Barnsley 0 – 1 Brentford

Former Barnsley loanee Ivan Toney secured all three points for the visitors as the reds got what their performance deserved from this one.

Barnsley were poor and deserved nothing from this one but could easily have stolen a point if the referee hadn’t bottled giving a stonewall penalty.

Toney’s goal from a Brentford corner showed the problems zonal marking can bring. The sheer number of corners Brentford had won gave you a feeling that they would capitalise on one of them.

Brentford were the better team by far and if Barnsley had have been awarded the penalty that they should have then a point would have been well and truly robbed.

Jack Walton was again excellent in goal for the reds and Sollbauer defended resolutely for the reds in the second half.

Woodrow did well holding the ball up but had no support from Frieser and Chaplin who were both poor again. I have no idea what Frieser is meant to bring to the team. Perhaps his long throws that never get beyond the first man?

Adeboyejo did more than those two when he came on and must be pushing for a start in the next match.

Styles was uncharacteristically poor and I think he should have been the one to make way when Mowatt was substituted.

Brittain, who has been excellent so far, got worse as the second half went on as well but he seemed to have very few options when he received the ball.

James struggled and I think that is as much to do with the system as it is him not being fully fit.

Despite the early results under the new manager, I am not a fan of this formation and I feel that last night’s performance and result is sign of things to come going forward if he doesn’t change things.

I said the same about Struber’s diamond. It was hard to criticise when you are picking up results but you could see the wheels were going to come with that formation and the personnel he played in it and it is the same with this one. At least Struber was willing to tweak things; it remains to be seen if Ismael will.

One thing I find unforgiveable with the modern coach is that they have a way of playing and a formation and they won’t even change the formation during the game when they are trailing. Last night was crying out to take a centre half off for another midfielder or forward to go for it. A Sunday league manager would be sacked by their pub in times gone by if they had been so stubborn.

I don’t believe possession is the be all and end all when it comes to winning football matches but you can’t continue to play like we are having so little of the ball and expect to keep winning football matches.

Our formation means that our weakest area of the team, up top, includes three players. And our strongest area of the team, midfield, only has two. This means that we struggle to get hold of the ball in midfield and have sufficient possession. The manager also likes to get the ball forward quicker, which I am all for if you have the right players up front. Woodrow can hold it up bring the midfield or wingbacks in to play. More often than not Chaplin and Frieser will lose it and it comes straight back at us.

I think for the next game he needs to play three in midfield ant two up top. I would start with Woodrow and Adeboyejo as you know they can make it stick.

Odour should play wing back with Styles in midfield with Mowatt with either James or possibly Palmer if James is in need of a rest. I still think Kane is better used from the bench at this moment in time.

Reds Ratings:

Walton              9

Sollbauer          8

Helik                 6

Andersen          7

Briitain              6

Styles               5

James              5

Mowatt             7

Chaplin             4

Frieser              3

Woodrow          7