Barkley's Loan Expires Today

We all hope that the boy fullfills all our expectations, and Osman going on loan to Derby did him no harm nor did it harm Beckham going to Preston. So I say let the loan be extended at least for a few months longer.

Whilst I don't think this slump in form is directly attributed the the presence of Barkley in the team, it is fair to say that he hasn't been setting the world on fire at that level, which is of slight concern. It has only been 6 games though, so why not give him a little bit longer as he is probably only just adjusting properly to his new surroundings. Better for his development than warming our bench I think.

Only true all-time greats set the world on fire as soon as they arrive: Maradonna, Messi, Pele, etc. Let him stay at Weds and find his feet. They have big crowds, play the game the right way, good manager.

"Top players don't let the game pass them by, they make things happen, and when the going gets tough Barkley disappears."

"Tell the fucker to get stuck in!"

"Anyone can attempt to tackle or at least hassle the ball carrier, though. Not just let them stroll right past you, like laddo was doing second half. "

"He might need to work on his corners though."

"kept the ball a few touches too many. You don't have to deliver the ball in person, you can pass it mate.
And by the second half he was frequently letting opponents jog past without even pretending to track them."

He reminds me of that kid we wasted millions on from Arsenal in the 90s (steven someone or other) somebody needs to get a grip of him before he goes the same way if he really has what's needed.

Having watched him a lot both in the flesh for Everton and England and on TV twice for SWFC, I can confirm that he is working really hard for Dave Jones and his team mates but he spoils that by running hard to challenge an opponent and then just sticking a leg out and letting the opponent go past him, rather than forcing his man to pass it square or backwards. It looks bad and hides how much he's actually running.

It's also preventing him providing that quality around the edge of the box that he – and very few other English players have – so I hope that he plays a little further forward against Leeds on Friday, it's a big game for them.

Running and working hard is ok but in the end you need quality, just think of the Spanish and German national teams, they manage to combine quality and work but the quality comes first. We don't produce too many like Ross Barkley so we need to concentrate on the quality, the defensive side can be worked on later.

Don't think that he's a Moyes type of player so think he'll have to move away to make it, hope I'm wrong but could see him fitting in really well in either the Spanish or German leagues.

The problem is we build up people so much that when they turn out to be human we want to write them off. Bit harsh on the lad.

Now if you had a midfield three of Gibson (Mustafi), Fellaini (Lundstram) and Osman 60 mins / Barkley 30 mins (Barkley) – that's a quality midfield for the next 7 or 8 years.

I know that Mustafi has moved on to Italy but I can't help feel that we're not using the loan system enough to our advantage – ie, get the players ready for first team action.

I don't believe that anybody plays 4-4-2 now not even United or Chelsea. We will never be able to play it.

And Phil Brown, please give it a rest on the "Moyes type of player" routine... nobody's seen Mirellas in a tackle either, but he's starting, and the defensively shambolic Coleman has started the last two games. Time for people to acknowledge that Moyes is flexible when he has the talent to be flexible with.

However, his reading of the game and movement was very good, he's quick across the ground, tackles well with good all round skill, as expected from an U21 international developed in germany.

Looked the perfect defensive midfield player to me, why wasn't he coached for this role and offered opportunities, even on loan. Always seems to be alot of closed thinking, stubborness and lack of imagination within our club- three centre-backs as coaches?

Ross B is the prime example of a very talented young player who may not fulfill his potential because he's not working hard enough. Having said that I think that a season long loan at SWFC will do him the world of good and it's noticable that he's getting better with every game.

Their main problem - from what I've read - is their defence is simply shipping too many goals. Can't expect one player to make much of an impact.

People should be really, really careful about criticising players when those players are playing in poor sides/sides playing poorly. Think about when everton are playing shit and how poor the players look, can't string two passes together, no movement etc. Compare that to when confidence is high throughout the team and we're winning 3-0.....the players look like different animals.

Barkley will probably never be a world-beater, but he does have more potential and confidence than Osman or Neville in my opinion. Moyes insistence in making him play reserve team football for most of last season was a bit infuriating, especially when giving journeymen like McFadden and Straq game-time.

This season I'm happy to see him playing a regular game if he's not good enough for a first team slot. Sheff Wed obviously think a lot of him and I think he will come good for us too when Moyes finally gets around to giving him a run in the team.

It's funny that you use that as a stick to beat the club with though, when we're always hearing how other players (Rodwell, Coleman etc) have been ruined because they've done exactly what you're advocating.

Evertonians of a certain age remember "the owls" - 1966 and all that - sorry mate had to be mentioned.

The youth system is all we've got and one of the SWFC posts about barkley was that he'd no doubt be in the england midfield alongside willshire. I'd like to think that rodwell would be behind them, if only we didn't have to sell them to keep afloat.

We need to work the youth and loan systems to the max, vellios and duffy need to be playing on loan somewhere.

Why is Osman 'feeble'? Do you want 11 Fellaini's on the pitch? He's a very good, neat and tidy footballer with terrific technique. Yes, he's small and can't shoot for toffee, but he's a good player. But any excuse to bash Ossie and Hibbo, right.

And your views on Barkley's situation:

'a loan spell may do that so I would leave him there at least another month – no longer.'

So exactly one month then? Make your mind up.

A very bad leg break a couple of years ago,broke in 3 places.Get a grip of yourselves.

He's 18, not 12.

Thanks, Phil, for the heads up on Barkley, hope you can enjoy a successfull season.

Leave him where he is to take his lumps.

Give Barkley another few months though, and I'm sure he will find his feet at the lower level, and hopefully we will derive better from his spell at Wednesday in the long term. However good a player may or may not be, it is very difficult to play well at 18 in an out of form team.

Can anybody who has seen Barkley play in senior games honestly say that he has shone in them? I've seen every minute he's played for Everton and the only game when I thought he looked like a Premier League player was his debut, in others he's looked like a kid playing against men.

I asked a mate who supports Wednesday how he was doing and his reply was 'he doesn't look out of place'. He meant it as a positive – believing as I do that not looking out of place in the Championship at 18 is an achievement in itself – but I think some people believed he would have been hands down the best player in the Championship already.

Rather than disappearing straight after this game as has again become 'fact' he actually came on as a sub in our very next game and then started a League Cup game a week later in which I remember him being very poor indeed.

As I said, this is no reflection whatsoever on the lad's potential, I believe he's a great talent. It's simply that at this moment in time I don't think he's quite the world beating creative outlet that some people think. I think his performances for us and Wednesday support this, as does his disappearance from England under 21s despite now playing regularly.

For all his weaknesses I would bet that if Osman were to go to Wednesday on loan he would have a much bigger impact than Barkley has - and that's a reflection of where the lad is currently up to in his development.

I'd also point out that 16-18 is crucial development time for a young player, and the injury cost him almost a year of that time. He's also a year younger than Wilshere.

Give him time.

How on earth can we be so tough on a kid who is now just starting to get a run of games (after a terrible injury).

Have some hope! What, he passes too close to his teammates??? give me a break. Even if he doesn't pan out, it's more fun to have a little faith in the boy. He seems a fine lad.

And lets not drag that career featherweight Osman into this. Now THAT is a player that has to to have EVERYONE around him at the top of their game to even look remotely premiership quality. He should been onto his 4th or 5th team by now IMO.

Yes he lacks pace (so does Fellaini), yes he has errant shooting (like Fellaini and Pienaar, although compare their greatest goal compilations and there'd only be one winner) but he has so many qualities that go unnoticed. Some people will watch an entire game like Villa away where Osman alongside Gibson dominated midfield for 70 minutes with intelligent movement and passing, yet if some massive grock smashes into him and he loses the ball they're up in arms straight away saying he's not premier legaue quality. A quick look at the stats will show people that he's been one of the most reliable in possession for us this season far more than some of our stars above criticism like Fellaini or Mirallas. At the moment he's in a different league to Barkley (literally) because he's a far superior player, the finished article in the prime of his career who knows his role within the team and is performing at the top of his game week in week out in the premier league. Barkley may turn out to be a lot better than Osman, I hope he does, he certainly has the potential, but at the moment their is no compariosn and that's why Moyes has one at loan on Sheffield Wednesday and the other one is one of the first names on the team sheet, and he's getting the results to vindicate this decision.

I like many others hope that Ross goes on to fulfill his potential and become an Everton and England mainstay but he is not ready at the moment and in no way deserves to replace Osman in our first team yet.

Unfortunately many people skip the "football" bit in "football fanatic" and don't appreciate technical skill or function within a tactical setup unless it's hammering in 25 yard volleys or running through tackles like a tank. They didn't read your post either because they confuse the concept of crafting an argument with just having an argument.

It will be up to Barkley to prove he is good enough to step up. Nobody here has seen evidence that is the case yet regardless of assertions to the contrary.

I do agree with the fact that these two players have absolutely nothing to do with each other and hopefully Barkley's loan stint will do him as much good or more than Osman's.

I do hate getting on his case bc he seems like a nice guy and a model pro, just limited and more a benchwarmer than an automatic starter. Especially now that we're pushing up the table.

I think Osman's improved (a lot because of Moyes finally moving him infield). I would just prefer we had a better player with a little bit more tactical nous and cutting edge. I don't consider him to be the best passer - I would argue that would be Baines or Pienaar depending on the day.

The possession argument for me doesn't totally hold up as Neville often times has an extremely high pass completion rate - the only problem is his passes are almost always sideways or backwards. It's not Osman's fault, I just don't pay too much attention to that stat (and if he was the best passer, his stats in this department would be lower because he'd be attempting much more difficult, cutting passes, not easy 5 footers)

His being picked in the side for 8 seasons speaks maybe more towards Moyes' favoritism - or lack of options - than it does a true game-changer. The fact that we've heard no speculation about anyone coming in for him in those 8 years speaks as well to this. In 8 years I hope he'd also have some highlights for us to smile upon.

Look, is he a bad guy? Far from from it. Model pro? Yes. But let's call it what it is, he's a cog in the wheel, not our best passer, player, shooter, penetrator, defender, anything really.

Mostly he's just lucky. Lucky to be in a team that has no money or options for new players.

To suggest Osman has consistently been anything other than inconsistent is pure waffle.

Your revisionism is starting to get ridiculous. I understand people have their favourites... But FDA, yours appear to be Osman and Neville.

His name is on the team sheet in permanent marker anyways.

Surely anyone still not appreciating him now is just being stubborn because they were slagging him off then?

He's been consistently excellent for us in almost every aspect of the game when he's played central midfield. He passes well, retains possession, provides a threat and tracks back... Actually I'll just sign James Martin's post as he's said it all already.

Maybe if Ofoe had come on and given proper competition, we'd learn more about him and how much he benefits the side.

I think we will soon have, what Moyes thinks is his first 11. With Gibbo and Ossie in the middle with Felli ahead of them. I think that will be good enough against most teams.

With regard to Barkley. I have read so many Moyes bashes since the Blackburn match. All along the lines of "how will he learn if he can't make mistakes?" etc etc.

I know that Barkley was enjoying his own hype after he'd had a couple of starts and, using Moyes's words was "Hanging around with the wrong crowd." (I'm going to blame Royston Drenthe for that one). His attitude was not as great as it could be and that was why he was sent to the USA.

I hope this clears a few things up.

Jack Wilshire said that he thought Osman was the British Inniesta, pity England managers didnt give him a chance.

The exact opposite is true now, the CBs are playing the ball out of the back with passes into midfield because Osman and Gibbo are showing for them properly taking their forward players out of the game. They're angling their passes forward with pace meaning Baines, Pienaar and Mirallas are receiving the ball at pace with space to run into, our pressure is being applied further up the pitch because we're already pinning their entire team back through our control of the middle. Jelavic knows he can stay in the box because the ball is coming into there sooner or later. Whilst Saha had lost his legs by the end his impotence upfront wasn't solely his fault. He and Cahill had to come deeper and deeper to try and get the ball off a midfield that just didn't pass forward. The only service they got was long balls, we all know Cahill and Saha weren't bad players, it was just a bad syste.

In short moving Osman alongside Gibson into our midfield has improved our playing style and ability to control the game no end in compariosn to the Rodwell Fellaini partnership.

He is still making mistakes, but is getting game time which is the key bit, and in the middle of the park. In terms of his development this has to be improving him. Good decision to loan him by the looks.