Barnsley v Southend - Sunday Supplement

I know a lot of people have written about the match already so this is just by way of a footnote to everyone else's efforts really. I've just watched the Player highlights and there are a couple of points to make. Firstly, the penalties:

The one we didn't get - their defender deliberately throws himself in the way of a goal bound shot and, for me, clearly handles it. It was like a goalkeeper's diving save in fact. If you play it back several times there is no other conclusion, for me. He wasn't trying to get out of the way of it. He blatantly dived to stop a goal, and he got away with it.

The one we did get - I thought yesterday it was a certain red card for the keeper but the replay shows otherwise. Yes, our man took it round him very well and then got pulled to the ground. But there were two defenders haring back to cover and I don't see how Fletcher could have had a clear sight of goal once he had set himself for the shot. It was borderline but the ref just about got it right. HOWEVER, what happened next was outrageous. Bentley demonstrated the most blatant bit of gamesmanship I have ever seen at a penalty. Why don't refs just blow the whistle, give the penalty taker the nod and then let him roll the ball into the net? The keeper had no business standing about six or eight feet away from the post, just playing stupid mind games to put Hourihane off. Conor actually picked the ball up and walked away before re-spotting it. It shouldn't have put him off but, clearly, it did. What did the ref do? Nothing, of course.

The timewasting and over the top gamesmanship started from the fifth minute actually, which is quite an achievement if you think about it. A stronger referee would have spotted what was going on and dished out a couple of early cards. Then we might have had a better game. Southend were, as many have said, a decent footballing side so why they have to resort to this kind of crap I don't know. They're not alone though and it was up to us to stop them by scoring. We didn't manage that, so they spent 85 minutes plus stoppage time playing their own fouling, time wasting, distasteful kind of game.

Marc Roberts certainly got a whack in the face before their first goal but he should have done something about it other than standing their appealing. Mawson and Connolly were like statues as well as Payne danced round them and picked his spot. In truth we were bullied all over the park from start to end and there seemed nothing we could do about it. You could say that Scowen coming on might have redressed the balance a bit but, more than likely, he would have got booked for his first or second hard tackle and that would have been the end of his influence.

It was disappointing all round yesterday, after what we have been used to. Of course these runs have to end - we all know that - but at least it didn't end with a dismal home defeat to a Colchester or a Doncaster. Southend were good value for their win but it's a shame they had to get it with so much going on that I hate to see on a football field. In the end we were a bit clueless, with the Chapman/Hammill flying wingers experiment not working; Brownhill having his worst game for us; our defence looking very unsure of themselves most of the time. I'm not going to level any blame at individuals there - the young full back was facing a huge step up from his usual game for Everton U18s and he didn't do all that badly. He certainly made errors, but so does James Bree.

One thing that is really puzzling me is this long throw routine. I would put good money on the prediction that we will NEVER score from one of Roberts's missiles. Either he throws it too flat and fast or our forwards haven't got any idea how to deal with it. Don't they practice this kind of stuff in training? The highlights package showed one second half throw which DID cause a bit of concern, but we still didn't score. It's a tactic that will only really work if you have a Peter Crouch playing for you, and we don't. So why bother? It's just giving the ball away, every time.

So, on we go to Fleetwood where there is every chance we can pick up another win. If we don't I fear that we might go on a similar run to last season where we tailed off after a promising post-Christmas period and couldn't buy a win before thrashing Rochdale on the last day. I hope it doesn't happen and that we keep the interest going beyond our Wembley date. And on that subject, by the way, I wonder how many of our players are only thinking about that? You can't blame them for not wanting to pick up bookings or injuries that would rule them out but the more they try to avoid all that, the more likely it is that it will happen. They just need to play their normal game and all will be well.

 

Having already been booked in giving away the penalty, their goalkeeper should have got a second one for his blatant gamesmanship before the penalty could be taken. Just a chicken hearted referee throughout.,

 

I don't like them either. Southend were time wasting yet our only plan was to waste our own time whilst we waited time and time again for Roberts to jog slowly over to take yet another throw from however far away he was stood. We must waste 10-15 seconds per Roberts throw in for him to get in position to take it. Clubs know exactly how to deal with them. Southend pretty much won every first header from them yesterday. Be nice to see us mix it up abit.

 

I was thinking yesterday that the only useful long throw that Roberts could employ would be when we concede one near our own touchline. He could launch it well up field rather than us being under pressure through taking a short one near the corner flag that doesn't get worked upfield properly. I know a long throw down the line can come straight back but there is always a chance it would be put out for another throw. Rugby Union tactic, just gaining ground

 

I think the Roberts throws would be better used clearing the ball from those throw -ins just by our own corner flag - couple yesterday where we almost put ourselves under pressure - get it thrown up to the half way line

 

Thing is, we only have two players who are likely to get on the end of one of Roberts' throws, Alfie Mawson and, erm, Roberts. Therefore, even if Marc catches one just right, as long as they've got Alfie looked after we aren't likely to get much from it. Moreover, given we play with wingers and creative centre midfield players, were cutting off a large portion of our attacking situation opportunities by going long throw all the time. Now and again, yes, but all the time, no.

Another supplement about the gullibility of the ref in the face of Southend's 'professionalism'. The number 14 Hurst was playing on the left side of midfield, next to the dug-out just before he was substituted. There was a break in play and the fourth ref put the sub board up with the number 14 on, at which point Hurst seeing this calmly and blatantly trotted from left side over to the East stand side, casually passing the ref on the way. When nearly at the East stand touchline he turned back round and slowly trudged all the way back.

Mind even if the ref had added ten minutes on we didn't look like scoring!

 

Had Fletcher not been brought down he most certainly have been ahead of the other 2 defenders albeit to one side and could have slotted it home. Red card all day long and I don't buy the comment on Sky about him going away from goal as the reason for no red. Regarding the other penalty shout, you would need the benefit of slomo to see where it hit him because at normal speed its not that obvious. Ref does not have benefit of slomo

 

As to the Roberts throws...I think they'll pay dividends..but not necessarily against what can't be far off the biggest defence in the division .

 

Enjoyable read, as ever PoR. I'll be at Fleetwood with the good doctor, fingers crossed we see a reaction and the start of another pleasing run.

 

I don't really think they will. We just don't have the bean pole player in the box to get a flick on (like Crouch). As I said, it's just giving the ball away. Roberts had so many long throws yesterday that his arms must be aching.

 

Yes I realise that the ref did not have the technology to check his decision.
It's about time football caught up with rugby union. Football is a better game but the way they ref rugby matches is far better.

 

Ha! I did begin to wonder if he would physically be able to throw the ball that far at one point when we had 3 straight after each other.

 

I don't think the referee was chicken hearted in not booking the goalkeeper for his mind games, if you look carefully you will see the ref was totally oblivious to it, until he was going to blow the whistle to take the penalty. It was only then that he was initially going to rebuke Hurriane for not having the ball on the spot and that was when he told the goalkeeper to get in the nets. Totally disgraceful, the problem is it worked. I am sure it influenced Hurriane into saying right yer little xxxxx I'm going to blast it past you, and he did, -- just 8 yards wide.

 

Deffo handball and should have been a pen.

 

The irony with the throws is that we could do with Roberts in the box for them.


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Fletcher ?

 

As a Blues fan, I wasn't impressed with the amount of time we wasted. Whilst I'm pleased and surprised with the win, that certainly isn't how we normally play. I don't like it when teams play like that against us and I could certainly understand your frustration. I didn't travel 3 hours and 15 mins to see our full back standing on the sideline holding the ball for ages.

With regards to Bentley before the penalty, he did it at Wembley in the playoffs in the penalty shoot-out. Although, for a much shorter amount of time than Saturday (obviously, as it was a shoot-out).

Expected more from Barnsley, Winnall looked like he had an off day when he came on. Was anyone hurt when he booted the ball into the stand in anger?

Overall, thought both our goals were well taken, but as has been noted on this thread already, your defenders didn't do too much to stop Payne & Timlin.

Is the JPT Final acting as a distraction for your players? That was certainly the case for us when we got to the JPT Final (v Crewe - 2013). Either way, enjoy your day out and good luck against Oxford.

Best of luck for the rest of the season. Quite like Barnsley as a club; I hope you make the playoffs.

Until next season (unless you go up & barring any cameo appearances I make in the meantime), over and out.

 

Cheers pal, all the best.

We've been playing with a bit of tempo and intensity which was missing on Saturday so I'm hoping it was just an off day - now the play-offs are in reach for us I'd hope the players are as focussed on that as anything else.

But considering where we were in December we'd have to maintain our recent form consistently over the rest of the season which is a massive task imho.

 

I agree with most of that, however;

1. Definite red card for the penalty, the two players running back were barely level with the keeper when Fletcher went down. Put it this way, would our keeper have got away with it? I very much doubt it.
2. Time-wasting, the keeper got away with it again, might well have got booked if he hadn't already been. Very poor refereeing.

The handball looked nailed on from my position on the Ponty and the youtube video confirms it for me. Deliberate handball and another straight red. The Ref had a clear view, appallingly poor refereeing again.