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Reds News

What the Eck' am I doing playing football like this?


IT wasn't the £6 million striker who did for Barnsley; it was the 50p defending.


More precisely, Preston's big-shot centre-forward David Nugent didn't do much to bother anyone. The damage done to Barnsley was by nothing more mind-bending than an inswinging corner and a far-post header. Paul McKenna supplied, centre-back Liam Chilvers delivered.
Simpler than Jade Goody, really.
So now it's one win in nine. No wins since Barnsley appointed Simon Davey manager.
True, Paul Hayes and Daniel Nardiello hit the woodwork either side of half-time, truer still, though, that when Preston made the 55th-minute breakthrough Barnsley were taking a real shell -shocking, pounding.
The upside is that apart from that 20-minute spell around goal time, third-from-bottom Barnsley weren't miles behind their third-from-top visitors.
There are several concerns around Oakwell. The most outstanding being what sort of transfer policy are the club operating if it leaves Sam Togwell to play as a right-winger?
Yeah, the same Sam Togwell, who is 99.9 per cent Owen Hargreaves, 0.1 per cent Cristinano Ronaldo.
Davey hasn't made such a rick since he played sometime Barnsley left-back Robbie Williams as Paul Scholes.
The price for misplacing Togwell was that Barnsley had a lopsided look. Kyel Reid and new left-back Adam Eckersley made things happen on the left, which was rarely balanced out.
Eckersley's debut was more impressive than that of Dwayne Mattis.
Ex-Bury boy Mattis' presence beside Brian Howard in central midfield dislodged Togwell. He was getting better to grips with the game as time was running out for Barnsley.
Both new lads are promising more.
Barnsley need it and more.
Eckersley is used to better standards, he said. Saturday was hard on him given the fact that it was his first game for three months and he is coming back from a torn hamstring.
"It took me by surprise actually, I'm not used to that kind of football. I'm used to the ball on the floor," he said.
"It was like ping pong to me, forward and back, putting your foot through it. I'm just used to training with the Man Utd first team.
"In this league everyone is fighting for points, you just have to adapt."
He added: "The goal was just a set-piece, we need to work on that and hopefully it won't happen again."
Eckersley is so new to Oakwell he doesn't know a lot of his teammates' names.
It was worse for Mattis, who signed two days and two training sessions before playing.
"It was enjoyable, it's just a pity about the result," he reflected. "I thought we did all right in the first half. The second half was a bit of an onslaught and a set-piece did us in the end.
"It was a shock to be put straight into the team. It's going to be tough, to be fair, but the lads are going to stick together and give it their best shot."
It wasn't pretty from the start on Saturday. Antony Kay was left on the bench with skipper Paul Reid alongside young centre-back Robert Atkinson.
Reid almost had a nightmare start as he sliced a Brett Ormerod centre to Lewis Neal. Nick Colgan saved the situation with raw reflex. Neal would have been everyone's man of the match but for finishing like that more than once.
Barnsley's Hayes then had his moment. A long clearance evaded centre-backs Chilvers and Matt Hill, keeper Carlo Nash strayed off his line and Hayes was alive to it all. His wind-assisted lob couldn't have been closer as it bounced off the top edge of the bar.
A Callum Davison shot kept Colgan busy before the keeper was beaten for the seventh time in four games. Big Chilvers was on the back stick for a corner. Unmarked, he scored.
Barnsley made changes with Hayes off and Michael Coulson on, Togwell relieved of his duties and Grant McCann used.
With four minutes left Barnsley had their second big moment of the match. Eckersley steamed in and centred, Mattis chested down to Daniel Nardiello who cracked a shot on to Nash's right hand post.

 

One game to judge

Eckersley is so new to Oakwell he doesn't know a lot of his teammates' names.
It was worse for Mattis, who signed two days and two training sessions before playing.

Boo, bah, booh, Davey out. Anyone in.

Two new signings and we get a crowd of 10,000. We'd struggle to get in the top 3 average attendances for League 1. But I bet we've got the busiest website.....booo, gloom, doom, etc.

 

Eckersley looked better than what we have. nt

 

I am a positive person - I'm just reporting the facts

2 new strikers in and centre half and we'll climb the table.
But Barnsley people we need your support - NOW

 

RE: One game to judge

I thought under Ritchie we had the money to sign decent experienced players he just wouldn't spend it? Where's it gone?

 

Keep asking him, JD...

 

I admit I'm easily puzzled but this one's got me proper vexed.

 

On loan

when clubs are offering to assist, to get their players games, and when players are only looking for a loan, it was a different market. now, its about permanent transfers, and the money is being spent on fees. not til end of the window will loans be flavour of the month again, with the experienced players who havent managed to get fixed up. now you could argue we should wait and go for 2 experienced loanees, but prepare for a rough ride and a shower of abuse for not making permanent signings.
I suspect every Championship club is looking at the same players, and its a difficult job convincing players that lifes good at Oakwell in front of 10 thou and 3rd bottom. that being said, there are players that will fit the bill, and the club are trying to make it happen.

 

Did you actually answer the question there?

Mattis:
"It was a shock to be put straight into the team".

Too fecking right it was.

What would have to happen for you to not back Gord?
I'm thinking he'd have to rape your lass & bum your car.

 

RE: Did you actually answer the question there?

No he didn't. Most clubs will charge a loan fee as well as wages. I'm sure signing Parlour for 6 months loan would cost more than 2 years of Mattis

 

How is it possible to bum a car?

 

up the exhaust dopey.

 

Making the best of a bad hand

had we strengthened in the summer.....

Im a realist. I dont see a queue of wealthy benefactors desperate to chuck their hard earned millions at Barnsley FC, and as much as I dont subscribe to the 'at least we've got a club' motto, I am still optimistic cos the people in charge are as bitterly disappointed every time we lose as I am. witthebestinterestsoftheclubatheart.

is was going to be a struggle this season. wasnt it?

 

Sam Togwell, who is 99.9 per cent Owen Hargreaves, 0.1 per cent Cristinano Ronaldo

says it all

 

Should we sign Ehigogugo on loan?

how many will be straight on here to say he was garbage for Leeds? dont think Parlour is match fit, both were carrying knocks at the time. we need an experienced defender, but we cant offer players 8 grand for 18 months, and some clubs might be prepared to do that. I dont think there's a single player out there that would get 100% agreement on this website, Matteo got mentioned then panned for being out of the game too long. Course. he's on his 4th club since July, and Rangers will be his 5th!

 

Aaayyyyeeeeeeeee.

Witboxofficeart.

Answer Dillingers question.
We got rid of a Manager because he had the money to spend that the board thought would keep us up.

If it was a million quid & Andy was simply lazy ... then he was rightfully sacked.
If it was £200k (after selling McIndoe) ... then all you're going to end up with is an average league one squad full of McCann's & Mattis' - as Ritchie said - he didn't want to spend cash & bring in people that wouldn't improve the team, which seems to be exactly what Gord & Davey have done.

Gord's plan is to "consolidate in the champions league".
Do you think the board are giving us a chance of doing this?

I don't give a **** how upset he is.
You once said "Ritchie is taking us down" ... well if Ritchie does take part of the blame - then Gord takes 10 times as much (I'll do him a fancy pie chart to show him ... it might get me a job).

 

These Polyversytechnic Cambford types know nothing about the real world.

 

RE: Should we sign Ehigogugo on loan?

The point is GS implied AR was fired because he refused to sign these sort of players. If Parlour wasn't fit why was GS using it as an excuse to bomb Ritchie?

Personally I wouldn't have signed either of them but that's not the point. It's about GS stating money is available then saying AR won't spend it, sacking Ar because of that, then saying we don't have the money to compete.

 

RE: Aaayyyyeeeeeeeee.

I've no idea what the budget is, but if we spend a million pound it still wouldnt be enough for some. we're trying to pay only as much as necessary to buy players, since it makes no sense to pay over the odds. but we're competing in a league where Anthony Stokes is worth for £2million. It was always going to be difficult, but I still think we'd have been closer to Colchester than Southend if we'd have bought when we needed to. Really dont want to go over old ground, but Andy was offered players on loan that have gone elsewhere and done well. He either hoped we wouldnt get a single injury or that the FL would take pity on us and let us postpone games whilst we got better. survival is the aim, as it was at the start of the season. it was always going to be a struggle and nows the time when the fans should be getting behind the club whilst we've still got a chance. witcryingoerspliltmilkart.

 

Mmm.

He's not loved your car yet then?