FAO: Those who attended Oakwell yesterday..

As you may or may not be aware, I was unable to attend the match yesterday, as I had a prior engagement with my better half.

Also, as you may know, I do a BFC blog. And so I don't feel it's right that I do a report on a game I haven't seen live. I could watch it on Player and do so, but as I say, it's not the same.

So, and this is where you come in - I'd like it if you could perhaps add a short summary of your view of the game, and instead of doing said report, I'll do an article covering the game, but with your views, those who were actually there.

If anybody can help, please put your views down on this thread, and the sooner I get some decent responses, the sooner I'll get the article up for those who are interested.

In it together and all that jazz.

Btw, I have already changed my mind regards my attendance this season, and I'll be at Oakwell for every other game, work/life/relationship permitting.

Oh, and how refreshing is it to start the season with a smile, a clean sheet, and three unexpected points?

Up The Tarn!

 

Summary

Barnsley start out cautious - aim appears not to lose possession - which worked well.

After early flurries by Emnes and Ledesma, Reds defenders (especially Stones) appear to gain control.

Controlled performance through first half.

Fine four pass move leads to Perkins to Davies, who places a controlled finish beyond the Boro keeper.

Second half - more controlled work by Reds - hitting Boro on the break.

Mowbwray's frustration demonstrated by use of all three subs on the 60 minutes mark.

As games progresses, more chances on the break to the Reds, particularly Davies, who had several good efforts and could have had the match ball.

Gonzalez demonstrates good positioning and makes several fine saves as the match reaches latter stages.

One Boro attack results in a quite magnificent block of an Emnes shot by Harewood - YES! HAREWOOD! - Great covering back there, big man.

Full time - excellent victory for the Reds.

WELL DONE KEITH HILL AND FLICKER! Team set up excellent. The whole was better than the sum of the parts, which is surely the definition of good management/coaching.

Not been your greatest admirer so far, but well impressed with yesterday.

COYR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Thanks for that, Orsey.

 

Wow, great pub team update! Merlin, Nudger's is a cracking read, he could be your guest blogger of the week.

 

come on, own up, who the hell has hacked orsenkahts computer ?

 

Tek no notice of Nudger saying tactics were to miss out midfield. If that had been the case, then Perkins, Cywka and Mellis wouldn't have seen as much of the ball as they did. Yes long balls were sometimes hit to the big men, but that should be part and parcel of any game. Do agree though that Perkins was the stand out player for me which makes his comment about tactics even more confusing. Got to compliment Keefy and Flicker for putting Wiseman at centre half, can only think that that was to combat their pace up front and the fact they dont have a target man. Think most people were shocked with that decision. Good game and we rode our luck near the end, but then again we should have been out of sight earlier.

 

Keep em coming people.

As the next game is upon us so soon (Tuesday), I'll be doing a bit of a review of yesterday, as well as previewing the Wolves game.

May have to read through last nights threads to get a clearer picture of fan opinion.

 

Turned up at 14:45. Tannoy in Ponty End is still inaudible so didn't know the line up. Teams come out handshakes all done etc. Notice there's no McNulty? "Oh £&@! That clown Wiseman is playing at CB with Fozzy" we're my exact words.

First 10 mins reds we're a bit tentative and Emnes looked quite dangerous, but John Stones soon Sussed him out. The rest of the half Reds were on top, had a lot of corners, good possession. Perkins seemed to be everywhere on the field and eventually set up Davies for the goal. A couple of minutes before Boro came close with a free kick, but it went just wide of Gonzales' right hand post.

Second half, Reds on top again, coming very close to a second 3 or 4 times. Cywka got more involved in the second half, looks a good find by Keith, may be more to come when match fit. Same for Harewood. Etuhu and Goldbourne looked a good combination on the left hand side.

Boro's number 11 seem to spend more time sat on his arse complaint to the referee than he did trying to play football, getting Perkins and Dawson what looked like ridiculous bookings. Comedy moment of the game was Woodgate having to re take a free kick around 3 times in 10 seconds because the ball was moving. Idiot.

We backed off in the last 10 mins and were under pressure. We battled hard and deservedly IMO got the 3 points after a very prolonged 4 minutes of injury time.

Man of Match went to Goldbourne, but could easily have gone to Stones or Perkins. But all the lads put a good shift in.

 

A terrific team performance

Where everyone made a positive contribution, against opposition much fancied to be in the promotion shake up at the end of the season. Any criticism levelled at the team, or a particular individual, would in my view be pedantry of the highest order. No one had a bad game, everyone played well. Some like Stones, Golbourne, Perkins & Cywka were (in my opinion) outstanding. We fielded a make shift defence, were missing the likes of Steele, Silva, McNulty, O'Brien, Mido, had Done substituted through injury after about a quarter of an hour, had a number of lads breathing out of their back passage in the final stages of the game due to their application & commitment to the cause, but still played with a style very pleasing on the eye. The team spirit, confidence and willingness to play for the shirt was in stark & pleasant contrast to the final three months of last season.
This was only one game, though. This is just one step on a long journey. However, I am still confident we'll have a mid table finish this season and not be involved in a relegation dog fight. Although I accept I'm probably in the minority on that score.

 

There was a surprise when the teams were announced. There was no McNulty and we had named three full backs in our back four. I assumed Stones would be filling in at CH, but as the teams lined up it became clear that Wiseman was playing there. I am no Wiseman hater. In fact I value his pace at full back and his ability to overlap when we attack, but frankly, he would have been one of the last players I would have chosen for CH, especially when Collins and Hassell were sitting on the bench.

The game opened with both sides looking like the football season had come too soon. Passes were going astray at regular intervals and first touches were often poor. Middlesborough's Emnes went inside Stones and the subsequent cross was hurriedly cleared by Foster. This was Stones last error for 80 minutes as he totally dominated Emnes, forcing him to look elsewhere for an easier opponent. This period also saw Mellis have an awful first touch in our box. It led to a poor challenge as he tried to regain possession, and we were lucky that the ref overlooked the boro penalty appeals.

After the early exchanges, the reds took control. It became clear why KH had picked Wiseman in the centre. Boro were operating with just Ledesma up front. He carried little aerial threat, and was easily marked out of the game by Foster, which left Wiseman to attack the ball. In centre midfield, Perkins and Mellis faced three boro players including Arca. In spite of this they dominated possession. Up front, Davies clearly enjoyed the support of Harewood, and it was soon clear that Woodgate is no longer the player he once was.

After 20 minutes, Done was felled by a late challenge and was forced to retire to be replaced by Etuhu, who soon showed the boro full back a clean pair of heels. Cywka worked hard to find crossing opportunities and covered in front of Stones quite well.

In spite of our dominance, with half time approaching, there had been only one Davies shot on target, and nothing from boro. Then boro lost the ball near the half way line. The ball found its way to Perkins who found Davies in space at the edge of the box. His drive across the face of the goal gave Steele in the boro goal no chance, as it bulged the net by the far post. After a disappointing end to last season and a summer of despondency and pessimism when player after player decided not to join the Oakwell revolution, the crowd responded to the goal as if it were the winner in the cup final, rather than the first in a long season.

My thoughts at half time were about the players that I thought could not make it through 90 minutes played under a hot sun, and concerns as to whether we would be able to hold on. After half time, it was a different game. Barnsley tried to contain boro and hit them on the break. The strategy worked as Harewood and Davies managed to isolate particularly Woodgate. As the half wore on it became a battle between Davies and Steel in the boro goal, as the later kept out three magnificent strikes with spectacular saves.

It was not one way traffic though, and as our mid-field weakened under the hot sun, boro found more space and began to put our defence under pressure for the first time. Mellis could not find the legs to make a challenge, and a wicked long range shot was pushed away by Gonzalez. The boro pressure yielded several corners and Gonzalez was fortunate to get away with several flaps. They say if you can't be good be lucky, and Gonzalez was lucky again as he pushed away a shot which hit an on rushing boro forward, only to bounce back into his arms as he lay prostrate on the ground.

The tired Mellis was removed with 20 minutes remaining to be replaced by Dawson, but Harewood, Etuhu and Cywka who looked almost equally as tired were left to battle on through to full time. The boro pressure stepped up as their three fresh substitutes ran at our tiring defence. Gonzalez was again fortunate that a shot and later a free header were straight at him and as the referee's watch ticked the final few seconds of injury time, the reds were grateful to Wiseman, who ran down the otherwise disappointing Emnes to complete a wonderful tackle as he unleashed a goal bound shot.

Although the tired Reds were left to hang on for their victory, that victory was fully merited. Every one of the boro chances in the second half was matched by a fantastic save by Steel at the other end. I do not think that the result signals the end of worries about relegation this season, and I still have some doubts about the team. Those doubts can be aired on another day, because today is just about enjoying the win. Our manager out thought Mowbray, the boro boss, and the cast offs of Barnsley had the two best players on the pitch in Wiseman and Davies.

 

Re: A terrific team performance

Thanks again people.

I've got enough there to use.

Onto previewing our next 'Cup Final'

 

Re: A terrific team performance

Yep, I fancy the top half!