I dont know much about anything butl, like many others on here, I do know a little bit about football and playing football. Obviously, like everyone else, I'm well depressed with recent results. I have opinions about the current state of affairs....ownership, DOF, CEO, Head Coach, Coaching Team etc.....but don't want to express those views in this thread. Amongst all the talk of what to do, one thing seems to be missing....we do not have a leader on the pitch. Not one player on our books has shown any leadership on the grass. Not one. All season. I don’t see anyone on the field screaming and encouraging team mates. Its glaringly obvious. Nobody is leading from the front, middle or back. DC couldn't have said anything today at half time to make those players turn in such an abject second half **** show. However, when they got back on the grass they did treat us to a **** show. Had we had a leader on the pitch today, that second half, when heads dropped and shoulders became hunched, would have played out differently. I saw no-one taking charge. Why? Because we have no leader on tbe pitch. Oh for a Winstanley or a Redfearn.
ps.....of the players on our books currently, who would I follow out of the trench in a battlefield? No-one.
Correct. They're a team of shirkers, to a man. There's not one ounce of "bottle" between the lot of them. When the going gets tough, they all wilt, hide and chuck the towel in. It's the furthest thing from a Barnsley team that I can recall. Nobody with the balls to have a inquest on the pitch, nobody pointing fingers when a goal is conceded. Just heads down and trudge off back to positions. Connell isn't a captain either. Another one that says all the right things pre and post match, but when it's hard, when it counts on the grass they're all MIA. Embarrassing. And that goes for those leading the Club upstairs too. Silence from them is deafening. They know the Club is in turmoil, they know the fans are kicking off in greater number....statement? Interview? Action? Nope.... Just heads in the sand time and hope things improve. A club full of cowards and shirkers. It's not Barnsley, never has been Barnsley, and never will be. Unfit to have that crest on their tops, the lot of them.
You're right we haven't a leader but we haven't a leader because the DoF recruitment team head coach haven't signed one like they haven't signed a goal scorer or a competent set of defenders. It's seems everyone and their dog can see what we need except the people with the ability to do something about it.
Never known such a spineless, gutless set of players. It’s unreal that we’ve assembled a squad as mentally weak as this one. As soon as Huddersfield equalised heads dropped and we were finished. Pathetic….
After Russell was announced as MOM I realised he was still on the pitch. Did fupp all second half. Benson - thought he'd left the club and retired.
A fair assessment, I can't think of anyone in the squad apart from maybe Roberts who has that leadership quality, and he's not exactly covered himself with glory since his return. Connell hasn't got it and being captain didn't help his own game and MDG hasn't got it either. The only other candidate at a stretch for me would be DKD.
Clarke's been saying the same thing in his interviews for most of the season to be fair. We could do with someone like that niggly little sod that played for Stevenage against us recently.
If the players will not / cannot / are not transferring the training ground and coaching to match day then there is a huge problem. Maybe that is why he has digs. I can’t believe for one minute that he is happy with the window signings. I think this latest interview shows he does not trust the majority of players and I can’t blame him for that. However there are no excuses whatsoever for throwing yesterday away. It is hard to see where another win will come from and 17th or lower could be on the cards. There are no signs of effective coaching so I would not want Devaney or Hourihane anywhere near the job. Barnsley FC is not an attractive option for decent calibre players or managers or the paying public at this moment in time. That also falls upon the board and others making it attractive. I am not sold on Sormaz one bit and what he spouts is pure BS.
This is certainly something that's been overlooked or ignored when buying players. I said the same thing last week comparing the squad to the Premiership team that had players up and down pitch who wouldn't give up and wouldn't let standards slip. Now you don't need someone screaming blindly at everyone, but you do need players who can organise and cajole the team, especially when things get difficult, and you do need players with mental toughness. There's some decent ability in the team, but there isn't that mental toughness you see in teams that are hard to beat.
Lack of Leadership and lack of nous and general game management has been all too apparent for at least a couple of seasons now. No-one bending the ref’s ear whilst the opposition surround him with every decision. Take yesterday, late in the second half, their number 7 (I think) was subbed, as he very slowly walked towards the bench, one of their players went to the ref to keep him ‘ occupied’ whilst the number 7 stopped to take his shin pads off, and then proceed to walk even slower to the touch line. Not one of our players seemingly approached the ref to point this out.
I’m not saying Connell’s a brilliant captain but I think him & Roberts give us some kind of leadership. I couldn’t believe that no one went & had a word with Pines yesterday when he was on the ropes or that no one went over & had a word with Gauci after he needlessly put De Gevigney under pressure for the third time in 5 minutes. I think Roberts does that.
Said this before kick off no Connell or Roberts & Mael as captain you would think out of 11 professional footballers someone would step forward & take responsibility
The problem is in the second half at Oakwell our midfield generally disappears and it turns into attack versus defence.
