Ross Barkley explains how ‘frustration’ at Chelsea stint sparked upturn in form for Luton Town

Ross Barkley opened up on the “frustration” he felt during his ill-fated spell at Chelsea as the Luton Town midfielder prepared to take on his former club at Kenilworth Road.

Barkley joined the Blues in the January 2018 transfer window from Everton as a highly-rated prospect but failed to make an impact at Stamford Bridge.

He made 100 appearances and scored 12 goals in a four-and-a-half-year stint, which included a loan spell at Aston Villa, before being released.

Another unsuccessful season at Nice followed but the 30-year-old now appears to have found a home at Luton and spoke to TNT Sports pundit Jermaine Jenas about the catalyst behind his upturn in form.

“I’d probably say frustration, really, over the last few years,” Barkley told Jenas. “The last couple of years at Chelsea I didn’t play that many games.

“[I was] training well and not getting the game time sometimes you probably do deserve. But with a lot of players at Chelsea, a lot of competition sometimes it doesn’t go your way.

“And then at Nice I didn’t really get the game time that I probably did deserve and now coming here I’m getting the game time. The manager has given me a platform to take my frustration out, help the team and enjoy my football.

“So it’s more being able to find my rhythm just game after game. As a player if you’re on the bench then you play then you’re on the bench it’s stop-start, so now just playing game after game I feel happy and confident and I know what I can do.”

Back-to-back wins against Newcastle and then Sheffield United lifted Luton off the bottom of the Premier League ahead of the visit of Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea.

Barkley, who has made 14 appearances in all competitions since joining on a free transfer, also explained how his role has changed under Rob Edwards, praising the manager for the impact he has had in bringing the best out of him.

"He [Edwards] has played a great role,” Barkley added. "I spoke to him in the summer and he spoke highly of the club and explained what he would expect from me to come to the team and what I can give to the squad.

"I’m playing in a bit of a deeper role now, which I played when I was younger. Throughout the years I’ve learned to be a little more disciplined but to have a bit of freedom as well, so I’m adding the two together and I’m enjoying it.

“I’m getting on the ball and I’m making things happen. With playing deeper there’s more space to drive into, which I thrive on.

“Andros as well, he’s added a different style of play. He’s direct, he gets balls in the box early and because we’ve got powerful strikers and fast wingers, it helps with the way we play.”

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