Ross Barkley

[ChicagoLion]

He would.compete with Traore Trez AEG and would be an improvement on all 3.

[Luke8]

He would.compete with Traore Trez AEG and would be an improvement on all 3.

Would he be competing with them though? They are more wingers/inside forwards whereas Alli has generally played as a number ten or an eight hasn’t he?

I agree with Tom in that he is more likely competing with Barkley and McGinn for a place in the starting XI so I’m not really sure where he fits in. And we aren’t quite at the stage where we are going to have players that good on the bench.

[ChicagoLion]

He would.compete with Traore Trez AEG and would be an improvement on all 3.

Would he be competing with them though? They are more wingers/inside forwards whereas Alli has generally played as a number ten or an eight hasn’t he?

I agree with Tom in that he is more likely competing with Barkley and McGinn for a place in the starting XI so I’m not really sure where he fits in. And we aren’t quite at the stage where we are going to have players that good on the bench.

He has played wide in a 3, i do not think the Barkley is relevant on the basis that he appears to have long term injury issues. If we are going to compete we need strength in depth.
There is no doubt in my opinion that he would strengthen the team and that has to be the criteria.

[Risso]

He would.compete with Traore Trez AEG and would be an improvement on all 3.

Would he be competing with them though? They are more wingers/inside forwards whereas Alli has generally played as a number ten or an eight hasn’t he?

I agree with Tom in that he is more likely competing with Barkley and McGinn for a place in the starting XI so I’m not really sure where he fits in. And we aren’t quite at the stage where we are going to have players that good on the bench.

Smith clearly sees McGinn as one of the two in front of the defence with Luiz, so no, Alli wouldn't be competing with him I don't think. In our current set up, he'd be competing with Trez, Traore and El Ghazi.  Can't see him being on the bench much on that basis.

[Lastfootstamper]

Depending on what happens with the situations of Barkley and Luiz in the summer, he might not have long to wait for a spot through the middle, should he come.

[ChicagoLion]

He would.compete with Traore Trez AEG and would be an improvement on all 3.

Would he be competing with them though? They are more wingers/inside forwards whereas Alli has generally played as a number ten or an eight hasn’t he?

I agree with Tom in that he is more likely competing with Barkley and McGinn for a place in the starting XI so I’m not really sure where he fits in. And we aren’t quite at the stage where we are going to have players that good on the bench.

Smith clearly sees McGinn as one of the two in front of the defence with Luiz, so no, Alli wouldn't be competing with him I don't think. In our current set up, he'd be competing with Trez, Traore and El Ghazi.  Can't see him being on the bench much on that basis.

exactly

[Luke8]

Hmm. I’m not sure. You’d effectively be asking one of Alli, Barkley or Grealish to play wide on the right. I’m not that has the right balance for the team.

[ChicagoLion]

Hmm. I’m not sure. You’d effectively be asking one of Alli, Barkley or Grealish to play wide on the right. I’m not that has the right balance for the team.

Jesus.

[Luke8]

So where would he play then?

[chrisw1]

If we want to start seriously competing for top 6 then we need much more squad depth and it would be fantastic to have a player like Ali - compare our bench to Chelsea and Utd's in recent games and the gulf is enormous.

Whether it's a priority when we are 1 injury away from a crisis at both striker and DM I'm not so sure.  And then there's FFP which hasn't gone away no matter how much people put fingers in ears and pretend it has.  I'd be amazed if we spend anything like £30m+ this window.

[GordonCowansisthegreatest]

Didn't we spend £30/40m less in the summer than was reportedly available?

[Risso]

So where would he play then?

McGinn Luiz
Trez/Traore Alli Grealish
Watkins

It's not that hard, in the spot you'd want Barkley in were he ever fit.

[Luke8]

So where would he play then?

McGinn Luiz
Trez/Traore Alli Grealish
Watkins

It's not that hard, in the spot you'd want Barkley in were he ever fit.

Yeah, so it him or Barkley which was my point. Not him or Trez/Traore as Chicago was saying.

If we are taking about him instead of Barkley that’s fine. There is no way we have both of them in a squad in my opinion.

[Drummond]

We'd need them both in the Chumps League next season though...

[Lastfootstamper]

You can't have too many good players. It certainly creates better problems than having too many inadequate ones.