The bookies have us as early odds against favourites to make it 5 wins in a row in all competitions, when we welcome Portsmouth to Oakwell on Tuesday night. The reds are currently available at 5/4 with Pompey as 11/5 underdogs. Its 5th vs 6th as just 2 goals currently separate us and Portsmouth, who have started the season with a run of 7 games without defeat (3 wins 4 draws). On their travels, Portsmouth have accumulated 5 points from 3 games and conceded just 1 goal, and arrive at Oakwell off the back of a 1-1 draw with Derby. They've been difficult to beat on their travels for quite some time, losing just once away from home in their last 13 games away from Fratton Park (drawn 7 won 5). That one defeat, which covers a period as far back as February, was at Oakwell where Norwood, Cadden and Cole put the visitors to the sword under the lights in early March. In fact, travelling to sides who finish in the top 6 has been a problem for Portsmouth since returning to the 3rd tier. From the BBC: If you ignore the Covid season of 2020-21, when there were no fans in attendance and therefore a much reduced home advantage, Pompey have won just two away matches against sides who finished in the top six from 32 attempts. Both of those wins were 1-0 against the team which finished 6th. In those 32 matches, Portsmouth have mustered just 12 points, with zero victories against anyone who finished in the top five. In recent history, Portsmouth have found Oakwell a very difficult place to visit. The Fratton Park side have won just 1 of their last 15 visits to Oakwell, with the reds victorious in 11 of those 15, albeit the majority of those meetings were in the 90s. Referee Lewis Smith has dished out 39 yellow cards in 8 games so far this season, so just shy of the industry standard 5 per game. This appears to be his first full season as an EFL referee, as he was mainly in the National League prior to this season. This is his first time managing either Portsmouth or Barnsley in a league fixture, however he did take charge of our Football League Trophy defeat to Port Vale last season, a game mostly notable for Tom Edwards long ranger. Liam Kitching was the only reds player booked that day. Given how tight Portsmouth have been at the back, and barring one game with Leyton Orient, they've seemingly struggled going forward, I fancy this to be a tight low scoring game. I can see us edging this one, so I'm going for 1-0 with Cadden on the scoresheet.
Don't know.. but will be a better yardstick than Burton to where we are. I actually think Collins has too many players to choose from. May be a few more games yet before he knows his best 11.. So I'll go for a 'not the end of the world' .1-1.. we'll get stronger as the season progresses
I also think this one will finish 1-1. We're not going to win every game, and we're still a long way from firing on all cylinders. Pompey are surely going to be a stiffer test than Burton or Cheltenham. Not down to earth with a bump or anything, but a minor blip. Fully expect us to get back to winning ways at Northampton, setting things up nicely for what should be a cracking game against Blackpool.
The division's top goalscorers v the division's meanest defence with an egg-chasing buumer from Wigan refereeing. Reds to inflict Pompey's first defeat of the season with a hat-trick of penalties to make up for the previous 555 days without a home league penalty at Oakwell.
Good team gunner be up there this season, but aving said that we'll be too strong an for that reason alone im going for a 5 - nowt win, keep the faith C,O,Y,R.