As @Henry Irving & @Addick Addict have said above, Barnsley looked like one of the best teams to come to The Valley this season. First half they wee popping to ball around, always having a man in space & all good on the ball. 2nd half they faded but I think that was due to all the subs & changes they made. Imo they were better than us & I dont think we deserved to win. But we did & that's all that matters.
I appreciate that I probably sound negative as I did on the match thread. Just feel that players are running out of steam & playing on fumes. Most of our play came down our left as TC seems to be our only threat with the ball. Small is on his wrong foot & about the only decent ball he put in was in the 2nd half when he cut inside on his left & his cross ended up with Berry having a soft shot on goal. Really feel we need more options & it's no surprise that the forwards have stopped scoring. God help us if TC gets injured, even if just for a game or two.
As for our overall position. Never thought we would be in 5th at the start of March and now thinking too far ahead at the play offs. Top 2 is too far away, especially as both Wrexham & Wycombe won tonight. Cant see them both slipping up enough that we could pinch 2nd. Think we will need at least 78 points to get 6th......and maybe even 80 points. Thats another 19 - 21 points, so 5 or 6 wins & 3 or 4 draws.
Saturday was a much better game, but this was a typical victory you have to grind out in a promotion campaign.
I thought Barnsley were the better team in the first half, without creating anything significant. In the second half, other than one shot which went narrowly wide, they rather petered out. Lloyd Jones was imperious out there
Slightly curious to bring on McIntyre in midfield instead of Gilbert, as Gilbert showed some good defensive work on Saturday.
I think its because Mcintyre is physically superior and taller than Gilbert and at that stage in the match Barnsley had resorted to long balls
In the end we won that quite comfortably. Barnsley were bright coming forward in the 1st half but as the game went on they lost their way a bit. I felt that if we’d had to we could have stepped up a gear. But we never really needed to. And, I thought the subs were non spectacular ones but they helped to see the game out nicely.
Not a thing of beauty but we managed to grind it out and got the job done, which is all that matters at this stage of the season.
Barnsley were very fluid with their passing in the first half and looked better in midfield but their final ball was almost invariably poor. The only time they really troubled us was when their main man somehow dribbled past three of our players but Mannion got down well to block the shot deep inside our box. Tyreece Campbell down the left and Ramsey and Small down the right made some good runs but we were unable to get a strike on goal. Happily, our goal machine Macauley Gillespie had put us ahead early on when the Barnsley wall helpfully jumped over his free kick and the goalie let the ball through his hands. The other real sniff in the first half was when Gillespie played a lovely chip through to Luke Berry, who had made a good run but was unable to control the ball on his chest and the opportunity was lost.
Despite a decent first half showing, Barnsley’s manager saw fit to introduce three half time substitutes and another two on the hour, changing half the outfield players for the last 30 minutes plus injury time. Although we made a slow start for the first 5 or 10 minutes, we then got a grip on the game and started to dictate proceedings. In contrast, Barnsley lost any sort of rhythm and their principal attacking ploy in the second half was a string of long throws, which were very comfortably dealt with by our very impressive defenders. The only time I remember Barnsley threatening our goal was when some space opened up and one of their players drove narrowly wide from the edge of the box. Mannion didn’t have a meaningful save to make in the second half, although he took a number of crosses very well.
We had three other opportunities to make the game safe: Berry’s pea roller when well placed on the edge of the box, Coventry’s excellent strike from outside it which drew a fine save and Leaburn’s low drive which the keeper managed to keep out.
We were much the better side in the second half and saw the game out very well for a deserved 3 points. Campbell made a late block and went off, so let’s hope he’s ok for Saturday.
An excellent evening’s work, closing in on Stockport, leapfrogging Huddersfield and extending our leads over Reading, Barnsley and Orient. Happy days.
Good win that’s all that matters we were not great but very solid and worked so hard off the ball. Thought Barnsley looked decent but our hard work limited them to very little and we deserved the win. I would imagine those calling for Jones head a few months ago are very quiet now he really seems an excellent manager both tactically and the players really seem to buy into his ethos COYR
We've found the magic formula, no doubt about it - be very tempted to put Anderson back in for Docherty on Saturday though - thought he was a passenger out there tonight and the main reason they gave us the runaround in the first half
Barnsley looked a very good side. They pressed very high all game and it was quite difficult to get any sort of passing game going; it was a bit like watching us earlier in the season but a bit more controlled. Credit to Barnsley for that, but credit to us as well, especially the defence, for nullifying just about any threat they had.
Great to get a win against a good team when not at our best but that is the sort of win that gets you into the play-offs.
I'd like to see the foul count for and against as the ref didn't give us very much at all...apart from the free-kick from which we scored, of course.
Also - how do you pick a player of the season out of this lot?
Coventry, Lloyd Jones, Ramsey, Godden, TC even MG all worthy contenders. In recent seasons it’s been hard to pick 1 stand out.
Think it’s probably between Coventry, Jones and Godden though. Funnily enough, the spine of the team. All work harder than any CAFC player I can remember in recent times. Great to watch.
Buzzing with the win and I admit second half we were largely comfortable but I think some are overplaying how much we deserved it. First half they were the better team and looked a lot more fluid than us, second half it was probably us who shaded it, but it wasn’t pretty by any means. Abysmal goalkeeping separated the teams in the end. Mannion/Jones/Ramsey/TC all good. Berry looked like a 35 year old who hadn’t played in a while, and I thought the Chuks cameo was a complete joke (again).
Unbelievable run we are on at the moment. Massive credit to Nathan Jones and I can’t wait for Saturday now
Also - how do you pick a player of the season out of this lot?
Coventry, Lloyd Jones, Ramsey, Godden, TC even MG all worthy contenders. In recent seasons it’s been hard to pick 1 stand out.
Think it’s probably between Coventry, Jones and Godden though. Funnily enough, the spine of the team. All work harder than any CAFC player I can remember in recent times. Great to watch.
TC has to be in the top 2 - him or Jones followed by Coventry atm for me
I dont really get all the Chuks was shit/is rubbish now/is painful to watch comments. He comes on with limited game time, creates problems for defenders, holds the ball up the pitch and makes sure we arent under pressure, exactly what he has been asked to do.
I think Learburn, Chucks and Anderson were playing a bit too close together today much of the time and got in each others way. Their flick ons were not going 2 yards.
Chuks coupd do with a 30 minute spell at some point but if we ate winning there isnt the need.
Also - how do you pick a player of the season out of this lot?
Coventry, Lloyd Jones, Ramsey, Godden, TC even MG all worthy contenders. In recent seasons it’s been hard to pick 1 stand out.
Think it’s probably between Coventry, Jones and Godden though. Funnily enough, the spine of the team. All work harder than any CAFC player I can remember in recent times. Great to watch.
TC has to be in the top 2 - him or Jones followed by Coventry atm for me
Ramsey and Small have to get a mention too. It’s a nice problem to have
Saturday was a much better game, but this was a typical victory you have to grind out in a promotion campaign.
I thought Barnsley were the better team in the first half, without creating anything significant. In the second half, other than one shot which went narrowly wide, they rather petered out. Lloyd Jones was imperious out there
Slightly curious to bring on McIntyre in midfield instead of Gilbert, as Gilbert showed some good defensive work on Saturday.
I think its because Mcintyre is physically superior and taller than Gilbert and at that stage in the match Barnsley had resorted to long balls
Much of the time he wasn't sitting deep as an extra CB though, but rather was quite far forward as a pressing midfielder
Once again under a very high press are passing goes to pot, and to many go stray putting us in trouble. They dominated the aerial battle as well, to many of our headed clearances ended up at the feet of the Barnsley players. Very lucky to hold onto the win, thankfully.
Look at the top seven in the form table over the last 10 games and you have your top 6 at the end of the season though not in that order and with Burton just trying to stay up.
Can we sign their number 40 best player on the pitch by a country mile. Huffed and puffed and got over the line to a decent footballing side... In my view.
Keilor-Dunn won't be playing in League One next season, much too good.
You say that, but we nullified him completely in the second half; if a player can be that easily marked out of the game then is he that good? Reminds me of when Pratley completely took Fraser off the map for MK Dons by following him round. At the time we were happy with Pratley but in hindsight it more told us that if teams know what to do with Fraser then he’s useless
Can we sign their number 40 best player on the pitch by a country mile. Huffed and puffed and got over the line to a decent footballing side... In my view.
Keilor-Dunn won't be playing in League One next season, much too good.
You say that, but we nullified him completely in the second half; if a player can be that easily marked out of the game then is he that good? Reminds me of when Pratley completely took Fraser off the map for MK Dons by following him round. At the time we were happy with Pratley but in hindsight it more told us that if teams know what to do with Fraser then he’s useless
He was the best player on the pitch imo, and was still ok second half, even if not at the same levels as his first half. If he played in a better team (ours!) I could easily see him make the step up to the Championship
A good three points should have been 3-0 but we were not quite as sharp as normal. I am amazed nobody has mentioned the appalling referee who missed several free kicks and a penalty we should have had. where do these clowns 🤡 come from 👎👎👎
Oh yes! that was a bloody awful ref, not consistent at all in his decision making.
Really? I thought he was good. Tried to let the game flow, didn't take any truck from players falling over and got most if not all of the big decisions right. Credit to him.
Can we sign their number 40 best player on the pitch by a country mile. Huffed and puffed and got over the line to a decent footballing side... In my view.
Keilor-Dunn won't be playing in League One next season, much too good.
You say that, but we nullified him completely in the second half; if a player can be that easily marked out of the game then is he that good? Reminds me of when Pratley completely took Fraser off the map for MK Dons by following him round. At the time we were happy with Pratley but in hindsight it more told us that if teams know what to do with Fraser then he’s useless
He was the best player on the pitch imo, and was still ok second half, even if not at the same levels as his first half. If he played in a better team (ours!) I could easily see him make the step up to the Championship
He was completely anonymous in the second half. TC was the best player on the pitch, even when they changed their RB for someone quicker he was always a threat and they couldn’t ever get him under control. Keilor-Dunn was part of a side that couldn’t manage a shot on target second half after we made a couple of tweaks, we didn’t even need to change personnel to take him out of the game. He’s a good player but too easily nullified
Comments
I appreciate that I probably sound negative as I did on the match thread. Just feel that players are running out of steam & playing on fumes. Most of our play came down our left as TC seems to be our only threat with the ball. Small is on his wrong foot & about the only decent ball he put in was in the 2nd half when he cut inside on his left & his cross ended up with Berry having a soft shot on goal. Really feel we need more options & it's no surprise that the forwards have stopped scoring. God help us if TC gets injured, even if just for a game or two.
As for our overall position. Never thought we would be in 5th at the start of March and now thinking too far ahead at the play offs. Top 2 is too far away, especially as both Wrexham & Wycombe won tonight. Cant see them both slipping up enough that we could pinch 2nd. Think we will need at least 78 points to get 6th......and maybe even 80 points. Thats another 19 - 21 points, so 5 or 6 wins & 3 or 4 draws.
It's now in our hands.
https://x.com/CAFCofficial/status/1897058584740888999
Two men I like but Chuks moves at the pace of Frank Bruno despite still having the strength to hold off the opposition but can't run past them now.
Not a thing of beauty but we managed to grind it out and got the job done, which is all that matters at this stage of the season.
Barnsley were very fluid with their passing in the first half and looked better in midfield but their final ball was almost invariably poor. The only time they really troubled us was when their main man somehow dribbled past three of our players but Mannion got down well to block the shot deep inside our box. Tyreece Campbell down the left and Ramsey and Small down the right made some good runs but we were unable to get a strike on goal. Happily, our goal machine Macauley Gillespie had put us ahead early on when the Barnsley wall helpfully jumped over his free kick and the goalie let the ball through his hands. The other real sniff in the first half was when Gillespie played a lovely chip through to Luke Berry, who had made a good run but was unable to control the ball on his chest and the opportunity was lost.
Despite a decent first half showing, Barnsley’s manager saw fit to introduce three half time substitutes and another two on the hour, changing half the outfield players for the last 30 minutes plus injury time. Although we made a slow start for the first 5 or 10 minutes, we then got a grip on the game and started to dictate proceedings. In contrast, Barnsley lost any sort of rhythm and their principal attacking ploy in the second half was a string of long throws, which were very comfortably dealt with by our very impressive defenders. The only time I remember Barnsley threatening our goal was when some space opened up and one of their players drove narrowly wide from the edge of the box. Mannion didn’t have a meaningful save to make in the second half, although he took a number of crosses very well.
We had three other opportunities to make the game safe: Berry’s pea roller when well placed on the edge of the box, Coventry’s excellent strike from outside it which drew a fine save and Leaburn’s low drive which the keeper managed to keep out.
We were much the better side in the second half and saw the game out very well for a deserved 3 points. Campbell made a late block and went off, so let’s hope he’s ok for Saturday.
An excellent evening’s work, closing in on Stockport, leapfrogging Huddersfield and extending our leads over Reading, Barnsley and Orient. Happy days.
A draw on Saturday and a win in midweek takes us up to 4th.
Great to get a win against a good team when not at our best but that is the sort of win that gets you into the play-offs.
I'd like to see the foul count for and against as the ref didn't give us very much at all...apart from the free-kick from which we scored, of course.
In recent seasons it’s been hard to pick 1 stand out.
Mannion/Jones/Ramsey/TC all good.
Berry looked like a 35 year old who hadn’t played in a while, and I thought the Chuks cameo was a complete joke (again).
Unbelievable run we are on at the moment. Massive credit to Nathan Jones and I can’t wait for Saturday now
Very lucky to hold onto the win, thankfully.
Look at the top seven in the form table over the last 10 games and you have your top 6 at the end of the season though not in that order and with Burton just trying to stay up.
3-0 but we were not quite as sharp as normal.
I am amazed nobody has mentioned the appalling referee who missed several free kicks and a penalty we should have had.
where do these clowns 🤡 come from 👎👎👎