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Turning Over a New Leaf? Barnsley Preview
Blues take on Barnsley today in the first match of 2014 looking to extend an unbeaten run of nine matches but also to win at home for the first time since October 1.
Barnsley
Danny Wilson’s side lie bottom of the Championship and will be looking to start picking up results as they lie five points from safety. To do so they will need to end a winless streak that lasts five matches – and to improve on a record which has seen them only win three Championship games all season. However, we all remember what happened the last time the Tykes came to Blues.
Tomasz Cywka will be hoping for a recall to the starting lineup for Barnsley along with Lewis Nyatanga, Bobby Hassell and David Perkins. Winger Paddy McCourt will need a late fitness test.
Blues
Blues will be without Jesse Lingard (suspension) and Aaron Mclean (injury) – both of whom have loan spells which expire today. Tom Adeyemi will also miss out through injury meaning Callum Reilly could well be recalled which could see Dariusz Dudka recalled to the bench as his contract comes to a close also.
Blues need to turn over a new leaf and get the win today; Barnsley are in poor form and Blues need to show the home crowd what they’ve been capable of away from home. Players are in form, hopefully not many changes will be needed and Clark will be able to celebrate the start of the new year with a tenth match unbeaten; anything less than a win could well be a disappointment.
Tags: Aaron McLean, Barnsley, Callum Reilly, Jesse Lingard, Tom Adeyemi
68 Responses to “Turning Over a New Leaf? Barnsley Preview”
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Happy new year Dan; thanks for your informative site for 2013 in the knowledge that 2014 will be pretty much of the same high standard.
happy new year Dan i feel it is going to be very good year for blues (happy team and new owners)from a sunny but cold (only32deg) thailand KRO
Last year’s result is still brought up occasionally by the negative-ists… so nothing less than a resounding win will do to put that to bed once and for all. This is a must-win game, not so much for the 3 points or league position reasons, but simply to get our home form sorted to start 2014.
I’m feeling optimistic that we’ll start the year off well. I’m going for 4-1.
It is probably the lowest point since relegation.So believe it or not,it will continue to be brought up.
Happy new year Dan. Lets hope the foundations laid down in last 9 games contribute to better times ahead,and also come the end of feb hope for a positive outcome whatever the verdict. I don’t think we could cope with another year of doubt.
Due to holiday and work trip I haven’t seen Blues win at home yet this season (although I’ve seen a few away wins) so a win today is a must. Don’t care about the performance to be honest but 3 points essential.
As above, this site is the best, thanks for all your hard work Dan and best wishes for 2014. KRO @nickglynn
Dan, your website is the first I look for, for very well written and informed information for the Blues. Thanks for all your hard work mate and wishing you an good New Year
A win is a must today to keep fans morale high especially with the transfer window open now as someone is bound to come in for Burke, the best player we have. Can we keep hold of him again?
Happy New Year Dan all the best for 2014.
Barnsley should be a walk in the park for an inform confident Blues team, but remember Blues don’t do the walk in the park stuff.
Barnsley have showed signs of tightening up under the return of Danny Wilson but I still think Blues should comfortably come out 3-1 winners after going a goal down and extend our run to 10 games, though I haven’t had much luck with my score lines the out come has been pretty good…
KRO+DNM
‘A walk in the park’ :-)
I’m being cautious. Usually when Blues are going well some of our fans get cocky and overconfident and that’s when we get kicked in the balls. A solid start is vital and I do think some of the flowing football and solid link up play we’ve watched recently will see us beat Barnsley.
I agree it’s must win for the ability to get the home only support on board.
If we can get the win today, 5 of the 6 teams above us are away from home (the other being Wigan who aren’t playing.) 3 points could potentially put us in the top 12. What better incentive for the lads.
I’d like to echo the praise for Dan Ivory. No other club has such an articulate, committed and passionate commentator to liaise with fans and others. Keep it up in 2014 mate! ( and where’s my bloody book? :-)
Happy New Year Dan.let’s hope we get new owners and better times ahead.well done you on all your hard work running this site.K.R.O.
Well Barnsley have drawn to Leeds and beaten Brighton in recent away games so this is a banana skin. Danny WIlson’s a decent manager who knows what it takes to pick up points. Our home form has been poor so expect a tight 0-0 with possibly the odd goal either way. I’m not a doom monger just not hoping for too much to avoid disappointment.
Doctor,
I quite agree this has banana skin written all over it.
We are on a roll Barnsley are suffering who woulldbet against a Barnsley win.
For me any points are good points so I will take a draw and wish for a win.
Happy New Year to you all.
Happy new year Dan.Keep up the good work.Today’s game.Weak,uninspiring,poor and clueless.We play at home like our managers characterics..Don’t say it’s because teams sit back at St Andrews,becaiuse Barnsley didn’t.In fact i think they deserved the win today.If our away form dips,then we are in the sh!t.
Lacklustre performance today… but I suppose it was always going to happen. For some, it was one game too far, but looking at the bench, there weren’t too many options. I hope Bartley’s injury isn’t too bad. May be time to give Will Packwood a run in the cup.
Wasn’t one game too far for Barnsley.We were 2nd best for most of the game.
Sorry Staffs.We’ve been lacklustre at home for most of the season.It’s not good enough.
It’s more or less the same team, home and away. So what’s the difference?
wish i could put my finger on it.Some say it’s because teams come and sit back against us and we can’t break them down.Barnsley didn’t.I’d like to know what’s said to em at HT,because they come out a poorer team after the break.you might say tiredness,but it’s been like this for too long.at the end of the day it’s down to the coaches to find out the reason and sort it out.for it to be going on for this long it’s got to be down to tactics.
You can understand Clark not wanting to rock the boat while we’re on this unbeaten run. It seems the 4-2-3-1 suits the players, but maybe it’s time to switch to old-fashioned 4-4-2 at home. Drive at teams with two wingers and two strikers from the off. Then maybe revert to 4-2-3-1 for away games.
Decided to go at the last moment. Wish I had kept hold of my £26 and stayed in the warm like everybody else did. That was dire. Barnsley did nor get Xmas off as far as I know. They didn’t look fatigued.
Please could someone explain what Shinnie gives us because he is as bad as anything I have seen in a Blues shirt. There is no way Shane Ferguson could be that bad and at least he would give us balance on the left and someone who can take a free kick.
Terrible crowd for a New Years Day game but I don’t blame people for not being prepared to fork out £25 minimum for that. Why not at least make it kids for £1. It was like a morgue down there today.
I’ve been saying myself, that Shinnie is the one dud we’ve bought this year. I can’t for the life of me see what he adds to the squad, let alone the team. Lee Clark reckons there are 4 or 5 he’d offload to bring others in. I hope Shinnie is one of them.
Ferguson hasn’t had a look in for ages.The annoying thing is Shinnie isn’t a left midfielder.He’s a central midfielder.So why play him out of position when there is a naturally left sided player on the bench?
He did swap Burke to the left for a couple of minutes in the first half which nearly led to a goal. Not content with that he was immediately switched back to the right!
I just don’t think Shinnie is up to this level wherever you play him. No pace, strength or tricks. It’s like watching a slowed down, crap version of James McFadden but at least he didn’t cost us £6m.
I didn’t get the substitution when Bartley got injured either. Robinson into the middle to partner Burn and Ferguson to left back seemed obvious to me. Stupid challenge for their goal.
Steve you are asking a question from a logical point of view, you just cant do that with Clarky he does not know logic, it depends on how many soldiers he has to dip in his egg on a saturday morning.
What has Fergie done why is he not involved? hes left footed, probably the best crosser of a ball we have, he was my man of the season last season and he can score from dead balls.
Shinnie is not a left sided player, hes a central midfielder he needs to be entering the box to get shots off.
Tony, what you know about football could comfortably be written on a postage stamp, two words , eff all.
Then you could probably fiit on your life ‘story’.
Frankie old boy I know a lot more about the game than you I would suggest, a hell of a lot more. As for my life well you dont know anything about me, but I wouldnt swap where I live for where you live, neither would I swap the standard of football I played for the standard you achieved.
Further more you reckon you write software well cant you create a virtual soccer manager sit him in the seat at wast hills then send Clark for the sarnies.
Well Tony, your comments on football put you right up there with the dimmest Tilton boo-boy !
If you cannot see that Lee Clark is doing a remarkable job, given the ‘circumstances’ then really you ought to be looking for a simpler (no pun) sport to follow .. perhaps Blow Football, think you may have a talent for that.
We might as well send him back to Newcastle. No point paying the wages just to keep the bench warm or not be involved at all.
Zigic drives me up the wall as well. You would think for £60k+ per week he wouldn’t be afraid to actually attack the ball when it’s crossed and run the risk of a bump on the head. If only he could get more than three inches off the ground and not head every ball while still at ground level he would be unstoppable with his size.
When in doubt, blame the manager. Sorry, but I don’t see that. Tactics and formations have nothing to do with a player not being able to stop crosses coming into the box, or not mark an opposing player if a cross does come in… or not being able to pass or cross properly, or not being able to hit a cow’s ar$e with a banjo.
These are the same players that are doing so well away from home, so for me, it’s definitely a problem between the ears of the players.
You give him credit when we win.He takes a share of the blame when we lose.He may not be to blame for all things,but he picks the team and decides on the tactics.It’s his fault that he plays players out of position.As for Ferguson.how can you say he hasn’t been the same this season.He’s hardly played.
He’s not done a lot when he has. But, I will say, that I couldn’t understand bringing Mullins on for Bartley. As has already been said, Ferguson would have been the obvious choice. So strike that one against Clark.
Ferguson was defintely one of our better players last season, especially with his crosses and free kicks. But he’s not been the same players this season. Maybe he needs Mitch Hancox behind him on a regular basis. Burke was the same last season until we brought Caddis in. He missed that regular partnership that he had with Stevie Carr.
He has only had the odd game here or there mainly away from home. Even below par he cannot be worse than Shinnie especially being played out of position. I would prefer Wade Elliott to him or even Lovenkrands.
I have to be honest and say I’d rather have anyone in the team than Shinnie… even Mullins and that’s really saying something.
Well he had a decent game against Blackburn in his right position.Give him a run in that position and then make our minds up. When we signed him,he was the one player i was looking forward to seeing.He has been a disappointment,but on the odd occasion he’s played in the middle,he’s looked ok.
Doesn’t anyone else think it’s odd that after 18 months he still hasn’t found a way of getting Darren Ambrose involved somehow. This was a bloke who was a regular scorer from midfield before he joined us and has only just turned 30 so not over the hill. He had injury problems last season but I believe he is fit now.
Ambrose is an enigma. I’ve always been a fan of his, but whenever he’s played, he’s never looked like the player everyone expected. Perhaps he’s missing life at Selhurst Park.
Staffs,I always respect your opinions but you have to blame l Clarks reluctance to change things round today. Everyone in the ground could see that equaliser coming today ,and as soon as they got it he makes a couple of subs and we have them on the ropes again. I know we have a few influential players out but don’t understand why Shane ferguson can’t get a start or at least a cameo off bench,the only time we look dangerous is from wide areas.
I wouldn’t argue with that, he should have made the subs 10 minutes earlier. But, that doesn’t excuse the players’ lack of zip and ideas before then. We scored afetr 10 minutes and should have gone for the throat. That’s what I can’t understand.
This might be slightly controversial but I actually think Clark has benefited from the ownership situation not suffered. He would have gone half way through last season with any real leadership at the club and the funds to pay him and his entourage off.
I completely agree.If things had been different i don’t think he would have got the job.As for going for the throat,that bugs me as well.Barnsley,bottom of the table,goal down after 10 minutes.they were there for the taking.but we let them off the hook.Then go for it when it’s too late.There was a situation in the 2nd half when Zigic chased the ball towards the corner flag.Only Burke came to him and Novak was way out on the other side of the pitch.The other 7 outfield players were in our half and none of came forward.The ball ended up being passed all the way back.Are they told to preserve what we’ve got and do nothing risky or what?
Relax – this was the kind of match we were losing earlier in the season.
It is so obvious, you would think even to the average fan on the Tilton (clearly not).
Teams come to St Andrews to get a point and we currently do not have the creative talent to break them down.
Not hard to understand is it ?
Barnsley didn’t.If i was an away team i’d come to St andrews for the 3 points
Why do you make so many disparaging remarks about people who use the Tilton Frankie? I will tell you something I know a guy who always stood on the tilton he was a millionaire with an Iq far exceeding yours ,whatever or whoever you think you are I have news for you your nothing.
All your posts mention two things 1 leave it to the pros,2 suggest people who use the tilton are morons, you never once mention a players name, I repeat you are a fraud.
I have to agree on this point. One thing I would never do, is make disparaging remarks about another poster/bluenose. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I always respect that, even if I don’t always agree. We’re all Blues fans, and we all have opinions, there would be no point to all this is we all thought the same. Viva la difference an’ all that!
Sorry with my late reply still unbeaten in 10 games, sometimes we get a slap in face…..i. Believe we avoid this…….never gonna please all……i will take point. Move swiftly on to the next…. Kro
If we can’t beat Barnsley at home then we are going to struggle to beat anyone. It’s great winning away but you can’t keep putting in one bad performance after another at home in front of the people who fork out a lot of money for season tickets. Apart from the fact it’s too expensive it’s why we only managed to attract 14.000 people on New Year’s Day.
Having said that today was a vast improvement on last year at home to Barnsley which is still the worst performance I have seen from any Birmingham City side and I have been going since the early 1980’s.
Seen a lot worse………but thats a life of a blues supporter you win some, lose some, and you draw some…….this side is digging deep……it already noted by clark if some of the players want to move on in january the door is open. I wonder how many really want to leave……….or will they hang around until they are cut loose at the end of the season……….
Marlon King is available again. Shef have paid him off.
Hopefully the run will end in the cup.Unfortunately i don’t think many will be there to see it.
Hasn’t king got a court case coming up for a hit and run?
I think we have had enough courtroom drama just lately?
Anyway happy new year Daniel, and all posters.
Happy New Year to you too Tony. Have a good one mate!
why would any one want our unbeaten run to end too many sherbets at new year i suppose……..
Poor home run,not unbeaten run.FFS
i hope we take the FA Cup seriously myself………………..
I know we won the league cup.. but for me, the FA Cup will always be the main cup competition in England.
Lets look at the positives. extended our unbeaten run, the teams around us, with the exception of Sheffield Wednesday and Blackburn either lost or drew so we all mainly stay the same, the guy next to me had a stroke in the first half but was able to take his seat in time for the second half, by the end of the game he was beginning to wish he had stayed with the nurses sipping sweet tea.
When we travel away we take a decent group of supporters who sing and party, where are these same supporters at home?
The squad of players are basically the same as a home, yet they play fluent passing football and play with their hearts on their sleeves, where are these same players at home?
Midfield give the ball away far too easily, Reilly and Shinnie have been doing it far too regularly and should have been sorted on the training ground.
As has been said, 6’7″ Ziggy is too scared to put himself where it hurts, he should be attacking the ball, if he did as much attacking as he does arm waving and moaning he would be a top striker.
We have no options, everything is either pumped up for Ziggy or down the right with Burke and Caddis, who was my M.O.M., who suggested Ziggy should visit Spec savers.
We have no holding midfielder or a natural left footer in the starting line up, and when the game is calling for a Ferguson LC brings on Mullins Elliott and Lovenkrands.
Sorry LC got it wrong today and it was two points lost.
I think LC should forget about a cup run and try some of the fringe players against Bristol Rovers.
KRO+DNM
I agree. Maybe time to try players such as Amari’i Bell and Will Packwood. And possibly give Reece Brown a full game and see what he can do too. The way we’re getting injuries again, we might have to throw them in at some point… why not in the cup against lower league opposition. (Packwood, at least, has played at that level this season.)
Surely for any blues fans to watch their homegrown players participate in games is a plus. Imo i hope clark would be brave enough to do. Tbh i would play the players you mentioned and possibly more……
also noted by clark that a sickness bug was apparent and this would have caused some of the players not
to play at their 100%………………unless some fans get all the information they tend to think the players are taking the p*ss………..so well done blues for not letting your unbeaten run go without a fight……….kro
Apparently, Robbo, Lee Novak and Olly Lee were throwing up at half time, but insisted on carrying on. It’s now spreading through the club (players and staff) and Clark wants the club closed down for 48 hours to try and limit the effects.
Just watched Chris Burke’s interview and he reckons they have 3 days off.
From Sky News
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NEWS: Midfielder @Dudi198344 has left #BCFC after the club opted to not renew his short-term deal. More here