Got to admit I expected us to lose

And I was prepared for a bit of a tonking. But I expected us to fight. I expected us to put a tackle in. I expected us to have the courage to make a forward run, to play a forward pass. None of that happened in the first half.

Man City fans said that Leeds simply didn't turn up in the last round. We assured them that we would. We didn't. I don't think I've ever seen such a cowardly performance from a Barnsley team. Forget the gulf in quality, we didn't compete with them. There were a number of Barnsley players that didn't give their best and I find that unacceptable. The formation didn't help, 4-4-2 away at Man City? Madness. But that doesn't excuse not giving your all. As for the team selection...

I'd like to sit down with David Flitcroft to watch the Chelsea game from the last time we got to the FA Cup quarter final. I'd like him to see how Bobby Hassell was prepared to get his face between the ball and our goal on numerous occasions to stop Chelsea scoring. I'd then like him to compare that performance with the performances of the players he picked ahead of Hassell for the Man City game. And I'd like to ask him how he could possibly leave a player like Bobby out for some of those he picked. We wouldn't have won the game with Bobby Hassell in the side, but we would have been able to leave the Etihad proud of our players with our heads held high rather than thoroughly embarrassed.

I'll end on a positive. I thought Martin Cranie really stuck to the task.

 

It must be easy playing against one of Europes top teams

 

What's with everyone's fascination of Bobby Hassell being in the side? I'm not denying he's a good player and always gives his best, but him being in the side yesterday wouldn't have made any difference at all and we have better players in all the positions he can play.

 

Bang on

 

Didn't realise you had to be an expensive player to give your all. I thought you could do that from park football right to the top.

Man City were always going to better than us. I see no reason why, when evaluating the cost of the squad, that we should have expected them to work much harder than us. But they did.

 

Compareing the Chelsea game with that's like comparing a apple and ham.

you simply can't.

Chelsea came to oakwell with alsorts of problems. In the champ league and didn't play the likes of lampard and i don't think Drogba played either.
It was at Oakwell also.

That yesterday was a team that wanted something and wanted to win and they did that.

 

I really disagree Jay. A couple of players aside. If we'd chased all over the pitch they'd have ridiculed us. I thought we did well to keep our shape at times against an excellent, clinical Man City side. They punished every mistake. Perkins gives the ball away and a brilliant cross from Tevez and finish from Kolorov and its a goal.

Toure was unplayable because he drifts from defensive midfield to attacking midfield in the blink of an eye.

City were a cut above. They made it look like we weren't trying. Compare Harewood and Daggers success at closing people down in the Championship with yesterday. They couldn't get near them because of the movement and options their world class players offered

 

Who is the better right back?

 

You keep arguing that people are wrong and then agree with what they say. Jay said that Man City wanted it more and tried harder, you reply saying that man city wanted it

 

Ones played England u20 football, one hasn't.

SIMPLES

 

Scott Wiseman, for all his weaknesses is better than hassell

 

give over Keith

 

Athersley rec would have put up a better showing imho. Mite have been a bigger score but they would nt have left anything in the tank!

 

And on the same note out movement was horrendous! Its like watching statues.

 

Just to add to that after reading a few other posts.

I think Flitcroft got the formation and team selection wrong. That's just my opinion on a game of football. I'll always have opinions on things like this, as does every other fan. It does not mean I'm going to start calling Flitcroft names, calling him **** and wanting him out. I'm not in that gang.

I don't think Flitcroft could have chosen any formation or any team selection that would have lead to a Barnsley victory. We would have lost what ever we had done. But I do think we could have chosen a team that would have worked harder and made me much more proud of my team. I think a number of our players let Flitcroft down yesterday. Three quarters of the midfield for a start.

 

Go on then tell me who they are? Not one of these better players played yesterday !!!

 

is he fu ck !!!

 

I agree entirely about the formation 4-2-3-1 or 4-5-1. When I saw 4-4-2 I thought the worst. Mellis should have started IMO as well

 

I completely agree Jay. Like you say there is no link whatsoever between value and effort / fight. Our team selection was poor but that didn't excuse the way some of the players applied themselves yesterday.