Ross Barkley

[Chris Smith]

Disappointing signing if it happens.

I don't trust him based on the previous decades worth of evidence not to rock up, have a few decent games & then settle into prime Barkley mode for the remainder of his contract.

I never wanted to ever see him in a Villa shirt again once he left & that hasn't changed.

I cannot imagine Unai allowing that to happen. In any case he has apparently worked hard in a relegation fight all season which doesn’t strike me as the attitude of somebody settling.

[Ads]

The Barkley of last season is a really good signing. He'll let us rotate Dougie and Tielemans more, so hopefully we won't run out of puff when we're still in Europe come May again...

[VillaTim]

I think it's all paper talk , can't see it happening. If it does it should be a 1 year deal or at least have a break clause.

[itbrvilla]

I think this is a smart move by us and he will fit right in how Unai will want to play. Quite a few games that I saw Barkley play in for Luton last season were very similar to how we invite the press in defense, then giving the ball to Barkley to turn and play through to the midfield or spraying the ball out wide. Physically imposing, good on the ball with a great range of passing.

I reckon this could be one of the bargain buys of the season.

This is how I see it.  He did very well last year and impressed me a lot.  Some more physicality and strength in our midfield lightweight midfield will also be a bonus.

[Brazilian Villain]

I think it's all paper talk , can't see it happening. If it does it should be a 1 year deal or at least have a break clause.

If a man with your insight can't see it happening, then surely there's nothing to it.

[Brend'Watkins]

With the form he showed at Luton he'd be a most useful asset when we need to rotate our midfield. We can do that to an extent now but given a choice of a stand in of Tim or Barkley it's obvious who we all would prefer.  We need additional bodies who have quality and form, he fits the bill.

[Baldy]

Does a leopard change its spots!! 

This dude has had a two year trial already and failed.

Looked great at Luton last season but then again, so did Marvelous Nakamba before him.

We have a happy camp at the moment. Do we need someone sulking around in the background if they do not get the limelight!!

No from me, we can do better.

[OCD]

two year trial?

[Ads]

Yeah and the lad that just scored a hat-trick in the Europa League final was a berk with a dodgy panenka for Fulham. If you want leopards, Chester Zoo has a great exhibition. You can just about make the spots out on the black one.

If you're not keen on clichés or zoo attractions, then you can watch football instead.

[LeeB]

Does a leopard change its spots!! 

This dude has had a two year trial already and failed.

Looked great at Luton last season but then again, so did Marvelous Nakamba before him.

We have a happy camp at the moment. Do we need someone sulking around in the background if they do not get the limelight!!

No from me, we can do better.

Yeah, Marv was playing in the championship, Barkley was only here a year, and regarding his character do you not think the like McGinn, Mings, Cash, Emi, Luiz etc who all played here with him would have alerted the manager if there were issues?

[Baldy]

two year trial?

When he was on loan from Chelsea, might be less than 2 years.

He sulked a lot.

[OCD]

He was here for a year, and never looked right after his hamstring injury. After being released by Chelsea and having been without a club going into his peak career years, he seems to have had a realisation that time's running out and he has take things seriously now. I trust Emery and Monchi to know what they're doing.

[cdward]

Could be a great signing.
The form he showed for Luton this season sitting in deeper as a number 6, he would be a good replacement for Kamara.
We need to enlarge the squad for another season of European football, and he can play further forward/wider if needed.
He is an upgrade on Dendonker and will be relatively cheap.
If Unai and his backroom team want him, i'm happy to go with their judgement.

[pablo_picasso]

He was here for a year, and never looked right after his hamstring injury. After being released by Chelsea and having been without a club going into his peak career years, he seems to have had a realisation that time's running out and he has take things seriously now. I trust Emery and Monchi to know what they're doing.

I get that they have earned that trust, but it doesn't make them infallible.

Monchi once signed Olsen, for example...

For me personally, Barkley has done the opposite of earning my trust.

He has a decade of his career, wasting it. Including a year with us where I, & many others, never wanted to see him in a Villa shirt ever again. And I can say many others because I have both read & heard Villa fans say exactly that.

Granted, he had a good year at Luton on a short term contract, but it will take a lot from the player himself to prove to me that he has learned his lesson.

And I hope he does prove me wrong. I just don't expect it to happen.

[Baldy]

Yeah and the lad that just scored a hat-trick in the Europa League final was a berk with a dodgy panenka for Fulham. If you want leopards, Chester Zoo has a great exhibition. You can just about make the spots out on the black one.

If you're not keen on clichés or zoo attractions, then you can watch football instead.

Love cliches and zoo attractions. Like an elephant (bald with big ears) I never forget.

Once bitten twice shy.

No from me. But Unai and co will know better.