Tarn Vs Bolton - my thoughts..

My usual drinking partner was unable to meet up pre-match so I made the decision to walk down to Hoyle Mill and meet up with a few tarn supporters who I've known for a few years now but only online via twitter/facebook etc. Seems to be a common - and very rewarding - theme for me this season, putting faces to online names or whatever. They'd saved me a seat even, and the couple of pints of Guinness were very refreshing as was the banter among us.
We all seemed rather optimistic ahead of the game, that is until we saw the selected XI at around 2pm. We were surprised to see Steele and Kennedy recalled, and spent a good ten minutes trying to figure out the formation. Our optimism faded, it has to be said.

We made our way towards Oakwell in the sunshine, and I took the opportunity to sit with them in the Ponty End, about halfway up, just right of goal. The last time I'd sat in the Ponty was for the opening day hammering against Wigan.
Not sure what the entrance theme was all about, but it was lovely to see and hear the reception for Danny's return to the Oakwell dugout. Although I have to say, it is starting to annoy me that the players emerge from the corner. First thing they hear is the away support, which just isn't cricket for me. Be even worse on Sunday I'd imagine.
The players then did a little running drill right next to the Ponty, and it was the best Perkins looked all afternoon..



It soon became apparent that we were lined up in a 4-1-3-2 formation, with Hassell retained in the holding role. Which meant we had the hard working trio of Dawson, O'Brien and Perkins ahead of him. Already, I was worrying where the creativity was going to come from, and indeed, the width.
But we started brightly, with Hassell resuming where he'd left off from last weekend, bossing the midfield and keeping us ticking over. The defence seemed solid, and Dawson was providing plenty of width with Wiseman down our right. However, despite O'Brien's - as always - best efforts, there was little in the way of invention or guile from central midfield, and the left hand side was practically non-existent in terms of an attacking threat.

We created little of note in terms of chances from open play, but our set pieces were much better yesterday. Kennedy in particular put in some great balls. I think it was Hassell who had the best effort on goal, a fine header from 6 yards out or so that Lonergan denied point blank, from a cracking Kennedy delivery.
O'Brien and O'Grady both tested Lonergan from range, and the 'keeper in the dying embers again thwarted O'Brien before Ramage saw his follow up cleared off the Bolton line.

Wanderers had fewer chances, but those they did have were dealt with well by Steele, and Perkins I think cleared off our line at one point as well. But we were much the better side in the first half, just as we'd been away at Leeds. In fact, it's been the case for much of the season. It's the second halves where the true Barnsley show up, and show up pretty awfully. It happened again yesterday, and most of us saw it coming a lot earlier than either the players or management did. Or maybe Danny and co did see it, but felt there was little he could do?


We'd been warned. Just a couple of minutes into the second period Danns 'danced' away from Wiseman down our right, cut inside and saw an effort whistle just wide of Steele's near post. Blatant warning. But it went unheeded.

Dawson was given room to charge through unchecked, he ran a good 60 yards or so before shooting straight down Lonergan's throat (one for dustani). But it was all Bolton by now. Wiseman went AWOL for ten minutes. Seriously. I've no idea where he was at times. It was a 2012 performance from him yesterday.
But Steele marked his return to the side with a top drawer save one handed to deny the giant Knight from a certain goal. But it was only a matter of time for Bolton. A defender was allowed to burst through midfield. Hassell seemed to be alone in the centre at this point. Answers on a postcard as to where Perkins, O'Brien and Dawson were. The Bolton defender duly took the invitation to shoot from 25 yards or so but Steele saved brilliantly again, palming away the drive to his left. But the goal that was coming a mile off eventually came. Carbon copy move from Danns, who looked to beat Wiseman all too easily (I didn't have the best vantage point and haven't seen any video so could be being harsh) before finishing with aplomb, top corner that Steele could this time do naff all about.


This sucked out any faint hope from the fanbase of any kind of result. In fact, I expected the visitors to go on and add a few more to their total. But they rather sat back from there on in.


Then came bizarre substitution number one of three. I'd been suggesting Paddy ought to come on about ten minutes earlier, but Perkins in my opinion needed replacing. I've seen him have some poor games this season, but yesterday was in the Gary Jones bracket. The bloke looked so out of his depth. And we're talking about a player I've lauded for much of his time here. It saddened me to see him so poor.
But Danny hauled off Hassell instead. Saving him for Derby was my assumption. Had to be. Because even a tired Bobby was offering more than Perkins yesterday.


We saw lots of the ball, and I think many a side would still have beaten Bolton from that point on. They retreated to the edge of their own box and any kind of link up play, or intelligent passing/thinking on our part would have cut them open. However - Paddy being Paddy aside - we resorted to aimless balls towards O'Grady and Scotland, and Wiseman and Kennedy refusing to bomb on from out wide (despite acres to run into) and instead delivering shocking crosses into a box containing - in the main - just one striker.
Where was the urgency? Where were the bodies? It looked so chuffing clueless.

The other bizarre subs appeared. Bizarre in my opinion because they were made way too late to have an impact. Scotland looked as old as he is. How he got 86 minutes I'll never know. But hey, I was only last weekend suggesting he deserved a start. Shows I know nowt, again.

We huffed and puffed our way to full time. Paddy tried to rescue something all by himself, as he does. But of the dribbles he went on, only one created danger. The others were desperate. And his Hollywood balls were more in keeping with a team 4-0 up, not 1-0 down. But that's not me criticising him. I'd sooner watch midfielders like that than midfielders who daren't try owt different, and we've got loads of those. He was hilariously poor though. But the point is, had just one mazy run come off we'd forget the other gormless attempts.



I made my way out of Oakwell with more affirmation that yes indeed, Danny has got his work cut out.



Some ratings:



Steele (8) kept us in the game.. fantastic display all things considered

Wiseman (5) second half he didn't show up.. needs some belief in terms of attacking, too

Cranie (8) looks at times too good to be in that defence.. faultless for the most part

Ramage (7) best I've seen him play for us

Kennedy (7) defensively much better.. improved set piece delivery.. shocking going 'forward'

Hassell (7) edges closer to 300 games for the club - this display being an example why

Dawson (6) would have been a seven but he was absolute tripe in the last 10 minutes

Perkins (4) looks spent.. shadow of the player I once admired.. unlike Bobby, his legs have gone.. but not his pointy ******* arms

O'Brien (7) never a central midfielder.. but showed up well to be fair.. faded second half.. great first half though

Scotland (5) looked his age yesterday.. slower than my nan (who died years ago)

O'Grady (6) started off well, but was then bullied by Knight all afternoon



Wilson gets a (5) for setting up with Dawson and Perkins in the positions they were in, and the bizarre subs. But he can only **** with what he's got at the moment, and when Nyatanga, Mellis and Paddy are unfit or unavailable to start with I do have some sympathy.
I saw enough from both this and the Leeds game to give me optimism that Danny'll reighten it. But kicking some of these players either up the arse or out of the club has to be on his agenda. Saw a few gutless performances once we went behind. But then, it's always been that way since Hillcroft arrived and brought with them these players. They take the lead, they look a different animal. But behind, they're feeble.


Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas anyway.

You Reds, etc.

 

your ratings are roughly the same as mine, but steele was a 9 in first game back with that magnificent double save & also O'Grady deserved a 7 for me on his return playing 90 minutes … JOB I thought was an 8

great write up, but I think you may have expected too much too soon, especially with mellis out & a bunch of injured players returning

my opinion is we are odds on to go down, but if Danny gets 3 loan / free transfers in the window it could be game on

we didn't capitulate, we held our shape & in my opinion other than put on a shirt Danny couldn't have done anymore at this stage.

we do need to get RNL, Digby & possibly Rose featuring as well as 3 in, as some are clearly not good enough….. you know who they are

 

Thought I saw thi sat near me but thought you sat in West Stand

 

Think tha should start and offer refreshments haif way through these post YT, just off for a refill will resume after replenishing.

By the way is it a summary?

 

I've cheated on her (the West Stand).

 

Just a note on the headed chances we had..it was Wiseman or Cranie(I can't be certain which)who tested the keeper..Bobby's was the header over the bar,both were golden chances.

 

Ah well, I stand corrected then. Didn't have the best view to be honest and seen no highlights. We certainly had them under the cosh at that point, but we didn't take our chance like they did during their best spell. Fine margins. Or sumat.

 

I post with the sole intent of boring folk rigid, pal. (said in a friendly manner)

 

Ah reyt, was gonna say hello then realised you'd not av a clue who i wa

 

Its working (said with tongue in cheek).

Thats a gimme whose first.

 

Feel free next time, although I'm not sure how my doppelganger will react.

 

Yeah...The lads should get changed in the Ponty End bogs...