I warned on page 1 of this thread that Barnsley wouldn't be an easy match but even I didn't expect Barnsley to give the Rovers team (who but for one change made PNE look so ordinary on Tuesday) so much trouble. I knew their previous coach Gerhard Struber advocated a high pressing game and his legacy must be making new Manager Ismael's job so much easier. I call this result a 2 point bonus as after 30 minutes all I wanted for the Rovers was to get to HT without conceding and at that time would have taken a draw. I had admired Reading's style greatly but as far as I am concerned Barnsley are the best team that we have seen this season. If they had a Lucas Joao an Ivan Toney or an Adam Armstrong they would be right up there in the promotion mix. Perhaps Barnsley's defence is a little suspect but you'd have to have a pretty good midfield to find out such was their midfield dominance!
So how come Tony Mowbray who had prepared the team perfectly for the North end encounter started today's match with just one combative midfielder in Tom Trybull? Fine players that Holtby, Rothwell and Elliot are we all know they are not the best midfield battlers by any stretch of the imagination. Ismael seemed to know more about us than we did about them and sent his team out to harry and press the Rovers midfield and back line like terriers. Unable to put their foot on the ball and dictate play the midfield were largely ineffective whilst any hope of building play from the back was a pipe dream. Poor Adam Armstrong had hardly any service and his frustration cost a caution for a petulant spat with Walton (no not that one) in the Barnsley goal. Even less involved was Harvey Elliot on the right wing who did virtually nothing to justify him being given the nod over the recently in form Sam Gallagher. Still as they say form is temporary and class is permanent and it was Elliot's perfect pass which fed Nyambe, allowing him to sprint to the by-line and pull the ball back perfectly for Armstrong to crash the ball home from a narrow angle. At last we had an end product from Nyambe marauding to the by-line. His runs have promised so much for so long but his delivery has let him down. Arma had been fed a similar ball by Brereton in a similar position just a few minutes before for a 'sighter' but Walton had been able to make the save. Suffice to say if both Waltons had been in the goal they wouldn't have saved Arma's thunderbolt.
HT (a rather undeserved 1-0)
Second half and after what must have been a few choice words and accusations in the home dressing room and at last the Rovers were able to compete with Barnsley's midfield and put a bit of pressure into the last third. I must say at this point that the Barnsley lads had put such a shift in in the first half and wonder how they went in at 1-0 down that they were probably a little deflated. Fatigue too could have played a part as Ismael no doubt fearful of Arma's striking prowess had been urging his midfield into ever greater effort in our half for most of the first half.
First Bell broke clear and struck a fierce shot straight at Walton (inside far post Amari.... INSIDE FAR BLOODY POST!) before Ben Bererton comically tackled himself just as he was about to pull the trigger in another one on one. Cue the merciful substitution of Elliot for Gallagher and the replacement of Trybull with the more aggressive Brad Johnson. An immediate improvement down the right ensued and despite a few scares at the other end, culminated just 10 minutes later with Gallagher firing home. I thought this was a deflection such was the swerve he put on the ball with the outside of his right foot (not easy) but it was a perfectly measured finish. A sign of a confidant player when placement takes precedence over power.
Just time left for Barnsley to find the net in the last minute of normal time, give Barnsley fresh hope and make the last few minutes a rather nervy affair.
FT
Kaminsky... 8 A measure of Barnsley's contribution to this match that our MoM should be the keeper. Made a string of fine saves and performed his usual role as sweeper to boot. There has been a long debate on here as to whether Christian Walton was a safer keeper than David Raya with many ruing the day we sold Raya to Brentford. I doubt there is any question any more. who in gtheir right minds would want to exchange 'Calamity David' for Kaminsky now? Tomhas K has been a real find and must be attracting attention from Premier League clubs.
Nyambe... 7 Struggled in the first half to cope with Barnsley's hunting pack. He wasn't on his own either. Nyambe isn't a quick thinker for a footballer and he daren't leave his post and go marauding forward as is usual. Made up for this in the 43rd minute when he finally latched on to a peach of a pass from Elliot took it to the by line and pulled the ball back perfectly for Armstrong to put us one up. Other side of the coin and he committed the cardinal sin for a defender by heading a clearance from the back post right on to the penalty spot.
Lenihan... 7 Played a far greater part than on Tuesday at Preston and was needed to repel Barnsley's power play. Frequently let down by poor distribution due to being denied time to put his foot on the ball and look up.
Wharton... 7 Ditto to Darragh above. Unfortunately had to go off at the insistence of the club Doctor after bumping his head and could be a doubt for the Millwall match. The scenes below have been relegated to the history books it seems.... those of a nervous disposition or anybody who is too young to remember punk, the Winter of discontent, Raquel Welch and Dallas please look away now....
Douglas.... 6 Another who had an uncomfortable game until injury forced him off after just 14 minutes. Have we signed a sick note?
Elliot.... 5 Restored to the side after going off at Preston. Hardly in the game first half and Gallagher improved the play down the right. tbf It wasn't the sort of game that I would expect a 17 year old to be able to easily cope with.
Trybull... 6 Resembled the boy who stood on the burning deck at times. Another who found the lack of attention at Deepdale in direct contrast to the stifling attention of the Barnsley dog pack.
Holtby... 6 Barnsley were obviously present in the stands at Deepdale and witnessed how Louis can run a game if allowed time and space. Their obvious intention was to deny him that time and space and it worked.
Rothwell... 6 A few flashes of what he can do running at a defence from midfield but like his teammates suffered from the constraints of the Barnsley straightjacket. Got a real rollocking off Lenihan for allowing Anderson a free header on goal which only a marvellous save from Kaminsky prevented finding the net.
Brereton... 6 Set off with good intent but in a difficult match soon lost his newly discovered mojo. Almost laid a goal on for Armstrong but will rather be remembered for a comic cut attempt on goal that he foiled with his other foot. It happens and can happen to the best as David Dunn found to his eternal embarrassment. btw BB is no Dunny and far from the best.
Armstrong. ... 7 Saw little of the ball but represented our greatest threat and the man that Barnsley' tactics were designed to foil. It didn't work and he scored his by now customary goal to stay one goal in front of Ivan Toney at the head of the Championship goal scoring chart. It was a real crackerjack of a finish too. Picked up a needless booking through a rare display of temper.
No doubt greedy eyes will be watching his every move.
Subs
Bell.... 14 mins 6 Looked a bag of nerves when he came on for Douglas. Displayed a poor first touch a number of times to remind us why Mowbray moved for Douglas. Missed a one on one with the keeper at a crucial time in the match that would have done his confidence a power of good. Coped OK defensively overall.
Gallagher... 66 mins 7. Made a difference and scored what turned out to be the winner with an assured finish. Appears like BB to have raised his game in recent weeks. He needed to. Also looks fitter than for some time.
Johnson ....66 mins 6. Came on and filled the gap after Trybull went off. I think Luton told us that these two as yet don't perform too well together in the middle.
Carter... 76 mins 6. On for Wharton and didn't let the side down. We are down to the bare bones across the entire defence so it's good to see him do OK.
Tony Mowbray... 5 Didn't send out a fully prepared team imo. Rovers were caught cold by Barnsley's game plan and really struggled to cope. Perhaps a bit of 'after the Lord Mayor's show too'. Not all managers can get a team 'UP' for every match. Some can and some struggle and whilst I hope I am not being unfair but TM seems to be one of the latter. Part redemption because his unenforced subs improved the team.
Referee.. Andy Madley Huddersfield 5. Typical Premier League standard of blowing for a foul with any sort of contact. Barnsley must have done their homework and milked his ineptitude throughout the first half. He did seem to remember what League he was in and improved in the second half.
