The Real War of the Roses , the Play-Offs Part One, V Barnsley at home Sat 13th May 3-0 clock.

[Bertie Wooster]

BWFCI I respect your comments & opinion, we all see things differently - my opinion was we lacked desire today & loads near me agreed - it was walking football at times when we had the ball, but apart from the 1st 10 mins and after they scored there was absolutely zero tempo in our play we passed the ball so slowly.

Dempsey was our best midfielder in an absolutely no existent midfield - he was better than Morley & Sheehan. We had zero creativity. If a team can't play with that noise (the loudest that I've heard at the Reebok for a very long time) I do worry. We didn't look anything like a lop league 1 side today, but Barnsley did. They also took the piss with the time wasting, their keeper going down for 2-3 mins early in the 2nd half for example.

[Mar]

We weren't at our best and weren't at our worst. Barnsley gave a good account of themselves and went ahead. We dealt with it well and ensured parity.

The disappointment probably resides in the belief that we should be using the home match to take advantage. We didn't which leaves us with a tricky away tie.

Its half time in the semis and it's level. Like Evatts matchday tactics were usually better second half. So the rallying cry and upped temp may well come as a result of us having to go for it.

I'd like to think we wouldn't look at relying on the lottery of penalties.

[BWFC_Insane]

When you’ve seen pretty poor sides come to the Unibol in the last few months and get behind the ball and step up and condense the pitch and see how we’ve struggled to deal with it it’s not surprising a very good Barnsley side (who let’s be honest probably are man for man better than us) did it effectively.

We have a problem at home or at least have the last few months.

Whether we can do enough away from home to win it or not I don’t know.

But we did try today. I think we just came up lacking a bit, maybe the occasion got to them. Evatt said we didn’t play with enough freedom and I’d agree with that. We definitely seemed shackled.

But I feared we could lose today and it’s all to play for Friday. We will have to be the absolute top of our game but thanks to Trafford and Barnsley’s profligacy we at least have a chance still.

[Bertie Wooster]

He needs to drop Sheehan & Kachunga on Friday to give us any chance, they are both so lightweight. If Kachunga gets a 3 in the player ratings its very generous, he should not be offered another contract. He offers absolutely nothing and doesn't do anything to affect the game apart from moan at the ref - he's a passenger.

[BWFC_Insane]

He needs to drop Sheehan & Kachunga on Friday to give us any chance, they are both so lightweight. If Kachunga gets a 3 in the player ratings its very generous, he should not be offered another contract. He offers absolutely nothing and doesn't do anything to affect the game apart from moan at the ref - he's a passenger.

I have issues with Kachunga but I disagree, I thought he was nowhere near that bad today and far from the worst we had. It was not an easy job considering how little we had of the ball in decent areas.

Not sure on what the midfield should be because I agree we feel a bit light in there but I also think Dempsey had a great game there in the number 10 role iirc and naturally I’d bring Lee in.

MJ could play instead of Sheehan but for me our best away performance at Sheffield Weds was down to Sheehan getting hold of it. If we are leaving one our based on today it would have to be Morley.

[officer_dibble]

Surprised at the criticism - Barnsley are a good well organised side - that could have gone either way (looked a proper chance off the set piece for us in the first minute, the great block on nlundulu). We did well to go to toe to toe with them and 90 minutes left in the tie -
Would have been mental to go gung ho and concede one at the end.

Positively I don’t think they are amazing up front - the tie shouldn’t ever run away from us. We have strength from the bench as well. Williams was good, Dempsey was as well. Aye Morley was poor with some wayward passes but that’s because they stopped him. Would consider starting MJ Friday - I do think it will help get bradley in the game more.

[Worthy4England]

They played pretty well, they were very well drilled and knew when to twist and stick on their press. So Kacha. Did Vic manage to stand upright, no. Added nothing. Dan, decent shot blocked be Anderson but not much else. Jerome pulled no trees up, so far, so there's probably only Bod, who I think we might see on Friday. If that's the switch I'd be OK with it, but it's OK saying shunt Kacha, but no one so far has nailed any obvious advantage and most time don't even stretch the play...

[officer_dibble]

Kacha tires defenders out as well - has to start for me, could well go the distance friday.

[BWFC_Insane]

They played pretty well, they were very well drilled and knew when to twist and stick on their press. So Kacha. Did Vic manage to stand upright, no. Added nothing. Dan, decent shot blocked be Anderson but not much else. Jerome pulled no trees up, so far, so there's probably only Bod, who I think we might see on Friday. If that's the switch I'd be OK with it, but it's OK saying shunt Kacha, but no one so far has nailed any obvious advantage and most time don't even stretch the play...

Yeah this. Adeboyejo (he plays like a fridge) and Big Dan just aren’t good enough to start for me. If you are going to really analyse why we might fall short at this stage it’s probably that the best option we have to play with Charles is Kachunga. Definitely light up front and I do think inspite of all the PPG stuff January has big question marks on it. When your big money signing is behind Kachunga and a lad on loan you have to question it.

[Worthy4England]

They played pretty well, they were very well drilled and knew when to twist and stick on their press. So Kacha. Did Vic manage to stand upright, no. Added nothing. Dan, decent shot blocked be Anderson but not much else. Jerome pulled no trees up, so far, so there's probably only Bod, who I think we might see on Friday. If that's the switch I'd be OK with it, but it's OK saying shunt Kacha, but no one so far has nailed any obvious advantage and most time don't even stretch the play...

Yeah this. Adeboyejo (he plays like a fridge) and Big Dan just aren’t good enough to start for me. If you are going to really analyse why we might fall short at this stage it’s probably that the best option we have to play with Charles is Kachunga. Definitely light up front and I do think inspite of all the PPG stuff January has big question marks on it. When your big money signing is behind Kachunga and a lad on loan you have to question it.

Fair comment, mate. I don't think it was a great January, but will be interested to see if we can get a player out of Vic during summer. Today we offered the illusion of attacking strength off the bench. If one of them manages a De Freitas on Friday, that'll do for me.

[BWFC_Insane]

They played pretty well, they were very well drilled and knew when to twist and stick on their press. So Kacha. Did Vic manage to stand upright, no. Added nothing. Dan, decent shot blocked be Anderson but not much else. Jerome pulled no trees up, so far, so there's probably only Bod, who I think we might see on Friday. If that's the switch I'd be OK with it, but it's OK saying shunt Kacha, but no one so far has nailed any obvious advantage and most time don't even stretch the play...

Yeah this. Adeboyejo (he plays like a fridge) and Big Dan just aren’t good enough to start for me. If you are going to really analyse why we might fall short at this stage it’s probably that the best option we have to play with Charles is Kachunga. Definitely light up front and I do think inspite of all the PPG stuff January has big question marks on it. When your big money signing is behind Kachunga and a lad on loan you have to question it.

Fair comment, mate. I don't think it was a great January, but will be interested to see if we can get a player out of Vic during summer. Today we offered the illusion of attacking strength off the bench. If one of them manages a De Freitas on Friday, that'll do for me.

Oh aye indeed. I’m not convinced Big Vic is a fit but maybe after a summer he will be. I think it’s an issue that we have so much attacking depth on the bench but I always feel once we start bringing them on our chances of scoring scoring diminish.

As you say chance still for someone to be a hero. Though let’s leave any Defreitas moment for Wembley.

If we are to fall short better on Friday than bank holiday money I’d say!

[Worthy4England]

BWFCI I respect your comments & opinion, we all see things differently - my opinion was we lacked desire today & loads near me agreed - it was walking football at times when we had the ball, but apart from the 1st 10 mins and after they scored there was absolutely zero tempo in our play we passed the ball so slowly.

Dempsey was our best midfielder in an absolutely no existent midfield - he was better than Morley & Sheehan. We had zero creativity. If a team can't play with that noise (the loudest that I've heard at the Reebok for a very long time) I do worry. We didn't look anything like a lop league 1 side today, but Barnsley did. They also took the piss with the time wasting, their keeper going down for 2-3 mins early in the 2nd half for example.

Reasonable points, Bertie, what's your line up for Friday!?

[dave the minion]

Disappointing. The best atmosphere at the Reebok since the Atletico Madrid game an nod the players just didn't rise to it. No tempo, again, no creativity, again. Yet another keeper goes home without getting his gloves mucky.

We're still in it, so some hope.

This 100%, absolutely immense support - its a pity the team doesn't show the same passion & desire. As HG said no tempo or creativity and I will add no passion or intensity. There is a complete lack of pace in the team.


Amd
Poor performance by us they looked a much better side and will be disappointed with a draw, everything we did was slow & predictable - Johnston & one or two others were shocking with the ball, our passing & crossing was Sunday League standard. Trafford was absolutely outstanding. Morley, Sheehan & Kachunga were very poor IMO, it was like playing with 9 men with Kachunga & Sheehan.

They will have to up the performance massively in the 2nd leg. Only players to come out with credit today where Trafford, Toal, Dempsey, Bradley & Charles and possibly Santos although he played like he had a large lead weigh attached to his body.

And yet we still.got.a.draw. against a very good side. I, for one, will take that....

How the hell can you accuse the the e
Whole team of lacking passion or desire? It's a ridiculous statement to make. Do you know what, it's entirely possible to exist in a world where the opposition play well and we do ok,without it meaning we shits.

IMO we worked our socks off but struggled to break down a. Very robust team. Cest la vie. But to accuse them of not having passion is frankly insulting to a very good and capable bunch of exceptional professionals.....

[officer_dibble]

I don’t think any of the players woke up today and thought they could get away without giving it 100%.

Sometimes you just have to credit the opposition for a game plan executed well, and accept the limitations of league one footballers.

They showed great spirit to hit straight back - thought we were a lot better after half time in any case. Tight game, think it will be one goal in it at the end…or possibly even pens.

[TANGODANCER]

Might get ignored, might be worth a mention, (and fully admitting I'm a little out of touch with the current status quo,) who knows, but seems to me that the amount of shots Barnsley were getting, law of odds say sooner or later some of them may just finish up in the net. In reply, we get less hits than a tin duck on a fairground. shooting gallery. Now in my misguided opinion, Charles is playing way too deep for a striker and needs to be more in some faces. We can only hope Jon bod gets to start Friday, (he absolutely has to) or we may not be seeing him again this season.

"Not how, but how many" is unarguable as to scoring goals currently, but the best laid plans always look better when you have a two goal lead. Just two points on the compass matter right now and the second might not even count if we don't get the first. We keep talking about big games, well, with only one possible unless we win at Oakwell, it's here.

[Worthy4England]

I duno TD. Whether anyone agrees or not, is just an opinion. Dion played deep coz they put him there and cut off most of his service. Not sure he's Champo level, but been brilliant for us, despite occasionally being frustrating...IMO...

[officer_dibble]

There’s absolutely no chance Bodvarson starts in a first game back from injury in 5 months unfortunately tango.

I was disappointed he wasn’t on the bench after his tease on Friday night but you can’t expect someone who hasn’t played at all for so long to start in the most intense game of the season.

Charles wasn’t too deep IMO he was starved of service somewhat - Evatts right we didnt deal with how they pressed us in the first half very well. Morley and Sheehan looked a bit lightweight then.

As for their chances - traf dealt with two really well and they looked dangerous from set pieces (possibly because they had quite a few, their game plan). Their shooting from open play was probably the weak point and why they didn’t score more. I’d back us to score away and if we can stay switched on when defending corners and throw ins we’ve got a good chance.

[Bertie Wooster]

BWFCI I respect your comments & opinion, we all see things differently - my opinion was we lacked desire today & loads near me agreed - it was walking football at times when we had the ball, but apart from the 1st 10 mins and after they scored there was absolutely zero tempo in our play we passed the ball so slowly.

Dempsey was our best midfielder in an absolutely no existent midfield - he was better than Morley & Sheehan. We had zero creativity. If a team can't play with that noise (the loudest that I've heard at the Reebok for a very long time) I do worry. We didn't look anything like a lop league 1 side today, but Barnsley did. They also took the piss with the time wasting, their keeper going down for 2-3 mins early in the 2nd half for example.

Reasonable points, Bertie, what's your line up for Friday!?

Worthy personally I would replace Williams, Kachunga & Sheehan with John, Nlundulu & Lee or possibly even Thomason (I think we may need his tenacity & physicality)

[BWFC_Insane]

Can’t see any way John will start at Barnsley. He’s got a great left foot but I don’t think he offers enough defensively for Evatt. We can all argue about that and I probably would have started him yesterday but Williams had a good game and is nailed on to start Friday now I think.

I’m also struggling with the idea we start Nlundulu. I mean seriously? I’ve not seen close to enough to suggest we chuck him into the biggest game of the season from the start.

I’m not sure what we do in midfield. Because Sheehan and Morley and Dempsey were definitely second best. Will they be better if there is a little more space to exploit away from home? Not sure - but I think it’s a big call either way.

[truewhite15]

Possibly Sheehan or Morley out for MJ? I don't think any of the midfield trio had great games - few too many misplaced passes - but I think it's fair to say that Dempsey's drive to get forwards is least dispensible. MJ could offer a bit of much needed bite.