BLACKBURN ROVERS PREVIEW

17 September 2021

Everything you need to know about our Roses clash with Blackburn Rovers this weekend here at Oakwell!

After a three-week absence, the Reds return to home comforts in Saturday's 3pm kick-off with in-form Rovers in Sky Bet Championship action.

The international break was followed by successive away trips to Bournemouth and then Stoke and whilst they proved to be two very different performances, Barnsley are still struggling to find a winning routine.

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Blown away by the Cherries last weekend, a very makeshift-looking Reds XI looked markedly more impressive on Wednesday night in Staffordshire, but again, victory was out of reach for Markus Schopp's men, as they continued their 'point per game' form.

Some outstanding goalkeeping from Brad Collins helped the Reds to a point at the bet365 Stadium. His penalty save (a second this season) was key, but he also made a trio of fine stops in the second half as the hosts laid seige to the Barnsley goal in search of a winner.

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Not that the Reds were without their own chances. Schopp's men played the more intricate football and opened up the Potters a few times in and around the box but were thwarted by alert defending, poor finishing and Stoke 'keeper Josef Bursik.

After going behind against the run of play, up popped the captain, Cauley Woodrow who bent home a 25-yard free-kick to earn the Reds a point against a side who'd won all five previous fixtures played on home soil this season.

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RECAP | STOKE CITY (A)

Our bitesized review of the midweek visit to Stoke City.

Unfortunately, Barnsley keep failing to defend from wide areas, and but for Collins' heroics, they'd have been staring at another defeat. But Brad was a hero. And so it has to be seen as a positive step as we look to close out September with a trio of games based up North..

As referred to already, Markus is still hamstrung by the unavailability of a clutch of key players, with options limited in terms of numbers right now. This issue looks likely to remain the case for the visit of Tony Mowbray's side on Saturday.

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The COVID-enforced absence of Josh Benson, the injury to Ben Williams and Liam Kitching's final game of a three-match ban only adds to the long-term absentees, such as Mads Andersen, Jordan Williams, Obbi Oularé and Carlton Morris.

But French full-back Rémy Vita is fit and ready, albeit having only arrived at the start of the week following his successful visa application having joined the Reds on-loan from German giants Bayern Munich.

Seven points from as many games, it's actually a better start to the season than our previous two campaigns in the Championship. Seasons that ended very differently. Our visitors this weekend have no such issues, and are in positive form heading into their Oakwell visit.

Mowbray's men are five points better off than the Reds, sitting eighth after suffering just the one defeat so far in league action, which came against pace-setters West Bromwich Albion last month.

Most recently, Rovers saw off newly-promoted Hull City 2-0 at Ewood Park, and they'll rock up on Grove Street in confident mood, unbeaten on their travels in 21/22.

With Chilean striker Ben Brereton Díaz in red-hot form up front, having grabbed four Sky Bet Championship goals already, the Lancashire outfit will be looking to end a bit of a drought here in Barnsley.

The Reds have won the last three meetings here at Oakwell, stretching back five years. Last term saw us edge Rovers 2-1 thanks to second half Carlton Morris and Alex Mowatt strikes.

Northamptonshire official Andy Woolmer will be the man in the middle on Saturday. The vastly experienced official's last trip to Oakwell saw him involved in controversial decisions as the Reds drew 2-2 with Cardiff City last season.

That wasn't his most recent BFC fixture though, as he took charge of our 3-1 win away at QPR a couple of months later.

This is a CAT B game, as we welcome the Reds back to Oakwell on Saturday.

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In terms of domestic streaming, a reminder that the EFL has returned to the position held pre-pandemic, where any games kicking off between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on Saturday afternoons are prohibited.

However, supporters in the UK are able to buy audio passes via iFollow Barnsley.

Our overseas fans can enjoy live streaming of the game, with a match pass priced at £10.

For further information on iFollow for this season, and how to activate seasonal subscriptions, please click the link below.

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Match Reports

REDS HELD BY BLACKBURN IN STALEMATE

18 September 2021

Barnsley were held to a 0-0 draw by Blackburn Rovers at Oakwell on Saturday afternoon.

The Reds enjoyed more chances than their visitors from Lancashire, but were unable to make it count in the final third as Clarke Oduor, Michał Helik, Dominik Frieser, Callum Brittain, Victor Adeboyejo and Callum Styles all came close to finding a winner.

Markus Schopp made two changes from our midweek draw at Stoke City, with Claudio Gomes and Oduor coming in for Romal Palmer and Frieser.

After weathering an early Blackburn storm, the Reds almost took the lead when Oduor embarked on a mazy, slaloming run through midfield before nutmegging Darragh Lenihan only to be denied by the legs on Thomas Kaminski.

The visitors rallied again and put a couple of threatening deliveries into our box that flashed across the face of goal, but nothing that troubled Brad Collins too much.

With chances few and far between in the opening 45, another came and went for Barnsley as Helik saw his header from Cauley Woodrow’s corner gathered comfortably by Kaminski.

HALF-TIME: Barnsley 0-0 Blackburn Rovers

At the interval, Frieser replaced Aaron Leya Iseka, while Toby Sibbick made way for Will Hondermarck as Brittain shifted to right wing-back.

An injury to Gomes just before the hour mark saw another reshuffle for the Reds as Adeboyejo entered the fray with Oduor moving wide and Styles slotting into central midfield.

The introduction of Adeboyejo added a bit of spark to our attack as the forward jinked his way past three Rovers defenders before winning a corner. From the resulting set-piece, Frieser saw his header acrobatically tipped over by Kaminski.

Blackburn still posed a threat, particularly on the counter, and Collins had to be at his best to keep Ben Brereton Díaz at bay with a fine one on one save just moments later.

We continued to look more likely to make the breakthrough and it almost came when Brittain met Oduor’s deep cross, but his stinging volley fizzed agonisingly wide of the far upright.

Shortly after, Frieser whipped a fine ball into the box that Helik flicked towards goal and the stretching Adeboyejo just couldn’t turn it home at the back post.

Styles was next to try his luck, this time with a rasping drive from distance, but, once more, it flashed just wide of target as the Reds endured a frustrating afternoon.

Despite not being able to pick up all three points, it was a positive performance and a platform to build on ahead of a trip to Blackpool next weekend.

FULL-TIME: Barnsley 0-0 Blackburn Rovers

Collins, Halme, Helik, Moon, Sibbick (Hondermarck), Brittain, Gomes (Adeboyejo), Styles, Oduor, Woodrow, Leya Iseka (Frieser).

Unused: Walton, Sraha, Vita, Cole.