How do you solve a problem like Ross Barkley? After excelling in his breakthrough season in 2013/14, last campaign saw a dramatic downturn in his form.
Confidence in obviously crucial in any sport and Barkley has freely admitted that this was something he was lacking last season. A fine goal against Arsenal in pre-season though has offered some hope that the coming campaign will be better for the England international.
He said, “Last season I felt I didn’t have that much confidence but I kept trying and pushing on to get better. That goal will give me a lift going into the season now hopefully.
“I had a good break and then a tough first week of pre-season. We came out here and it was a tough schedule and I think it will help us for when we get back.
“I’m pretty pleased with the strike. It was a great effort with my weaker foot and I felt I played pretty well when I came on. When it went in I felt more confident in myself immediately.”
Perhaps the biggest problem facing him at the moment is the fact that no one seems to know his best position. Is he best behind the striker as ‘number 10’? Is he perhaps he’s more effective in a deeper role, like against QPR last season, where he excelled in that particular game? What about the wider areas, where Barkley has appeared on numerous occasions? Or maybe he should just be given a free role for now?
Going from last season, I think we can effectively rule out the wide positions. Games would pass him by and he often found himself the first to be replaced if we were behind (which was quite regular occurrence).
As mentioned he excelled in a deeper role against QPR at home last season, in a 3-1 win. But let’s be honest, QPR offered very little in that game and Barkley often found himself in more advanced positions anyway, rather than a traditional sitting player would normally.
There are question marks too over his defensive capabilities. He averaged 1.1 tackles per game last season, which leaves him quite a way down the list in the squad. When you consider Aaron Lennon managed 1.9, it kind of puts things into perspective.
He is also down in terms of interceptions, averaging only 0.3 per game. Obviously, playing in more advanced areas means you’re likely to be able to intercept the ball much less. But even the likes of Naismith and Lennon, players who played in similar areas of the field to Barkley, have a better rate, with both averaging 0.7.
Can we afford to have a player in the middle of the park who clearly struggles defensively?
On the positive side, Barkley is one of the best passers in the squad, both in terms of pass completion and ‘key passes’.
He stands third in pass completion for last season, with 87.9%. This is effectively second though, as it is Tyias Browning who sits top with an impressive 95%, but having only made a couple of sub appearances. He is second in terms of key passes, averaging 1.1 per game, with only Leighton Baines ahead of him on 2.3. Also, of the more attack minded players in the squad, he averages the most passes in the squad, with 39.9 per game, a long way ahead of Leon Osman on 34.6.
From this point of view, should his ability with the ball outweigh what he lacks without it if you’re going to play him the heart of the midfield?
Another observation I’ve made about Barkley, is the amount of times he is dispossessed by opposition players. Not in terms of last ditch tackles, but when he seems to be comfortably in possession. At times, players seem to almost sneak up on him and take the ball fairly easily. They almost seem to take Barkley by surprise.
Indeed, he is the third most dispossessed player in the squad, averaging 1.8 per game, with only Arouna Kone and Romelu Lukaku ahead of him, with both on 2.2.
Perhaps it’s a lack of awareness of where he is on the pitch? Maybe it’s a symptom of his lack of confidence; i.e. he’s so engrossed in trying to get the ball under control, and taking that extra time allows players to tackle him. Or perhaps it’s just a case of his teammates not shouting “man on” enough.
Whatever the reason, for me this is one of his biggest problems that needs addressing. He’s clearly a strong lad, but that’s no use if you’re caught on the back foot time and time again. The more this happens as well, the more frustration seeps down from the terraces, and you have a vicious circle.
He obviously better going forward than he is defensively, so I think I’d still persist with him in the number 10 position for now. You could perhaps drop him into a deeper position in a 4-3-3, but then you’d be changing the shape of the team to accommodate one player.
Wherever you play Barkley though, it’s ultimately going to be a compromise. He’s far from the finished article and you have to put that into perspective.
