Analysis of Barnsley's 3-1 loss at Bristol Rovers. The Reds created a plethora of chances but went 2-0 down then, after Josh Earl scored, conceded again.
REDS PLAY SOME OF THEIR BEST AND WORST FOOTBALL
Barnsley played some of their best and worst football of the season in one of the most frustrating afternoons of the campaign.
They passed the ball around with real confidence and a swagger, as they looked very fluent and fresh, with clear plans of how to cut through their hosts, having had a fortnight with no game due to Northampton being called off. Some of the passing moves were excellent.
Players such as Adam Phillips - who had 96 per cent passing accuracy in the first half while he set up several huge chances - did not deserve to lose.
The Reds could easily have replicated the 5-1 scoreline the last time they won at Rovers in 1992 but they were badly let down by appalling finishing and defending for the goals.
They must hope it is just a freakish game which went against them but missing big chances and conceding bad goals have been fairly consistent problems all season which need addressing in the transfer market and on the training pitch.
Josh Griffiths has been the busiest goalkeeper in the division this season and had another excellent performances, making eight saves – several of them when the Reds looked certain to score.
The one time he made an error, fumbling in a Luca Connell shot, it was ruled out because Max Watters was in an offside position.
It was similar to the FA Cup tie at Oakwell in November, in that the Reds dominated and had a very high shot count - 25 after 30 in the last game - but were denied by their own poor finishing and Griffiths’ brilliance. The difference this time was that, under new management and playing at home, Rovers were not just determined to draw 0-0 but offered a threat on the counter-attack.
UNHAPPY RETURN FOR CLARKE
Despite spending a lot of money in the summer, the Gas started the game 20th, one place and five points clear of the relegation zone.
They had only taken four points from their last eight league games, and were the third lowest scorers in the division with 22 goals from their 24 games.
Darrell Clarke was given a standing ovation pre-match on his return to the club he promoted twice but, post-match, it was new boss Inigo Calderon and his team who enjoyed the home crowd’s applause while the Reds apologetically clapped the roughly 700 away fans.
On the ground where they last celebrated promotion in 2019, it was clear Barnsley have work to do to get close to another.
Their four-match winning run ended and, although they stayed fifth, their cushion in the play-offs went from four points to one point.
Clarke said after the game that he was ‘massively scratching his head’ as to how his side lost.
WATTERS AND OTHERS MISS BIG CHANCES
This match highlighted, although it was fairly obvious before, Barnsley’s need for a new striker in the January transfer window.
Davis Keillor-Dunn – the only real in-form striker at the club – came off injured at the break, Watters missed a catalogue of chances while both Stephen Humphrys and Sam Cosgrove are now in double figures in their goalless runs.
There is certainly work to do on the training pitch but they surely need extra firepower to add a more clinical edge and perhaps bring more out of the existing strikers.
It is no exaggeration to say Watters could have scored five goals. He missed three one-one-ones with the goalkeeper and had two close-range chances which he scuffed then somehow stabbed over the bar.
His general play was good, as he stretched the opposition defence with his powerful running and held the ball up well, linking with other players. He was not the only man to miss opportunities but he appears to have little confidence in front of goal and it was difficult to watch as he squandered chance after chance.
The third one-on-one was particularly worrying as he barely touched the ball when favourite in a race to get to it with the goalkeeper, who he then appeared to check was unhurt after some slight contact. A ruthless striker would have made sure he got there first and rounded the stranded Griffiths but, in his Barnsley career, Watters has often seemed to lack that killer instinct.
Jon Russell somehow let the ball run past him when he looked certain to tap in after a Phillips shot was saved. Half-time substitute Humphrys headed wide from almost on the line.
THREE POOR GOALS CONCEDED
Although they dominated most of the game, Barnsley did look vulnerable when counter-attacked and conceded three poor goals.
For the first, near the end of the first half, a poor touch from Josh Earl led to Rovers pouring into the box and Scott Sinclair’s chipped cross hitting the bar. Georgie Gent gave Grant Ward too much time to recycle the ball and cross for Gatlin O’Donkor to head home from close range. Midfielder Russell had found himself marking O’Donkor but swapped with defender Mael de Gevigney after the first cross - too slowly as the Frenchman could not catch up with the striker who got goal-side of him. It was poor decision-making and organisation.
The second goal was a gift from captain Connell, who had replaced Kelechi Nwakali in the 11 and had had an excellent game until that point. It was a suckerpunch just after half-time. After Earl lost the ball then won it back, Connell was robbed of the ball deep in his half by O’Donkor then Ward played through advancing defender James Wilson who was denied one on one by Ben Killip but then passed to Isaac Hutchinson to scuff a close-range shot in. Connell was taken off minutes later but Clarke made a point of warmly shaking his hand.
The third goal saw centre-back Wilson - who had only assisted one goal in 51 previous Rovers games - register a second assist of the game. He swapped passes with ex-Red Luke Thomas then easily outmuscled debutant Neil Farrugia - who had done well in attack off the bench but got a taste of the physicality of the EFL - in the box before picking out Ruel Sotiriou to fire in.
AS MANY SET PIECE GOALS AS LAST SEASON
Barnsley scored their 13th set piece goal of the season, equalling last season’s total with 20 games to play.
It was a seventh league assist of the season for Corey O’Keeffe which put him second in the division behind Wrexham’s Ryan Barnett. His free-kick was expertly headed into the bottom left corner by Earl who has scored twice in six appearances - either side of an injury - after netting none in his first 39 games for the Reds.
Marc Roberts returned to the starting line-up for the first time in five weeks after being injured against Birmingham, replacing Donovan Pines who had deputised well but is clearly second choice in the middle of the back three. Clarke admitted he expected veteran striker Chris Martin to start but instead it was O’Donkor who, like at Oakwell, caused Roberts some problems.
When Earl and Roberts have both started league games, Barnsley have won five of 17. When at least one of them has not started, they have won seven of nine.
