Like watching an academy side in the first half

Plenty of effort and enthusiasm, but the reality was we were all over the place. Everyone running about trying to make an impression but very little composure. Not surprising really, that was the most inexperienced Barnsley side any of us are ever likely to see.

Three lads made their professional debut, another came on for his second ever sub appearance in the football league, George Smith was playing only his second league game and Mason Holgate his 5th. Six lads with a grand total of 5 league starts between them before yesterdays game. Paul Digby, who seems to have been around for years, was starting only his 6th league game. We began the game with 4 teenagers and ended it with 5 players aged 20 or below, a 21 year old, two players aged 22, one at 23 and Jean-Yves M'Voto the elder statesman of the outfield players at 26.

Alan Hansen infamously told us you'll never win anything with kids and he'd be right about this team. We won't. Not this season anyway, but if we carry on giving them the experience, we might next season. Anyway, give me a team full of young, skilful lads hungry to do well over a bunch of journeymen going through the motions any day of the week. I look forward to watching them develop.

For all the sloppy play in that first half and for all the pressure a very physical Yeovil side put us under, I don't remember Turnbull having a shot to save. Players put their bodies on the line, tackled well and blocked shots. Good to see.

Second half was a different story. We showed a lot more composure, retained possession, passed the ball well and dominated the play. Part of that was due to Yeovil being reduced to ten men, but that wasn't the whole story. 'Boro went down to ten men last week and we couldn't get the ball from them. A few years ago Darren Moore received his marching orders when we were 1-0 down at home to Donny. We won the game 4-1. It doesn't always follow that the team with superior numbers wins the game, you've still got to put in the effort and you've still got to create the chances. We did that and we did it well.

Hourihane had his best game for quite a while, breaking forward to join the attack when required and finding more accuracy with his passing. M'Voto dropped a huge clanger in the first half and might consider himself lucky not have been sent off early on as he produced two very poor challenges in quick succession. However, he dominated their huge centre forward winning almost every header which nullified their attack and allowed us to take control of the game. Lalkovic and Williams both looked lively when they came on. Good to have a full back who can offer us something going forward. Pearson was the pick of the new lads who started the game. He won the motm and while I have no problem with that, I thought our best player was Holgate. He looked so assured at centre half, played some great passes out of defence and won the header above their 'keeper to set up Waring for the goal. He looks to have a great future, I hope we can keep him.

For two games now Turnbull has been unwilling to put his foot through a moving ball with his favoured right foot. I'm now convinced he's unable to do it without causing himself pain and maybe further injury. He's too good a keeper and too experienced to be making the choices he's making, putting defenders under pressure rather than clearing the ball up-field. It hasn't cost us yet, but I think it will. Let's hope it's temporary while he's recovering and not something more permanent.

Well played You Adolescent Reds.

 

I agree with all of that.

I didn't notice Turnbull's kicking but seen as you're right about everything else I'll take your word for it

 

A win was vital yesterday and credit to the team for achieving that.

A more accurate assessment of the new lads will be more forthcoming in the next few games against better opposition.

 

One of his big moments was in the first half. He had the ball and the crowd were crying out for him to play a quick ball. Instead he let everyone get back, took his time then proceeded to boot it out of play down the east stand side with a poor clearance.

 

You also have to remember the 3 loanees were making their professional debut, it's quite incredible that we probably have one of the youngest sides in the football league

 

Interesting related thread where I added some stats. Can you win with kids?

http://bbs.barnsleyfc.org.uk/showthread.php?221534-Youth-is-the-future

 

Think Jay's is a fair round up but we have to bear in mind that whilst its great to have a young side that you can bring together and hopefully reap the benefit in coming seasons that only really applies when the youngsters are your own or ones that you have a chance of signing.

 

You make an excellent point!

The lads coming in really could improve our fortunes,but when they go back to their clubs were back to square one.

Also the youngsters of our own whilst impressing will be attracting attention from scouts from premier league clubs.

We need to keep them and let them develop so we as a club reap the rewards on the field and build the team around them.

I appreciate money talks and if the appropriate offer arrived they will be gone.

Stonesy went far too cheaply in my opinion !

 

Who does have the youngest team in this league ?


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Of the 9 players aged 22 or younger that were on show yesterday, six were our own. As far as the loan players go, I don't think we have a chance of signing Pearson and Chelsea probably want to see more of Kiwomya before deciding whether he's good enough for them or not, but at 20 years old and seemingly nowhere near the first team, we may have the opportunity to sign Waring on a permanent basis, should we wish.

 

Thought we tried to play the ball out from the back, whenever possible, more to do with the wind rather than Turnbull and his back although I do agree he has a problem, his kicking from hand looks at half the power he could generate.

 

I dont even think that the problems in the first half were because we were putting too much effort in. I think they were once again simply because Wilson got his tactics woefully wrong. He signed a new lad who is perfectly capable on the wing and instead he went for exactly the same bizarre formation thats cost us so many times this season.

Waring and Kiwomye might as well have been Cole and Trotta. They played in exactly the same roles. Out wide up front with no real clue what they were doing. Were they strikers? Wingers? They didnt know and it showed.
Then you had pearson and digby. Exactly the same positions as bailey and berry.

Four new (including digby) players in the squad there and they were all like for like changes when it was crying out for a formation change. Poor old George Smith must have wondered what the hell was going on when he was the ONLY player on our left hand side for the entire first half. Left back, left mid, left wing, left attack. He was forced to do it all. And when he lost the ball (Due to having no options to pass to) they sprinted down our left hand side where they found no defence because Holgate had gone up the right wing too leaving just two at the back.

It got better in the second half but was that because they were knackered having played with 10 men for most of the game? I suspect it was a combination of that and jennings/lalkovich coming on and us playing with less out and out strikers and more midfielders.

Every player did well but I reckon that was down to pure effort and in spite of rather than because of Wilsons woeful showing.

 

Wilson out?

 

Not yet but hes doing a bloody bad job of his matchday duties so far

 

Swindon

 

I could have sworn we'd won 2-0 yesterday, and 2-0 the last time we had a home league game.

 

Barnsley.

 

Well after seeing the stats about games played etc I'll wind my neck on cos I thought we were ******* garbage throughout the 90 mins. Individually, tactically everything.

Must be my time of month or summat


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I thought that too

 

If the Oldham match hadn't been postponed and we'd beat them by a couple of goals we'd now be 10th on goal difference. Crazy when you consider how poor we've been this season.