Gareth Barry - Your View

[Mase]

I'll start by saying when we signed him I thought it was a brilliant signing and that he was a quality player.
Three games in to the season I still thought the same. But since then the guy has been shocking. Not just poor or had bad luck, the guy has been absolutely crap! Giving the ball away more times in a match than he's finding a City player? It's shocking! Why the hell hasn't he been dropped? And people can say "ohh he's had an injury that he's been carrying..." If it was that bad he wouldn't be playing and he would be getting it seen to. At the moment the guy is useless! Is he untouchable or what? Cause he needs to sit down on the bench for a few matches.

I'm not just picking on him for last nights performance, as I've said he's been useless for most of the season. I do think he's a good player but he needs dropping asap in my opinion.

[Bianchi on Ice]

If Mariga (or anyone) had signed, Barry wouldnt be playing all the games. He looks like hes got a toffee wedged between his cheeks.
Thats my non-physio speak for hes knackered.

[xavi6]

All things considered I don't really think he has been that bad. He had a few off games and has been a scapegoat pretty much ever since, despite being turned into some sort of left winger by Mr Negative.

I've not seen him give less than 100% and think he would thrive as one of two central midfielders in an orthodox system that doesn't include 7 defenders.

Yes he's had poor games but name one of our players that hasn't. It's as much a case of us making him look shit than anything else.

[sandman]

I'll start by saying when we signed him I thought it was a brilliant signing and that he was a quality player.
Three games in to the season I still thought the same. But since then the guy has been shocking. Not just poor or had bad luck, the guy has been absolutely crap! Giving the ball away more times in a match than he's finding a City player? It's shocking! Why the hell hasn't he been dropped? And people can say "ohh he's had an injury that he's been carrying..." If it was that bad he wouldn't be playing and he would be getting it seen to. At the moment the guy is useless! Is he untouchable or what? Cause he needs to sit down on the bench for a few matches.

I'm not just picking on him for last nights performance, as I've said he's been useless for most of the season. I do think he's a good player but he needs dropping asap in my opinion.

I totally agree, I was pleased with his reputation when he signed, but it just isnt working out.

We will never compete with top clubs until we have a top midfield, Barry is not a top midfield player.

[Alex Sapphire]

the kind of player every team needs and most of his performances have been good.
He's a freak though, long body, big arse, short legs
The kind of bloke who sits next to you on the bus and is 4 inches taller, but when you stand up he's 4 inches shorter
Lawrence Dallaglio and Johnny Bravo spring to mind

[Abu Dhabi]

The Barry thread is scheduled for sometime next month, lets have someone else.

[Mase]

All things considered I don't really think he has been that bad. He had a few off games and has been a scapegoat pretty much ever since, despite being turned into some sort of left winger by Mr Negative.

I've not seen him give less than 100% and think he would thrive as one of two central midfielders in an orthodox system that doesn't include 7 defenders.

Yes he's had poor games but name one of our players that hasn't. It's as much a case of us making him look shit than anything else.

We're making him look shit? That's a new one to me. Because he was playing shite under Hughes as well.
I've lost count of the amount of times I've been sat at the match and he's passed the ball to a player from the other team. Whether he's out on the left wing or stood in goal surely he can remember how to pass??

[Mase]

The Barry thread is scheduled for sometime next month, lets have someone else.

?

[avoidconfusion]

By the way does anyone else think that Barry and A. Johnson are Vampires?

[Mase]

By the way does anyone else think that Barry and A. Johnson are Vampires?

If he was mate i'm sure he'd try and suck the blood out of a brick wall at the moment.

[xavi6]

All things considered I don't really think he has been that bad. He had a few off games and has been a scapegoat pretty much ever since, despite being turned into some sort of left winger by Mr Negative.

I've not seen him give less than 100% and think he would thrive as one of two central midfielders in an orthodox system that doesn't include 7 defenders.

Yes he's had poor games but name one of our players that hasn't. It's as much a case of us making him look shit than anything else.

We're making him look shit? That's a new one to me. Because he was playing shite under Hughes as well.
I've lost count of the amount of times I've been sat at the match and he's passed the ball to a player from the other team. Whether he's out on the left wing or stood in goal surely he can remember how to pass??

And he was far from shit at Villa, hence the signing.

So if he was excellent at Villa and shit since he signed for us (in your opinion) then where does the problem lie?

[Mase]

All things considered I don't really think he has been that bad. He had a few off games and has been a scapegoat pretty much ever since, despite being turned into some sort of left winger by Mr Negative.

I've not seen him give less than 100% and think he would thrive as one of two central midfielders in an orthodox system that doesn't include 7 defenders.

Yes he's had poor games but name one of our players that hasn't. It's as much a case of us making him look shit than anything else.

We're making him look shit? That's a new one to me. Because he was playing shite under Hughes as well.
I've lost count of the amount of times I've been sat at the match and he's passed the ball to a player from the other team. Whether he's out on the left wing or stood in goal surely he can remember how to pass??

And he was far from shit at Villa, hence the signing.

So if he was excellent at Villa and shit since he signed for us (in your opinion) then where does the problem lie?

If you read the original post, I said he played well at the start of the season. Since going back to Villa Park he's been useless. You might have a point though, maybe we're making Toure, Lescott, Bridge, RSC all look shite as well. It must be us, definitely.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

I'll start by saying when we signed him I thought it was a brilliant signing and that he was a quality player.
Three games in to the season I still thought the same. But since then the guy has been shocking. Not just poor or had bad luck, the guy has been absolutely crap! Giving the ball away more times in a match than he's finding a City player? It's shocking! Why the hell hasn't he been dropped? And people can say "ohh he's had an injury that he's been carrying..." If it was that bad he wouldn't be playing and he would be getting it seen to. At the moment the guy is useless! Is he untouchable or what? Cause he needs to sit down on the bench for a few matches.

I'm not just picking on him for last nights performance, as I've said he's been useless for most of the season. I do think he's a good player but he needs dropping asap in my opinion.

Pretty much agree with all of that. He has been GIANT disappointment for me.

[Blue Blood]

Barry is a good player, he's playing ok atm but nowhere near his best.

Could be because of injury but imo its probably because of it being world cup year. Personally i think he is just trying to cruise through the season so he can get to the world cup injury free.

I'd lay money he's 20x better next season than this.

[Blue2]

I think he done pretty well overall, nothing flashy, just gets on with the job.

[Alex Sapphire]

Barry is a good player, he's playing ok atm but nowhere near his best.

Could be because of injury but imo its probably because of it being world cup year. Personally i think he is just trying to cruise through the season so he can get to the world cup injury free.

I'd lay money he's 20x better next season than this.

I agree, although if we keep Mancini he'll be 20x better somewhere else

[Im_Spartacus]

All things considered I don't really think he has been that bad. He had a few off games and has been a scapegoat pretty much ever since, despite being turned into some sort of left winger by Mr Negative.

I've not seen him give less than 100% and think he would thrive as one of two central midfielders in an orthodox system that doesn't include 7 defenders.

Yes he's had poor games but name one of our players that hasn't. It's as much a case of us making him look shit than anything else.

We're making him look shit? That's a new one to me. Because he was playing shite under Hughes as well.
I've lost count of the amount of times I've been sat at the match and he's passed the ball to a player from the other team. Whether he's out on the left wing or stood in goal surely he can remember how to pass??

And he was far from shit at Villa, hence the signing.

So if he was excellent at Villa and shit since he signed for us (in your opinion) then where does the problem lie?

Two poor managers is sticking out like a sore thumb as the the culprit to me.

Seriously though, Barry was a legend at Villa for a decade before he left. He was the "heartbeat" of the team, and the sort of player you would build a team around. Barry has certain attributes which he is good at, and certain that he is not, just like any player. The trick at Villa was that they knew inside out his strengths and weaknesses, and made sure that they found midfield partners who complemented his weaknesses, that surely is how you build any good team?

The problem here is, nobody seems to have worked out what those strengths and weaknesses are, and as a result he has looked totally lost for most of the season, as though he doesnt actually understand what his job is. From watching him, I certainly dont understand his role in the team and all we seem to see is weaknesses in his passing, which we were led to believe was one of his main strengths. Plus the number of times he loses posession of the ball makes you question his awareness too. I havent yet actually found anything that I can say I am impressed in with Barry - and believe me I am trying, because you dont become one of the most consistent players in the premier league in a decade, to becoming a poor player overnight - and as others have said, he was the one signing this summer that I was genuinely very excited about.

[Abu Dhabi]

I dont think he was useless last few games, he had enough commitment.
Maybe its because of his position you notice his "giving the ball away" - and for fair argument, he should mind that - but he's been working hard on supporting defense and attack .
In yesterdays game, he was put with Kompany to lead the aerial battle in the middle, something we managed well for large parts of the game, with Kompany/Barry usually breaking the long balls and knocking them down to Barry/Zab/Ireland. He missed few of the rebounds as well as misplaced few passes, but to say he was useless is nonsense.

Fortunately, we succeeded at playing stoke at their own game. Unfortunately, they realised that, and decided to beat us at our own game.

[Rag_hater]

I think he has done what he was brought to the team to do pretty well.For me he has been our most consistent midfielder.He is not as creative as Stevie but that not his job and defesivley I think he has been as solid as NDJ but doesn't get noticed and apprieciated as much because he is less aggresive than NDJ.

[MaineRoadMemories]

If he cut out the stupid passes to the opposition when in our own half/box then I think he is doing an alright job. Not as good as I hoped for but not waste of a shirt on the pitch. I've said countless times that Barry and DeJong just cannot play together. They are not a good partnership.

What I like about Barry in recent games is that he has been the only player to look like he wants to score a goal. He's probably had the most chances in the last 4 games of any players.

On the Villa topic, yes he was there for over a decade but actually wasn't that great for 6 years. Only the last 4 has he been an international class midfielder.