Ross Barkley is a player growing high in confidence after getting enough games this season to earn a call-up to the England national team. His hard work seems to have paid off and he already has threats to those ready to rival him in the Three Lions setup.
Barkley seems to be enjoying football under Maurizio Sarri this season, after his forgettable last campaign. The last 12 months had been miserable for the 24-year old after an injury he picked up in pre-season meant he would miss the entire first six months of the season. Even after signing for Chelsea in January, the former Everton midfielder only managed four games in the blue shirt.
This season, he has featured in nine games, three starts and finally scored a goal and grabbed his first assist for Chelsea in the Blues’ 3-0 win over Southampton last weekend.
That confidence is not about to be lost, as Barkley expresses his readiness to show what he is capable of in the England shirt again.
“I feel much more mature and I’m ready to show what I’m capable of – which I’ve shown in spell. Everybody develops at different rates. I understand my football better now, more than I ever have understood it before. I’m happy, confident and going in the right direction.
I feel I’m better equipped now. I’ve had expectations on me from a young age and I’ve dealt with them. I’ve been through difficult spells but I’m coming out of it a better player. I’ve worked on my weaknesses defensively and worked on my attacking strengths. I think I’m becoming a better all-round player.”
Ross Barkley, BBC
