not go overboard with lazy journalist articles comparing him to Rooney. He’s not, he is a young lad with potential to be a very good player if he fulfils that potential.

Dave Abrahams
6 Posted 07/10/2015 at 21:02:09
Dave (5), very good article, you are not having a go at Ross, simply telling it as it is, nothing but the truth.
John Daley
7 Posted 07/10/2015 at 21:10:46
I kind of agree, Dave, in that I would hate to see the hype train start up around Ross again, particularly this early in the season.

Of course there has already been a noticeable improvement in his performances this season but that’s no reason to start piling pressure back on his shoulders and hailing him as the new incarnation of [insert former player name here]. He’s had enough unnecessary and unfounded comparisons already in his short career (although Roy Hodgson obviously hasn’t taken the hint after declaring Ross needs to incorporate elements from both Baggio and Totti into his game whilst forgoing the tartish barnet).

Where my opinion would differ would be in regard to the number of ’good’ performances thus far. I think he’s played consistently well in the majority of games this season (I’m sure I read he’s created more chances than any other Everton player) and I’m pleasantly surprised to see such consistency from him this early in the campaign, especially after the backward step he seemingly took last season but, as you rightly say, let’s not start getting carried away.

Tony Hill
8 Posted 07/10/2015 at 21:16:12
Yes, I agree with the two Daves. He’s a very strange young player in many ways but like us all I hope he fulfils his obvious talent. He’s strange because he still combines brilliance with almost unbelievable incompetence.

In the game on Sunday there were a couple of wonderful, instinctive flicks and turns but then we had his terrified run into nothingness when you could see him turning to stone as he got closer to the goal and needed to make a decision.

He needs to stop thinking about it and just let it happen. Easy to say but very difficult to do – let us hope it’s not impossible – for someone made like Ross.

Harold Matthews
9 Posted 07/10/2015 at 22:49:40
I found myself nodding to all the previous posts. I would like to add that the triple leg-break and other injuries have caused him to miss more than two years of competitive football and there is obviously lots of room for improvement.

We have definitely seen a more consistent and slightly more mature player this season but his fine performances have made him a marked man. Many coaches think he makes us tick so they will attempt to shut him down. If players cannot rob him of the ball, they will force him to dribble and dawdle whilst their defenders get back into position. This is happening every week but Martinez doesn’t miss much and will be working to put things right.

In order to improve his goal tally, Ross will have to get himself into the box. A very large area which seems to be off his radar. He’ll shoot and pass from the edge of it and dribble round it. Strange stuff indeed.

We’ve all got different ideas on how he should play. Let’s hope he stays with Everton and enjoys success in the blue shirt.

Dennis Stevens
10 Posted 07/10/2015 at 23:19:46
Agree with much of the reasoning in previous posts & would like to add that the reference to the Europa League is also misleading.

Everton’s lack of involvement is not a factor in any improvements we’ve seen so far this season, anymore than our taking part in the competition last season had any negative effect on team performances at the time, as borne out by the terrible spell over the winter when there were no European matches to play.

Trevor Lynes
11 Posted 08/10/2015 at 11:29:21
One comment on here mentioned him going to defend in his own 6 yard area. That is just for corner kicks and that is what virtually every player needs to do.I must say he is lacking in that area of his game. At present I am a little luke warm about him as he does not seem to fit into any role fully. He is not a defender but does not score enough and until he adds goal scoring to his game he will not reach his potential.
Ian Jones
12 Posted 08/10/2015 at 18:34:33
It's a question I have asked before a few times in relation to people thinking he plays out of position.

Where do people think his best position is? I have no idea where to get the best out of him, though clearly not out wide.

Trevor Peers
13 Posted 08/10/2015 at 22:06:05
Ross has improved from last season, no question. Will it be enough to make him a consistently good player who can score his fair share of goals?

That still hangs in the balance.

Paul Kernot
14 Posted 09/10/2015 at 12:18:38
Ross is a prodigious young talent and I for one would prefer he be at Everton rather than an opposition club. He is clearly a #10 and, as someone said above, he needs to learn to get in the box more often and trust his ability once he gets there.

Roberto and his coaching staff need to get him to understand the basics of marking one man when defending corners (the Ings goal in the derby was all Ross, I’m sad to say) but overall, I fully expect Ross to come through and be one of the first names on Roberto’s team sheet for many a game to come.

Harold Matthews
15 Posted 09/10/2015 at 16:00:18
Yes, one of his loan managers, Neil Warnock, stated that Barkley does not have one defensive cell in the whole of his body. We've seen this well illustrated this season and I'll never forget how he allowed Sturridge to stroll away from his grasp and back-head the equalizer in the 3-3 draw.

Of course, he does head the ball clear occasionally but he doesn't shove big opposition players out of the way to do it.

At the other end he takes the corners. A 6'-2" hunk hitting the ball across to our little fellas in the box. That's just as stupid as 6'-4" Lukaku standing in the centre circle when we're defending a corner.

"Details", a prominent coach remarked recently. "It's all about small details."

Harold Matthews
16 Posted 09/10/2015 at 21:34:00
On the attacking front, Ross has shown some scintillating touches for England tonight. Not surprised he is Hoddle's MotM.
Paul Hewitt
17 Posted 09/10/2015 at 23:01:42
Ross WILL be a top player with us or someone else. It's that simple. I just think Martinez doesn’t know his best position. Mouriniho would make him great.
Sam Hoare
19 Posted 11/10/2015 at 10:02:05
He has moved on considerably this season and has been showing a vision and awareness I did not think he had.

One quality remains lacking: Determination. He lacks a little bit of bite, that ’I have to win’ attitude that I think most top players have. You could see it in Rooney from a young age and creasehead had it in spades.

Ross needs to find his inner grit and will to win to push on to the next level but I’m very pleased by what I’ve seen this season and hopeful the gem is back.

Harold Matthews
20 Posted 11/10/2015 at 12:47:37
You're probably right Sam. Ross could do with a bit of the "Naismith" in him but it ain't gonna happen. It's just not him. Even when the horrible Can tried to pick a fight Ross never even blinked. He actually looked quite bored.
Peter Weaver
21 Posted 11/10/2015 at 19:55:35
I've always thought it will take a 'master-midfielder 'like Glen Hoddle to bring the very best out of Ross. His decision making ability is limited and only someone who knows the role inside out will ever 'turn the key' in that respect I suspect.
Mike Childs
22 Posted 12/10/2015 at 11:48:08
Excellent points all around, especially Sam’s about the lack of bite. Having watched the recent transformation in Rom’s game to become more physical, perhaps, Howard, there is hope for Ross too. He’s certainly got the size.
Charles Brewer
23 Posted 14/10/2015 at 19:05:44
There has been quite a bit of comment recently about Wayne Rooney failing to develop to be as good as Messi or Pele or similar. I was at the Duncan Ferguson testimonial a couple of months ago, and saw an evidently delighted Wayne Rooney in a blue shirt.

I have always been of the (entirely untestable) view that if Rooney had been able to stay at Everton, and had played with a reasonably decent squad (say the one we have now), he really would have been that good.

We all know the story about 16-year-old Rooney going off to have a kickabout with his mates after "the" goal against Arsenal, and it was clear that he just loved everything about playing football, and above all playing football for Everton (he really is one of us in that sense).

I think Ross has a similar attitude and hope that Martinez can keep the financial side sufficiently attractive that joining the dreary mercenaries of Chelsea or Man Utd doesn’t interest him.

It will be good for Everton, Ross and football in England.

Philip Yensen
24 Posted 14/10/2015 at 19:41:50
I don't think Barkley will ever be the world beater some people seem to think he could be. As I’ve said in the past, he lacks vision, the ability or drive to go box-to-box in a game, positional sense.

Finally that what I’d call the Alan Ball factor: never-say-die... 99% of the time, if Bally lost the ball or fucked a pass up, he’d fight to get the ball back.

James Marshall
25 Posted 15/10/2015 at 08:16:29
Dave Ganley (#5),

Are you any relation to the famous snooker referee, Len Ganley, as sung about by Half Man Half Biscuit?


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