just a few thoughts from me.

Professional, Barnsley were professional yesterday. Since the game finished yesterday I’ve been reading from the people who like to get on the backs of the club that Barnsley were poor, NO NO NO.

Portsmouth came to get a point with 11 men and kick lumps out of Barnsley when they could. Kitson took several Barnsley players out and finally got the second yellow with about 10 minutes to go of the first half. Portsmouth looked to have a very good defence and a top shot stopper in Henderson. Tal Ben-Haim, Ricardo Rocha, Jason Pearce, Aaron Mokoena, Joel Ward, Hayden Mullin and George Thorne. All very good players defensively and I don’t think we’ll see a better defensive display at oakwell. They really were organised and made it really hard for Barnsley.

Barnsley played a 442 which isn’t what I would like to see but with the players available it could have been the only thing Keith Hill could have done. I thought early on in first half we really should have gone in front. That could have been through a good bit of play from the reds or a Penalty. Their defence really took risks and IMO went over the line but the ref who had a shocking day didn’t give Barnsley what they really should have got and pointed to the spot.

I thought Barnsley really dealt with Portsmouth’s danger man well Erik Huseklepp. Although he did have a half chance in the first half about 18 yards out. That was really the only chance that Portsmouth had. The players I would say dealt with the 1.2 million pound man Huseklepp were, Scott Wiseman Korey Smith James O’Brien and Stephan foster.

The only problem I had with yesterday was there wasn’t anyone to take the ball forward from the middle of midfield. With Smith and Mcnulty they sitting back that left a big space in front of the and behind the front two. Both Gray and O’brien tried to get in between those lines but it didn’t seem to work. But with 10/15 minutes to go James O’brien found space at the edge of the area and curled it in to the Portsmouth net which was a good reward for the hard work shown by ever Barnsley player. It was a little frustrating at times but they never lost focus and yes it wasn't a Barsnleyona type performance that we witness against Derby, Leicester Leeds Ect it was a different type of performance that really left me with a big grim on my face. In the past that’s the type of performance that Barnsley have drawn and lost but yesterday they kept going and picked all 3 points up which has probably confirmed them there Npower championship status for another season.

I thought Steele had very little to do but the former Manchester United man’s kicks was poor to see and something that still needs a lot of work on.

I thought the defence did well. I thought Foster and Edwards looked very good in the first half and did everything that had to in the second which was to pick up the ball in the own half and try to start attacks for the team. I thought Jay Mceveley and wiseman did well and dealt with Huseklepp well. This Meant they couldn’t attack like they wanted to at times when he was on their side.

I thought the midfield tried to get things going but without a driving force from midfield it was hard at times. I thought smith played well again and looks a real talent. Mcunlty did ok but at times was a little too slow. I thought Jim O’brien tried hard and was a real pleasure to watch. The Former Celtic man’s been a real miss over the last month and half. Golbourne tried hard but it wasn’t an easy game to make your oakwell debut. Although I think he will turn out to be a big player in the reds future.

The strikers tried hard but it was a tough test against the ref and there defence.

 

Their defence was ****. Ben-haim was awful and with a little more confidence we should have gone past him at every opportunity. Their keeper had a shocker. One brilliant save and one thousand fumbles.

Defensively they had it easy because we played long ball to a statue again and made no runs at all through the middle. It also helped them that we played 6 defenders against 10 men.

A poor poor performance by us but we somehow picked up 3 points

 

Do you agree Portsmouth need to economise and spend less money, Hemsie?

 

Not having that. TB-H was good and ALL there defensive players was good.

People like you just want to get on the clubs and players back so what you've just put doesn't surprise me.

 

You do realise that their keeper and ben-haim play for portsmouth dont you?

 

Maybe they do but i don't fully understand whats gone off there and not many others do fully too.

They can't complain about injury's because Barnsley have had and do have lots of injury's.

 

Yes, i don't just say barnsley players played good.

I say there team played well too.
Got to give credit to other teams at times and yesterday was one of those games.

All there team in defence played well which made it hard for BArnsley and thats why i was really pleased coming out of Oakwell.

 

Did henderson not fumble the ball a lot then? Was ben-haim not quite rash with a few challenges? Difd he not get skinned?

Was it not an easy job for a big lad at the back to beat andy gray for headers?

Well?

 

We ALL understand whats gone off there. Only an alien would fail to grasp it.

They went into administration due to unmanagable debts, came out with CVA, failed to stick to the terms of the CVA and continued to spend more than they could afford causing them to go back into admin.

Whats so hard to understand?

 

Non of us actually understand whats gone off there. I'm not sure if the Administrators actually understand yet.

Yes they've spent a lot of money and haven't had the revenue to match it but past that them we simply don't know.

 

What do you need to know?

 

I don't need to know anything ST, Thats for the Portsmouth team to know and sort.

 

What's with the Ex Manchester United and Ex Celtic man business?

 

Better than putting steele twice or O'Biren twice.

 

Its a word similar to autumn but theres an 'is' in there somewhere.

 

So when asked for your opinion you just say 'its nowt to do wi me'? Never stopped you before

 

People like me Hemsie? I've never slagged off or booed a Barnsley side in over thirty seasons, go and find a bbs post from me where I have. While you'r at it, check the old site board from 9 or 10 seasons back too when we nearly lost our club!

I'm a Barnsley bumboy, and the only reason I would get on a player's back would be to try to slip him one. Now say you're sorry.

All I asked for was your views on the current financial situation at Portsmouth.

 

i didn't mean you Mr.C.

 

S do you agree they need to economise? Tighten their belts, like?

 

I'm not really a bumboy, Hemsie. Mrs C won't let me....