Carabao Cup Semi-Final

Gutted watching Ross Barkley playing for Chelsea.

Just watching Barkley for Chelsea, very rusty so far and trying too hard. Jury is still out.

Ross is having a bit of a stinker tbh Liam.

Colin (#36), have you been watching him? he's just the same Ross in their blue jersey as ours. Wee tip-tap passes... almost afraid to try and get involved, he has hardly broke sweat since he came on. Making all the usual wrong decisions... bye, Ross.

I see Barkley is very rusty, but his delivery from corners second half was absolutely dire. I think EFC have done well to get 㾻 mil.

Agree Ian. All that nostalgic bollocks I was penting up with Barkley went out the window in about 2 seconds.

He put in a shift though, Ian.

Colin – we hate Barkley now... or have you forgotten?

Barkley gave the ball away 10 times in the 20 minutes I watched the game. Always did that in the derby games.

Great business getting any money for him at all.

I'm not Barkley's biggest fan but he put in an excellent corner near the end; I'm sure Chelsea would have scored if their player would have been a bit braver, and attacked the ball?

The rest of his corners were poor but I thought it was only Everton who never put an attacking player at the front post! It's stupid really, though, because a bad corner can become a great corner if it's contested at the near post.

Inauspicious start for Barkley's Chelsea career – losing a semi-final. (-:

In his defence, it was a poor Chelsea performance and he looked way off being match fit.

When Barkley came on, Chelsea started to look like Everton, in the glorious Bobby Brown shoes days.

I thought Kante had a bad game. He wasn't switched on and hadn't done his homework – on Barkley! He should have known that Ross would lose possession regularly and be there to pick up the pieces!

Seriously, when Ross lost possession, or gave it away – which was actually what he did numerous times – Chelsea were scurrying back just like EFC have had to do.

I don't believe that Conte will improve him. He buys players who are the finished article and coaches them to use the skills they have in the style that he plays. Ross will have to improve his game all by himself or end up at Sunderland.

Abramovich can afford the best and will buy the best. If Ross doesn't find form very soon, he is history.

I get the impression that Conte didn't fancy him but, as he is rumoured to be leaving Chelsea at the end of the season, Ross won't be his problem.

"When there is an injury to one of your best players it is not simple, especially when on the bench the only substitute is Ross Barkley." – Antonio Conte.

Pretty obvious he never wanted Barkley in the first place.

It is painful re: Barkley but he chose to leave.

What is more annoying is Chelsea's kit being called Royal Blue.

That's Everton that is!

Craig Burley was a match commentator of the Chelsea game here in the US and he thought that Barkley should have been subbed. In his words "He's done nothing".

I smiled when Wilshere put him on his arse.

Why did they buy him in the first place? He isn't very good, he is a mid table player at best. Weird decision.

Rob (#19) – because at 㾻 million he was a snip! They'll move him on at a big profit.

Is this how desperate we are that we have to peek like voyeurs at an average footballer who, make no mistake, fucked our club over to the tune of £20 million and faked injury while being paid handsomely by our club.

Compare this character, or lack of it, to Seamus Coleman, for instance. Call me petty but I hope he fails badly and ends up like Gosling.

Thought I'd have a look at Ross Barkley last night in the Arsenal - Chelsea game.

Couldn't help laughing a little when Wilshere took him out, although I felt a bit bad for laughing.

Ross looked rusty, slow, and struggled to find the rhythm of the game. There was one instance of him tracking back which made him look like he's lost a bit of elasticity in his troubled leg. His performance last night didn't indicate someone who has been feigning injury, he looked like he's still recovering!

To be fair though, it was his first appearance this season. I'm sure he'll get better.

Nevertheless, this is the only time I'll watch him, unless he's playing against us. He's a rival now.

The lad has talent no doubt but he looked rusty as to be expected.

Obviously something went wrong under Koeman (as many other things did) so let's not hang Ross out to dry.

He will come good, you watch and will get into the World Cup squad.

Well after Conte's comments I can only imagine another mega lip-wobble is now taking place, in their reserves or, when they're desperate, on the bench.

Just seen something mentioned on NewsNow about Wilshere's tackle on Barkley.

Watched the video of it and the one thing that's glaringly obvious is that Chelsea players must be encouraged to roll around and make the most of any tackle made on them. Barkley does about three rolls after Wilshere brought him down and he never did that at Everton!

Always suspected some teams in particular go for the theatrical when tackled/fouled.

I sincerely could not give a solitary shit.

Jer (#21),

A lot has been said on here in numerous threads about Ross Barkley, but I can't recall anyone before saying he faked injury.

Are you talking about his hamstring problems? One post somewhere had a photo showing a scar running the length of his thigh... I know they're paid more than movie stars but that's not something you can easily fake to keep you from playing for six months.

Dave @ 4,

I don't why this is even on here, what is ToffeeWeb's obsession with ex-players and managers (especially those who did the club no favours)?

Ross Barkley wanted to leave Everton and while I do not wish him any ill health or anything, I will definitely not be rooting for him!

Barkley has a chance to prove to people like me (who had mixed opinions on his performances playing football with Everton) to show me / us we were wrong and playing with better players than he was at Everton will make him even better... we will see!

If he is fit enough to play for Chelsea then why was he getting paid for doing nothing here?

No time for him, just another selfish brat!

Stephen, re. ''Abramovich can afford the best and will buy the best. If Ross doesn't find form very soon, he is history.''

I think that used to be true, but it isn't anymore. If it was they would have never brought Ross Barkley, or paid a decent amount for Danny Drinkwater in the summer, or brought in Zappacosta as an understudy. They wouldn't have gone in for Andy Carroll or looked at Crouch as a back up this window. Even their work around deadline day of the title winning season stunk of rushing and buying what was available.

I think Chelsea have changed, and are likely to be outspent in years to come by City and United, as they have been in the last couple of seasons. Ironically, that is the only way Ross will become pivotal to that side – they will have to get worse for him to star. Because at the moment understudy

William is on another level to him, and he illustrates the difference between the likes of Chelsea and those floundering outside the top 6. William would be the star of our team: At Chelsea, he is more likely to start on the bench.

@Michael 20,

As pampered as they are you would be hard pressed not to find an injury prone professional footballer who did not have some scarring to show off.

You must also believe that the injury lasted right up to the day he signed for Chelsea and then healed up also.

Make no mistake, himself and his grubby agent pulled a stroke and if posting a picture of a scared leg was part of it; it wasn't the worst thing they did in the whole saga. I am with the Liverpool Mayor on this and at least he had the balls to speak up and call a spade a spade

I had posted elsewhere how this would never have happened to Chelsea with Roman there, Whereas our whining maggot of a Chairman was walked all over,(again) and was grateful for it from his comments

I hope he fails miserably but won't give it much thought going forward – he is not a Blues player for a month now so I am not arsed about his debut.

The best thing Barkley did for this club was to leave, good riddance twat.

Barkley is a better player than he showed last night. I think we have missed him this season. He may well never fulfill his potential but he's a decent player who will benefit from being a team where he is not carrying the burden of sole creative responsibility.

Sam; doubt he'll displace Hazard, Willian and the like.

English, cheap and sell-on value presumably

Hi Dave,
That makes sense to me now!

Barkley might thrive at Chelsea. But he looks no more mentally equipped than before.

Last seconds, corner to Chelsea everyone in the box. He takes the corner?!! Why???

Howver, he hits the first man. No game sense, decision making dubious.

He's Made Loads of money out of this, but I'm not sure it's a good move. Chelsea, are the original plastic fans club IMO, and this type of supporter usually don't take to players who can't give them everything they crave?

Remember Lukaku scoring two to knock them out the cup and, although their fans were on a freebie, scarfs as well! It didn't stop at least 100 being thrown onto the side of the pitch before the game had even finished.