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Town Visit Barnsley Looking to End Run of Draws With Win
Thursday, 9th Mar 2017 19:54

Town visit manager Mick McCarthy’s hometown club Barnsley on Saturday looking to end a run of five successive draws by recording their second away win of 2017 and their fifth on the road this season.

The Blues, who are unbeaten in seven although with that January win at Aston Villa their only win in 11 matches in all competitions, previously drew five in a row in 1967, 1987, 1991 and 1992 with their record run of draws a seven-game streak in November and December 1990.

McCarthy says he can’t recall going on a similar run of draws previously in his 25-year career as a manager.

“I don’t know, I don’t think so. But I’ve had a run of seven defeats and I’ll tell you which one I prefer!” he joked.

“We should have won a couple of the games along the way, certainly. I don’t know too many that we should have lost, though.

“Even [the 0-0 draw with Wolves] on Tuesday night they’ve had probably the best of it in the second half, but we’d had the best of the first. It was probably evens.

“But you always remember it coming towards the end of the game, the second half always sticks in your mind more than the first. Nobody mentioned it but I thought we should have had a penalty on Tuesday night [when Tom Lawrence was fouled in the second half].”

McCarthy, who started his playing career with the Tykes, has a lot of time his Barnsley counterpart Paul Heckingbottom, whose team is 11th in the table, six points and five places above the Blues despite having sold a number of players over the course of the season.

The Town boss says Heckingbottom, who was also born in Barnsley, should be a contender for the Championship’s Manager of the Year award.

“He’ll be in the running, I would think,” he said. “And one of the awards is for what you do with limited resources, that’s throughout the leagues, that’s everybody. He’s got to have that as well.

“They came here for the first game of the season and they impressed me then, they’ve sold players on, two to Villa [Conor Hourihane and James Bree], Sam Winnall has gone to Sheffield Wednesday and he’s had to keep turning it over. I think he’s been brilliant and he is a contender for Manager of the Year.

“And they’d be a contender for one of the teams of the year in our division when they’ve come up from League One and done as well as they’ve done. They’ve stuck with 4-4-2, it’s worked for them and they’ve been terrific.”

Regarding his own side's current system, the 3-5-2 used since the beginning of 2017, he said: “We played it for the first time at QPR and then I changed it to 4-4-2 but we’ve played it pretty much most games since.

“It’s been good, we’ve had lots of chances in games with it as well, although not so much on Tuesday night.

“We’ve looked more solid playing that way. It got us out of a hole playing that way because we were in a bit of trouble at the time.

“I’m pleased with the system and it’s not through playing that and tactics that we’ve had a lack of chances, that was just Tuesday night, in most other games we’ve had chances and could have won them.”"

While the Blues, who are nine points off the relegation zone, still have work to do to guarantee their Championship status for a 16th season, McCarthy has said he’ll involve some of the younger players in his squad towards the end of the campaign.

It has been suggested that he also ought to leave out some of the loan players, such as top scorer Tom Lawrence, who might not be at the club next season, however, he says he’s unlikely to take that approach.

“Like everything else everybody’s got an opinion on what I may or may not do,” he said. “The good thing about football is that we’ve all got opinions. Generally most of them are wrong!


“And I get that, but I also get the first time that I do it and we don’t play well and don’t win that there’ll be ‘Where the f*** is Tom Lawrence, we’ve got Tom Lawrence here on loan, we’re paying him that amount of money!’.

“The same bloke who suggested it will be just whinging like a fool afterwards because we haven’t had Tom on the pitch, and he’s come to watch. So, as usual, I’ll do what I see as fit and right and what I want to do come the time.”

Lawrence and David McGoldrick have recently been McCarthy’s preferred strike partnership which means Brett Pitman hasn’t been involved.

“I haven’t had any handshakes or any hugs off him recently, so that may denote that we’re not friends any more, I don’t know,” McCarthy added wryly.

“He’s part of the squad. We’ve had that discussion before, I’ve got other options and I’ve chosen to go with other options at the minute. Whether that’s worked or not is subjective. He’s always on the bench and he’s there for me if I need him.”

January signing Kieffer Moore has been used from the bench ahead of Pitman in recent matches but McCarthy says these brief run-outs haven’t given the former Forest Green Rovers frontman too much of a chance to show what he can do.

However, he says it wouldn’t be right to drop either Lawrence or McGoldrick in order to give the one-time Yeovil striker a start: “It’s difficult to leave Tom Lawrence and David McGoldrick out. No, not difficult, it would be wrong, they’ve been our two best players, so leaving one of those out to put Kieffer in isn’t going to happen, not this weekend anyway, that’s for sure.”

The Blues boss will start with Bartosz Bialkowski in goal but may make changes at wing-back.

Jordan Spence could return for Josh Emmanuel on the right having been rested on Tuesday, while Myles Kenlock could come back on the left with Jonas Knudsen perhaps moving into the back three alongside Christophe Berra and skipper Luke Chambers, which would see Tommy Smith, who made his first start since September against Wolves, dropping back to the bench.

In midfield, Emyr Huws is expected to be over his hamstring injury and will return with Grant Ward, scorer of a debut hat-trick against the Tykes on the opening day of the season, or Toumani Diagouraga dropping out. Cole Skuse is likely to continue in his usual holding role, while Lawrence and McGoldrick will again be up front.

For Barnsley, right-backs Gethin Jones (toe) and Andy Yiadom (knee) are both expected to be OK, but left-back Aidy White is sidelined having undergone pelvic surgery

Manager Heckingbottom is anticipating a difficult game with the Blues having been difficult to beat in recent weeks.

“They’re a tough, strong side, they’ve not lost for a long time, although they have picked up lots of draws and have changed their shape, and the results picked up significantly straight away,” he told the Barnsley club site.

“That’s coincided with Tom Lawrence scoring every time he touched the ball, but they’re a well-organised side that have been in this division longer than anyone and know how to compete and win games.

“That’s our challenge, we know for a fact they’ll come here with a real mentality and desire to win the game and how they're going to do that. We know we have to be good enough to try and break that down and deal with that, whilst being tight at the other end.

“Mick knows his way round this league better than anyone, he made changes to his team, going to five at the back and the results have picked up straight away and he’s felt he had to make the change and he’s probably made them even tougher.

“It’s going to be a tough game, you only need to look at the results to see that in the way they’ve played, they’ve not lost for a long time, if they’ve gone behind they can come back, if they go ahead they can hold on.

“It’s a real tough game and probably one where we’re competing against not only good players, but a team who have the know-how as well and the experience to win games in lots of different ways.”

Historically, Town have done well against the South Yorkshiremen, winning 22 games between the sides (21 in the league), drawing nine (nine) and losing 13 (11).

Although 11th in the overall Championship table, Barnsley are 21st in the home form table, having won six, drawn six and lost six at Oakwell so far this season.

They are without a win in their last four, losing both their last two away from home - 2-1 at both Derby and QPR - and have won only once in their last eight.

On the opening day of the season at Portman Road in August, half-time sub Ward became the first Town player to score a hat-trick on his debut since Colin Viljoen in March 1967 as the Blues beat Barnsley 4-2.

The summer signing from Spurs netted with his first touch seconds after coming on at the break, made it 2-1 after ex-Blue Conor Hourihane had equalised for the Tykes, then added the fourth to seal it after McGoldrick had converted a penalty and Marley Watkins had added a second for the South Yorkshiremen.

Reflecting on that game McCarthy, who could only recall one other debut hat-trick during his career, scored by David Kelly for Ireland in a friendly against Israel in 1987, added: “I said at the time, and other beers are available, but if Carlsberg did debuts then that was as good as it gets.”

The teams last met at Oakwell in February 2014 when they drew 2-2 with the Tykes on their way to relegation to League One.

Berra and McGoldrick were on target for the Blues in the 81st and 84th minutes as Town came from two goals down.

Chris O’Grady's 12th minute strike saw the Tykes into a half-time lead and sub Tomasz Cywka’s 74th minute freekick added to their advantage before the Blues’ late fightback

Blues boss McCarthy came through the ranks at Oakwell, making his senior debut in 1977 and went on to make 314 appearances, scoring 10 goals, before leaving for Manchester City in 1983, having been part of a side which had climbed from the Fourth to the Second Division.

Defender Paul Digby also came through the youth ranks at Oakwell and made 11 starts and 14 sub appearances before joining Town on loan in January then making his move permanent last summer.

Keeper Bialkowski spent on month on loan at Barnsley from Southampton in September and October 2009, making two appearances.

Blues fitness coach Andy Liddell was a Barnsley player between 1991 and 1998, also having come through the Tykes’ youth system. Town scout Ian 'Taff' Evans played alongside McCarthy at Oakwell from 1979 until 1983.

Former Blues right-back or midfielder Jamie Clapham, a member of the Town side which beat Barnsley 4-2 at Wembley in the 2000 play-off final, is now the first-team coach at Oakwell, having joined them after leaving Coventry in September.

Saturday’s referee is Stephen Martin from Staffordshire, who has shown 75 yellow cards and three red in 31 games so far this season.

Martin’s last Town match was the 1-1 draw at Preston in January in which he booked two home players and no Blues.

He also refereed the 1-0 defeat at Leeds in September in which he booked only Christophe Berra and Kevin Bru.

Before that Martin was in charge of the 2-0 defeat at Brentford the previous month in which he yellow-carded Adam Webster.

Martin also officiated in the 1-0 home defeat to Rotherham in March last year, in which he booked Knudsen and one Miller.

He also took control of the 2-1 home victory over Fulham on the opening day of 2014/15 in which he cautioned Tyrone Mings, Berra and Luke Hyam.

Martin also refereed the 2-0 home victory over Brighton in September 2013, when he booked only one visiting player, and the 2-1 loss at Bristol City in the January of that year, in which he showed a single yellow card to one of the home side.

Squad from: Bialkowski, Gerken, Chambers (c), Knudsen, Kenlock, Emmanuel, Spence, Berra, T Smith, Digby, Skuse, Huws, Diagouraga, Douglas, Bru, Ward, Rowe, McGoldrick, Lawrence, Sears, Pitman, Moore.


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martin587 added 20:32 - Mar 9
All depends who plays in midfield then.!!🤔🤔
5

cobboldblue added 20:40 - Mar 9
Will be good to have Huws back, he gives us that little bit of tenacity and guile in the midfield.
7

sir_george_burley added 20:46 - Mar 9
Well, I hope they do end their run of draws with a win because I plan to be there. I think the away fans are very loyal and, in my experience, always make sure that their deeply held support is more visible than their frustrations when on public display on away territory. Our fans will applaud when the Barnsley fans, as they will, sing up to welcome Mick McM back home. We'll cheer or clap too if Mick's old mentor who passed away recently is mentioned on the PA-system. All part of supporting the team and the game and what it means to all fans.

On the TWTD site, we need to do more of the same. Don't let the frustrations (and there have been many, for a lot of seasons) overtake the loyalty to the team and the people trying hard to move us to a better place. Please, not so much criticism of individual players; I can't think of any who deserve to be insulted. Let's by all means criticise Mick (it's his job to take it) but I don't think I'm alone in believing that he is trying to use his experience to bring in good players and to get them working for success. It isn't working right now but let's help him along as he does his best. The summer break is the time for many at the top of the club to take stock and make decisions, and for fans to decide about their season tickets, and so on. For now COYB!
28

braveblue added 20:50 - Mar 9
Remember the home game. Dreadful first hall. MM forced to bring on some forward players and we won 4-2. They were quickly dropped again as Skuse and Douglas came to the fore. All too familiar.
4

Geddis78 added 22:01 - Mar 9
Sir George Burley. I salute you. Such a refreshing post on here. Too many people divide themselves into pro or anti Mick camps. We should remember why we are reading this site in the first place, i.e., we are Ipswich Town fans. COYB!
17

Gcon added 22:09 - Mar 9
Sir George - Excellent post, sir.
10

blueboy1981 added 22:16 - Mar 9
........ I'm waiting for the pre Season Ticket Sales Spin to be released - must be having a hard time hatching a plot this time round in terms of convincing words and / or promised action.

Maybe he will have a brain storm - attack from the off - get an away win ............ and wait for it : THE SEASON TICKET SALES SPIN ...... will kick of with gusto .... !!!
0

blueboy1981 added 22:16 - Mar 9
........ I'm waiting for the pre Season Ticket Sales Spin to be released - must be having a hard time hatching a plot this time round in terms of convincing words and / or promised action.

Maybe he will have a brain storm - attack from the off - get an away win ............ and wait for it : THE SEASON TICKET SALES SPIN ...... will kick of with gusto .... !!!
1

cat added 22:23 - Mar 9
sir george burley - good post, and I agree with your points regarding away games, they certainly have a far more special atmosphere, more camerradery I'd say. However, with reference to the second part regarding frustrations etc I disagree, after all THIS IS FOOTBALL, (a mans game!!) and part and parcel of it. This kind of "behaviour" happens at all clubs from lower leagues to the cream of the Prem and that's what makes it what it is. It is after all, still just about a working mans game, sports like Rugby, Cricket and maybe golf are more befitting of the cryteria that you mention. Loyalty does not come into question IMO, venting your frustrations etc show you care about the club, but I'm not saying this is the right way however, just my way!!!.
3

ArnieM added 22:52 - Mar 9
Does Mick have another year left on his contract after this season ends, or is this summer the one where either he can just leave or Evans simply doesn't renew Micks contract?
0

GiveusaWave added 05:15 - Mar 10
ArnieM
I might be wrong on this, but my understanding was that he has another year on his contract.
3

Karlosfandangal added 05:30 - Mar 10
Full agree with Sir George

My only worry really is that if Mick is given money to spend the chances are that it would be used to buy a Lawrence, Huwes and the lad from Leeds (Digeoumgo)

They have made a big improvement to the team yet we still are seeing poor football and will they turn us in to a side to challenge for the top six.
Without them we're would the club be now.
Big money will need to be spent to get the side that plays good football and start to challenge

Getting rid of Mick and replacing him with whoever might make a difference in tactics and style but won't mean they will have money to spend.

Huwes took a pay cut to play so can't Ipswich afford to pay the wage these players expect, the first team wage bill is nearly 17 million and Preston wanted £2.5 or more for a very average striker.

We have players who look good but never seem to push on and be first names on the sheet, Bru Bishop,Dozzell so I am finding hard to see where it will be any different for the rest of the season or even next year.
2

Sam added 06:33 - Mar 10
I love the way town go into every game saying stuff like Let's turn draws into wins and it never happens. 1-1 draw!! UP THE TOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2

therein61 added 07:27 - Mar 10
I will do what's fit and right i.e; we will be set up for a point as usual, but as it's away it would be a good one!!!!!!!
1

TR11BLU added 07:59 - Mar 10
Nailed on draw.

Dino out
8

NBVJohn added 08:21 - Mar 10
“I don't know, I don't think so. But I've had a run of seven defeats and I'll tell you which one I prefer!” he joked. “We should have won a couple of the games along the way, certainly. I don't know too many that we should have lost, though''

Much as I am critical of the 'rabid' MM out contingent on this forum, I do wish MM would take the fight to the opposition a bit more - this really does translate as, 'we haven't lost so we should all be happy'.

The fact is that if we had played more positively and won 3 and lost 2 of those games, we would be better off points wise. I understand that ratio could be flipped [and we'd still be a point better off!] but at least we'd have something to get excited about.

I'm not convinced that changing the manager is the right thing to do - I'm more of the belief that a decent transfer budget is agreed with success measured against league position and whether the entertainment value increases attendances to decent level.
In a similar vein to being able to take a few risks on the pitch, significantly increasing attendance numbers by charging a bit less would also boost revenue I suspect.

Provided the club tell us that's the plan, and then stick to it, unlike the laughable '5 point plan,' I'll be reasonably happy.

At the moment we have a vicious circle - no playing budget/smoke and mirrors from an absent owner which leads to an inevitable safety first approach with the manager using what he has at his disposal. Attendances inevitably drop.

It's simply not right to judge MM in the current climate - he has not had a fair crack of the whip and has atoned the previous sins of Keane and the hapless Jewell.

But please MM - give us something to get out of our seats and cheer about!

Start with Pitman. Perhaps in the 2nd half if we are drawing give Dozzell another go, and tell Huws to get into the box like at Villa.
2

Brownie added 08:52 - Mar 10
I don't think the aim will be achieved..

1-1 in my view..

Agree with a lot posted by Sir George! I don't like the personal insults of players - doesn't sit well with me. I have to say I haven't seen too many occasions when player endeavour is an issue. They may not be good enough and the tactics might be poor but that not down to the players.

Maybe I'm just too soft!

COYB!
4

Daleyitfc added 09:20 - Mar 10
We are unlikely to win any games, or indeed score more than 1 goal, while we persist with Skuse : his negative approach infects everyone around him ; in effect he is a little slice of McCarthy on the pitch - always sideways or backwards, never forwards. We need to get rid of both of them if we are ever going to play attractive football again.
3

walberblue added 09:36 - Mar 10
“But, as I said before, I'd also hate to be coming in here on the opening day of next season with 12,000 or 10,000 season tickets sold, when we've been used to far better, and that being down to me."

however crowds down from 20000 in 2013 to 12000 perfectly alright. And our league position down to 16th, thats OK Mick. apparently Mid table Mick can live with his millions and sod the club.
7

walberblue added 09:39 - Mar 10
Won't win another game this season with this clown in charge

(bar a fluke result,ie penalty sending off, own goal)
3

ArnieM added 09:50 - Mar 10
guentchev. Many thanks for that. Now feeling very disappointed by the thought of another season of this butter dross.
5

Bradleyblue89 added 13:18 - Mar 10
12 points in the last 14 games, 14 goals in the last 14 games, that is relegation form. Despite what many may describe as a tough run of fixtures, those 14 games include 2 games against Lincoln..
3

martin587 added 15:02 - Mar 10
Very good post Sir George.
Geddis78. You must remember this is a forum and therefore everybody is entitled to air their views whether constructive or not as I assume most or all are Town supporters.
We will never all agree with MM. I.E.; Team selection,tactics,substitutions etc, that's life I'm afraid,but life would be boring if we all agreed with each other.
COYB👍
4

Surco72 added 15:22 - Mar 10
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/mar/10/dimitri-payet-west-ham-bored-de

Imagine if Payet had been playing for MM !! Probably wouldn't of got in as doesn't do the dirty stuff well enough .
Will always support the team but personally believe we would be doing better without MM now
I doubt many picked Leeds and Huddersfield to be challenging this season ?
1

NoelTheDub added 17:29 - Mar 10
Ive been keeping my big mouth shut and reading all the posts over the last 6 wks or so and can still see nothing has changed the man is boring us into relegation fight and the club wiill pay the price this season Ive no doubt.His constant waffle of a good boring draws,8 man defenses ,could not wait to break up the new partnership in the middle that everyone was quite happy with,the usual dribble of their a great team with good players and they have a plan that works for them you plonker.We are sinking fast well get what we deserve from this man and our club the way we have been treated over the last few years I can see it already new manager in league 1 but no money to spend but believe me Im a positive person outside this stinking club I love for over 40yrs
5


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