My JPT match report and player assessments

Just got home after an easy zip along the M181/M18/A1 and here, if anyone is interested, is my view of another successful away day.

It wasn't a great footballing spectacle like the one last week against Everton but, then again, who expected it to be. What it was though was a mostly enjoyable away win by a Barnsley team who DO know how to win, despite what some on here think. After all, the players are rubbish, all lower league rejects. The manager doesn't know what he is doing and the board haven't a clue how to run a football club.

None of that is what I think by the way! I'm happy with what I have seen so far this season, barring large chunks of the Chesterfield match. I wasn't at Rochdale so perhaps that was a good decision. Anyway, on to tonight.

Quite frankly we were never in any danger of losing this one. S****horpe looked, for the second time in the last few weeks, like prime relegation fodder. The fact that we needed penalties last time and conceded a late one tonight to make the last minute a bit more interesting is irrelevant for me. We beat them twice because we were the better team twice.

Naturally there were faults in some of our play - mis-placed passes, a tendency to knock the ball around at the back a little too much, wastefulness at the other end. All things that you would expect to see. But, in between all that, there was some very good football. We pinged the ball around very well at times and Watkins and Harris gave their defence lots of problems down the flanks (just what we want to see!). Harris played really well for me. He kills a ball instantly even when it is fired at him at pace, and he then runs with it, giving the defenders something to think about it. Watkins is coming on really well, game by game. Individually then:

Townsend in goal - didn't put a foot or hand wrong until the very last minute of FIVE added on (why five??). It was at the far end but it looked like a straightforward catch but he fluffed it and they scrambled one in. They didn't deserve even one tonight, really they didn't.

Wabara and Smith at full back - nothing much to say except that George was involved in a really clever corner routine which led to our first goal. His angled crossing is very dangerous. Now, if he could just up his game as a full back we would be fine with him there!

Mawson and Nyatanga - strong centre halves both of them. Lewin gave us yet another headed goal as well. Good games both of them.

Watkins and Harris - some excellent wing play from both of them and Marley's goal was sublime. He cut in from the right, beat at least three defenders and then just slotted it in when they were probably expecting a pass. Confident move through the box, confident finish. Harris had his best game so far and Williams will do well to displace him IF he ever gets fit.

Scowen and Crowley - the "usual" from Josh (he never, ever lets you down). One sliding tackle that he made was an absolute joy to see. Dan Crowley is, unfortunately, a bit of an enigma. Yes he terrorises the defence for a few seconds but then invariably runs into a brick wall and loses it. Once he learns to release the ball earlier and play the incisive through ball he will be brilliant. Also when he adds about a stone in weight!

Rothwell - not sure what he does to be honest. Can't see him getting too much game time ahead of the likes of CH and Ben Pearson who were both rested tonight. CH was on the bench but didn't get on, surprisingly. The way we take corners without him is woeful, except for that neat little short corner routine that led to Nyatanga's goal.

Winnall - another frustrating night for SSW. Booked for getting in the way (slightly) of the keeper's clearance and a couple of good attempts on goal, but not a great deal of threat in the box. Hopefully he will link up with Michael Smith on Saturday and they will both get on the scoresheet.

Subs - Bree, Digby and Wilkinson not on long enough to make much of an impact. I sort of hoped Wilkinson might get twenty minutes and have a stormer now that he has been displaced by Smith, but he didn't!

So, all in all, a good enough reason to travel 23 miles from North Notts on a Tuesday night. No doubt some will have cause to complain, but what's new?

 

Not seen any accusations of our players all been rubbish or lower league rejects (not since Hill).

You're picking an argument with yourself.

 

Glad we played well.

Hope we take the competition seriously as I'd love a trip to Wembley

 

No I'm not (I didn't pay for the five minute argument)

 

Agree with that. Mawson did play well apart from the mistake that lead to a one on one

 

Stopped reading after that. Don't want to read a match report that tries to have an argument with me over something I haven't said. The same goes for analysis over who we've signed today. Gerrin barmy this forum.

 

Who said it was aimed at you? Try reading the NEXT line by the way. Or don't bother.

Just thought some who didn't go tonight might be interested in reading an account of how the game went. No argument seeking from me.

 

Nice read - I didn't go tonight so I'm keen to hear about the game.

No idea what has upset everybody so much there - clearly a tongue in cheek comment!

I think some people need an early night...

 

Nice read - I didn't go tonight so I'm keen to hear about the game.

No idea what has upset everybody so much there - clearly a tongue in cheek comment!

I think some people need an early night...

 

I didn't bother. I would have thought on an open forum it was aimed at everyone.

 

Whilst I appreciate the match report and think that you're post displayed in general, a positive outlook, i too took exception to the 'lower league rejects, clueless manager and board' bit.

There's been plenty of moaning and groaning and a lot of constructive criticism (from myself obviously) on this board but even the grumpiest posters haven't explicitly said the squad is crap and the manager is clueless. I suspect most of the frustration stems from the fact that we all hoped we'd mount a challenge this season and I don't think the recruitment has allowed us to do this.

 

Precisely!

 

What ARE you talking about? Sorry but I have no idea what your problem is.

 

Bizarre. Maybe a jokey, tongue-in-cheek comment 'does not compute' unless it's followed by a

 

Oh good grief! I think you will find that a few on here have been saying just that. Different words maybe but negativity in nearl every post. I don't deal in that. I've seen plenty to grumble about in my time following Barnsley and everyone has a right to their opinion. It's just a shame that some have nothing good to say about a team they claim to support.

 

Decent view of today's goings ons

 

I disagree with this bit (been described as the worst squad since 1976 by a generally positive poster earlier today) but I think you're right that there's quite a lot of point scoring going on at the moment. To think that a week ago the board crackled with positivity.

I personally think it's too early to figure out if we're **** or brilliant yet. My guess is somewhere in between, probably closer to **** than brilliant. That said, 'average' might get us flirting with the play-offs.

 

I looked forward to reading a match report. Instead, I read a dig at other users of this forum, just like almost every other thread on here and I got thoroughly bored of it.

 

Oh dear, sorry I bored you even though you didn't even read the actual report which quite a few others seem to have appreciated.

Tell you what I'll do in future. I will just stick to writing about the game instead of making such inflammatory comments. Would that be ok with you, maybe?

 

You can do whatever you like. And I can answer as I see fit, as I've done. If you want to use a match report for point scoring, knock yourself out. You'll get fewer people reading them though and you'll get responses like mine, which you clearly don't like. So, it's up to you. Personally I think it's utterly pointless.

The reason I haven't read the report is I have absolutely no interest in the point scoring that is rife on this forum at the moment, so I'll stick with reading reports that don't feel the need to do that. If you don't like me pointing this out to you then it's simple, don't do it. Yours isn't the worst on this, by any means, but it's just another in a very, very long line and it's making this place thoroughly depressing.