Let’s face it; Ross Barkley is without doubt a key component in this current Everton side. He links the midfield to the attack and therefore is central to the success of the side. Yet the England star is not only important to the club for footballing purposes; he also has vast importance due to the fact that he is a talisman for the club.
Barkley is a Liverpool-born player who has represented the club since childhood and looks likely to become the player which the current squad will be assembled around. In truth it seems as if he is the perfect man to drive Everton forward into the upper echelons of English football, a local Everton supporter graced with world-class talent.
Barkley’s prodigious skill is thankfully starting to become commonplace this season. Opening the season at a blistering pace, the Wavertree native has thus far notched up an impressive tally of 3 goals and 3 assists in domestic competitions coupled with the fact that he has also registered one goal and one assist for the English national side this season. His ability to play the killer passes and his often accurate-long range shooting make him a menacing threat for opponents.
But arguably Barkley’s most impressive trait is his ability to link defence to attack, something which earns him comparison with one of England’s most recognisable and talented midfielders, Paul Gascoigne. A clear example of this was Barkley’s performance away at Southampton this season. Playing in a central role behind the striker, Barkley linked the midfield to attack in a way which created panic amongst the Saints defence and allowed space for his attacking partner, Romelu Lukaku, to flourish. With a vital hand in all three of Everton’s goals that day Barkley proved that he is the perfect player to springboard Everton’s attack.
Yet despite all of his talent Barkley is still a regular recipient of grief from a minority of Everton’s support. Last season boos were commonplace at Goodison Park, and some of the time, they were directed at Everton’s home grown superstar. For some ‘fans’ he did not release the ball at the exact right moment to create chances and his occasionally misplaced passes warranted the young man a reason for which to receive a negative reception from the Goodison faithful. Quite frankly, booing or being extremely critical of a young talent is in no way useful at the club and only serves to tarnish the ability and mindset of the player which the abuse is directed.
Thankfully for us Evertonians, Barkley appears to be a thick skinned individual who has used the abuse hurled in his direction to up his game in the new campaign. So far this season Barkley has an 87% pass completion rate, made zero defensive errors and has also created 12 chances for other Everton players. This combined with his goals and assists for club and country prove the thesis that Barkley is a player who is central to the fortunes of the club, and thankfully the aforementioned stats are also earning him praise from the fans as opposed to the negativity, which somewhat blighted his Everton senior career so far.
As previously mentioned Barkley also plays another important role at Everton. His tremendous talent and the fact that he is a local lad place him in a position where he can become a focal point and a talisman for the team. Being an Everton supporter from Wavertree, it is easy to see why Barkley is viewed as a solid fan favourite by a vast chunk of the Everton support.
He embodies all of what is good about Everton Football Club, for example, he is living proof that the academy system can benefit the senior side. Since his inclusion at first-team level many other academy graduates have followed in his footsteps, notably players such as Ty Browning and Ryan Ledson who have made the step up from academy football to the first-team. Therefore Barkley proves to be an effective role model for any youngster in Everton’s academy. He has been there and done that and proves that dreams can come true.
It is also important to note that Ross Barkley is most certainly Everton’s most talented home grown player since Wayne Rooney made his Everton debut over a decade ago. Comparable to Barkley, Rooney was also a player who got the pulses of Evertonians racing and if Barkley can continue his marvellous form for club and country whilst remaining an Everton player, he will become a player for which both fans and players can look to as a talisman of the club.
As an Everton supporter, Barkley is the epitome of everything which I desire to see in an Everton player; talented, ambitious, level-headed and most importantly a player who cares about the club and understands the viewpoints of the supporters.
It is because of these reasons why I personally view Ross Barkley as the quintessential Everton player of this generation. He has the talent to become a world class number 10, showcasing great ability both domestically and internationally, he is a driving force in the current Everton squad and most importantly he is one of us.
