Barnsley games shows the quality
Not the best of performances, but the result was great

THE CUNNING FOX, 26.08.2009

After a great start with one win and two draws in the first games of the season, it was pressure on the City players in front around 21 000 City fans last Saturday.

This was a must win game and we all hoped for three points. Barnsley was desperate after a bad start and only one point from the first three games.

Then to be able to dominate the game and get a great result, is what this team is capable of. Matty Fryatt had a bad miss in the first half, which was clearly a 100 % chance, but he didn't miss his 2nd one and smashed a volley past Luke Steele in the Barnsley goal to secure three new points for City.

Chris Weale in goal looks good. He is doing his business well so far with a couple of safe hands, good work from him so far. Wayne Brown and Jack Hobbs has settled as a great partnership in the middle and if they can keep this form it will bring City many points.

TCF was pleased with Bruno Berner in the game against Ipswich, but against Barnsley things were not as expected. Robbie Neilson has so far looked a bit unsure and my first impression is not the best. It's a pity that a player like Tunchev not gets a chance and maybe he could have been given a chance on one of those two back positions.

I am a fan of Michael Morrison and prefers him also in front of Berner and Neilson. We just have to wait and see.

In midfield Wellens have shown quality from day one, Matt Oakley is a quality player but I would have expected him to shine even more and be more dominant. Lloyd Dyer is quality and will hopefully get better and better.

New face Dany N'Guessan shows a lot of promise but still not 100% certain that he will be a regular with many games still left of the season. Adams and King have both been given chances to play also, but so far it's difficult to judge them.

Matty Fryatt scores goals and we missed Steve Howard against Barnsley. Howard is a bit different from the other players and the fact that City almost lost every duell with the Barnsley defenders in the game shows how much we needs Howard's presence.

New signing Paul Gallagher has done well in this division for Plymouth and Stoke, but against Barnsley he was never really a big treath. Fryatt has so far scored three goals, but I would have hoped that he could be even sharper in front of goal.

A great goalscorer doesn't need two or three 100% goal chances to score one goal, and he needs to work on his ratio to be the player that City must depend on to score goals up front.

We just have to wait and see if this squad has quality enough to reach the play-off's. I would say that top 10 position is more realistic after watching the team in two games.

The fact that we manage to win 1-0 and grabs points here and there shows that we have a certain quality that will be very important for us this season.

Next League Championship game against Newcastle away, will really test Pearson's men.