Long post. Questions from one who visited Oakwell for the first time in many years..

Over from Italy for my daughter's wedding I went to Oakwell for the first time in many years to watch the...ahem!...'Super Reds' in action (or was that inaction?).

First half, whilst not being spectacular left me feeling that the manager and team were displaying some potential and it was inexperience ..e.g. final ball decisions letting them down rather than a fundamental problem. I therefore said to my friend who I went with that all the talk of sacking the manager (again!!) was premature.

The second half changed all that. Absolutely abysmal. Like living with someone you don' t don't notice them getting old. It is only when you see someone you haven't seen for many years you notice how they have aged. The same can be said for watching a football team for the first time in several years. The quality, fitness and tactical nous of the team (not necessarily the individuals) has sunk to levels I can't remember in nearly 50 years of following Barnsley.
They may be young lads but their fitness is highly questionable as after the first goal they seemed to run out of steam and fell apart. Not having seen the team I cannot name players but one or two stood out. The tall guy who seemed capable of holding up the ball with his back to goal and laying it off to oncoming forwards on the overlap (except there weren't any) with his back and winning and directing headers. The coloured lad running down the left wing with some pace and preparared to take on the defenders and a number of time even in the 2nd half got to the byline to cross. Except there was no-one to cross to.
What happened to pass then move?
What happened to simply 'move'?? It looked like a'still life' off the ball at times!
Why didn't players off the ball move to draw defenders to try and create space for the attickng player with the ball?
What happened to looking up before passing so you stood a slight chance of finding a team mate?
What happened to seeing a gap in the defence with a sight at goal and having the odd shot instead of trying to walk the ball into the net?
What happened to breaking at pace and varying the style of play?

Nyatanga is not a full back in a million years but I cannot speak for him playing in another position.

Each player seemed to have an invisible barrier and seemed to be afraid of straying from their 'designated zone' on the pitch. Even when a gap opened up in front of them they wouldn't venture forward and instead pass sideways.

I still dont get why they dont leave at least two players up when the oppostion have a corner. That way the oppostion MUST leave at least three back to cover them. Sorry if it is obvious to most of us but it seems to escape our professional managers. 5 fewer players in the box means less chance of a ricochet, less clutter in the box giving the keeper a greater chance of claiming the ball. It also provides an outlet rather than any clearance coming straight back at them.

I genuinely fear for BFC even though I felt many players displayed a decent skill level. Too much emphasis on rigid tactics and no flair or creativity in sight.

Sorry to be so negative but that is what I saw over 90 minutes and I came away thoroughly depressed. (At least it didn't rain though)