Academy Result 14/02/09

Barnsley (0) 0 v Derby County (0) 4

Barnsley Team
1. Danny Free (Yr2)
2. Michael Tieman (Yr1)
3. Liam Reffin (Yr1)
4. Sean Reid (?)
5. Martin Grundy (Yr2)
6. Danny Fearnehough (Yr1)
7. Alistair Taylor (Yr1)
8. Tyrone Crapper (Yr1)
9. Jack Watts (Yr2)
10. Jamil Adam (Yr2)
11. Tom Mellor (Yr2)
Subs
12. Jack Briscoe (Yr1) for Reffin (54) (Mellor to LB and Watts to LW)
14. Steve Bennett (Yr1) for Crapper (63) (Adam to MF)
15. Warburton (Yr2) for Watts (77) (LW)

The young Reds have not played for the last 2 weeks, so tiredness would not be an excuse this week. Derby's game was also called off last week. In their first encounter on 6 December, Derby had won 5-0 so the young Reds would be looking to improve. However, they would have to do so without Conor Branson who broke his leg in the last match. The Reds started the game in a 4:4:1:1 formation with Adam just behind Watts up front. Martin Grundy filled in at centre half for Branson and Derby's 4:3:3 formation left Crapper and Fearnehough undermanned in midfield.

For the first 15 minutes Derby pushed the Reds back with their 4:3:3 formation working much better than the Reds 4:4:1:1. However, Derby were left with nothing to show for their dominance after Grundy cleared off the line with Free beaten. After that, the rest of the half was more even, though several half chances came and went Derby's way. They would have been satisfied with a half time score of 0-0.

The deadlock was broken 7 minutes into the second half. Grundy was beaten by the Derby #9 on the byline. His low cross went under Free at his near post and the Derby #10 scored from less than 1 yard. Soon afterwards Reffin was called off to be replaced by Briscoe. Mellor was asked to drop back from LW to LB and Watts moved to LW. With the team still getting used to the changes, Derby scored again. The ball was crossed in from the inside right position and was glanced home by the Derby #9.

The Derby wingers crossed over to the opposite wings and the Derby #7 began to dominate the game. On 70 minutes, Mellor was beaten and the cross from the byline caused havoc in a Reds defense missing both centre halfs. Tieman managed to half clear but the defense was no more organised when the ball was returned to the middle from the opposite side and the Derby #7 scored easily from 7 yards. By now the Reds were chasing a goal, just to give the scoreline some respectability and Bennett had replaced Crapper with Adam dropping into midfield. They were leaving 4 players forward and no-one was tracking back when the ball was lost. They were creating half chances, mostly when Reid added his height to proceedings from freekicks and corners. However, there was loads of space when Derby got the ball which their system was set up to exploit. It was no surprise when the Derby #7 got one-on-one with Tieman on the Derby left, cut in on his right foot to beat Free with a curling shot from the edge of the box on 86 minutes.

MotM
Not one Barnsley player could say that they had won their personal battle with their opponent. Reid won most of his headers at both ends of the pitch and could not be faulted for any of the goals. Adam was ahead of most of his teammates in terms of his ability to pass the ball. Watts fought his losing battle as hard as he could and Fearnehough used what little space Derby gave him. Out of Reid and Adam, I thought Adam shaded it.

 

excellent report again, thank you. looks like they are desperate for defenders

on the back foot all the time, so the midfield and strikers aern't getting enough of the ball

 

Derby were a much bigger, and presumably an older side. They dominated more and more as the game wore on, but this was not just because of their ages. I felt that our coach had decided that when we went behind he was going to experiment. I think that he wanted to see whether Mellor could play left back. He actually completed the game today, something he rarely does. Sadly, his tackling and positional play at fullback leaves a lot to be desired. I also felt that he wanted to see Adam in midfield. I personally do not see Adam's future as a centre forward. When he does play up front, he plays behind the striker. It is not far from there to attacking MF player and Adam can see a pass. Finally, Warburton made a brief appearance at the end. This is rare and perhaps he wanted to give the lad one last chance. When we went behind I felt that the focus of what we wanted to achieve from the match changed.

 

What do you think of Adam?

Any chance of getting near the first team in the next year or so?

Great report as always btw.

 

Just thought I would get in before Wiganred et al and say

You are always getting at the academy lads , give up and leave them alone.





ONLY kidding mate, I love reading your reports and its nice to hear fron someone not under the influence of the club.
Keep em coming. (Y) (Y)

 

I was at academy game too. I feel your report on game is very fair. However I don't know how you can say Reid was not at fault for any of the goals as he was nowhere to be seen for the last two goals. The team needs to defend as a whole not just a back four. Also they looked unfit compared to Derby with many unable to track back to help the team defend in numbers. Derby looked to have better player than us so it is always an uphill battle. I agree with you as there are not enough decent players in the Barnsly squad.

 

Derby looked a good team, we was always chasing them today.
Their goal keeper looked like a potential good un too.

 

Not sure to be honest. He is only 17 and is nowhere near good enough to play first team football. I am not even sure that striker is going to be his best position long term.

 

I thought that the last goal came because we were chasing the game. The shape had gone and we were not getting back goal side when we did not have the ball.

 

Don't know where Wigan Red et al was today. I didn't see him and he has not told me that my report was inaccurate just yet. Perhaps he is just a myth.

 

so will adam get to first team squad this season?

 

no chance mate he will be playing for grimsby in 12 months nt

 

Not sure why you are having a go at Reid? All the goals came from down the channels on both sides. The fourth goal saw the Derby 7 cut inside of Tieman to shoot. Both full backs were left exposed throughout the game because the Barnsley wide players were not helping out defensively. Reid got enough stick a fortnight ago, let's not have another go at him now, especially when it isn't his fault.

 

The strikers got plenty of the ball and with better finishing could easily have scored 4 goals themselves. Briscoe had 2 chances, one from a disguised pass from Fearnehough and another from the same players corner. Reid also had a good chance from a corner but headed over. Taylor set up Watts for a header on the far post which was missed and Barnsley's best move saw Watts shoot wide from a great pass from Taylor again after Fearnehough had broken up play in the middle.
I agree the midfield don't get the ball enough from the back four, as most of the defenders want to kick it as far away as possible all the time.

 

I would like to see Adam be given some sort of chance but doubt that will happen until we are 'safe' (mainly to see the gap between the youth and the first team). I don't think he played that well yesterday. He provided a couple of good passes early on but then I thought he coasted and played the worst pass of the match. With a simple pass available to him he chose to retain the ball and turn into a couple of Derby players before passing the ball backward straight to their centre forward. Luckily his defence helped him out. He tends to have too many moments like that in a game and that is why I agree with Red Rain that he isn't ready just yet.

 

I was at the game. I should not be too difficult to spot as I have my 10 year old son with me. I am not a Barnsley FC employee as suggested.
I felt like "Barney" that Barnsley had opportunities to score in the game. Like "Barney" I did not agree with your choice for MoM. However in your defence I would have been hard pushed to select a MoM on that display.
I have said before that in most cases we are not as good as our opponents technically. But it has to said that we did not look as fit as Derby either. They had not played for a fortnight just like us so there can be no excuses. If we can't match other teams on ability, the very least you can expect is that we are as fit as them. And we are not. The blame for this MUST lay with the coaching staff. How much time do they spend on that element of the game? Clearly not enough based on Saturday's game.

 

I agree with your point that the midfield do not see enough of the ball from the defenders but with the exception of the right back, none of them ever look to play the ball short. And on occasions I have heard the coaches critise Tieman for passing short into Fearnehough or Crapper instead of playing long and turning their defence.

 

I would not have a go at Reid either. And I would not blame Tieman for the fourth goal either. He was left one v one situation. He was still having a go when most of his team mates had given up chasing back. I come back to my point on our fitness levels and I would also question the desire of one or two as well.

 

You are Barney

...which is why you agree with his every post. Grow some balls and fight your own corner rather than agreeing with yourself.

 

Hang on a minute- I didn't comment on Red Rain's choice of MOTM....and in all the games I have seen, I have never heard the coaches shouting at a player for passing the ball into midfield from defence !!!! I assume lads do what they are comfortable with, but by hitting it long all the time, we are constantly losing possession and reducing the opportunity of our better players to perform and influence matches more.