We've only got 26 games to make up 6 points on 2nd place.

Job's ******.

Let's see what happens in Jan before deciding all the wins this season were flukes and all the defeats totally justified and show how crap the coaching team and players actually are.

 

A agree to some extent.

The call for having an experienced head in the middle of the park has been made by me and many others (even DS decried the lack of experience after Sunderland). We are clearly lacking confidence & direction & as you say January will be key.

I said playoffs would be where we would end up this season & I think that is achievable. Second place is also, but we need to pick up a decent haul of points in our next 5, before anyone can be brought in, or we may leave ourselves too much to do.

 

Anything can happen in football tbf. We've been poor in the games I've seen this season, Rochdale apart, but I know I've missed some really good ones too. If we beat Portsmouth next weekend the confidence boost would be immeasurable going into the Christmas period.

 

On current form everything points to Pompey beating us, but I've seen signs this season that we're more than capable of bossing this league - we need another Kenny Dougall and 2 full backs imho as well, but that said the point of the exercise is to go up and I couldn't give a flying **** how we do it or with what personnel - then assess in the summer for the Championship.

 

What people are also not considering is that the teams above us are not likely to sail through the remainder of the season without a poor period of form. They will drop points.

We're not looking automatic contenders right now, granted, but there's a long way to go.

 

I think Barnsley will struggle to make even the play-offs now.A lot of teams who were are below Barnsley are hitting a bit of form and are catching up. In fact Luton have overtaken Barnsley in . A long way to go, January is gonna be crucial.

 

It would but for how long
We mesmerised Rochdale then confidence went we came back from Scunny confidence went we trounced Posh then confidence went .
There’s just no consistency for me , if we thrash Pompey I’m not confident we’ll play ok at Blackpool.
I’m not sure whether it’s solely confidence imo it’s a leader we lack someone to get hold of players when heads go down and encourage or bollock players for mistakes ,sloppiness etc.
We have the capability to win this league but not the consistency imo

 

absolutely agreed.Like I said, January is crucial now.

 

Sunderland and Portsmouth have both to come to Oakwell. I think we’ll know more after next Saturday.
I’d also like to point out that we came from bottom of the league at Christmas last time we won promotion.
I don’t know whether it’s tactics, or players that are giving us problems at the moment, but I suspect it’s a bit of both. Good players who can’t play the pressing game.
Loss of Dougall has cost us dear and if I was buying any single player, it would be one who can cover his position.
I also think that we are better with Brad Potts than Bahre in this division although Bahre may be one for the future.
That’s my five penorth.

 

I agree with most of that but what’s the point in beating Pompey and mackems if we gonna surrender to Wycombe , Shrewsbury, etc

 

Totally agree. Bahre is not cutting the mustard and Potts is wasted out wide. We need an older head in the holding role. Sometimes we could play 2 holding players then and let the full backs bomb on. We were doing that earlier in the season, but our current midfield has no balls.

 

Ya are not wrong on that front.. but we do need at least 4 more players in January.

 

I remember Blackpool getting relegated in the mid 70's under similar circumstances