Nudgers Notebook..........Middlesboro

Moved from the East Stand back home into the West Stand..........far better.

Thoughts before the match - Middlesboro seem to be buying all the players we were after.
Middlesboro are likely to be in the top 6 this season...........so we are bound to lose this match.
We are going to lose this one heavily..........hope it doesn't go above 0-3.

The score board isn't working - but then again it looks better switched off than it did with half the lights not working.
Middlesboro have brought a good following and making some noise.
Middlesboro have the first 10 minutes of the match and should have scored in that time.
Black guy with dreadlocks is their best player and beats Stones; but then Stones gets the better of him after that.
Back 4 for TARN are having a good game. Even Foster (who I don't often like) is having a good game and is showing that he can actually pass the ball.
Wiseman in central defence looks like he has played there all his life. His speed in defence is stopping Middleboro getting through the middle.
Tactics - Barnsley by-passing midfield and hitting it long for Harewood and Davies. Harewood in particular looks very strong and is causing their defenders some problems.
After first 10 minutes spell the Middlesboro support stop singing - they obviously came to Barnsley to get 3 easy points and can now see that Middlesboro are very much the second best team on the pitch.
Done goes off injured and is replaced by Kelvin who seems to have shed loads of pace but is not getting into a position where he can run at their defence - but when he does he is frightening their defenders.
Dennis Mellis is showing a few good touches in midfield.
Pressure on Middlesboro..........I can't remember seeing Barnsley have so many corners in one match.
Perkins is full of energy and is the best player on the pitch by a country mile.......and assists for the goal.
The new goalkeeper is better than the old goalkeeper....ie Steele.........Keef turns to Flicker and says.."what a foooking save!!!"
Their goalkeeper, also called Steel, makes 3 or 4 brilliant saves from Davies to keep Middlesboro in the match.
The new Polish player is a find
Middlesboro try their best to get a goal towards the end of the match........but TARN stay solid
Whistle blows to the relief of the TARN fans
Mido walks across the field cheering and clapping and is jeered by the Middlesboro fans.
Harewood after the match looks really pumped up ready for the challenge ahead.

Conclusion..........psychology is going to play a major role this season. Because of the events in the second half of last season clubs like Middlesboro will think they have the upper hand when they play Barnsley. This showed in the first 10 minutes when Middlesboro played with lots of self belief. But this soon evaporated when they could see that Barnsley were beating them in all areas of the pitch.
The arrogance of Middlesboro lost them the game. However, other teams may not crumble as easily as Middlesboro did and if those particular teams have talent on the field then Barnsley are likely to get beaten heavily during some matches.
BUT..........if Barnsley can maintain the spirit they showed against Middlesboro throughout the season then Barnsley will not go down.

 

Absolutely agree with everything you say here Young Nudger

 

This.

 

Enjoyed that, thanks. I like the way it's written in bits, very readable. Mido sounds errrm.... really happy to be here?

 

The new goalkeeper is better than the old goalkeeper....ie Steele.

But not this

 

Some comments about .......how can Perkins have a good match if the tactics were to hit it long?
Well listen to what Keef had to say after the match with regard to Middlesboro dominating midfield last season....and of course, the midfield of Perkins et al is not by-passed when the opposition has the ball.
That is to say - our midfield was superb at breaking up their play and then counter attacking

Regarding the new goalkeeper.........every time Middlesboro were in on goal our goalkeeper was ALWAYS stood in exactly the right position. Was this luck? Or was it a sign of a good keeper?..........I would say the latter. On that showing, and I realise its only one game, Steele is not likely to get back into the team.

 

I'm not knocking Gonzalez I think he had a really good game Nudge but I didn't see enough that warrants dropping Steele has our No1 and besides isn't he off to America once Steele is back isn't he?