Matchday megathread, Barnsley v Wrexham

There’s a lot of talk about home and away form, and how playing on the break suits us. I’m not sure it’s as straight forward as that, but applicable to some games of course.

Today I think I saw part of why we have struggled at home, and hopefully by coming through it to win, it might be something we can remedy with the experience of getting through that second half.

Some of our passing can be awful. Needlessly squandering possession by making wrong decisions and not being able to complete the simplest of passes. Nervous footy.

I had this hunch that todays game would be the hardest of the next three, and if we could win it, it would open the door to a continued run of wins.

I don’t know what happened at half time. Did he ask us to protect our lead? Was the weather a problem? Were we just pushed back by a really strong performance?

All considered, a home win, 2 great goals, and 4 wins from 5. Onwards and upwards!

 

That's a huge win, for many reasons.

It was imperative to start the new year with a positive Oakwell performance. You don't want to carry the stigma of that 2024 home form. So that's gone now. We've turned the page.

Parts of the second half reminded me of a few other games at home this season, where we're under the cosh for a spell and eventually wilt. Today, by hook or crook, they prevailed. Bodies on the line, big saves, goal-line clearances, and maybe a bit of luck. But you earn that by working hard. And let's not forget, it was only a few weeks ago we were probably unlucky ourselves in the reverse fixture. Big positive for me, that they've hung on like that this afternoon. In dreadful conditions again. There are many ways to win a game of football and in the last week I reckon we've shown that. Coming back from a goal down to win it late on at Bolton. Comfortably seeing off Peterborough. And that display today, getting a lead and defending it. I doubt there's a person among us who predicted we'd get 9 of 9 points. I actually feared we'd lose all three. So they deserve massive credit.

It's the first time we've beaten one of the promotion favourites too. Our first win over anyone in that upper third. Very important in a promotion race.

There looked a lot more home fans in attendance too. I know it's NYD and usually the case, but still, that's another positive. It isn't cheap. Times are tough. It's the festive season. Lovely stuff.

Adam Phillips with another two goal contributions. But other than that, what else does he do? I mean, 50 in 114 games, an output right up there with the very best in most of our lifetimes, but he needs to do more. On a serious note, his return to form won't be going unnoticed. And DKD looks to have finally settled now. His numbers are becoming impressive, but in the last few games I feel like he's 'making sense' of his role in this setup. And regardless of current form or league positions, we've just played three pretty good teams for the level. Some of the football, the goals, they've been special to watch.

It wasn't like that very often today, I'm not daft. It was a bit better than a lot of games at Oakwell this season, how we went about our business. There were less defensive errors for starters. But some of the decisions made, especially second half were proper bad. Darrell isn't daft either. Three successive victories won't all of a sudden kid him into thinking we've cracked it. There's squad reshaping to do this month. It's up to him, Mladen and co to ensure it's in a better state on Feb 1 than it is today, Jan 1. At present, it's play-offs at best. With some space made and gaps filled, who knows?

Good to have Earl back a little quicker than anticipated. McCarthy deservedly retained his place too. So happy for him that he's been able to show the fans what he's got, after a shocking couple of years. Even if he can't secure a future here, he's doing himself no harm of getting a good move elsewhere.
Killip was superb today. As I've said before, I'd just stick with him and Smith, personally. Don't think you help the environment by loaning some randomer in again.

And finally, it really saddens me that the wonderful human that is Matty James has to play for Wrexham. But, it was nice to see Steve Parkin still hasn't worked out how to succeed in an Oakwell dugout, the useless ċ**t.

Up the Tykes x

 

You really don’t like MDG do you? I think he’s excellent.

 

One of the few ‘keepers I can recall who is genuinely two-footed. Fantastic asset in a tight corner.

 

Yes, he was actually prepared to carry the ball forward again.

 

Aye he can shank it into the stands with either foot

 

I must have been watching another game tbf. His clearances were excellent. A lot went out wide but in general stayed in play. No worse than most. The wind got up in the second half and didnt help to a degree. As shown by Wrexham's outfield players putting the ball out of play, when not under pressure on several occasions. And Killip.struck the ball well with both feet. Best goalkeepimg performance of the season by far. Despite several problems caused by the midfield/defence.

 

It happens nearly every game. I watch De Gevigney make some daft individual errors & then I come on here to read how consistent he is & that he could’ve got the man of the match.

He seems to make the majority of his mistakes early in games, so I don’t know if people forget about them by the end or just have a blind spot.

 

and turned out it was only 2900!

 

Are there any stats on goalkeeper clearances? It'd be interesting to see how he compares to other 'keepers. Maybe my impression was formed by a succession of hoofs into the West stand in the 2nd half, including at least one goal kick. And you're right the conditions certainly didn't help.

 

You don't know how to interact with people in a sensible manner do you?

 

Took this pic after our 2nd goal. Easy to spot Wrexham fans!

 

Read rest of posts mate and I think you might find out you spoke too soon

 

I didnt necessarily blame the defence mate. The midfield went to pot. Both DKD and Phillip's stopped chasing or were beaten to the ball, even though they were in better position to get to it first, by waiting for it to come to them, they were beaten to it.

 

Enjoyed today. Excellent first half & rode our luck in the second half.

Whilst I understand the criticism of Pines the back 3 were barely pressured in the first half. They didn’t have much defending to do. With the natural momentum of needing to push for goals, a mouthful off their manager & the wind in their favour they were always going to put us under pressure in the 2nd half.

Even if Earl was fit & able to do 90 minutes I’ve no doubts that a storm was coming in that 2nd half. I’m just delighted we were able to hang on & get a big home win against decent opposition.

Killip was a deserved man of the match. Phillips & DKD showed their class. Also a big mention to Connell today. In possession he wasn’t at his best but off the ball I thought he was superb today. The amount of 50-50’s & loose balls he got to first was brilliant especially in the build up to the first goal.

 

Thrilling game played with passion by two teams who will be in the mi come the end of the season. The two strikes were top drawer both of them in their different ways. I liked the way we didn't panic and kept a degree of control even when we were getting a battering. Good to have players like Earl and Phillips who were prepared to put their foot on the ball, slow play down and then start a counter attack. I was most pleased by the resolute way we defended in the second half. Wrexham had few clear-cut chances and the ultimate difference was in the clinical quality of the finishing. Hard to criticise anyone much on that performance. I disagree with some on here and could understand Clarke's substitutions. Watters was probably brought off to give him a rest, as he has had some recent injuries, and Humphrys is at least an equivalent replacement. I imagine that Earl was brought off for the same reason, as he has also been out and Pines has been a more than adequate replacement. Earl looked class again today. Cosgrove on for DKD was an odd one, as Cosgrove just does not do what Watters did pretty well, which is to find space and hold the ball up to link with running midfielders and forwards. Cotter was injured. I thought that the weakness of playing a right footed left wing back was clear at critical times today. Cotter had one chance at the far post, but went for it with his right foot when a naturally left footed player had a better chance of scoring. It was a real scrap, which you would expect against the better sides, but I thought we thoroughly earned the three points for the superb strikes, which Wrexham could not match, and for the resolute defending when we were under the cosh. Well done everyone, including Clarke in getting them motivated, but not like headless chickens. A lot to admire against much tougher opposition than I saw at Peterborough on Sunday. COYR.

 

Must be a blind spot then, because there is absolutely no way you and exile can be wrong. LOL.

 

You definitely didn’t laugh out loud at that.

 

Honourable mention to Cosgrove - we finally managed to relieve some pressure from our pen area and his hold up play consisted of running over to the line with the ball and rather than clear into space he decided to just turn over possession in our half thankfully didn’t come to anything but for a professional player to do something so amateur was unreal.

 

I absolutely did. The authority with which certain opinions are given really tickles me. LOL.