gersnet article (image) Away from the numbers

[MacK1950 2,231]

Fair enough but I haven't seen it again.

 

Regards Jones/Middleton can't comment on there suitability as haven't seen them at all this season.IMO Middleton is an out and out speed merchant and Jones will have to stop showboating,I remember him coming on in a game,getting the ball and doing a number of step-overs but problem was when he finished the ball was two yards behind him.

[craig 5,195]

I am not sure how Middleton gets so much credit as a player.  Not only does he have little more than speed, but he couldnt break into a mediocre Hibs team last year - I dont think that is good enough for Rangers.  Barker played well the week before and that is almost forgotten.  He is still trying to break through and get a consistent run of games.  I doubt he gets many of those though when Itten, Defoe and Aribo are back.

[DMAA 3,603]

32 minutes ago, craig said:

I am not sure how Middleton gets so much credit as a player.  Not only does he have little more than speed, but he couldnt break into a mediocre Hibs team last year - I dont think that is good enough for Rangers. 

I always backed him in the 18-19 season but I don't know what has happened. Loans can easily go wrong, especially at one of the better sides in the league, but why hasn't he gone anywhere this season. It is strange. 

[Scott7 5,143]

I haven’t seen the Barker incident again but recollection from live is that he was offside, moved back onside then started forward and got fankled up with a defender.

 

There was one move out on the wing when he appeared from nowhere, collected a pass, left the fullback for dead on the outside and swung over a perfect cross Johnny Hubbard style from start to finish. Needs to do that many more times.

[Frankie 8,148]

19 hours ago, DMAA said:

I always backed him in the 18-19 season but I don't know what has happened. Loans can easily go wrong, especially at one of the better sides in the league, but why hasn't he gone anywhere this season. It is strange. 

IIRC, I think Gerrard has said that he doesn't want many/any players going on loan this season unless it's with a view to a permanent deal.

 

Middleton has shown flashes of being a good player but, for whatever reason, has fallen down the pecking order.  As such, I'd imagine the manager wants a Murphy/McCrorie type deal for him to help finance a new first choice attacking midfielder.  Same may well go for Jones and Stewart.

[Bluedell 5,329]

21 hours ago, craig said:

I am not sure how Middleton gets so much credit as a player. 

I'm basing it on his performances for our first team.

 

21 hours ago, craig said:

Not only does he have little more than speed

A accusation that's also levelled at Barker.

 

21 hours ago, craig said:

he couldnt break into a mediocre Hibs team last year

I'm not an expert in Hibs but that seemed more tactical than anything else. 

[Gonzo79 13,587]

Middleton had a bit more of an end product, from what I saw of him.  He scored when chances came.

[Bluedell 5,329]

1 hour ago, Gonzo79 said:

Middleton had a bit more of an end product, from what I saw of him.  He scored when chances came.

That's my view too. Admittedly I haven't seen much of Middleton for a while but in his brief appearances he's impressed me slightly more than Barker.

[Rousseau 9,361]

I think Barker and Middleton are both speed-merchants. 

 

Barker has more skill about him, though, whereas Middleton is quite one-dimensional in this regard. This means that Barker can play across the front line, whereas Middleton can only really play as a winger, just like Jones - they're not used as much, for this reason; we don't play with proper wingers.  

 

I will admit Middleton always looked like he knew how to get on the end of things, and assist. I do wonder if that's coloured by the the goals he scored, which tended to be late in games, I think? 

 

I don't think Middleton's record is that great: it's coloured a couple of goals, IMO. It is better than Barker's, in terms of end-product, but Middleton played almost three times the number of games.

 

I am surprised that Middleton has not made more appearances. There must be a reason, though. 

 

It must be what they bring to the team in terms of overall play.

 

I've been quite pleased with Barker's contribution over the last 2 games. However, I still fully expect to see him dropped when Aribo returns. 

[Frankie 8,148]

It's like you say, Gerrard wants his forward players to be two-footed and able to interchange right across the final third.  Kent, Barker and Hagi are two footed so the best current options for this.  Jones and Middleton are more traditional wingers so have perhaps struggled more to adapt/impress in training.  Someone like Stewart is another good option but he's quite left-sided and lacks the pace of the other current first choices.