AFC Bournemouth v Barnsley

billythekid

billythekid

UTC Legend
Interesting article about their manager and how they went about getting him.

If you have time worth watching the video, good interview but it is around 23 minutes long.

One question was about another club trying to poach him away.

Also I didn’t realise they have the youngest squad in the Championship with an average age of 23.6.

Worth a read about the man who will be at Dean Court with his side next Saturday and before their midweek home game have won seven in a row.

https://www.thesportsman.com/featur...-s-golden-touch-as-reds-close-in-on-play-offs
 
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He managed 7 clubs before he joined Barnsley, one he managed on two different occasions, but apart from 1 club, he was only there for 1 season.
 
Beat Barnsley and we go into 6th with Barnsley now on same games played. Given the importance of the game and the benefit of no midweek game, no excuses if we don’t deliver a decent performance.
 
If we beat both Barnsley and Swansea, then I will start to look at the league table and the remaining fixtures of the clubs battling for a play-off spot. No point in any idle speculation before then.

We can win both of these matches, so I look forward to mapping our route to Wembley.
 
Important Game To Win

Our next opponents at Dean Court on Saturday at 3 pm are one of the form teams at the moment Barnsley. Barnsley have been on an excellent run of form of late with 7 straight wins, the most in the club’s history in the second level, this came to an end on Wednesday with the home draw with Derby County. When AFCB last played Barnsley back in December they inflicted the Tykes heaviest defeat of the season so far home and away. At their Oakwell ground AFCB scored two goals in each half and didn’t concede in a 0-4 victory, this put Cherries top of the table with 30 points and Barnsley were in 15th place on 19 points after 16 games. Going into the home game at Dean Court, Barnsley are in the last play-off place on 58 points, with AFCB in 7th spot on 56 points after 35 games. In the 19 games since, AFCB have taken 26 points and Barnsley 39 points. An AFCB win will put our side back in the last play-off place.

Since the game at Barnsley, their side on their travels have beaten Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham United 1-2. Then in their seven game winning run, three of the games were away, they beat Brentford 0-2, Bristol City 0-1, QPR 1-3. They have drawn with Nottingham Forest 0-0. Lost to Swansea City 2-0, Norwich City 1-0 and Watford 1-0.

At home they have beaten Wycombe Wanderers, Preston and Huddersfield Town 2-1 and in their 7 game unbeaten run, Blackburn Rovers 2-1, Stoke City 2-0, Millwall 2-1 and Birmingham City 1-0. Drawn with Cardiff City 2-2. They lost against Swansea City 0-2. In their most recent home game on Wednesday evening they drew 0-0 with Derby County.

The last time Barnsley visited Dean Court was in September 2013 in the Championship, a Marc Pugh goal was the only one of the game.

Our home games in the league against Barnsley, AFCB have W 9, D 7, L 4.
In all league and cup games, AFCB have W 14, D 13, L 16.

AFCB Team News
David Brooks, Sam Surridge, Diego Rico and Phil Billing all missed the game at Preston through injury. Lewis Cook came off in the game through injury, no updated news yet on him. Sam Surridge returned to training, so hopefully will be available for Saturday.

AFCB Player To Watch
Dominic Solanke is due a goal and hopefully that will be against Barnsley.

Barnsley Team News
In the January transfer window they signed two forwards, at the beginning of January, Carlton Morris from Norwich City for an undisclosed fee and on the last day of the window, Daryl Dike on loan from Orlando City. Both players have made an immediate impression, Morris with 4 goals in 3 starts and 8 sub appearances and Dike with 3 goals in 5 starts and 2 sub appearances.

Barnsley Player To Watch
In defence their centre defender Michal Helik. In midfield Alex Mowatt, 6 goals and 6 assists and up front Daryl Dike 3 goals in his last five games.
 
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A massive week coming up. We could put ourselves in an excellent position for the run-in with 2 wins, or we could be cut adrift from the whole promotion picture with 2 defeats. And then the small matter of a cup quarter final against them up the road with a game at Wembley for the winner.

If this squad can't get motivated for the upcoming week, they'll never be motivated about anything. They haven’t always been the most likable bunch of players in our history, what with the inconsistency and under-performing talent, and our restricted ability to watch and support them. But a few good results here will make some small heroes.

Good luck chaps, be brave and fight for each other.
 
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The average age of their team is interesting. I am sure they have been buoyed with confidence of their winning run, but after the draw last night things can change. They have the assurance of their following match at Wycombe which you would expect them to win, but if we can put them under pressure, a victory could be worth more than 3 points - it could dent their nerve and expose an achilles heel that just maybe Wycombe could exploit.

For us, a win ahead of Swansea would be huge, so imo biggest game of the season so far.
 
wellsworld said:
we wanted excitement and something to play for.... well, we've certainly got things to play for in the coming weeks

:utc:
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Exactly. This time of the year is so much more interesting this year. Lately we would have been wondering whether it was going to be twelfth or sixteenth in the PL come season's end.

We wanted excitement and something to play for this season and now that we have it, apparently it's just not good enough for some.

It's just football at the end of the day, whatever happens we'll all move onto next season with a clean slate and hope renewed that this time everything will be better.

In the meantime let's just enjoy this season and our team's attempt to get into the playoffs by the end of it. That's when the excitement goes off the scale and that's what we're all here for, right ?

Come on you Chezzers !

Personally I'm feeling confident about Saturday. I think the players will realise just how important the game is. When they do that, the performances are usually pretty good. It's when we take the opposition lightly that we can look absolutely carp. Should be no danger of that on Saturday and I'm sure we can play well enough to win this one.

:utc:
 
Derby County manager Wayne Rooney told BBC Radio Derby:

"Tonight I wasn't asking them to play football, because Barnsley don't let you do that with how they play.

"It's quite direct, so tonight was all about winning individual battles. Then hopefully you can pinch a goal and get away with three points.

"There was a gameplan to get the ball in behind them and cause them problems.

Barnsley boss Valerien Ismael told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"It was very difficult. We had to deal with the long balls and the running in behind. We didn't have the possibility to press. It was a fight and we took the fight.

"It was a big surprise to see how Derby played football. It is a compliment for the guys to see Derby completely changing the way they play.

"Sometimes you have to accept a point. In the end it could be a good point.

"We felt some fatigue after a lot of games We have a point, a clean sheet and it is a small step. We don't have the finances of the other clubs but we will recover and we go again on Saturday."

From me:

Interesting that Derby largely managed to nullify Barnsley’s attacking intentions despite the team confidence riding high.

Sounds like they took Barnsley by surprise with a change of tactics. Ismael will know exactly how we set up and play normally. Would a change from us similarly effect their game plan?

It scares me when Rooney says that Barnsley “don’t allow you to play”. Bloody hell. Far worse teams than the Tykes have managed to stop us playing “our way” ( whatever that is this season!!). Any team who has played us with a high press has given us problems.

Perhaps we need to go direct as well to stop their “possibility to press”. Some (not all) “long balls and running in behind” could work if our front three are up for the game. Hopefully, our strikers may get better, or perhaps, luckier results.

Also, hope the fatigue the manager mentioned will be evident against us on Saturday.

He also sounded a bit Sean Dyche- like with his “we don’t have the finances” boo-hoo speech. I guess he may use that to stir the team before kick off.

Anyway, it is going to be a tough fixture for sure. Playing at home, with a weeks rest, means as others have said - no real excuses not to put in a winning performance. We will see.

UTCIAD.
 
preston south end said:
Sounds like they took Barnsley by surprise with a change of tactics. Ismael will know exactly how we set up and play normally. Would a change from us similarly effect their game plan?
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We’ve already done this this season tbf, with tactical wizard Jason Tindall no less. We went long to avoid the high press and totally put them to the sword. 4-0. They looked good at times but I’d imagine we were much more devastating on the attack than Derby are capable of.

Quietly confident for this one.
 
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