I’m so sorry Neil Collins…

He needs to have a stern word with Mael and Earl in particular. Their remit isn’t to dribble the ball and take chances like they do. Now and then it might be necessary to get out of trouble, but to do it and get into trouble so often without learning from it is flipping amateurish.

 

It's at least a couple of times per game, every single game. Live and don't learn apparently.

 

If you’re the opposition you’re rubbing your hands together playing against that.

 

Seriously? The football under Clarke is not particularly successful so far but is watchable, under Collins it was truly turgid, awful to watch and no more successful.

 

For all we know Clarke has told them he's fine with it.

 

The annoying thing with De Gevigney & Earl is that they actually defended really well yesterday. It was in possession that they keep making mistakes.

But it’s not just a Barnsley problem. I had soccer Saturday on yesterday & it felt like every other goal scored started with an analyst saying ‘it all started with so & so trying to play out from the back’.

Most lower league teams seem to be at it. It’s all about players trying to earn moves & managers knowing they have to play a certain brand of football to get a big move up the pyramid. It’s ridiculous & no one calls it out for fear of been labelled a dinosaur.

 

If he has, then I’m with it, as long as we’re 4-0 at the time

 

They might be having to do this because our midfielders never take up a position to receive the ball.

 

On the odd occasion maybe, but I don’t accept that as an excuse for Earl getting robbed in the opposing half with absolutely no cover behind him. That’s just risk taking.

 

I think we already have a contingency-in-waiting.
Hourihane.
I'm obviously not privy to what he does on the training ground, but:
He is not part of the playing side.
He seems on the periphery of the dugout clique.

He helped us shift some season tickets and I can only assume part of him joining was being promised 'you're next'.

 

Last night, and in particular second half, was pretty poor. I gave Stockport a lot of credit for how they switched up after ten to fifteen minutes and made it hugely difficult for us with their excellent work off the ball and out of possession. Tireless.

However the second half we should have adapted - we did get more ball at times too as they tired and eased off, and we still chose to sit back and defend a 1-0. George Graham’s Arsenal we are not.

Poor from Clarke - I also think bringing Pines on for Cotter was a bit bizarre as we ended up with four centre halves on - to then bring Lofthouse on a few mins later.

The players underperformed, Clarke again I feel got things wrong tactically and with substitutions - but the start after eight games is ok, we didn’t lose the game against a side I think will win a lot more than they lose and despite coming up from league two will have a bigger budget you’d think - last night wasn’t great but a draw is no disaster whatsoever.

Those calling for Clarke out want to belt up. Its September. We haven’t had all the forwards fit and available at one time at any point, we’ve just got Pines back who’s the only centre back with any pace - and he’s entitled to get stuff wrong as long as he learns from it.

The plain speaking is great but it isn’t enough. There has to be some self reflection too, not just criticising the players. He held his hands up in previous games - not so much last night.

So far I’d agree he hasn’t looked a massive improvement on Collins in terms of tactics and performance - but he deserves a lot more than eight games.

 

I think it’s leaning so far over the other way, in that we are trying to do everything to avoid looking like we did last season to prove a point, so we just punt it at first opportunity, whereas last season we just passed about verrrrryyyyyyy slowllyyyyyyyyyyyy, without any real purpose.

 

It's a long season judge him at the end of it. Hope he doesn't read the forum.

 

Agreed. We said last night how energetic their midfield was, and particularly in the second half we just cancelled each other out and traded possession very cheaply until we sounded the retreat bugle, ie bringing on the subs.

 

You think he is on the periphery of the dug out but the commentators in one recent away match (Burton I think) were suggesting his input was greater than you think and with them asking who really was the head coach him or Clarke

 

I only watched the game last night and frankly, I was shocked how poor we were.

Looking at our list of midfielders, I'd assume that was our strongest area. But our set up and positioning is awful. There were times we completely emptied midfield and times our midfield all looked like they were holding players.

I'm not sure if the midfield didn't show for the ball and that's why we hoofed it, or the tactic is just to hoof it, but it feels criminal we're bypassing what should be the strongest part of our team.

The bizarre irony is that on fleeting occasions we get the ball down, some of the movement and passing is very slick and has cut teams apart.

I'm hoping thats a one off but our possession stats are repeatedly very low.

As for recruitment, forgetting completely the individual personnel we signed and moved on, it makes little sense. The squad isn't balanced at all, though bizarrely given how many midfielders we have, we only seem to have one on the bench.

We never seem to learn. But given how many changes we have and their frequency, perhaps that shouldn't be a surprise.

 

No more successful? or no less unsuccessful?

Given we are currently 6th, and were 6th when Collins was fired, we are in exactly the same place - getting most points away and struggling at home.

 

What are they coaching that makes our defenders think the are the new Messi's trying to dribble out and giving possession away so often and so cheaply. I cant remember any Barnsley team that has given the ball away as often as these lot seem to do. Any half decent side would have beaten us the other day. I still have know idea what we are ment to be doing offensively. The our pressing game is really poor and haphazard. There appears to be no structure to it at all.

 

That’s the remit from those above, helps sell players for profit apparently