[BFC SITE] Pre-Stevenage Press Conference | Josh Earl

Fixtures

• Barnsley Vs. Stevenage - Sat, Jan 25 2025, 15:00

Defender Josh Earl addressed the media ahead of Barnsley’s next fixture, offering insight into the team’s performances, his personal progress, and the season’s goals.

Reflecting on Bristol Rovers and Key Performances


Earl discussed our last outing against Rovers earlier in the season, saying:
“I think one of the better performances we’ve had this season was against them in the league at home. But again, we created so many chances we couldn’t quite get the ball on the back of the net.

“But I think at the same time, we should have gone on to win that game 1-0 even because the goals we concede, they weren’t good enough. So it’s just about being better in both boxes.”

On Goal Contributions and Areas for Improvement


Earl reflected on his goal tally so far:
“Yeah, you could say that! (on the goals flying in for the defender) I’ve had two now, I could do with a few more. But better than my usual standards. It’s something that I definitely need to sort of add to my game.

“With my size in the box, I definitely need to be more aggressive and get on the end of corners more and get on the end of crosses. It’s something that I need to improve on, but hopefully it’s sort of going in the right direction.”

Praise for Teammates and Set Piece Training


Highlighting the contributions of his teammates and coaches, Earl added:
“Yeah, Corey's (O'Keeffe) delivery’s been unbelievable so far this season. I think it’s a credit to him to always put in the ball where it needs to be.

“Yeah, the work that Conor (Hourihane) does with the set pieces is really good. A lot of time this season, you know, I’ve had different roles in those sort of set pieces. The work that he’s doing has been really good, him and Ed (Davies) have been working really hard, and they’ve created opportunities for us, which is good.

“There’s always little tweaks that we make during training. It’s quite fun and positive because we can sort of have our input and, you know, explain to Conor what we think and he can explain to us what he thinks. And I think it’s good that we sort of work together as, you know, the staff and the players work together to create better opportunities for us from set pieces.”

On Recovery and Return to Full Fitness


Earl shared an update on his fitness following recently returning from injury:
“Yeah, yeah, I feel much better. I think, you know, the gaffer sort of got me into the games. Yeah, because I came back a little bit early, he sort of let me get into the games a little bit slower, you know, bringing me off at 60 minutes, which was good because I wasn’t risking too much.

“But now I’m sort of feeling a lot better. Still may take one or two games to get back to peak performance, but I think I’m pretty much there now and I’m looking forward to the games coming up.”

Team Progress and Ambitions


Reflecting on the season so far, Earl expressed optimism:
“With the recent month we’ve had, we would like that to carry on longer, and it probably should have done with the, you know, again, like with the performance against Bristol. But I think we’ve grown so much as a team over the season.

“I think we’re finally sort of just about getting into our stride. The amount of chances we’re creating at the moment is phenomenal. But we just need to make sure that we’re keeping out of our net better because, like I said, the goals we conceded on Saturday were sloppy. But yeah, it’s the most comfortable and most positive I think a lot of the players have felt at this moment in time. I think it’s definitely something that we can build on again still.”

Looking ahead, he added:
“The focus is to climb as much as we can in the league. With the league being so tight and it being League One, no game is easy. But if we can string a few wins together, the table can change quickly. It’s something we’re striving for.”

On His Time at Barnsley


Earl spoke fondly of his experience since joining the Reds:
“I’ve loved it. I’ve loved every second of it. The club’s been amazing for me. It’s been a great new start. The fans, the staff, and everyone around the place have been fantastic. I’ve really enjoyed my time here so far. The players have been brilliant as well.

“My performances have improved. It’s been a good step up for me, challenging higher up the league. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. The football we play at times has been really fun to be involved in. I’ve enjoyed the challenges and every aspect of being a Barnsley player so far.”

Looking Ahead to Stevenage


Earl highlighted the importance of putting in a strong performance against Stevenage this weekend:
“I’ve said it a couple of times so far: we’ve grown so much as a team since then. It’s something we need to put right at home against Stevenage. They’re a tough team to play against and always make it difficult, especially away from home. That was a very difficult game for us, and we didn’t do well, but hopefully, we can put it right this Saturday.

“Home form is something we’ve struggled with since I’ve been here, but we’re definitely trying to improve and working on being harder to beat at home. I feel like we’re stepping in the right direction, slowly but surely.”

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