Deeply Impressive Performance

There were shades of the 2-0 win over Man City (28 December 1996) about that performance. Total control of the game, which the team managed brilliantly. It feels as though Henderson has come on many times and done it to us over the years - last night he didn't get a sniff when he came on. That we can manage this without Hammill, White and Winnall (for 45 minutes) just bodes so well. I'm beginning to buy this 'the system' idea, because every time we lose someone influential we seem to bring in someone equally as good. You could have made a case out for just about any of the team last night for MOM. Perhaps special mentions for Roberts, Hourihane and Fletcher. But Brownhill is quietly efficient and Chapman looks a real talent. But in truth, everyone did a great job. Very well done.

 

It is natural to be so positive after such an easy win against a team in the top six, but Coventry were awful. Every time they looked to get back into the game, their passing would let them down. The failing prevented them from retaining possession and putting us under any real pressure, and prevented them from exposing our weaknesses in defence. I was surprised how poor Williams was when he replaced Bree at right back, his favoured position. Very Curious.

My MotM was Hourihane. During his first season under Danny Wilson, I was one of his fiercest critics. I did not see how the team could function with both Hourihane and Winnall in the team because Hourihane struggled so badly with the defensive side of the 4-4-2 formation. However, the improvement in this part of his game is staggering. He is now the complete midfield player and last night, he dominated the game both defensively and offensively.

However, I am getting concerned about the injuries that we have. Apparently Winnall rolled his ankle, which does not sound too bad, but the hamstring injury to Bree potentially rules him out for 3 weeks and I thought Williams struggled.

 

I don't think it's a full-blown hamstring pull or tear - he just felt it tightening, apparently. With all the games coming up, it could be a very shrewd bit of squad management.

 

It's one of those "they were awful" v "we pressed well and didn't allow them to play" debates. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. But if you thought Williams was poor you must have been watching a different game to me. I thought there wasn't a poor player on our side.

 

Williams' problem seemed to be lack of pace. He has been playing two games per week for a while, with nothing before it, so perhaps he is tired. His workload is not up with that of Bree because he does not contribute as much in an attacking sense. Nevertheless, he was the weak link at the back in the last 20 minutes.

You could argue on some occasions that it was our pressing that led to their inaccurate passing, but I lost count of the times that the man on the ball in a blue shirt was not under pressure and simply passed the ball out of play, or over hit the through ball straight to our keeper. They really were very poor, and I told my mate so on several occasions during the game.

 

I agree with that RR. I thought the Coventry winger had Williams struggling all game, when he moved to RB we then brought Watkins over to help him out too. He's done a good job but I'm not seeing the fantastic performances many are. Understandable considering his background & lack of games, though.

Conor Hourihane was out of this World. He was everywhere. The first to help press in the second half, communicating with his players, driving them forward, holding their positions, dictating play, grafting, tackling - the lot. The single best midfield performance I can remember from a Barnsley player (I was 12 when we sold Higgy...)

 

You must have been watching a different game; Williams put in a tremendous shift against a very fast and talented premier league loanee in Murphy. He doubled up well with Watkins to stifle Murphy who was largely ineffective throughout.

 

Williams was outstanding last night both at left and right back.

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Praise for our stand in chief coach.

I have been unsure about Hecky. I thought that he was simply building on the work of Johnson in the way that Flicker relied on the work and ideas of Keith Hill. I could only see the danger of permanently appointing the manager's assistant.

The driving wind and rain was a big factor in our first half performance. Hecky saw this and changed to a 4-3-3 for the second half. He used his head and proved that he is an individual with his own thoughts and his own opinions. The five in midfield nullified their advantage in the second half, and the pace of Chapman and Fletcher were key to keeping them honest. Hecky moved out of the shadow of Johnson last night for me.

 

I think I'm getting a man crush on Fletcher. Folk don't seem keen on him because he only does it as a sub so I was very pleased to see him play well in a start. Lads got a great career ahead of him I reckon.

Obviously I also have a man crush on the rest of them

 

I agree. You would have to be hyper-critical to find anything to fault. But then this is Barnsley FC, and we do seem to need to temper our enthusiasm with a healthy dose of criticism. Even if it is of the 'clutching at straws' variety.

 

Remember that Man City game well. Redfearn was suspended, which made the performance even more impressive. Jovo was on penalty duty. Icy crisp cold with the sun out. Man city bringing their full allocation. I think the opening goal was beautifully curled in deep lying cross from Shezza. Oh, and it was the day before my 12th birthday.

amazing times.

 

Jovo was likened to Ruud Gullitt in one of the reports I read!

 

Agreed, but 4-5-1, surely??

 

For once I agree with nary a quibble with Red Rain. I thought Coventry were incredibly poor for a team in the top 6. Armstrong was quiet and starved of service. Williams I thought did ok but didn't look especially comfortable in either position. Hourihane again showed his qualities on a difficult night for forward thinking players.

 

He was done quite a few times for pace by the winger despite his attempts to keep hold of his arm.

 

Agree with you about the .an with the devil in his bones. Conor is a man transformed and on that form will.push himself in to contention for the roi euros squad. Also worried bout the injuries but fingers crossed the recovery time will be swift.
Disagree that coventry were as bad as you suggest . Heck out hough Mowbray last night. Our pressing and hunger took them by surprise. In the second half they looked stronger particularly in midfield.
Totally disagree re George Williams. As another poster points out, the guy he was up against had a superb game and jud will have known he was in a proper game. He had difficulty in the first 15 but then got the measure of the guy. Whilst he ouldnt match him for pace his positional.sense and ever improving defensive ability were adequate compensation. Can't understand your comment about him looking weaker ar right back .
That's the great thing g about the game. The differing opinion. We all watch the same match but probably 8000 people with different shades of opinion. Good job that the only two that matter are tomm.ys and heckys as they are proving to be significantly right in the decisions they are making

 

Whilst you might argue that in the euphoria of all this good winning form it is easy to.praise and less easy to be critical, can't understand the uncertainty you felt towards hecky. What none of us know is how much influence he had in the winning run when Johnson was here. Its quite conceivablel that he probably had as much to do with it as lj.bif not more.

 

The Official Twitter feed suggested Williams did an excellent job.