1. Loan players – simply put, we’ve got too many. Wilson had very little option when he took over but as we know, loan players generally don’t have the same commitment for a fight, they are mostly motivated by their own interests and have no real connection to the club or the supporters. Of the loan players we have, only Ramage has shown the level of passion and commitment needed for a relegation battle. Some of them have come with contractual obligations to play and consequently have upset the balance of the side and placed unwanted restrictions on Wilsons formation and tactics. Frimpong (although not a loan signing as such) is a side show, likely to result in a red card every other game, Shea has no heart, no ability and no respect, Lawrence looks like he should’ve retired 2 seasons ago, Hunt is 70% fit at best, doubt we’ll ever see McLaughlin again, Pedersen must be regretting signing for a full season and as we’re up to our full quota, we cannot bring in a replacement left back. Team spirit and camaraderie kept us up last season, with so many loan players around the place, don’t see that in evidence at all. 2. Unbalanced squad – as much as I don’t blame him for bringing in loan players, Wilson’s recruitment smacks of panic. Numbers instead of quality in required areas. We’ve got more than a dozen midfield players/wingers and 1 recognised left back. In bringing in Proschwitz, Wilson has also caused himself a problem for the formation, he’s not as good as O Grady so we end up playing both. Any manager setting his team up against us will have seen how weak we are down the left and will capitalise on it. Wilson simply hasn’t got a player he can either play instead of Kennedy or in front of him to protect him. Digby finds his way into the team blocked and is only likely to get a game when Wilson realises its time to build a team for League 1. Which isn’t far off. 3. Wilson is showing his inexperience in the Championship – times moved on since Danny last managed in the Championship and he’s shown his nativity in how he’s set the team up and the tactics he’s employed. We’re not solid enough at the back to play 2 up front, and we certainly cant go into away games without enough protection in front of the back 4. We are wide open down our left hand side and in recent games Ive noticed we’re trying to play too much football in our own half. Added to which, we are not taking our chances. The Wilson that led us to the Premiership would’ve smashed the crockery around the dressing room several times so far but Im getting the impression that’s not happening, maybe as a result of having a team based on loan players who wont respond to him calling them out in front of the squad. 4. Our run in is tough and we’ve dropped points in winnable games – suddenly Wilson is having to make out that teams at the top are getting nervous so we have a better chance against Leicester and Forest than Donny and Wednesday - who’s he trying to kid. Looking at what we have left, of the 7 home games 5 are against teams in the top 8, and the teams near us (Charlton, Bolton, Yeovil) we play away from home. The home games where we’ve drawn and should’ve won will come back to haunt us. 5. Last season was a monumental effort to survive, in many ways we perhaps escaped when we didn’t deserve to and the energy from the players and the fans to repeat it just doesn’t seem to be there. The key players from last season who stepped up (Steele, Craine, O Grady, Dawson, Mellis) don’t seem to have the same desire, maybe last season took its toll and it’s a realisation that its too much to ask to repeat it. Added to which, the fans are starting to see an inevitability about relegation and the excitement generated by the momentum of the unbeaten run doesn’t seem to be there. Im not sure I can bear watching us get pummelled on Saturday, and I expect the attendance and atmosphere to reflect that feelings quite common. Don’t think we’ll be hearing much Bob Marley between now and the end of the season, sorry.
I missed Wilson's Nativity, I hate living away sometimess!! Also you missed number 6- the gutless negativity of our supporters.
Gutless negativity!!?? I think you need to have the heart of a lion or be some sort of masochist to keep supporting this club. In my case it's been 48 years.
Don't agree. I don't want to see my club relegated (for the 4th time in my years supoorting), but I do understand that some people are sick and tired of seeing us struggle year-in year-out. I also understand the argument that the situation leads to short-term thinking that results in yet more struggle etc. etc.
Thing is though, if we go down this year it's not going to be a case of straight back up in 1 or 2 years. We wouldn't be able to compete financially with some of the teams in that league. The squad will be picked apart and the only players that are actually quality would end up leaving. I think if we go down this year, me might be in it for the long haul.
I'm sick to back teeth of watching us struggle, we're out of our depth in this league and have been for years, we don't have the financial clout to compete at this level, I just want to see my team win 12 home games 8 away games and draw a hand full finishing with 60+points have flirted with play offs for a few months then build on it year after year until we gain promotion it's not going to happen in this league so I hope we go down
Nightmare's grandfather talking in 1941..."I just wish the Germans would invade and get it all over with"
Most Barnsley fans will be struggling to make ends meet working long hour to support their family's with just a football match to look forward to every couple of weeks, and sitting watching that is just as depressing as the rut most people are in at home, make no wonder crowds are falling year on year people are turning to a crate of ale a take away and match of the day instead and you can't blame um for some people watching football is a way of leaving all your troubles behind you for 90 minutes being a Barnsley fan is the other way round the biggest problem in most reds fans lives is the facking team they support and it as been for years we need to drop a league to win more games and get the feel good factor back again. Because it's never going to happen wile we're rotting away in the championship
I'd rather watch us struggle in the Championship for the rest of eternity than see us play in League One again. More than that, I'd prefer to see us lose every single game in the Premier League than watch us in the Championship. If you're so sick of watching a team struggle at the highest level it can attain that you actually want them to fail, then perhaps you'd be better off not going at all. Not intended as a dig. I just can't comprehend ever having that mindset and still wanting to turn up each week. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If you honestly think the attitude of the supporters makes a blind bit of difference then you need help.
Positivity breeds positivity CT, and vice versa. It's not a tangible thing that can be measured but it's there in the ether/psyche.
That's my point that's what people are doing before long we'll be down to 8000 home fans. We need to have something to cheer about and finishing 21st every year with just another year of struggle to look forward to just isn't cutting the mustard anymore finishing 4th bottom every year is doing the club more damage then relegation would