DARRELL Clarke ‘loves’ the busy and difficult-looking schedule ahead for Barnsley but knows they need to stop throwing away points after taking the lead at home.
The Reds are sixth in League One with 27 points from 17 games.
They lost 1-0 at home to Wigan on Saturday – ending a five-match unbeaten league run – then drew 2-2 at home to Reading. They have collected just two points from their last three league games.
Barnsley are now due to host Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup tomorrow then visit second-placed Wrexham in the league on Tuesday.
No League One side has thrown away more home points after leading than the Reds who have drawn four matches at Oakwell after going in front, compared to winning all five away games in which they have taken the lead.
They are also yet to win from behind this season.
Head coach Clarke told the Chronicle: “I just want to attack. That’s the philosophy myself and the club want to go with. I want to score plenty of goals.
“That’s always been my history and it isn’t going to change.
“We look at it and, if you’re only conceding four shots on target in two games (Wigan and Reading), and conceding three goals – it’s not like we’re getting peppered and teams are constantly coming at our back line.
“The second goal (against Reading) was a bit sloppy and we need to tidy up those little fine details which are costing us at the minute.”
Barnsley have taken 11 points from their nine home league games this season, the 16th best record in the division.
Clarke told the Chronicle: “Winning two in nine at home is not what we want. We have to win at home, I am well aware of that.
“We’ve had too many draws.
“Three times we’ve scored two and only got a point. A lot of the performances have been good but we haven’t been clinical in both boxes.”
How does Clarke summarise the two home games this week?
“We were really poor in the first half against Wigan. In the last 30 minutes we were dominant and then the other night we were dominant for 60 or 70 minutes.
“But we have to be more clinical to make sure we pick up more points than one out of two games.”
The January transfer window is now just slightly more than a month away from opening. The Reds are expected to trim their squad down by moving on fringe players as well as bringing in new players.
Clarke told the Chronicle: “There are discussions with me and my boss Mladen (Sormaz, sporting director) and the recruitment team about where we plan to be heading in January.
“It’s not to tell anybody at the minute.
“We will always have a plan of what we would like to do in the window.
“We discuss it in board meetings every week and I have meetings every day with Mladen about how we are going to improve and what we want to change.
“A lot of work is being done in the background.”
Barnsley are in the middle of a run of five games in a fortnight, with matches in December against several teams expected to compete for promotion such as Wrexham, Birmingham City, Bolton Wanderers and Peterborough United.
Clarke said: “It’s game after game.
“I love it. I love my job and try very hard to be successful. It’s chipping away to try to get as many wins as possible to keep everybody happy at the club.”
