Another step on the road to recovery - my view of yesterday

I'm not saying that because I think everything is alright now that we have played three games in a week and only lost one of them. I'm saying it because I believe that I have seen plenty of positives from the various incarnations of our team this season and, this week, there have been a few more. For all Nigel Adkins's protestations that they could have had five goals or more and should have won the match, for me at least, it was the other way round. I know it's all ifs and maybes but we hit the woodwork twice, missed a poorly taken penalty and Isgrove did his Marley Watkins impression by missing a chance when clear in the six yard area. Yes they had their chances as well and Davies atoned for the first goal by making some great saves, especially after getting his head bandaged up. On to the ratings:

Davies
I know he's young and inexperienced, and not physically commanding, and has had his confidence knocked by losing his place this season but.......for goodness sake, Adam, high balls into the six yard box are YOURS!! A guy sitting in front of me said Billy Sharp had his arms wrapped around the keeper but I couldn't see that, and the highlights don't show it either. Whether or not it was a foul I cannot accept our goalkeeper standing on the line for an incoming corner that floats in only a few feet away from him. He can use his hands and fists - the forwards can't. A catch or a punch out and it is no goal. Sorry, but that goal was down to him and this lack of presence at high balls is a worrying trend that I don't see him getting past. But, having said all that, well done for the great saves he made! Takes some courage to recover from a head injury and play on.

The full backs
Wabara in for Bree? Why? Wabara, Swindon goal apart, has shown nothing to me but his average-ness in that position. He has the higher league pedigree but he is not stamping his authority on wingers. I doubt he ever will. Fair enough he has had some steady games but I would rather see our home-grown product given a long run in the team. He's supposed to be the next John Stones, isn't he?
Aidan White is a mystery signing, just like Declan John last season. Again he has higher league experience but yesterday he looked weak and frankly disinterested. George Smith is not the answer (yet) but, again, I'd rather see him given the shirt and the chance to improve. With two decent centre halves he will be fine. Now....

The centre halves
I was drooling over Mawson until this horrific run started but he has gone right off the boil. He likes too much time on the ball and is not urgent enough going back to clear the danger. Bullying forwards like Sharp have a field day with him. And, by the way, I thought Sharp was RUBBISH yesterday, but not because of our defenders dominating him. Alfie is obviously a great ambassador for the club and a decent player but he needs to get his form back, and soon.
Nyatanga - living on former glories (sort of) and now a liability. Incapable of heading a good clearance - he barely gets it out of the area usually - and totally at a loss what to do with the ball when he has it. Perhaps its lack of confidence with other defenders but he is the senior man and should be leading by example. He's probably better in the opposition penalty area and is definitely a threat at corners. He nearly scored again yesterday with a header that looped onto the bar. Unlucky Lewin. I'd be tempted to throw Roberts back into a three centre half formation. It has worked before and we need to stop shipping easy goals.

Midfield
Pearson needs to be let go in January, if that is when we have him until. He's done some good things for us but is now so one dimensional that he is incapable of making a killer pass or a good ball winning tackle without getting booked. Scowen is the obvious man for that job and I don't want both of them together.
Hourihane got stuck in and showed his aggressive side yesterday, especially with his assault on the corner flag after scoring! It was a magnificent goal and was a throw back to his efforts last season - quality long range shooting. So what is his problem from the spot? With a shot like he has in his locker he should be putting his foot through the ball and bursting the net every time. This stroking it into the corner is just stupid! If he could fox the keeper into going the wrong way then it would work, but he doesn't. Don't forget, by the way, the Blades fans have been slating George Long all season and yet he pulls off a "great save". Well no - he moved at least four feet off his line and then flung himself the right way. CH did the rest - easy save!
Isgrove - just go back home Lloyd, please. After an encouraging start where he looked useful he has had a succession of below average games. That chance he had was golden. The keeper spilled Winnall's shot and all Isgrove had to do was take one step to the right then blast it in. Instead he bundled it wide in panic. Not good enough, not by a long way.
Hammill - probably his least effective game for us but still looked dangerous. He gives defenders plenty to think about and that is a good thing but he, too often, tries to do too much. There is no need to beat three every time. I'm loving seeing him back at Oakwell though and hope we keep him at least to the end of the season. He's a gem of a player and is the kind that attracts fans to matches.

Up front
Watkins - loathe to call him a forward but this is where he seemed to play yesterday. Yes he slipped the ball through for our penalty. Yes his assists record is good, and he has chipped in with a few goals himself. But he is an infuriating player. Just thought who he reminds me of - Michael Clarke from that period when Allan Clarke was back for his second spell. He has the physique and the speed and awareness to be a good player but, so often, he is brushed off the ball. He needs to be stronger. Look at the likes of Murphy at Ipswich who is of a similar build but is a million times more dangerous in the box. He might be a great player for us but he's not there yet.
SSW - nice to see him complete 90 minutes yesterday but not too many goal chances. That header was a good one that came back off the post and I'm sure we would have won the match had it gone in. Most people love Sam - me included - but his goals ratio should be higher. It's obvious what he is lacking though - someone to play off in the box. A big lad. Someone like that Michael Smith from Swindon. He would be good. Oh, hang on....

The subs
George Smith was the obvious change for White who was either injured or it was tactical. Hard to tell. He didn't have time to make an impact unfortunatey.
Ivan Toney on for Watkins - great idea but should have happened at half time. Toney is a young lad but is good in the air and that was what Winnall needs alongside him. Watkins can't jump to save his life. Not many chances to shine but he looks a promising player. An extended loan would be good I think.
Ryan Williams - FINALLY another look at our "talisman number ten". Hm, ok. He is, potentially, a better bet than Isgrove but needs some serious game time now. If he is now fit (who knows?) just throw him in. We wanted him back so its now time for him to sink or swim. He either goes for it and shows how good he was last season, or sinks without trace and is given a free transfer next May. I hardly noticed him to be honest but one of the P or G callers from Sheffield said he liked the look of "that lad with the pony tail" when he came on. Really?

Finally, a word on the mighty Blades. Promotion - you're having a laugh!! Yet another poor team to visit Oakwell this season and go away without getting soundly beaten. I suppose some would argue they were more aggressive and "up for it" than our lads but I didn't really see that. They squandered as many chances as we did and showed no signs of quality at all for me. Another season of mid-table mediocrity for them. I hope we join them there.

Yesterday should have been better than it was but there were two struggling sides on show, lacking confidence, and it was a long way from being a proper derby match. Sheff Utd were a shadow of former sides that have come to us and have no star players any more. I remember when Martin Peters played for them and we beat them 3-1 at Oakwell. I remember those crunching FA Cup games we had against them - blood and thunder and lots of derby day fever. I remember all those times when the Blades have stolen matches with last minute goals - Brian Deane, Tony Agana usually doing the business - so it was nice that we did it to them with a 94th minute equaliser. How ironic that after all that time wasting from them!

 

Good read. Cheers for taking the time to post.

 

Good read and accurate

 

Good read Mr Prince!

But its not another step to recovery

Its another step closer to League 2

Unless ---------

 

Based on playing better, creating chances and not losing every match. Not saying we are out of the woods but I can see a cottage ahead with smoke coming out of the chimney

 

and in that cottage is the big bad wolf ready to eat us up and spit us out into div 4

 

Correct Mr Reevy and in the garden of the cottage are some Magic Mushrooms!

 

In your headline and your opening paragraph, you set up the rest of your text with the phrase, "Another step on the road to recovery". In the text, you tell us all how poor all the players were, and how bad the opposition was. Make your mind up. We are either improving, or we aren't.

My view was that the first goal step up the way that the match was to be played, and that and their 4-5-1 formation made it hard for us to shine. Nevertheless, the performance of our midfield, and the hope of a future comprising Williams, Pearson, Hourihane and Hammill does offer some hope. However, there are problems in both defence and attack that need to be resolved in January.

At the back yesterday, we had a soft centre. We were bullied at set pieces and run ragged on the break. There is nothing wrong with our keeper's bravery or his reactions, but his game management and presence when dealing with balls into the box leaves a lot to be desired. In my opinion, he would benefit from a period learning the game as understudy to a seasoned professional. It is the same with Mawson. He is too young to carry the responsibility that has been thrust on his youthful shoulders. Nyatanga is no longer dominating in the box and has lost what little pace he had, but we have Long to come in temporarily and we need to fix the problem with a permanent CB addition in January.

However, it is up front where I see the biggest problems. Everyone likes Winnall, but he must be difficult to play with if you are his strike partner. You see strikers come in pairs. They used to come as a combination of a big lad to win the ball in the air, and a little quick lad to take half chances in the box and to keep the opposition defenders deep. Winnall does not fit into either camp. He is not tall. He is not particularly quick. Generally, he looks for space in front of defenders, where he hopes to turn and make space to fire in shots from distance. But when he is looking for space, he creates a gap between himself and his striker partner, and this makes it hard for them to play effectively as a pair. It is true that he does not currently have an effective partner, and this must be our major signing in January. But what type of player do you look for. Do you look for a target man, even though Winnall seldom plays close enough for this combination to become effective. Do you look for someone quick, who might stretch the opposition defence and create more room for Winnall in front of them. Just what sort of partner would be ideal, or should we look for a new pairing. Unless our forwards score more goals, we can only look forward to a season long struggle to avoid relegation.

 

If you got that impression I'm sorry. That was not the way I was thinking when I wrote it. Maybe I write too quickly. I never have to think too hard for the prose to flow so if I DID contradict myself it was not intentional.

Yes I criticised some aspects of our play, and our players, but that's not really my way (if you read my reports regularly). I would rather see the optimistic side of any situation rather than be constantly critical, as some are. I was simply pointing out that there have been plenty of positives this season, along with the negatives. Relegation teams of the past (I've seen them) have looked hopeless in just about every department. I'm talking about the 1960s and 1970s vintage by the way.

This crop are different. Individually talented, collectively suspect. Whether a change of management will magically correct that I don't know. None of us do. You won't hear me clamouring for a managerial change. We can't stay in this position for long and I don't think we will.

What I was trying to emphasise was that we WON last week to stop that awful run. We played well at London Road but unluckily lost again. We played well in patches yesterday and should have won. If it was wall to wall dross, week after week I would be as down as some. But it's not - for me, if you are getting better at your job then you are on your way to mastering it. These players are better than their league position suggests, and I expect them to prove it in the coming weeks.

 

I think that you have pretty much summarised my position also. I am fed up of constantly sacking managers and expecting the next to be any different. In another thread, posters were suggesting Stuart Gray as our next manager. I was tempted to ask who they wanted as the one after. It is long past time that we tried some stability, allied to slowly and gradually evolving the team over an extended period.

Nevertheless, we do need to reduce the number of loans and bring in a few experienced professionals in January so that our youngsters can learn from them in the cauldron that will be our fight for survival in the last few months of the season. I do not want to see any more than 3 or 4 though.

 

If relegation becomes reality would you then act or maintain stability?

 

Have to say that the Blades' approach puzzled me. Up to their goal they played at a high tempo, and were pretty direct, and we were struggling to cope. If they'd have kept that up I think we could have been out of it by half-time. But once they scored it was clear to me that Adkins was telling his players to slow it down. I don't think I've ever seen a player take as long over thow-ins as Brayford did. In the event it deservedly rebounded on them thanks to our late late goal. But if LJ is getting things wrong he wasn't the only one at Oakwell yesterday.

 

Billy Sharp very cleverly stopped Davies on three corners, not sure if he did it illegally, but he did in some way make sure Davies could not get to the crosses.

Maybe Adam needs more experience in dealing with these tactics, maybe he needs more help from his defenders.

 

Thanks for reminding me about Brayford's antics. When he was down the East Stand side he deliberately and slowly took as much time as he wanted for every throw and then stole several yards at every single throw in. The "referee" let him get away with it.

I deliberately didn't include an assessment of Mr Swarbrick's performance for fear of being accused of blaming him for our not winning the match. But how poor was he!! Premier league referees that come to Oakwell are always the same - nothing short of incompetent. He allowed some of the most blatant time wasting that I have ever seen without a single word. He allowed them several scything challenges on our players, without a word. How we got a penalty goodness only knows, but he didn't give the hand ball shortly after did he.

Incidentally, anyone close to that ponty end incident who could confirm that it was hands? Most people seemed to think so at the time but the ref probably thought "Nooooo way, this is Barnsley. They've already had one; they are not getting another!"

 

Sorry, but I remain optimistic. We have had two meeting in the last week in which the senior management of the club appears to have accepted culpability for our current plight. That suggests to me that something will be done about it at the first realistic opportunity, and the first realistic opportunity is the January transfer window.

I'm sorry to avoid your question. Ask me again in May if the worst has happened. Until then, I refuse to become a pessimist and I refuse to give up hope.

 

Accepting that relegation is the most likely outcome of being at the foot of the table isn't pessimism its realism

 

No it's not. Not yet, anyway. Two more points for us yesterday would have seen us out of the bottom four. It's a close, mediocre league. That won't change. We might reach mid table by January but still be two or three points from the bottom.

 

Correct Supertyke.

Some folk need to wake up and look at the table.

And not the Coffee Table!

 

It isn't realistic to come to the conclusion that relegation is the likely outcome of being at the foot of the table? Really?

I didn't say it was a forgone conclusion, I didn't say it was nailed on. I said that it is the likely outcome of being in that position. That is a fact that cannot be argued with

 

Good for you. I'm in that camp as well. The sneerers and the LJ-haters can enjoy themselves every time we drop a point or three.

I just look forward to the next match. It's what being a Barnsley SUPPORTER is all about