Several issues for Neill Collins to resolve at Barnsley

Thank goodness for an away game. After another defeat at Oakwell losing 0-1 to Blackpool on Saturday, we have the chance to bounce back on the road at Cambridge on Tuesday night. 

Much has been said of the (lack of) performance on Saturday, the referees inadequacies, etc but a lot of that can be put right on the pitch starting at Cambridge. The problem being is are these issues resolvable overnight? 

Collins doesn’t know his best 11 yet

Recently we have seen Nicky Cadden, Barry Cotter, Jon Russell all dropped and a different strike partner for Devante Cole starting each week. Neill Collins is blessed with a deeper squad now than when he started in the summer but it is clear he hasnt worked out who he can trust and pick regularly in certain positions. 

Cadden and Cotter were dropped due to their inability to defend properly. Both are often found too high up the pitch when possession is lost, meaning the back three are often left exposed. Yet their replacements haven’t covered themselves in glory either. Corey O`Keeffe had a shocker against Blackpool and should never have made that tackle for the penalty, he was never going to get the ball and going to ground so early left the referee little choice in my opinion. McCart, as one watcher described “couldn’t pass water” on Saturday but he wasn’t the only one who struggled to pass the ball with any great effect. 

Dodgson and O`Keffee were replaced with Cadden and Cotter having to come on to try and salvage a point. To be fair the pair did push up and put some good crosses in which applied some pressure to the visitors but ultimately, the visiting defenders stuck to their job well and won everything in the air during that second half. 

Cadden and Cotter give you an attacking overlap but there needs to be a balance and the pair need to work on their defensive duties more. 

Midfield woes continue

Last season Barnsley had one of the best midfields in the league. Having the same personnel this season, albeit missing Luca Connell through illness this midfield looks woeful. Kane, who is sitting deeper due to the loss of Connell has turned into a crab, passing sideways or backwards. He lacks pace or a killer pass which either would help open up defences. 

You would have thought Jon Russell would be the deeper midfielder and whilst his performances were improving like at Wigan where he had his best game in a red shirt, he is too slow and ponderous, losing the ball in the centre of the pitch all too often. He turns slower than an oil tanker and his range of passing is minimal. 

Adam Phillips has long been a player who only turns up in matches in short bursts every now and then. Last season he got away with this by scoring or assisting goals but this season that part of his job has disappeared. Michael Duff raised this issue last season wanting more from the midfielder in games rather than in patches. This season, his form has nosedived along with Kane`s. 

With the exception of Connell, we have no real defensive midfielder who can almost quarterback the reds looking around, picking a pass and giving protection to the back three. Our current midfield melts away when the opposition win the ball back leaving the defenders and goalkeeper to fend for themselves. 

Blackpool, well drilled out of possession and can defend for there lives.
That shit wins you points in this league, that’s what we did all last season.

We weren’t good enough to break that down today. Very poor game all in. #BarnsleyFC

— Stephen Ollerton. (@steveollerton) September 30, 2023

Who should partner Devante Cole?

The Reds have strikers in abundance at the club. From Watters, McAtee, Cosgrove, Shaw, Marsh and Dallas on loan and Jalo chomping at the bit, Collins has plenty of strike power to choose from. 

Shaw hasn’t done it yet at Barnsley, maybe the club see Dallas as a longer term solution and therefore loaning him out is part of the bigger picture. McAtee burst on the scene away at Wigan and has done little since. Max Watters looked unfit at the start of the season and has struggled to find any form. Do you throw a young Jalo or Marsh in? 

Marsh, currently on loan at York City, looked good coming from the bench in a run of games in August but questions are still asked whether he can do it at this level. Jalo who appears to be a natural striker is only 17 years old so you can see why the club are not throwing him into the first team just yet. But when Watters, McAtee, Cosgrove have not yet set the world on fire at Oakwell, do you give Marsh or Jalo a go? Again, Collins may not know his best 11 and certainly keeps chopping and changing Cole`s strike partner in the hope one player starts firing. 

Home form

In recent seasons, Oakwell has been a good place for the reds. Apart from the odd blip at home last season, the reds picked up plenty of points at Oakwell. Daniel Stendel`s side went a full season unbeaten at home in League One. This season all too often better sides have arrived and bossed the game in S71 taking points off the reds. 

A poor game, from both sides.
But Blackpool got their penalty goal and had the better chances throughout.
Barnsley struggled badly in attack, not having a shot on target.
Max Watters barely made contact with a shot a few yards out in the very last second. https://t.co/JFknHkk7Rq

— Doug O'Kane (@dougokane88) September 30, 2023

Maybe Barnsley suits playing away from home where there is less expectation, less time with the ball and can counter attack with good effect. When Barnsley have the ball, we have seen this team lack a cutting edge playing slow and ponderous football. We shall see over the next three games, all being away from home if that really is the case. Losing at home feels more magnified than when losing on your travels but you cannot see anything changing anytime soon given the style of play and personnel being picked especially in midfield weekly. 

Summary

Too many individuals need to raise their game and produce performances we know they can do. Had it not been for Cole`s goals or Liam Roberts saves, we would have been in a much worse position. 

Maybe it is time for a change of shape? We seem far too predictable, slow, ponderous and ineffective with the ball. Teams find it easy to set up against us this season. Sit back, win the ball back and attack down our left or through the soft underbelly of a midfield and you will reap your rewards. 

Whilst we are only 10 games into the season and sitting in 7th, all is not lost but too often on Saturday we “huffed & puffed” without laying a punch on Blackpool`s nose. We lacked a cutting edge and Grimshaw in the Blackpool goal had very little to do for a visiting goalkeeper. 

This month will see teams performances settling down and the table will start to take shape. The reds cannot let the 5 point gap to an automatic play off place grow any bigger if there are aspirations of promotion come May. That outcome seems a long way off just yet. 

Image credit: Blackpool Gazette