Ross Barkley...

Rozay

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What’s up with him then? Is he done as a ‘top’ player? The past year has been a total write-off for him, and he’s become a forgotten man at about 23. Another midfielder has joined Chelsea, and I’ve heard nobody really mentioning him as part of Chelsea’s plans for this season.

What was once an extremely promising career looks like fading away, which is a shame for him and for his country.
 

duffer

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What’s up with him then? Is he done as a ‘top’ player? The past year has been a total write-off for him, and he’s become a forgotten man at about 23. Another midfielder has joined Chelsea, and I’ve heard nobody really mentioning him as part of Chelsea’s plans for this season.

What was once an extremely promising career looks like fading away, which is a shame for him and for his country.
He's on tour with the first team right now. Who is mentioning anything about any of our plans?

I reckon he'll be part of the first team squad at Chelsea this season. I've no idea how he'll do but I think he'll stand a better chance under Sarri than he would've under Conte.
 

Rozay

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He's on tour with the first team right now. Who is mentioning anything about any of our plans?

I reckon he'll be part of the first team squad at Chelsea this season. I've no idea how he'll do but I think he'll stand a better chance under Sarri than he would've under Conte.
Sportswriters, ex-pros etc. His name is barely mentioned, it’s as if he’s been totally forgotten.

In reality, he didn’t really leave Everton when his stock was highest.
 

Kablamo

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I feel sorry for him because since he moved, he's had to put up with comments like "he's happy to sit on the bench to pick up his pay packet" and "he went for the money, so it serves him right", but when you look his season, it's hard to ignore the fact that injuries decimated it (although many have tried).

- He joined in January, having not played a game of football since May 2017.
- He didn't really have any sort of pre-season at Everton as he had a groin injury then suffered a Grade 3 tear to his hamstring.
- When he came to Chelsea, we arranged a closed door fixture to assess his fitness, then he played in three successive games, suffered a reoccurrence of his hamstring injury and was out for another two months
- When he returned, it was virtually the start of April, so he was playing catch-up with fitness and form with six/seven games of the season to go.

I read somewhere that out of 62 games he could have played in 2017/18, his injury spells (punctuated by both returns: one in a friendly and one in an U23 game) meant he missed 49 of them. A lot of people have been keen to bracket him in with Bakayoko and Drinkwater, but I'd give him another season before passing judgement, and hopefully with a proper pre-season it all goes better for him.
 

duffer

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Sportswriters, ex-pros etc. His name is barely mentioned, it’s as if he’s been totally forgotten.

In reality, he didn’t really leave Everton when his stock was highest.
Hopefully for him and Chelsea that'll do him some good. Very little pressure on him and a good length of time to recover from his injuries outside of the spotlight.

I didn't really want to sign him (I don't care about the money but he's taking up a place where I'd rather see Loftus-Cheek, Lewis Baker or Kasey Palmer given a shot) but I hope he manages to fulfill the promise that many saw in him.
 

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If we don't sign another midfielder I can see Ross playing as our most advanced midfielder in a 3 with Jorginho and Kante. In fact, I'd be excited to see that, tbh.
 

Rozay

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If we don't sign another midfielder I can see Ross playing as our most advanced midfielder in a 3 with Jorginho and Kante. In fact, I'd be excited to see that, tbh.
Would be a very powerful midfield that’s for certain.

That said, I’m sure the court of public opinion will get RLC a fair crack at that slot first.
 

sun_tzu

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He's on tour with the first team right now. Who is mentioning anything about any of our plans?

I reckon he'll be part of the first team squad at Chelsea this season. I've no idea how he'll do but I think he'll stand a better chance under Sarri than he would've under Conte.
Agreed... I think sari could be good for him

Also as they will potentially have to find replacements for morata, hazard, William and courtois (Kante as well?) Buying another central attacking midfielder would probably be a low priority so I think he will get games and an opportunity to see if he can step up
 

Offside

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When was Barkley a top player?
Was pretty great in 13/14 to be fair. Ended up in England’s World Cup team. Granted England went out after two games and Barkley has been average ever since that season.
 

Camy89

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He’ll come good, juuuust you wait son *taps cigar into ashtray whilst making sure he knows where the nearest exit is*
 

Walters_19_MuFc

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Still a massive fan of Barkley, and honestly believe he can be a top player.

Assuming Sarri goes with his usual 433, then I would love to see Barkley play in the advanced 8 role the same way he used Hamsik.

Fingers crossed he has a successful season.
 

Pogue Mahone

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He's on tour with the first team right now. Who is mentioning anything about any of our plans?

I reckon he'll be part of the first team squad at Chelsea this season. I've no idea how he'll do but I think he'll stand a better chance under Sarri than he would've under Conte.
Why will he stand a better chance under Sarri than the manager who signed him?
 

Orc

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Conte had probably never heard of Barkley when Chelsea signed him.
Yep. Club signing 100%. Same with Drinkwater who I cannot believe we haven't sold yet.
 

LilyWhiteSpur

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There is a really good player there, unfortunately he has played under some gash managers and his latest injury has set him back. I would have loved him at Spurs.
 

Hugh Jass

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So excited to see Sarri's chelsea even though i am a united fan. Cant wait till the season restarts. Will be interesting to see what kind of team he fields.
 

Lennon7

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So excited to see Sarri's chelsea even though i am a united fan. Cant wait till the season restarts. Will be interesting to see what kind of team he fields.
You’re not another Chelsea fan pretending to be a United fan are you? We’ve already had one of those.
 

TMDaines

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His decision making is shite. Being willing to dribble into defenders all day long might get people excited at 18, but by his current age you should be able pick your moments and make good use of the ball.
 

Hugh Jass

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You’re not another Chelsea fan pretending to be a United fan are you? We’ve already had one of those.
I am actually a liverpool fan. (Joking). No, its just i dont think i have ever seen a chelsea team play (i assume they will play in such a style) in such an attacking style like Sarri will play, if he gets it working that is. I dont think City will go to Stamford Bridge this season and dominate Chelsea like they did last season.
 

jymufc20

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When did he join Chelsea and has he even played a game for them ? Got to say i had completely forgotten that he existed.
 

Orc

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How did they find out you were a chelsea fan or did you come out yourself?
Both.

When did he join Chelsea and has he even played a game for them ? Got to say i had completely forgotten that he existed.
Joined in January and only made a few appearences due to a flare up of his hamstring injury.

Must say though that in the few clips I've seen of him training over the past couple of weeks he looks back to complete fitness. Hoping he can be a useful player for us under Sarri.
 

jymufc20

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Both.

Joined in January and only made a few appearences due to a flare up of his hamstring injury.

Must say though that in the few clips I've seen of him training over the past couple of weeks he looks back to complete fitness. Hoping he can be a useful player for us under Sarri.
Yeah i remember he's issues with injuries but i have never understood the hype with him. Doesn't seem like a Chelsea player, more like a make up the English quota type of guy.
 

Rozay

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I always thought he shared SOME similarities with Kevin at City - and with the right manager could have been developed to have some of the same traits. He’s never shown the passing range, but take KdB’s goal at the Etihad against Spurs last season - that’s the sort of thing he has in his locker. He has the power to just bulldoze through the centre of the pitch, and can strike a ball sweetly and powerfully off either foot too.

He’s not the type of player England need most (it is more important they develop Winks and Cook), but he can be another step towards the more technical evolution.
 

Rozay

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He has never been a top player anyway.
He was a top prospect.

Say what you like, there’s a reason why he moved up after leaving Everton as opposed to down or sideways. The competition for his signature was between Spurs and Chelsea, for a reason.
 

kouroux

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He was a top prospect.

Say what you like, there’s a reason why he moved up after leaving Everton as opposed to down or sideways. The competition for his signature was between Spurs and Chelsea, for a reason.
Semantics. Barkley never got close to demonstrating a level of football consistently high enough for me to consider him a top player.
 

Orc

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Would make more sense for Chelsea to just play Loftus Cheek, whose game is pretty similar.
Ruben is more of a ball carrier whereas Barkley is more Lampard-esque. I think Sarri will opt for Barkley and RLC will again go out on loan.
 

Walters_19_MuFc

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The signing of Kovacic will make it hard for Barkley to cement a starting place in the Chelsea team now. Still get a few games, mind, but it would have been nice for him to have that starting place and finally establish himself as a top player.

That said, you will always have competition for places and it'll be up to him to make it hard for Sarri to drop him, as I can imagine he'll start against Huddersfield on Saturday.
 

Rozay

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His revival has been quietly coming along. Always liked the player, hopefully he can fulfil his promise.
 

KanieKaned

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The signing of Kovacic will make it hard for Barkley to cement a starting place in the Chelsea team now. Still get a few games, mind, but it would have been nice for him to have that starting place and finally establish himself as a top player.

That said, you will always have competition for places and it'll be up to him to make it hard for Sarri to drop him, as I can imagine he'll start against Huddersfield on Saturday.

Having that competition is always a good thing and I think its starting to bring him. That alongside being injury free and also having a manager who is actually teaching him the game rather than just saying go out and play. Young players need that kind of guidance and he is now at an age where he should be understanding the game more and actually using his head on the pitch. The talent for me has always been there but I always felt Martinez was a terrible manager/coach for him. Sarri drills players on his philosophy which is primarily based on saachi's style which was a game changer at Milan back in the day. I think we will see a lot more of Barkley shining over the course of the season as long as he doesn't pick up too many niggly little injuries.
 

Web of Bissaka

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Who is this "top player" Ross Barkley. Never has been nor having that potential.
Fancy touches, good balance and fine dribbling skills, as an attacker just okay in everything else, just a good player, nothing to get excited about.