Everton midfielder Ross Barkley has found himself the target of heavy criticism over recent weeks.
Michael Ball
Former Everton defender Michael Ball has offered his opinion on Ross Barkley’s struggles, claiming the Blues midfielder needs to find a way of adding a level of consistency to his game, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo.
Barkley, 22, has established himself as a mainstay in the Everton side over the last couple of years, with a plethora of powerful displays for club and country leading to high acclaim.
He has struggled at the start of this season, however, after failing to make an appearance for England at the Euros over the summer.
Everton’s Ross Barkley
Ball, who made 139 appearances for the Toffees during a five-year spell at Goodison Park, spoke to the Liverpool Echo, and highlighted where Barkley needs to improve:
“When Ross has finished a game he needs to look at how many shots on target has he had and how many chances has he created – that’s his job. If he does that on a game to game basis and keeps building on it then everything will come back to him because he’s got the quality and we all know he’s got the ability but the consistency is lacking in his game.”
Everton’s Ross Barkley in action
Barkley has failed to make as much of an impact on the Everton first-team this season as he has done in previous years, contributing with just a goal and an assist in his eight Premier League outings thus far.
There is plenty of time left for him to prove the doubters wrong, however, and with a lack of young English midfielders who possess the ability akin to that of Barkley, he needs to be given time to mature as a footballer, rather than hounded by fans and the media after every bad game he plays.
Everton’s Ross Barkley
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