Gareth Barry

Barry has been on the receiving end of diminishing returns. Plagued with injuries at almost every turn of the season, the former Everton man has made the case of featuring for West Brom harder for the coach to decide on. Even when he is desperately needed, his latest back injury kept him out of offering any assistance to the squad.
Last season’s play-off was between Aston Villa and West Brom and the former managed to beat the latter to the ticket. Gareth Barry’s absence played a big part in helping Villa qualify.

Barry is hoping this season’s story will be different and his recent comeback from his back injury is one he hopes never keeps him out again. Most especially, when the Baggies need him.
As wishy washy as it sounds, Slaven Bilic is smart enough to know that he shouldn’t put all his eggs in a veteran’s basket.
Barry’s absence from the play-off against Villa might have cause Albion to miss out on this season’s Premier League, any coach or football club which does not make provision for rainy days as that and instead chooses to rely so much on an aging midfielder might not be taken seriously.

With age in football, except you are Zlatan Ibrahimovic comes decline. After spending his best years at Manchester City and Everton, the kind of value Gareth Barry can offer West Brom hardly surpasses the one of reassuring their coach that he is doing a good job.