Ross Barkley

[caster troy]

I'm not sure what's going on with him. He looks like he cares, but something isn't right. Is his confidence just completely shot? Is there a physical issue which means he just can't cope in the majority of games? Is it depression or anxiety? Looking at him on the bench yesterday after being subbed he looked broken. I think it's best we take him out of the firing line now. Dean has an out, he can say he wants to look at Ramsey/Chuk in the remaining games in preparation for next season.

[john e]

Wouldn’t even take him on a free, he earns way too much given how little he contributes.

sounds ridiculous but nor would I

His wages would be massive, takes another spot up in the squad and it would be a backward step
I think it would be one of the most disappointing signings for me if we go that way as we need far better

[Clampy]

I was never that much of a fan before he came but he loooked just what we needed in those first few games and on the very odd occasion, we did look a better side going forward with him in it but overall, it's not worked out for whatever reason.

[TelfordVilla]

Scored the winner at leicester and southampton but contributed hardly anything else across a season. Goodbye and thanks for not very much.

[Rudy65]

There is talent there that's not in question. But Dean has been more than accomodating to him and has given him enough chances to make the move permanent. If it was a cut price fee then maybe but atm nowhere near the £30-40 million that shower of shite will be asking for him.

Talent? Not sure about that.

 He looks so slow and one paced and regularly gets caught in possession. If you didn’t know how good he previously was at Everton you would think he was more suited to League 1. It could be confidence, attitude or something else but he looks finished at this level. If he is out of contract at Chelsea he may find it difficult to get another

[brontebilly]

I'm not sure what's going on with him. He looks like he cares, but something isn't right. Is his confidence just completely shot? Is there a physical issue which means he just can't cope in the majority of games? Is it depression or anxiety? Looking at him on the bench yesterday after being subbed he looked broken. I think it's best we take him out of the firing line now. Dean has an out, he can say he wants to look at Ramsey/Chuk in the remaining games in preparation for next season.

Physically, he is definitely carrying too much body mass. Whether that's muscle or fat I don't know but he simply is stuck to the ground. Needs to shift a stone at least if he wants to get back competing at this level. He said when he joined that he could also play as an 8, if he tried playing in McGinns role right now he would be embarrassed.

Mentally doesn't look in best place either. Confidence is shot and even his touch has deserted him. He needed that wake up call months back like when he was having his strop sitting in front of the Holte End.

[Villan82]

There is talent there, undoubtedly. We saw that at the start of the season at Leicester, at Arsenal and against Liverpool. He scored the winner against Southampton.

I don't quite know what has gone wrong, and like others, the close up of him on the bench yesterday was the first occasion something struck me about his demeanor. I  think I posted in the match thread that he looked broken. On a human level I hope is ok but if there are issues there I would question if we have handled it right.

[West Derby Villan]

I was never that much of a fan before he came but he loooked just what we needed in those first few games and on the very odd occasion, we did look a better side going forward with him in it but overall, it's not worked out for whatever reason.

Agree, whether COVID was part of it or not, he’s missed an opportunity to restart his career

[Mister E]

He simply isn't good enough for where we want to get to. And his career has been marked by massive inconsistency throughout.
I wonder, as others have said, whether we are also seeing some other things going on for him behind the scenes. If that's the case I wish him well and hope that Chelsea look after him well (with Villa's support if that is appropriate).

[Smithy]

I like Ross. But this move clearly hasn't worked out (and I was still hopeful for him even a month or so ago). Last night he looked absolutely broken when he came off.  Not just disappointed, or annoyed, but properly gutted - like he couldn't understand what was happening.

He's 28 this year, and I wonder if he's just one of those players who peaks early in their career and then fades?  Michael Owen was completely shot at 28, and similarly, Ross was a premier league regular as a teenager and going to World Cups at 20.

It might be he can recover and perform once again at a level he was once capable of, but part of me wonders if that's just it for him now, and he's at a physical level other midfielders get to at around 32-33?

[eamonn]

He's playing as if he's pre-empting his hamstring going again. Tentative, few bursts of forward speed and half-hearted tracking-back.

[LeeB]

The ability is there, but the problem is in his head and I'm doubtful it will ever be fully fixed judging on his career so far.

[paul_e]

The ability is there, but the problem is in his head and I'm doubtful it will ever be fully fixed judging on his career so far.

I agree. When he shows glimpses of his quality i get drawn back in to wanting to give him another chance but it's just not going to work, there are too many problems for a player of his age and standing to overcome now.

I also agree with:

He's playing as if he's pre-empting his hamstring going again. Tentative, few bursts of forward speed and half-hearted tracking-back.

I think him not trusting his ability to stay fit is at the heart of his problems.

I always thought he was over-rated at Everton and Chelsea because his reputation seemed to be based entirely on a handful of good performances and ignored the average/poor ones, I likened him to a slightly more capable version of Lansbury who did something good and then saw it as job done. Having watched him with us I don't think that comparison is correct, I'd go more towards Collymore now, talent and ability in bundles when he's 'on it' but too many games where everything is wrong.

[chrisw1]

His last chance saloon was to tear it up in the last 5 games to back up his first Everton performance.  He hasn't done it.  As much I I love what he adds to the team when he is on song, he's made it almost impossible for us to justify signing him even on a cut price deal.  I'm a bit gutted because I really thought he could become a major piece in the jigsaw for us, that bit of pure quality to compliment Jack.

I agree with Paul, as with Collymore I now think it will always be 'what could have been.'

[SoccerHQ]

Wouldn’t even take him on a free, he earns way too much given how little he contributes.

sounds ridiculous but nor would I

His wages would be massive, takes another spot up in the squad and it would be a backward step
I think it would be one of the most disappointing signings for me if we go that way as we need far better

Is there even any indication we're interesting in a permanent other than the rumour Lange really likes him and wants him to be signed?

I think DS knows we've dodged a bullet here, would like to see Carney get some minutes before end of season although Ramsey obviously higher in the pecking order.

Last nighrt was his last start for us anyway.