With 20 games left, what are the key issues for Reds?

Barnsley in need of more firepower up front

Obviously, the Reds need a striker.

The basic stats don’t suggest that as, after the weekend’s matches, only three teams in the division had scored more goals than Barnsley’s 40.

But they are having to score plenty because, although Darrell Clarke is happy with his defensive options, the Reds have conceded 36 goals which by far the most in the top six and kept four clean sheets which is the third lowest in the league.

Barnsley have had, by far, the most shots in the division and made the third most touches in the opposition’s box this season.

Only Huddersfield have missed more ‘big chances’ than Clarke’s side this season, as defined by statistics providers, but the Terriers have just signed two proven League One strikers in Joe Taylor and Dion Charles to combat that.

Clarke said in pre-season that he thought his strikers needed to score 40 goals between them to get promotion. With 26 of the 46 games played, they have 18. The midfielders have 14 while defenders have added seven.

Davis Keillor-Dunn has been superb in recent weeks, justifying Barnsley’s relatively hefty transfer fee and their decision to turn him from an attacking midfielder into a striker, with a series of excellent goals.

He has ten in all competitions but picked up an injury on Saturday which the Reds are hopeful is not too serious.

If he were to miss games, that would be a major blow as none of the other strikers are netting regularly.

Max Watters’ only goal in ten was thanks to a bizarre goalkeeper error against Crawley, then he missed five clear chances at Bristol Rovers on Saturday.

But he offers a lot to the team in general play and his goal contributions per minute are as good as any recent Reds striker.

Stephen Humphrys, who looked like becoming the star man of the Reds attack when he scored spectacular goals against Rotherham and Cambridge in November, has not netted in 11 and not started the last five.

The spark that won fans over early in the season has dimmed as the converted winger has missed some big chances.

He can be a superb player to watch on his day but currently isn’t making much of an impact.

Sam Cosgrove has not scored in 19 matches since August although, since the loss in Huddersfield in October which led to many changes to the team, he has been reduced to short cameos off the bench. Cosgrove – who is out of contract in the summer – has made very little impact for weeks and it is understood that he will leave in this transfer window if a deal can be found which suits all parties.

Someone to replace his physicality, but who can perform to a higher level, would be ideal – but it is a notoriously difficult window to recruit in with most clubs looking for goal-scorers.

Barnsley thinking long-term with goalkeeper transfer situation

As well as a forward, Barnsley are looking for a goalkeeper this window. That has baffled some fans as Ben Killip is performing well and Jackson Smith, although he has never played for the Reds, is a highly-rated young stopper.

But the Oakwell recruitment team are always thinking long-term as well as about the current window, and they are keen for Smith – who they see as a future number one – to have a loan spell for the remainder of the campaign.

That would surely require someone else to come in first, most likely as back-up to Killip who has been one of Barnsley’s best players since he replaced the now departed Gaga Slonina.

We are told the Reds are looking at all positions. Another area in which the squad could be improved is more depth in the attacking midfield ‘number eight’ positions.

Adam Phillips and Jon Russell appear to have the starting spots locked down but a young talented loanee with explosive pace and direct running to come on late in games and make an impact against tired legs could add an extra dimension to the squad.

Josh Benson looks to be surplus to requirements and Vimal Yoganathan is still raw.

Team looks set to scrap for lower play-off places

Even though there is a long way to go, Barnsley currently look set for a battle for one of the lower two play-off places this season.

They are just a point clear in the top six at the moment and there are several clubs below them who, although adrift of the Reds, will have them in their crosshairs.

It feels fanciful to even look at a Barnsley automatic promotion at this stage. Of course stranger things have happened – there are 20 games to play, including one at Wycombe on Tuesday which could be shake things up, and the Reds have staged improbable promotion pushes in the past.

But the gap was 12 points going into last night’s games and reeling in three of Birmingham, Wycombe, Wrexham and Huddersfield is difficult to imagine.

The Reds have simply not shown they can get the consistent wins they would need to challenge for that.

Right now, it feels like the best they can hope for is that they easily secure a place in the top six and do not have to battle until the final seconds like last season.

They certainly have the experience, as a club and squad, of getting to the play-offs and they are understood to have a top six budget – so anything less would be a disappointment.

They should do it from this position but need a good January transfer window, and to take more chances, reduce the errors at the back and stay consistent with their results.

Their current points per game ratio would take them to 74 at the end of the season – not enough to make the play-offs in the last three campaigns.

Barnsley currently have four points fewer than two seasons ago under Michael Duff – whose team were about to become the form side in England for several months – and seven fewer than Neill Collins’ Reds last season whose collapse in the final quarter they clearly need to avoid.

Some vital games across next month

There are some big games coming up for the Reds.

Tomorrow’s visitors Stevenage are a bizarre side who have not scored away from home in more than three months, but have a good defensive record and Clarke has never beaten the Hertfordshire club in eight meetings.

A third successive home win would feel like another big step forward and make the loss at Bristol Rovers seem like a freak blip.

They then visit currently managerless but high-flying Wycombe on midweek – the first of several games against teams around them in the next month as they also go to Stockport then host Huddersfield in back-to-back games in February.

That month starts with a home game against lowly Burton Albion and also includes a trip to local rivals Rotherham United who are now one of the form teams in the division.

They are also now due to visit Northampton Town on the 25th.