Should Gareth Barry be playing for England?
Sunday, 29 October 06, 01:24 PM · Comments (8)
If you ask an Aston Villa fan if Gareth Barry should be playing for England you'll not find many that will say no and I'm one of those but my reasoning isn't the party line.
If you were to compile a video of the 'quality' moments that Gareth Barry has delivered this season his tape would be longer than any Englishman that plays on the left side of the field. That is my reason and for that reason alone he should be picked.
Gareth Barry however has two problems. The first one is second choice Steve. Second choice Steve wouldn't know a good thing if he quite literally got tangoed by it watching a football match. The second thing and the thing that is going to have people disagree with me are his wasteful balls.
For every 'quality' ball from Gareth Barry you always get a 'not so great' ball from Gareth Barry. It's quite easy to see this season because Barry and Petrov are sharing the responsibility of free kicks, dependent on which side of the pitch they are on. Yesterday it took Gareth Barry three attempts to put in a quality ball and Petrov one.
One out of three isn't where it should be especially considering the money he gets paid and he's got all week to practise. Petrov might not be Roy Keane but if he gets only one free kick a game and you know that the delivery will be quality, then as an international manager you're going to pick that over someone that might take three attempts.
Disclaimer: I'm using Petrov as an example and set pieces are only one aspect of Barry's game but to be picked for England the manager is looking for the finished article.
I still think Barry should play for England because he's not going to be taking corners or free kicks when you have the likes of Gerrard and Lampard standing over them and if Barry is concentrating on what I think he does best, the short passing game and crossing from the left he'll certainly make an impact.
Second choice Steve is basically carrying on where Sven left off and actually making Sven look good at the moment. The point is while second choice Steve is the boss Barry probably won't get the proper run in the team he deserves.
Barry for England and up the Villa.
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8 Comments · Add yours
barry will never get a run of about 5 games in the england team because ashley cole will come back but he definitely deserves to be starting left back against Holland. Maybe mediocre McClaren will play him on left mid if he actually picks barry which is doubtful. with joe cole just coming back from injury and downings slant against McClaren maybe it is gareth barrys time to put a foot hold on the england team
I don't think there is a player who would get every ball to be a quality one, and most do waste a good percetage in fact.
It might be interestinh to go through the seasons statistics so far, to see exactly what Barry's quality ball ratio is, I'm sure it's not if any lower than most English top class players.
Apart from that, Gareth Barry would be a tremendous adition to the England squad, when I look at the addition of Downing, it just makes me groan out loud.
Having said that, it might be a good thing that Barry is not yet in the England set up while they are in such a mess due to managerial upheavel, fitting right into a consistant side would get him a better profile.
I think if you ask any football fan, not just us Villans, you will probably get more asking why Gareth hasn't been selected. Should he not make the squad for the Holland game then the FA seriously need to consider whether the man in charge is doing what is in the best interests of making a successful England team. That's not to say the selection of Gareth would do that but for me being selected for England is about being on top form not just having a name. This next squad should also include Kevin Nolan,in my opinion, and let's be fair the stats don't lie our very own Liam Ridgewell could even be in with a shout. Too many players such as Stewart Downing, Keiran Richardson, Jermaine Jenas, Wes Brown, Phil Neville get in on favouritism alone. I'm not normally one to wish players injury but I was, in a strange way, glad to see Keiron Dyer has had a setback on his return as I know he would have played one league game and found himself in the England squad and let's face it his surname does have a nice ring to how I feel he is as a player. I read that McClaren and El Tel have had emergency meetings with some of the England players this week let's hope Stevie G suggested that his good friend Gareth Barry should be played somewhere down the left against the Dutch. Up The Villa.
i htink he'll make the squad for holland but only because its a nothing game ..
my point is, and i shoudl have made it clearer is that barry will never get the run that he clearly deserves.
second choice steve is not going to last in the job and he shold never had been offered it on the basis he wasn't first choice .. btu thats something else
barry deserves his chance and should get a proper one ....
gareth barry has been a boost for aston villa this year and we are proud to have him in the squad. My opinion he should be playing for england and i bet you he will.
If stuart downing is a better all round footballer than gareth barry then im josef venglos
there are 4 good reasons y he should be in the squad.
1] he is the best naturaly left footed player who is english, better than downing. no matter what anyone says.
2] his versitality- you can put gareth barry anywere on the pitch and you will get the same- 100 percent from a quality player and will get a good performance, people say he lacks pace, i never saw beckham sprint passed players!!
3] he deserves it for the way he has perforemed- especially this season but was also one of our most consistent players last season along with davis.
4]he can play with both feet- better with his right foot than downing just look at his goal against spurs, he can cross and deliver a quality ball with either foot, and will always track back and help the team defensivly as well as going forward.
GAZZA BAZZA FOR ENGLAND!!! IF MCCLAREN DOES NOT INCLUDE HIM AGAINST HOLLAND THEN HE SHOULD NOT BE THE ENGLAND HEAD COACH!!!
Gareth Barry has been the heart of the England midfield in the past two games. Maybe if sven would of chose him on a regular basis we may have just won the world cup! BARRY is million times better than Lampard,Gerrard,Downing,Hargreaves etc. Come on Barry!!!