'BACKED' INTO A CORNER?

Wow, this season doesn't get any easier does it? After last weekends latest humiliation, again on home turf, we travel today to high flying, big spending Leicester City. 


A week ago we were beaten by Watford at Oakwell without the opposition - in my opinion - having to get out of second gear. It reminded me a lot of the opening day mauling by Wigan Athletic. They too trounced us without breaking sweat. 


There were a lot of Tarn supporters at that particular time suggesting we were beaten by a quality side, Champions elect, that there was little we could have done about it, and that we wouldn't face opponents like that every week. 


Well, I think Watford were just as good as Wigan that day, Forest looked of similar quality and Blackburn were no mugs as they too smashed us for five at Ewood Park. So I think it's finally dawned on the majority that perhaps these teams are no doubt better than us, but so are about 20 others in the division as it stands. Even Wednesday. Yes, it's that bad. 


The likes of Charlton, Bournemouth, Huddersfield and Blackpool are the sort of clubs we need to be picking points up against, and so far we've managed to do so, albeit without much conviction. 


The next week sees us tackle another three clubs "we can't compete with" in todays opponents Leicester, Tuesday's visitors Reading and next weekends hosts QPR. 
I'd take not getting battered in each of them, and move on from there. That's how low my confidence is as a supporter right now. Which takes the piss. It was only eight weeks ago that I entered into this season repeating the 'New Era' bollocks served up by the club on a daily basis, riding a wave of euphoric optimism. Reminds me of my slightly reckless youth where I'd indulge in extra curricular activities that made me smile for a few hours before coming down. With a depressingly bad bump. 

The Watford game was a bloody sorry affair. One team set out to win the game, the other was Barnsley.. 


As soon as I saw the teamsheet, I settled in for another drubbing. 
Flicker selected a very negative lineup, with three midfield toilers and one playmaker. Only, he did so by lining them up in a 4-4-2 that had "combatative" ball winner Stephen Dawson on the right wing, and the most blatant "number 10" in English football out on the left flank in Jacob Mellis. 


There was still no recall for Reuben Noble-Lazarus, despite his fantastic showing in our last - and only to date - victory, and also despite Tom Kennedy struggling for any kind of form. 


Dale Jennings was popped back into Room 101, and Paddy McCourt took his place on the bench, whilst there was a first start of the season for Jason Scotland. This was his 7th start for the club, and he would go on to score his 7th goal for the club in a rare happy moment in the latest weekend I've had spoiled by my beloved team. 


Oh, and Bobby Hassell was probably deemed too slow to cope with Watford's pacey forwards so he didn't even make the bench (again). The fact he played 88 minutes of this same fixture last season and scored the winner in a 1-0 victory is something and nothing, probably. He wasn't even involved as goalkeeper cover - Flicker had 7 outfield subs on the bench.. 

After the usual early promise that we see at Oakwell, where we're normally in the game for the first half hour, a series of bad defensive mistakes from the usual suspects saw us comprehensively beaten by five goals to that one Scotland strike that had given us hope at 1-1. 


New Scottish international Ikechi Anya (proper Glaswegian stock) terrorised Scott Wiseman throughout the first half. Wisey's pace was no match for the Watford flyer, and Scott had probably his worst game since having a new one torn against Man City all those months ago. 
But I'm loathe to criticise the bloke after one poor showing in what has been a remarkable transformation over the last eight months or so. 


He had no cover at all, in his defence (no pun intended). 
I'm guessing that was why Dawson was played wide right, but he kept drifting inside which gave Anya all the encouragement a player of his quality didn't really need. 


On the opposite flank, Kennedy had a 'Paul Gibbs' I'm afraid. Half asleep for at least one Hornets goal, and wasted so many set-pieces to add to his growing collection. I can only assume he's Beckham-esque in training. 
I was lucky enough as a teenager to see the likes of Neil Thompson and Darren Barnard play left back. Dead ball delivery at it's best. At the moment I'd allow a random fan onto the pitch to take our set-pieces. We're that bad. Until Reuben came on... 



The front two of Scotland and Chris O'Grady were the only Reds to give a good account of themselves of those who started. The three substitutes - Jim O'Brien, Paddy McCourt and Noble-Lazarus - were a big improvement in the second half, as we began to ask questions of the opposition. Unfortunately, we didn't catch a break, but catching us on the break was exactly how Watford rounded off another fruitless days work for Flickers 'group of players'. 

The feeling among both supporters and media types, was that Flicker had got it wrong, again. He set up the team in the wrong fashion, with square pegs in round holes, again, and we could all see it coming before a ball had even been kicked. His half-time changes served as some kind of admittance on his part, and I expected him to offer up an apology of some sort in his post-match interview. 


We didn't get that. 


Instead, and for the first time during his reign, Flicker decided to blame his players. They had "let us down" apparently, and maybe it was time for change, or as he put it, "surgery". 



The Monday brought a monthly board meeting - not a crisis meeting as some poor journalists suggested. And they seemingly backed the manager as we have since recruited England international goalkeeper Jack Butland on a 93 day loan from Premier League Stoke City. Yes, that's right, we have signed one of the brightest talents in the English game. The youngest keeper to ever play for the national side. 

A back injury to Luke Steele makes this move look an absolute blinder. A coup. And a clear signal of intent by the board at Oakwell. 

"Oh, Steele is injured? Ok, tell you what Dave, we'll get you Butland on loan. That do for you?" 


That was followed a day later with the arrival of Norwich City playmaker David Fox, again on a 93 day loan. 
A set-piece merchant who sits and dictates. A retainer. Dare I say it, a 'handbrake'? 



There's supposedly one more loanee to follow next week, which would take the size of our squad to 344, or thereabouts.... 


Backed to the hilt? Or backed into a corner? 

Either way, I think results are now expected. Because were we to continue losing meekly week after week I am struggling to think of a way to defend Flicker, unless falling back onto the heroics of last season counts..? 

Butland

Fox

I have been told to stop trying to find similarities between this Flitcroft spell, and the spell that ended Keith Hill's BFC reign but I'm afraid it's too blatant not to. 
The strange changing of tactics; the square pegs round holes syndrome; ignoring Hassell; bizarre and contradictory interviews; panic loans; consecutive defeats... etc etc. 


Keith was backed in the loan market last season, with "Championship ready players" after he too 'finally' admitted that 'his' squad of players were not good enough. Now, to me, it seems Flicker has gone down the same route. I have to be honest, I'm worried for him. 


I do not want a change of manager. I think it's 16 that I've seen in my 25 seasons supporting this great little club of ours. I want some stability. And after last seasons heroics (fell back on it already, haven't I?) I think it is crazy to be even pondering his position as manager after just two months of football. But looking at the evidence in front of us, it's growing harder to defend him. It really is. 

We cannot purely stick with him just because we're fed up of sacking managers. He has to be giving us reasons to keep him. And let's be honest, had we started the season with six wins (rather than 6 defeats) and a loss and a draw, we'd be top of the league and there would be clubs interested in taking Flicker away to a better place. Would he be loyal? 



A lot for us to ponder still, and hopefully this afternoon we'll see evidence of a change in fortunes as we look to put this sorry start to the season to bed, and any increased speculation also. Because despite what some idiots suggest, nobody wants our club to be struggling and to be pointing fingers at the board/management/squad. 
Look at us under Flicker last season, united, as ONE. We used to lose now and again, but we tried our best, as ONE, and there seemed a clear vision that we all agreed upon. 


I'm afraid that's the problem, or it is at least for me, that I no longer know what the 'plan' is that Flicker keeps talking about. He's not lost me, I'm with him. But if it's the plot or the dressing room that he's lost/losing, then I'm afraid not even the staunchest of supporter could help him with that. 



Thanks for reading, and remember, we've been much worse. We're Barnsley. And without the sour, the sweet would never taste so good. Or sumat. 


Up The Tarn!