Will the real Barnsley F.C please stand up!
The past two weeks have really shown how inconsistent this Reds team are. A fine win at Hillsborough to end 26 years of hurt was followed by a shocking performance in a 0-0 draw with rock bottom Charlton, and then just seven days later comes one of the best performances of the season (in the second half at least) to end QPR's six match unbeaten away run, and stretch the R's Oakwell hoodoo to an eighth game- not to mention bringing Barnsley their first home win since mid-December.
After the horror show that was the Charlton game, it really looked like a completely different Barnsley side today, even though their were only three enforced changes.
Anderson De Silva who was the worst of the lot last weekend, was one of the best, alongside Hugo Colace, and a midfield that had looked completely lost against a side with just one away win, dominated Paulo Sousa's side today.
The first half was a pretty even affair, but all the goals were scored in it.
After last week's huff and puff performance where all the players did were launch long balls in the direction of the pint-sized Michael Mifsud, the fact that they played decent, attractive football, against it has to be said, a team that refreshingly tried to do the same, saw the performance improve greatly.
Mifsud had twice gone close before Rangers should have been down to ten men on 16 minutes. A lovely flick from Daniel Bogdanovic, played in Mifsud and he was hauled down on the edge of the area by Damion Stewart. The referee gave the free-kick but amazingly did not show a card, even though it was a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
Rangers did look good on their forays forward too with Wayne Routledge a bundle of pace and energy on the wing, and Dexter Blackstock causing Dennis Souza some scary moments in an opening period where the returning Brazilian looked cagey, before improving tenfold after the break.
After all the furore about not playing with width, and on the floor, it was ironically a long ball from the wing that gave Barnsley the lead with their first real effort on target after 26 minutes.
And it was a goal created in Malta. Adam Hammill played the ball out to Mifsud on the left wing, and he played a great cross for his international team-mate Bogdanovic to tower a free header past Radek Cerny and into the far corner. The goal seemed to galvanise the team and especially the midfield with Andranik inches wide with a 25 yard strike.
As so often happens when The Reds are in the ascendancy, they tend to switch off, and they did so again here after 36 minutes.
A rare slip by Bobby Hassell allowed Matteo Alberti to escape down the left-hand side and he sent over a superb cross which Damien Delaney stooped to head in. Goal-keeper Heinz Muller got two hands to the ball and really should have kept it out.
With The Reds having not scored more than once in game for eight matches, it looked like another home game may slip away, but they grabbed the lead again right before half-time from an unlikely source.
Anderson, whose shooting has been pretty woeful this season, had only one goal to his name so far, and even that was debateable as his effort against Plymouth (The Red's last home win) had flicked in off Jon Macken. But there was no denying it was the Brazilian's goal this time.
Colace's free-kick was only half cleared and Anderson's initial shot was blocked inside the area but he smashed the rebound with such force, NOBODY was going to keep it out.
If not known for his goal-scoring, Anderson is known for getting involved in controversial circumstances, this being the case again in first half stoppage time, as Stewart seemed to swing an arm at Anderson whilst they jostled at a corner. Amazingly the referee awarded a free-kick but then seemed to be saying he hadn't seen what had happened so he couldn't brandish a card. If he hadn't seen what happened, how could he have given a free-kick? Another baffling day of refereeing!
The Reds went in at the break ahead, and the second half was simply a joy to behold and was the best performances I've seen since probably that excellent 3-0 win over Bristol City in October 2007.
Where QPR had more than matched The Reds in the first half, they simply could not cope with the midfield after the break and it was only a combination of good goal-keeping, great defending, and poor finishing (again) which stopped the score being extended.
Hammill, on his first start, was at the hub of most of it and he should have opened his account on 51 minutes, with an effort that if it had gone in would have been a goal of the month contender.
The 21 year old Scouser picked the ball up on the halfway line, skipped inside two challenges, then past Stewart and Matthew Connolly on the edge of the area before seeing his stabbed effort blocked by the left leg of Cerny.
A wonderful ball from Hammill then finally got Mifsud into the clear but Kaspars Gorkss produced a wonderful challenge just as the Mosquito was about to pull the trigger.
It was the only piece of good defending Gorkss produced all game, and I must just say that after seeing him today, and when the Reds played at his old club Blackpool last March, the only thing he seems capable of doing is pushing, elbowing and generally fouling opposition strikers. He is a very dirty player, and it amazes me how he is at Championship level.
Back to the good stuff now and as Rangers failed to string more than two passes together, The Reds midfield were in supreme form. Colace never lost a challenge, whilst Anderson was finally showing the form he displayed when he first arrived last season. He looked extremely comfortable on the ball and was beating men at will.
The clear-cut chances dried up but the play didn't. Substitute Martin Devaney twice took the wrong option near the end. I hope the real Barnsley showed up today, if only they could show up more often!
Player Ratings:
Heinz Muller: Could have done better with the goal, and again his distribution was poor. Something you could see angered him in the first half. 5
Rob Kozluk: Has to stop diving into challenges! Simply has to! A lot of people criticise Van Homoet, but at least with him the risk of a red card is less. 5
Dennis Souza: Looked a bit shaky in the opening 20 minutes but then improved tremendously. Was solid in the second half and his kicking is much better than Moore's. 7
Stephen Foster: Brilliant again. hasn't trained all week but you wouldn't have known it. Won everything in the air. 8
Bobby Hassell: Slipped in the build-up to the QPR goal, but apart from that was his usual brilliant self. 7
Adam Hammill: Looks a star. QPR simply couldn't deal with him and he should have been rewarded with a goal after a great run in the 51st minute. Subbed. 8
Anderson De Silva: Perfectly highlights this team. Shocking one week and brilliant the next. He was immaculate today, after being the worst of a bad bunch last week! Booked. 9
Hugo Colace: NEVER lost a challenge today, this was the Colace we all know. A revelation in holding the midfield together. 9.5
Andranik Teymourian: Two good games from three is a very decent platform to build from. Was great at foraging forward but does need to think about his final ball. 8
Daniel Bogdanovic: Back to the way he was on his debut against Ipswich. A tricky customer all afternoon and scored a very good goal. He is NOT a target man though. Subbed. 7
Michael Mifsud: Needs to learn to time his runs better because he easily has the pace not to keep getting caught offside, but this was probably his best performance so far. He never gave QPR's defence a moment, and really was like a mosquito. Great cross for the Bogdanovic goal. 8
Substitutes:
Jon Macken (for Bogdanovic 67): Was surprised to see him so early because a substitute was not required, (ironic really when you consider Davey waits for ages when a sub is needed) but he proved more of a handful when the high balls came than Bogdanovic did. Was strong in the air. 7
Martin Devaney (for Hammill 82) Picked the wrong option twice and knows he faces a fight for a place with Campbell-Ryce and Hammill in form. 5
Unused Substitutes:
Luke Steele, Mounir El Haimour, Maceo Rigters
Sponsor's Man of the Match: Anderson De Silva
BarnsleyBoy's Man of the Match: Hugo Colace: Was going to take something extra special to beat Anderson's performance and Colace provided it.
QPR: Cerny, Connolly, Stewart, Delaney, Gorkss, Alberti (Lopez 69), Routledge, Leigertwood, Miller (Rose 55), Blackstock, Helguson (Di Carmine 80).
Subs Not Used: Hall, Mahon.
Most Impressed by QPR's: Dexter Blackstock: In the first half he kept The Reds defence busy, but no QPR player impressed in the second half.
Ref Watch: Rob Shoebridge: Bottled two red card decisions, but good apart from that. 7
Coca-Cola Championship Results: Saturday 28th February 2009
BARNSLEY 2-1 QPR
Bristol City 0-0 Blackpool
Burnley 2-4 Sheffield Wednesday
Norwich 1-2 Coventry
Preston 3-2 Ipswich
Reading 0-1 Nottingham Forest
Southampton 1-0 Cardiff
Swansea 1-1 Charlton
Watford 2-0 Crystal Palace
Wolves 0-1 Plymouth
Friday 27th February 2009:
Doncaster 2-1 Derby
Barnsley lie in 18th place in the Coca-Cola Championship with 39 points from 33 games.
We are 14 points off the Play-Offs, 22 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 25 points off First place and 5 points above the Relegation Zone.
Up to and including 28/2/09
Next Up:
On The Road:
Coca-Cola Championship Thirty Four: Cardiff City v Barnsley Tuesday 3rd March 2009 Kick Off 7:45pm
Tickets:
Seating:
Adult - £24.00
Senior Citizens (Over 60) - £15.00
Juvenile (Under 16) - £15.00
Standing:
Adult - £22.00
Senior Citizens (Over 60) - £15.00
Juvenile (Under 16) - £15.00
Official Reds on the Road coaches will be making the trip to Ninian Park. Price: £25. Coach departs Oakwell at 2:30pm on the day of the game.
At Oakwell:
Coca-Cola Championship Matchday Thirty Five: Barnsley v Birmingham City Tuesday 10th March 2009 Kick-Off 7:45pm
Tickets:
East Stand and West Stand Upper Tiers
Adults £21.00
OAP/Juvenile £12.00
Juveniles (U11) £6.00
Barnsley Chronicle Family Area
Adults £21.00
OAP £12.00
Juvenile £12.00
Juveniles (U11) £6.00
East Stand Lower and West Stand Lower
Adults £20.00
OAP/Juveniles £11.00
Juveniles (U11) £5.00
CK Beckett Stand (Pontefract Road End)
Adults £19.00
OAP/Juveniles £11.00
Juveniles (U11) £5.00
All Disabled Areas £19.00
Helpers FREE OF CHARGE
To book tickets for forthcoming matches simply phone the Oakwell Box Office. Alternatively call at the Box Office in person; contact the Box Office by fax on 01226 211444 or e-mail boxoffice@barnsleyfc.co.uk. Please note that Juvenile U11 tickets must be purchased in advance from the Oakwell Box Office and this price will not be on sale on the turnstiles under any circumstances.
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