4) Gareth Barry
The Evertonian has been one of their best performers ever since making the move from Aston Villa. However, he has also been the side’s most error-prone player, having made 5 defensive errors in the previous season. While some fans might argue that given his involvement in most games, the number of mistakes vis-a-vis involvement in the games is minimal, it does not deny the fact that age might be finally catching up with Barry.
Not the fastest player on the pitch, Barry has made a habit of arriving late into tackles, which have often resulted in free kicks being awarded to the opposition and that has become a major source of concern for an Everton midfield that has developed a fine balance with the youth and athleticism of Ross Barkley well complemented by the experience and vision of Barry. Additionally, with pace not being his best ally, his sense of adventure has often led to his defence being exposed to the opposition.
Barry has been hailed as one of the best players he has ever managed by the current Everton manager Ronald Koeman and given his work ethic and ability, he will prove critical to the Dutch manager’s plans at Goodison Park.
