Gareth Barry

[Ted Hughes]

id guess that gareth is one of mancini's first names on the team sheet. He gets slated a fair bit by city fans but i think he is massively important. he was fucking superb at Bolton, such a tidy player.

I didn't think he was too sloppy against Swansea either. The only problem with him is when he has an off game, and that's when people decide to see him and produce some sort of rations opinion that he always plays that way. These are usually the people who don't bother looking at the work-horses but prefer the stylish or goal scoring player, the one's that always get the accolades.

For me, the likes of Barry are the most important players on the pitch, covering the back line and allowing the forward players to get on with their job; a go between that's essential for our formation to work.

Losing his place, pah! He will play many, if not the majority of games this season.

True, when he has a stinker, it's a proper stinker. I think a those games usually happen when he's not fit though. That was the case in the infamous England game when he was left floundering (not that he'd catch Ozil anyway) but it also put Barry in perspective; yes he lacks pace, but he was the only person out of 10 England players & Capello, Pearce etc who realised that having no players in our half of the pitch & a bunch of Germans on the edge of their box aiming in that direction may have consequences if you lose the ball when it's punted in their direction!

He sees problems better than any other player in the PL & deals so efficiently with them that nobody even notices. It's only when he doesn't get there in time that people notice him.

[aaron bond]

id guess that gareth is one of mancini's first names on the team sheet. He gets slated a fair bit by city fans but i think he is massively important. he was fucking superb at Bolton, such a tidy player.

I didn't think he was too sloppy against Swansea either. The only problem with him is when he has an off game, and that's when people decide to see him and produce some sort of rations opinion that he always plays that way. These are usually the people who don't bother looking at the work-horses but prefer the stylish or goal scoring player, the one's that always get the accolades.

For me, the likes of Barry are the most important players on the pitch, covering the back line and allowing the forward players to get on with their job; a go between that's essential for our formation to work.

Losing his place, pah! He will play many, if not the majority of games this season.

I agree with this. I think Barry will play the majority of games this season. Mancini likes the De Jong-Barry partnership.

Yaya, if anyone, should be worried about his place. I thought he was poor and lazy for most of last season and he appears to have started this season the same. I get fed up waiting for a 'surging run' in every 3rd or 4th game to justify his place. I'd rather give Milner or Nasri a run in the team and give Yaya a few games on the bench.

[Hazy2]

id guess that gareth is one of mancini's first names on the team sheet. He gets slated a fair bit by city fans but i think he is massively important. he was fucking superb at Bolton, such a tidy player.

I didn't think he was too sloppy against Swansea either. The only problem with him is when he has an off game, and that's when people decide to see him and produce some sort of rations opinion that he always plays that way. These are usually the people who don't bother looking at the work-horses but prefer the stylish or goal scoring player, the one's that always get the accolades.

For me, the likes of Barry are the most important players on the pitch, covering the back line and allowing the forward players to get on with their job; a go between that's essential for our formation to work.

Losing his place, pah! He will play many, if not the majority of games this season.

I agree with this. I think Barry will play the majority of games this season. Mancini likes the De Jong-Barry partnership.

Yaya, if anyone, should be worried about his place. I thought he was poor and lazy for most of last season and he appears to have started this season the same. I get fed up waiting for a 'surging run' in every 3rd or 4th game to justify his place. I'd rather give Milner or Nasri a run in the team and give Yaya a few games on the bench.

YaYa with hands on his knees gasping for breath against say Barca, would have Roberto, break dancing in the technical box.

[blues2win]

Not sure I entirely agree Ted. Yes there will be lots of games for everyone especially if we do well in the three Cup competitions. There'll be injuries suspensions and loss of form to consider as well.

Still there will be obvious 'A' games ie tough away ties in the Champion's League, playing the Rags, Chelsea etc. If you assume Hart and Kompany are stick ons Richards will be fighting it out with Zabaleta for right back and will start as favourite right now. Lescott and Toure will be fighting it out to be Kompany's partner. Maybe Lescott will be slight favourite but I'm not sure Mancini is happy with either at the moment. Clichy will be fighting it out with Kolarov for left back with Clichy probably slight favourite at the moment. Then there's midfield. The two first choice defensive midfielders will surely be Yaya and De Jong. The two attacking midfielders will be Silva on the left and Nasri on the right. Mancini's said as much. Then you might be talking of Tevez playing off Aguero although he might go with Balotelli or Dzeko if he wants an aerial presence in a particular match.

I expect Milner, Barry and Johnson to be on the bench for the big matches as things stand. As I said things could change but we have a top four echelon of midfielders right now and there isn't an englishman among them. Barry is not in the same class as a defensive midfielder as Yaya or De Jong and Milner isn't in the same class as an attacking midfielder as Silva or Nasri. As for Johnson Mancini doesn't seem to like wingers over much and anyway clearly sees Johnson as more of an impact player than a starter.

[Ted Hughes]

I think Barry DeJong & Silva will be the 1st choice midfielders/attack v rags etc. Then probably Yaya &/or Nasri + either 1 or 2 others depending. Europe would be my bet for possibly leaving out Barry depending on the oppo.

[Ted Hughes]

Just as a matter of interest, can someone tell me exactly which City game they are using as evidence that Yaya Toure is a better def mid than Gareth Barry ? I've yet to see him be anything other than average or poor in any position other than attacking mid.

[Cityfan]

I haven't seen Yaya play defensive midfield for City to much but he seemed to do a decent job at Barca. On the Barry front to me last season he seemed to suffer more than most when played frequently. Won't be surprised to see him used in important matches but won't be surprised to see him rested a fair bit as well.

[Ted Hughes]

I haven't seen Yaya play defensive midfield for City to much but he seemed to do a decent job at Barca. On the Barry front to me last season he seemed to suffer more than most when played frequently. Won't be surprised to see him used in important matches but won't be surprised to see him rested a fair bit as well.

I think that may be right. If we compete in a lot of competitions though, even missing half the games he could still play 30+

[Ted Hughes]

The senile old cunt read the wrong fiucking team out.

Fuckin ell, I'm as bad as him.

[Ted Hughes]

Munich!

[blues2win]

A lot of people think Mancini misplayed Yaya as an advanced midfielder. He showed up very well at Barca playing deeper IMO admittedly on my occasional watches of him on Sky. I was delighted he came here for one. If he played deeper then he wouldn't be making many lung bursting forward runs so his apparent lack of stamina wouldn't be such a problem. I love Yaya's bear like physical presence in midfield. I confess I will also miss his wonderful surging runs too.

As for Barry he's a neat and tidy player but my god he's slow. Of course he had no help from other midfielders in the England West Germany but his utter lack of pace was horribly exposed. We're pretty much at thne stage where if you aren't England international standard or better then you can't expect to play in the 'A' matches.

[The Original Special One]

Glad to see more people giving the lad his proper due: I think too many people were influenced by Chirpy Chirpy Tweet Tweet Barton's inane 'Teacher's Pet' ramblings.
He's no Nigel de Jong, and never will be, but he's a top pro. who fills gaps all over the park and probably has played significant parts in a significantly high number of goals we've scored over the past year or so, in addition to riding shotgun for De Dark Destroyer De Jong.
Also, as displayed since his inch-perfect pass to set up one of our goals in the Dublin Super Cup game v Airtricity XI, and at various opportunities, since, he's clearly been working on his long range passing, this Summer.

[ronk]

A lot of people think Mancini misplayed Yaya as an advanced midfielder. He showed up very well at Barca playing deeper IMO admittedly on my occasional watches of him on Sky. I was delighted he came here for one. If he played deeper then he wouldn't be making many lung bursting forward runs so his apparent lack of stamina wouldn't be such a problem. I love Yaya's bear like physical presence in midfield. I confess I will also miss his wonderful surging runs too.

As for Barry he's a neat and tidy player but my god he's slow. Of course he had no help from other midfielders in the England West Germany but his utter lack of pace was horribly exposed. We're pretty much at thne stage where if you aren't England international standard or better then you can't expect to play in the 'A' matches.

Why will you miss them? Not watching City this season? I've never seen a player like Yaya who can do it so well. That won't stop.

[Dameerto]

A lot of people think Mancini misplayed Yaya as an advanced midfielder. He showed up very well at Barca playing deeper IMO admittedly on my occasional watches of him on Sky. I was delighted he came here for one. If he played deeper then he wouldn't be making many lung bursting forward runs so his apparent lack of stamina wouldn't be such a problem. I love Yaya's bear like physical presence in midfield. I confess I will also miss his wonderful surging runs too.

As for Barry he's a neat and tidy player but my god he's slow. Of course he had no help from other midfielders in the England West Germany but his utter lack of pace was horribly exposed. We're pretty much at thne stage where if you aren't England international standard or better then you can't expect to play in the 'A' matches.

Why will you miss them? Not watching City this season? I've never seen a player like Yaya who can do it so well. That won't stop.

He was surging from midfield at Barca - the first time I noticed him was when he bulldozed his way into the opposition's box for them.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Just as a matter of interest, can someone tell me exactly which City game they are using as evidence that Yaya Toure is a better def mid than Gareth Barry ? I've yet to see him be anything other than average or poor in any position other than attacking mid.

I think this comes down to what people think defensive midfielder means. For me, Nigel De Jong is def mid whereas Yaya even in Barcelona was more of a box-to-box midfielder. Personally I think his best position is link between defensive and attacking players although that is very demanding position as far as fitness goes and Yaya sometimes seems to be lacking some (not slagging him by the way....man is a legend 4eva.... just that he isn't one of those naturally fit players).

[DoomMerchant]

If the players are all rested, if they are all fit then I suspect he wouldn't be in the first 11. I can see this....

Hart
Richards--Kompany--Lescott--Clichy
Yaya--de Jong
Aguero--Nasri--Silva
Dzeko

...being our first choice lineup, but how often will everyone be fit and rested this season? I thought Jimmy was our best player against Bolton but cannot see him taking a forward/midfield slot either.

I could of course be wrong, but I recon Barry will start in the biggest games, well the domestic ones anyway. Not sure about Europe.

i agree with that...when the chips are down in the Prem or a cup match in latter stages...my money would be on Gaz Baz in the starting XI. If he'd come on at HT vs the Rags at Wembley we'd be the proud owners of a charity shield right now....

cheers

[Pretty Boy Lee]

Big gaz baz fan me. Can't understand the Lack of credit he gets here really. He's an important cog in the machine.

That and he's a legend in my eyes for getting away with at least 3 handballs every game. When Swansea shouted for a free kck against him last week I knew city season was back baby!

[sandman]

Gareth Barry makes the game look easy, he also makes players look better than they are like Gerrard.

Yes, he makes opposition look better than they are... I agree.

[Blue in North London]

IMO he's one of those players you appreciate more when you watch from the stands as opposed to on the TV. Only then can you really appreciate the ground he covers, the gaps he fills and the effectiveness in which he tracks runners from midfield. A very intelligent footballer, and an underrated one too.

Like Yaya though, he struggles badly when playing two games in a week.

[ronk]

Just as a matter of interest, can someone tell me exactly which City game they are using as evidence that Yaya Toure is a better def mid than Gareth Barry ? I've yet to see him be anything other than average or poor in any position other than attacking mid.

I think this comes down to what people think defensive midfielder means. For me, Nigel De Jong is def mid whereas Yaya even in Barcelona was more of a box-to-box midfielder. Personally I think his best position is link between defensive and attacking players although that is very demanding position as far as fitness goes and Yaya sometimes seems to be lacking some (not slagging him by the way....man is a legend 4eva.... just that he isn't one of those naturally fit players).

While we have a lot of good technical players who can play different games, Yaya is the one who can really impose that on the opposition. He sits deeper and we're defensive, cautiously building up a possession game and threatening on the break when it's on.

When he moves forward the game opens up and defences are often forced backwards.