A 3rd of the season gone - YOUR thoughts...

Just that basically..
I would like to see what EVERYBODY on ere thinks of things as they stand. No fence-sitting. No abuse of others viewpoint, just an honest appraisal from each member.
Thanks

 

Same old, same old on the league position and points. But it has been more enjoyable to watch on the whole. We have had some really good performances, and some good football played in patches in most games. We can improve though for the rest of the season, given the injuries we have had. I think our best 11 can do well, if players are played in their right positions. All in all it's been ok so far, plenty of room for improvement.

 

same as the above, same old really. There is still a modicum of goodwill towards the new regime and blind optimism that the pretty football we are trying to play will come good eventually but with the rose tinted glasses off, unfortunately but realistically, I reckon we'll be sweating come the last half dozen games as per usual.

 

Better than expected with changes in the summer! Better to watch football (more Skill), and anything better than bottom three will be better than my expected finish! (key word is BETTER)

 

Happy, but could be better. Injuries delaying our progress meaning we are having to play players out of position etc etc.

 

Wasn't going to buy a season ticket this season due to the drab displays, I didn't believe I was getting entertained enough. I decided to go along and watch some pre season games and after some decent displays changed my mind.
So far I believe we are playing some great open entertaining football and the feel good factor has returned on a Saturday afternoon. I don't why fans would want to return to drab results based football but each to their own.

 

Enjoyed it so far, to a point

Far more attractive football, better goals against column, the emergence of Butterfield, performances of JOB and Luke Steele, Travis when he plays in the middle, some good games at Oakwell.

Downsides are the continual inability to score enough goals, even when we create many chances. Also the ever-rising cost and subsequent reduction in attendance figures is highly worrying.

Down sides on here are the failure of my posts to go green when I click on them and the constant arguing about right backs.

 

But we didn't have to play players out of position today.

Done and the lad from Boro were available for a starting place, yet he played perkins out wide?
Anyway back to the initial thread. The football is better, but as yet no overall improvement, Inconsistencies, lack of goal threat etc still with us.

 

Quite happy apart form the first two games and Bristol. All other have been better than expected based on the quality of signings during the close season.

 

Much happier than I though I would be. The chances are there, they just need putting away. Was not looking forward to watching Barnsley after the dismal displays against Middlesboro and Southampton. But the improvements came and I can say that even after some of the defeats we've had, I've always left feeling as though I've been entertained.

 

Same old over

There's been loads of talk but the fact is we're towards the foot of the table with a string of inconsistent results, just like the last 5 years. There's been a few games I've thoroughly enjoyed, but Ritchie, Davey and Robins used to win us football matches and I thoroughly enjoyed those too. So far so similar.

 

Better than expected. Inability to score from midfield will haunt us.

 

I'm very encouraged with the football we have played at times. However, I fear that the drop is ever more likely than in recent seasons. We just don't have the necessary quality in the final third of the field that most other teams have. In the past there have always been a couple of teams that looked certainties for the drop but this time there aren't. Each year we are up against it financially and each year it's getting harder. Traditionally we belong in the second tier as we've spent more seasons there than any other club but in modern day terms I'm afraid we are punching above our weight due to lack of support and finance.
If we are going to stop up we simply have to sort out our away record. I honestly though Hill had sorted it but 3 successive defeats and 9 goals conceded shows he hasn't. It seems that we have to score first away because if we fall behind we just inevitably slip to defeat. It all boils down to the lack of a natural goalscorer who can nick a goal in a tight game like today. Unfortunately we'll need a miracle to find one.

 

Very pleased. Playing short, patient, passing football. For me its a breath of fresh air. I would rather watch us play the kind of football we've done this year and lose than play grinding out result mediocrity season on season. I also genuinely believe we will be more successful in the long term trying to play the right way. If we can stay up in a season of transition we will be far better placed for next year.

I would also add this has all been with a much cheaper squad who on paper are not as good as last year. We are greater than the sum if our parts. I thought Robins did a good job too but a comparison with this time last year are false - how many points did we get once Hammill left? Add him to this team and we would be flying.

 

Optimistic

Work in progress. Only one BIG disappointment for me - we didn't shell out for ALF. I think if we'd signed him before the start of the season we'd have a good 10 points more in the bag and be in a playoff spot.

 

Re: Satisfactory

Like many others, happy to see better football, seen some good games, seen some awful ones too. Better than I'd thought we'd be in all honesty but think we are going to be touch and go because we can't score enough goals (Not a dig at your man,Dyson).

January could be critical. I'm fairly sure we will lose Butterfield and agree with Hill that we can replace him. It is Steele that worries me. I've not been his biggest fan in the past but this season he's really shown a lot more consistency. If he goes and we end up with Preece in the net for the rest of the season we may as well wrap up.


Still, it is our hands and we need 10 more wins plus a few draws. I think we should be able to get get them, but like I said, it will be tight. I'd be over the moon with 4th bottom as it stands, but it is frustrating because we are probably a couple of players short of making a better fist of it but given the financial situation and the gates, I can't see us getting those players....

 

Pretty Happy and for some reason optimistic..........

Im pretty sure that in Hill and Flitcroft we have a great management team that GIVEN TIME and abit of patience will provide great things for this club that we all love!!
The football we have played has been 100 times more enjoyable to watch in my opinion with the exception of a couple of games! But we are what we are - We have made drastic changes at the club regarding our player budget. People should really really take this into account and realise that to be midtable or playoff contenders its going to take a massive over acheivment!!

I enjoy looking forward to going to games again. At times over the last couple of years its sometimes being a chore - But i can't wait for the next game this season! Maybe thats just the big kid in me tho!!

one concern i have is obviously the clubs pricing policy and certain things regards the general running of the club. I went to Brighton and dealt with their club shop directly regards advice and buying of travel vouchers of park and ride ct when we arrived in Brighton. I simply don't think of the tables had been turned and BFC had been dealing with a Brighton fan they would have had the same level of service i recieved. Again maybe im wrong though.
The tickets MUST be reduced. I don;t ant to go on about it because thousands of other threads have covered this but i really think the club is cutting off supporters due to the outrageous pricing for pay on day customers. Im glad i can afford a season ticket and really dispaire for those that couldn't or were not in reasonable circumstances which meant they did.

 

In general, I'm satisfied. I appreciate the fact that we don't appear to have made much progress from previous years although I think it is a more difficult environment that it has been previously. In my opinion the league is stronger with 'big' clubs coming up and down increasing competition. Our resources appear to be even more limited than usual, crowds are down and I think we have a smaller and arguably weaker squad than last year.

With those mitigating factors acknowledged I think Hill has done a decent job. The most notable improvement has been the standard of football. Results have been varied as per usual but the entertainment factor has increased. I've enjoyed more games than last season already and we're only a 3rd of the way in. I didn't buy a season ticket this year so I suppose I am the 'floating' fan that the club needs to keep happy and coming back. Whilst the ticket pricing is certainly off putting, the football I've witnessed and enjoyed and kept me interested and that's down to Hill.

I fear we'll be in a relegation scrap come the end of the season but in some way it's to be expected with very little between 8/9 teams in the same boat. I've been encouraged by the effort from the players and if we can stay lucky with injuries, keep Butterfield and Steele I think we'll do enough to stay up which is success in my mind.

 

Seeing the culmination

Of bad management from the top at BFC since the start of the 2006/07 season.

Goodwill generated by promotion back to The Championship has been blown away by poor decisions re: ticketing and pricing, communication(lack of) with supporters and awful managerial sackings and appointments.

So we are now down to the core support of 8,000. The owner can't be expected to keep underwriting the club, but in my opinion the failure to put together a coherent progressive board to oversee the club is the main reason that BFC will ultimately fail. We can keep swapping managers and sign new players but where is the long term strategy on and off the field to drive the club forwards ? Where are the people who can connect with supporters on a level beyond diktats on the website ? Where is the warmth from BFC, the feeling that it is 'our' club ? Where is the supporters organisation that EVERY supporter is part of ? Never has it been more 'them and us' than it is now in my opinion.

Feel very sorry for Keith Hill, because another time with the right financial backing I think he could do something.

As it is, what happens on the pitch is irrelevant to a large extent in my opinion. Unless the 'root and branch' review showed up that off field managerial changes and a change in attitude and direction were needed then there's only one way for Barnsley FC to go and that is downwards.