The 23-year-old penned a three-year deal coming from Manchester City in August, and it has to be stated that at the moment, it seemed a strange signing.
Unfortunately, up to now, it has not worked out.
The above contest has ensured that Barker has not been the first choice at any point and very seldom has he impressed.
He netted a nice goal on his Premiership debut in a win over Livingston, and at that point, there was hope he would ably deputise for Kent through the ex-Liverpool guy’s absence with a hamstring injury.
But when passed a start the next weekend off at St Johnstone, he neglected to influence proceedings and afterward, has seldom been seen in national football.
The manager has proven a fairly considerable amount of confidence in Barker in European games, handing him a substitute psychiatrist at home against Feyenoord and begins home and away against Porto.
Throughout the battle in Portugal, he was not overly involved in an attacking sense but worked really hard off the ball, and at least partly justified his choice.
To get a participant charged as pacey and exciting, he has struggled to get past full-backs and seems reluctant to take risks on the ball.
Many Bears have been critical of him during his brief stay and sadly, the latest signs have not been encouraging either.
Both at the mid-season friendly against Lokomotiv Tashkent and the Scottish Cup clash against Stranraer, he did not manage to create a positive impression.
Barker played only 400 minutes to the Gers before the winter break, registering a lone goal and no assists [Transfermarkt].
Clearly, as a participant retained by Manchester City for so long, he has lots of talent, but unfortunately, we have seen precious little evidence of this in Light Blue.
Steven Gerrard has just spoken of his frustration in fringe players failing to take chances and following a bad start to life in Ibrox, Barker may soon run out of these.
