After the success the coach and team achieved last season was always going to be a hard act to follow . The loss of VA , some coaching staff and of course A Mowatt and M Sollbauer means Marcus Schopp is under pressure to get the results this coming season. The change in style will I feel will be the biggest challenge. The direct back to front style the VA adoped was successful if not always pretty to watch. I just hope the fans give the new coach and team time to adjust. Playing it out from the back may be ok for Man City and the like but our own defence may not cope so easily. Remember how the fans got on the back of Mads Anderson that first season and how it affected the lads confidence? So we fans will have to show some patience as VI has gone and a new era is about to start. Some have already pressed the panic button already . Gotta give the coach and team time-- something in short supply in football
Didnt Rooney say about us a couple of years ago that playing Barnsley all you had to do was wait for the inevitable mistake in our defence and you were in. We were good with the panic button. Let's hope we have learned not to press it this year.
It’ll be nice if someone pulls Woodrow down in the box and get sent off again on Saturday, like in Val’s first game.
I agree the change in styles is the biggest worry for me, I wouldnt say the fans were getting on mads andersons back at the time I just think the tactic of mads standing at the side of radlinger and him passing the ball to him and mads then trying to play the ball out inviting pressure on the back 4 was one of the most frustrating things I've ever seen down at oakwell, it was more frustration towards the tactic. I hope we don't go back to overplaying the ball in our own half and inviting pressure on the defence if we do I think it could be a long season, I know vals tactic of getting the ball upfield and playing it the opposing half wasn't always pleasing to watch but got results I also think he knew he didn't have the players to play it out from the back. Time will tell im looking forward to the season but not as optimistic as many on here and many football pundits on our chances.
Happy to give the new coach and formation a chance, more than anything just looking forward to getting in the ground and seeing how it pans out. I think one trait all our previous gaffers have shown is their stubbornness and rigidity. VI was very one dimensional, but because it 'worked' fans were more forgiving. I still lost count of the number of calls for a plan B, or for him to mix it up a bit, but these were lost in results. With previous gaffers, the total belief that we could play 10 passes in the first third followed by another 10 in the middle third was a continual source of frustration, as we clearly didn't have the tools to play that way. But there was no inclination to change. What I am hoping for, is a gaffer who will play in a way Barnsley fans appreciate; who will try his own thing, but will have the grace and intelligence to change things if it is clearly not working. It is indeed a season of transition, but hey, haven't all recent seasons been that way? Bring it on.
Mate, some fans were on the back of most players the last time we had full capacity. I’ve still got video from the Cardiff game (ironically), the last game before Covid. There were a handful of idiots in the lower east, shouting abuse at Mads every time he got the ball. I was filming near the dugout at full time and the boos were so loud, and one angry bloke just behind me, lower west, looked about 60-year-old screamed (and I mean screamed) “f***** wa** Struber, go back to Austria you stupid bald c*£&.” The fanbase was toxic back then. And whilst there’s nothing wrong with fans having concerns or raising issues about how things are going or how the club is being run, nothing excuses the sort of abuse that became normal that season. I even copped for it myself quite often as I walked around the stadium. Team is losing so everyone becomes a target for abuse. I haven’t missed that the last 15 months or however long it’s been. Do I think the tactics you referred to frustrated people? Probably. Just like some would have been frustrated watching us kick it long all afternoon. But that’s not excuse in my book to be a cretin and abuse folk. I’m amazed that only Cantona has ever properly reacted.
Absolutely bang on. Hence when I go to some away games I don't mind sitting with the home fans. It's not worth the stress getting into a argument with some buffoon hurling abuse at our team or coach.
I was sat in west stand that game better set of supporters, but seriously don't agree with any abuse of players or staff. The football under struber was frustrating at times and vals wasn't very pleasing on the eye but it got the results. Got to remember these players are very young and shouting abuse and getting on there back will kill there confidence.
Cantona... and Brek Shea You're right though, it is shocking. Hopefully the fans are great this year!
I agree with Redrum a lot were complaining at playing the ball out from the back starting with a goal kick going backwards, others were having a go at Andersen and other players which seems to be the norm narrdays.
