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BARNSLEY manager Simon Davey gave his thoughts ahead of the clash with Chengdu Blades.
Simon said: "Pre-season is all about getting through unscathed and making sure we peak as a team in time for the first game on August 9. It is not rocket science to say that the results have not been there but we did not win many last year either. Having said that, losing 6-0 at home against Wigan was unacceptable and that is taking nothing away from a very good side. Some of their finishing on Tuesday was fantastic and it was a difficult night for us. I am just glad that it was not in the league.
"Pre-season is all about fitness and getting minutes on the pitch. We have chopped and changed personnel and systems this summer because we have to be adaptable as a team and will have to swap things around. We have to make sure that when we do that the players know their jobs and responsibilities. It is important to get minutes on the pitch and to bed in some of what we want to do. The last pre-season game is a warm up for the opener against QPR. It will be obvious to everybody what we are doing and it will be as near to the team that plays against QPR as possible.
"That does not mean that there are not places available and they all have to do well tomorrow if they are going to get a shirt at Loftus Road. They still have to perform. It will be a competitive game tomorrow but it is all about us and we have something to prove. We want to win the game and boost confidence going into the opening league game. I want them to show the right reaction and that is the best preparation for QPR".
Simon added: "At the moment this is us and this is what we will go with at the start of the season. We have Miguel Mostto in back with us now after he returned from Peru; Luke Steele is fit and Heinz Muller is almost ready to come back. Anderson De Silva is back training and we will have Hugo Colace in with us again on Monday morning. We will have a group together at the start of the season that we are very happy with.
"Maybe we could look at another striker but I am not actively going out and trying to get one. At the moment a lot of teams want to hold onto their strikers and we will start the season with what we have got. We will have Brian Howard and Diego Leon in the squad next weekend so with Hugo we will have three more midfielders to choose from at QPR. We are looking forward to the start of the new season. We have a tough opening month but expect to have Heinz and Anderson in fighting for a place in the team by the end of it.
"We know that we will have a tough season in a tough league. Birmingham, Derby and Reading all came down and have the finances to challenge to go straight back up. Nottingham Forest, Swansea and Doncaster are all going to fight to do well. It will be highly competitive but it was highly competitive last season. It will be tough for everybody but we want to maintain our home form and improve on what we did away from Oakwell. It is my job to ensure that happens".
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