Its no different. Except we are in 18th compared to 17th this time last year. Points wise its exactly the same. League Tables This season Last season Fixture List This season Last season So the only thing i can summarise from this totally pointless comparison really is that we aren't much better than last season. Not sure what I've wanted to achieve by this post was just curious to compare this year and last seasons performance/fixtures. EDIT: Sorry about the attachments can work out how to attach them in full size - barely readable i know.
Considering the budget cuts and relative quality of players (on paper at least), I think that's a sign of success. I think the gradual year on year improvement was always going to be difficult to achieve this season. I hate saying that we should be grateful just to stay up because all clubs need to push on, but realistically I'll be content enough finishing around 16th.
what about the improvement on goal difference? Also, the extra 8 months Mark Robins had to adjust to championship football compared to Keith?
To be honest i never looked at the goals columns i was just curious to compare our relative positions and fixtures - Granted we've conceded 5 less goals - but its not really improved our position in the league table lets hope we keep the goals against column down over the rest of the season - because that gives us half a chance. I would agree with the poster above about the reduction in the budget - but Keith has said that this isn't an issue for him. Sadly the league table is never looked at based upon the amount of time a managers been in post - isn't the saying your only as good as your last result
Imo Marky Mark had a WAY bigger budget, far more readies at his disposal. 750k on Shackell alone. Keithy Keith has had to build a new squad on a lot less than that. Then, as others have pointed out above, Mr Robins had 8 months experience of the division, and 8 months to develop a squad. And, again as others mentioned, our goals against column is better (way better until Cardiff) and thats despite the loss of Shackell and Hammill who were the prime reasons for our decent-ish form up until xmas (my opinion). And finally, I believe the standard of the division is greater this term. Usually, despite being a realist, and despite our friends the bookmakers, I can always find 5 or 6 clubs that we ought to finish above etc. I have never thought "oh, we are definitely the smallest fish in a big fcukin' pond" But honestly, I saw only Donny and Peterbro as smaller this year. And maybe Cov with a squad no better than our own. So I did say in pre-season that so long as the football improved and the players effort/application was there, Id settle for 4th bottom (I did tip us though for 13th) And now even the Pikeys have closed the gap attendance-wise, and have a name-player squad. So taking all the above into account, I am fairly pleased with our progress thus far. Early days though. Lets see whether we can maintain it. After all, the last two years we have tailed off dramatically after xmas. I would have - 7 days ago - bet against a Hillcroft Tarn side doing similarly this year. But that display at Cardiff was very Barnsley FC circa the last 4 years... praying that it was a blip
We've only scored one less goal and conceeded about 6 less Which is an improvement, and considering we shipped 5 goals at the weekend, that's even more impressive. There's certainly progress. I'd say we've had a smaller budget this year than last
Re: We've only scored one less goal and conceeded about 6 less Whilst there is no guarantee i'd be shocked if we had a similar 2nd half of the season to last year. I dont see a Keith Hill team being that **** poor.
Re: We've only scored one less goal and conceeded about 6 less And we've done this playing significantly better football than we did under Robins.
Re: We've only scored one less goal and conceeded about 6 less Agreed. Robins had a much bigger budget and better players (Hammill and Shackell). Keith is proving himself to be a better manager so far.
Re: We've only scored one less goal and conceeded about 6 less Plusses and minuses for me: + We are not missing Shackell (contrary to my expectations) - even after Saturday we've conceded fewer goals in the same number of games. We are generally regarded as playing a better brand of passing football. Butterfield is now realising his potential. - We still (after 5 seasons back) do not have a credible Championship level striker (given the uncertainty about Haynes). Butterfield is being fattened up for Christmas, after which he will be sold. Same old, same old. Our pricing structure and lack of ambition (other than survival) has impacted badly on the average crowd, which is now not at a sustainable Championship level. Unlike last season, it will almost certainly take more than 43 points to avoid the drop. We are hovering around a 1 point per game schedule (=46). The loyalists will argue that we are strengthening our position by going early for the 'financial realism' approach. The fact is that with the present approach, when the dust settles, we will be one of the poorest-supported clubs in the Championship. That will not, as is claimed, leave us on a level playing field, given the lack of revenue via the gates. It will mean that we will continue to have to offload any up and coming players, or ones we manage to 'develop'. And we are clearly neither able or willing to spend on players. As Grandfathertyke said to me, our natural centre of gravity has shifted. In the old days our natural habitat was Division 2/Championship level. It is now arguably League One level - although we are currently punching above our weight. This isn't (belive it or not) a moan - its just the reality of the situation. How we, as individual fans view that depends upon our own expectations in terms of achievement and/or entertainment. The crowds of 9,000 or so suggest some have already made up their mind.
Re: We've only scored one less goal and conceeded about 6 less Good post which hasn`t fell into the my manager is better than your manager category. Dont agree with everything though.
Re: Imo Can I just say he did not have a bigger budget, it was thE same; what has changed is the availability of EXTRA funding for signings from PC.....
Re: We've only scored one less goal and conceeded about 6 less Isn't part of the plan to make money developing players and reinvesting back into the squad?
Re: We've only scored one less goal and conceeded about 6 less i'm not sure there is a plan,other than try and survive in the the championship,,,and is butterfield suddenly worth 1.5 million after about a dozen first team starts.... having said that,i dont think we are doing too bad,and after the first 2 home games i've got to say i'm 'content' where we are at the moment..but like most others i wish things were better..hopefully, as whitey said, saturdays performance against cardiff was just a blip
Re: We've only scored one less goal and conceeded about 6 less But don't you think it seems like same old, same old? And what's going on with Haynes?
Re: We've only scored one less goal and conceeded about 6 less i'll give it to the new year to say whether i reakon its the same old carry on,,it still is early days for a new manager and new players,,,,,,,,,,, as for haynes?????????????????????????,,god knows..................however i think davies must be given a chance,he did his stuff at chestrfield and theres plenty of other players over the years that have made a big jump and its paid off,,,,,,,,kev keegan,ian rush ,john aldridge,steve highway to name four,different era i know,but these players made massive leaps up the divisions,so i cant see why it cant happen at barnsley
Re: We've only scored one less goal and conceeded about 6 less I'd say no the open entertaining fooball is a delight to watch as for Haynes its back to the flanks when he's back.
By far the better football being played now, and we actually look like winning games. Let's not forget we have had half a squad missing injured so far.
Few more plusses David Perkins Danny Drinkwater Jimmy McNulty All brilliant signings Jim O'Brien Andy Gray Luke Steele's kicking All vastly improved.
