2PJ57PM SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 31: Joe Gauci of Adelaide United looks on during the A-League Men's football match between Western Sydney Wanderers FC and Adelaide United at CommBank Stadium on March 31, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Damian Briggs/Speed Media/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire via AP Images)
Barnsley FC must show more of their ‘nasty’ and ‘ugly’ side to make real progress in League One, insists Darrell Clarke
IF BARNSLEY miss out on the League One play-offs, as seems likely in 2024-25 if you canvass the opinion of most observers, then a lack of mental fortitude over a sustained period of time will be cited as one of the biggest reasons why.
It’s sometimes that Darrell Clarke is most definitely aware of. Should he see some progress in that regard between now and May – even if the Reds just miss out on the top six – then it will not be a season totally wasted.
The chips were down ahead of Saturday’s derby at Rotherham United, but Barnsley showed some much needed resolve to chisel out an important victory and moment in the context of their campaign potentially.
Clarke’s side were not earth-shatteringly good in open play, but they remained disciplined as a team, from a defensive perspective and it won ugly to a degree.
It is the sort of scruffy win that they have not registered enough of so far this term.
The game saw Barnsley not only register a league double over the Millers, but register a clean sheet on the road for the first time in nine away league games since October 26.
Prior to Tuesday night’s game at Sixfields, they had kept just three on the road so far this term.
For Clarke, Saturday was a pleasing development, while being acutely aware of the need to do so on a much more regular basis.
The Reds chief, whose side were in action at Northampton Town on Tuesday evening, said: “My teams in the past have never been known as nice.
“I think when we get things going, we move the ball well and look like a very good team.
“When we have had to roll our sleeves up and show the aggressive, ugly side of the game, we have not been near it regularly enough for me.
“That’s not something that has been associated with my teams in the past. It’s something we need to get to as a group.
“It’s something that we talk about and work on as well. We’re on at them all the time to do the ugly side of things to make sure that in moments in games we are a lot stronger defensively. As a team, not just my backline.”
Saturday was undeniably a step in the right direction in that regard at least and if Clarke is to buy himself time to build a side in the image which he wants, it must not be an outlier.
Clarke continued: “I am very aware of what needs to be done and what we need to do, that’s for sure. In my mindset, that will never change.
“While we keep going how we are going, my job is to work with the players we have to make sure they get that roughness and robustness into them, so you are not just looking good on the ball, it’s what you are actually doing without the ball.
“Because that has been the biggest problem this season – and missing a key ingredient at the top end of the pitch on a regular and consistent basis as well.
“We have to keep working away and the staff are all working hard to turn it around. But that is the least our fans deserve.”
