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I know it's only Coventry in the Youth Cup but MEN oozing praise for Barker tonight. City 6-- up at halftime. Barker's scored a cracking hattrick and made another. Give him some minutes in the Middlesborough game FFS Manuel!

Should have read 6-1!

Can't quite put my finger on what that scoreline reminds me of....

From the things I've read on twitter about the game, its a strong line up from us, but have been absolutely brilliant by all accounts! Chuckle 2 was on his fee applauding barker I believe....

Barker's been subbed at half time to spare Coventry any further punishment!

Haha, his replacement just made it 7 though! Merciless!

Finished 8-2!

As a club, if we don't give the likes of Barker a chance after scoring a first half hat-trick, against Boro, quite frankly we would deserve for one or two of the academy lads to go elsewhere and be a huge success.

This lad has been raved about on here all season. He is now turning it on and in some style it would seem. As the Spanish lad in the interview on another thread remarked, 'to see Celina and Pozo getting in the squads gives the other lads a lift', imagine if Barker played and stole the show?

nottsblue wrote:As a club, if we don't give the likes of Barker a chance after scoring a first half hat-trick, against Boro, quite frankly we would deserve for one or two of the academy lads to go elsewhere and be a huge success.

This lad has been raved about on here all season. He is now turning it on and in some style it would seem. As the Spanish lad in the interview on another thread remarked, 'to see Celina and Pozo getting in the squads gives the other lads a lift', imagine if Barker played and stole the show?

I think we're all of a mind on this. But it's out of our hands....

Peter Doherty (AGAIG) wrote:

nottsblue wrote:As a club, if we don't give the likes of Barker a chance after scoring a first half hat-trick, against Boro, quite frankly we would deserve for one or two of the academy lads to go elsewhere and be a huge success.

This lad has been raved about on here all season. He is now turning it on and in some style it would seem. As the Spanish lad in the interview on another thread remarked, 'to see Celina and Pozo getting in the squads gives the other lads a lift', imagine if Barker played and stole the show?

I think we're all of a mind on this. But it's out of our hands....

With Vieira behind him I have confidence that Pellegrini will make the right decisions re Barker.

It was a pleasure to watch him tonight and there is no doubt with Barker and Ambrose on the field tonight we were a class apart,maybe 2 or 3! From the first minute Barker had a chance to take on the full back and but for the guy hanging onto him he was away.The ref gave nothing.

The next chance he had he just ran past him and hit a strong left footer that flew past the keeper.That was maybe 3 minutes in and before his father had got to his seat.I know that because he sat right in front of me with his even younger son.

His 2nd goal was ridiculous.He actually got the ball maybe in the middle of City's half and I have to say it looked ominous for Coventry immediately. I think the full back tried to say go past me on the outside I am ready so he went straight down the middle at real pace and with real control.I felt the right option was a pass as we had a player in space on his right but he just beat a couple more and shot from the edge of the box.Left footed again and with a big deflection.What a run though.

His 3rd goal was also ridiculous but simple as he cut in a little from the left and his a bending,dipping right footer into the top corner.Keeper 0% chance. He was on a different planet but Ambrose was also very good and could also have had a hat trick and would have if needed.

There is no doubt we switched off after half time but I reckon if we needed 12 goals we would have scored at least 12.

Thanks Doug. Excellent report as ever. I wonder how many of the kids will go to Abu Dhabi for the mini winter break after the Arse game. Interesting to see whether Barker or others get some time against Hamburg on the 21st. I persist in thinking that that Barker should play a part in the Middlesborough game. Obviously you want some strong subs available if needed. Is he as good as Januzaj for interest which is a fair comparison to someone who plays in a very similar part position. Sure looks like it.

Great goal from Barker for anyone who hasn't seen it yet.

https://vine.co/v/ODL63nt2YDQ

Green & Blue wrote:Great goal from Barker for anyone who hasn't seen it yet.

https://vine.co/v/ODL63nt2YDQ

Better than all three in the running for FIFA goal of the year.

blues2win wrote:Thanks Doug. Excellent report as ever. I wonder how many of the kids will go to Abu Dhabi for the mini winter break after the Arse game. Interesting to see whether Barker or others get some time against Hamburg on the 21st. I persist in thinking that that Barker should play a part in the Middlesborough game. Obviously you want some strong subs available if needed. Is he as good as Januzaj for interest which is a fair comparison to someone who plays in a very similar part position. Sure looks like it.

Is he as good as Januzaj? I suppose it depends on how good you think Januzaj is?

I was one who thought Jan was a great prospect but the usual hype that goes with anyone in red did him a disservice.Then add to that some bad management and here we are going on 2 years later and he has almost disappeared and maybe thrown out on loan. From that perspective I hope we get the timing right for promoting him and the management right from there onwards in not allowing him to think he is the new Messi.

My basic answer to the question though is that yes I do think he is at least as good and probably better than Januzaj.I believe he can go both ways better than Januzaj, gets his head up better rather than just hitting the ball across scum style and I get the feeling that he is well grounded.. I do believe he should get some first team football this season and that,assuming that goes well and he keeps progressing he should be a part of the first team squad next season even if only a sub at best most of the time.

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

blues2win wrote:Thanks Doug. Excellent report as ever. I wonder how many of the kids will go to Abu Dhabi for the mini winter break after the Arse game. Interesting to see whether Barker or others get some time against Hamburg on the 21st. I persist in thinking that that Barker should play a part in the Middlesborough game. Obviously you want some strong subs available if needed. Is he as good as Januzaj for interest which is a fair comparison to someone who plays in a very similar part position. Sure looks like it.

Is he as good as Januzaj? I suppose it depends on how good you think Januzaj is?

I was one who thought Jan was a great prospect but the usual hype that goes with anyone in red did him a disservice.Then add to that some bad management and here we are going on 2 years later and he has almost disappeared and maybe thrown out on loan. From that perspective I hope we get the timing right for promoting him and the management right from there onwards in not allowing him to think he is the new Messi.

My basic answer to the question though is that yes I do think he is at least as good and probably better than Januzaj.I believe he can go both ways better than Januzaj, gets his head up better rather than just hitting the ball across scum style and I get the feeling that he is well grounded.. I do believe he should get some first team football this season and that,assuming that goes well and he keeps progressing he should be a part of the first team squad next season even if only a sub at best most of the time.

I don't actually know how good Januzaj is so far as actual football talent goes, I haven't see enough of him, but one thing which imo most City players now have, compared to most of their peers at other Premier League clubs, (& many in Europe too) is a vastly superior understanding of how to actually play football. Barker is absolutely miles ahead of any raglets I've seen in that respect imo, & although he isn't amongst the one or two absolute cleverest of our kids in that area, he's still a smart lad & well clever enough for his age, & ability wise he seems to have almost everything. I think he strikes a very good balance between taking players on, & inevitably sometimes losing the ball, trying difficult stuff which may not come off, & just playing it simple, keeping the move ticking over. If anything, he could perhaps try the spectacular a little bit more, for me.

Januzaj, what I've seen of him, reminds me more of Vladimir Weiss. Lots of talent; no idea at all what to do with it.

Perhaps that is down to the managerial changes & poor recent coaching etc & he will come again, but if I had to choose between him & Barker, to start in City's team, there would be absolutely no contest imo. Which makes it all the more frustrating to see how much game time he has had compared to Brandon.

I would choose quite a few of City's kids over young(ish) players who play every week in the Prem tbh.

Ted Hughes wrote:If anything, he could perhaps try the spectacular a little bit more, for me.

I think that'll come with age and confidence - he's already starting to try the spectacular more and it's no coincidence that it's because he's feeling mega confident. Bale started to go for it more when he found his own aura and standing in the team and when Barker does get there id not be surprised if we saw him wallop em in from all angles very often.

I think his greatest asset is alliteration.

Not easy to accomplish honestly.

Cheers

twosips wrote:

Ted Hughes wrote:If anything, he could perhaps try the spectacular a little bit more, for me.

I think that'll come with age and confidence - he's already starting to try the spectacular more and it's no coincidence that it's because he's feeling mega confident. Bale started to go for it more when he found his own aura and standing in the team and when Barker does get there id not be surprised if we saw him wallop em in from all angles very often.

Just look at the driving run for his 2nd goal. Great acceleration and he ran a long way with players in his wake and had the ball tied to his boots. Even the first one where he effectively latched onto a loose ball but he just glided past a couple of defenders as if they weren't there

This is just the moment to give him some minutes in the first team. He's full of self confidence. I'll be pissed off he isn't at least given some minutes off the bench against Middlesborough. Personally I think he should start.

we all know what will happen even if he makes the bench against boro, which he won't. we'll create fuck all for 70-80 odd minutes, be forced to bring on aguero to finally fucking score, and then bring on kolorov, fernando and/or richard wright to close it out. paddy V must be fucking fuming that pelle hasn't given the kids a look in this season!

DoomMerchant wrote:I think his greatest asset is alliteration.

Not easy to accomplish honestly.

Cheers

Definitely one to be watched, considering his name is an anagram of......
RAN-D KNOB BARER.

I know, I know, I'll get my coat.