Talksport ...... praise in deed all round

I would move Woodrow to the left of the front three, as he is more of a threat coming into the penalty area from wide left with the ball on his right foot. Dike down the middle and Morris down the right, or permutate with Frieser, Victor and Chaplin. I also think that getting the front three to switch around and to make diagonal runs would give us more of a goal threat by pulling defences around. If they use zonal marking, there is more chance of finding a shooting window. If they use man-to-man marking, the defenders will just get pulled around all over the place.

 

Agree. Your best players, you play them where they operate best. We improved when Mowatt was moved further forward from sitting in front of a back 4 (or 3). Woodrow is better slightly on the left so he can shoot on his stronger side.

I think Morris should be a better central option, then whoever is the best presser on the right.

 

Agreed it was an exceptional pressing performance by any standard. Chelsea really struggled for large portions of the game. But let's not received ourselves ...when we got the ball we just couldn't slow down and play with the kind of quality we expect from Barnsley in the last few years. Far too many hit and hope balls. The football we did play was all in brilliant little cameos and suggest the team is still capable of good quality. But I do really worry about all this talk of vertical football, which is a pseudo philosophical way of saying long ball. Yes we were playing Chelsea. but our performances against our peers seem pretty similar.

 

One of the commentators on ESPN+ yesterday complimented us, but then added something along the lines of "If they only had someone who could turn a chance into a goal".

I think this is something most fans have been saying all season, and I'm still not convinced we have solved it, although it is too early to say with DD10.

I get frustrated because all our wonderful work rate and effort in many games has been wasted, because we can't convert all this into goals,

 

I actually thought we didn't play very much long ball last night, certainly compared to a couple of previous game where it was very direct. Where we do fall down is getting into a game of headpong when someone should have the confidence to bring it down, take a touch and pass it. That and the general desire to play too quickly, which I guess is down to the tactic that the opposition are at their weakest just after losing possession.

 

Part of the problem is we don't have anyone in the front three who can either beat a man or cross a ball. Brown didn't add many goals but he did provide assists, notably to Chaplin, and he could do this by going past someone.

The current players playing around Woodrow are not really like that. Dike looks similar, but I'll reserve judgment.

But if you threw a vintage Adam Hammill into the team as one of the front three he'd have a field day and we'd be a real handful.

 

A lot will disagree but I’d give Oduor a chance in front 3. He’s got the skill to go past people and a lovely left peg for creativity.
It’s not going to happen though as Val doesn’t give him a look in. Fear he’s a talent who will leave and flourish elsewhere.

 

We definitely need someone in that front three who can go past someone. We regularly break two on two or three on three where taking one man out of the game leaves a clear sight of goal yet we don't seem to be able to do it.

 

The notable thing there is how we're being pushed out wide. The front three can't play through a defence. I'd like to see a front two playing more centrally, with somebody playing behind them.

Didn't see much of Dike, one thing I did note was he managed to turn and shoot with power, think it was when he was caught offside. It was quite a tight angle but he got some good power, albeit way over.

 

Nah mate you must be mistaken, it was Phil Chambers; lovely layoff from Big Trev from Glav's corner.