Adam Murray says Barnsley need to eradicate individual errors from their game and take more responsibility on the field if they are going to survive in the Sky Bet Championship this season.
A 4-2 defeat at home to fellow strugglers Stoke City on Saturday afternoon has left the Reds bottom of the table after a third of the campaign and five points from safety.
“Disappointed is the word,” insisted Murray, speaking after the game. “I think the goals that we’ve conceded, again, are errors that can’t happen. You can work as much as you want on tactical things and shape, but if we’re going to keep making bad decisions like that, it’s going to be a long season.
“People have got to start taking responsibility; we’ve spoken about it that much – it’s been said that we’re conceding soft goals and making too many errors, and people have got to start taking ownership.
“We can continue to work on things but, at the end of the day, the goals we’re conceding are not great goals from the opposition. We don’t get the opportunities that they get, so it’s frustrating because a lot of work has gone in and to concede the goals that we did is a real punch in the stomach.”
Sam Clucas’ opener was added to on the half hour mark as Lee Gregory converted from the spot. Cameron McGeehan gave the hosts hope two minutes after the restart, but a quickfire double from Joe Allen and Clucas put the game beyond doubt.
Patrick Schmidt’s first goal for Barnsley proved to be little more than a consolation, but Murray feels going behind so early on meant his side were always up against it.
“The game plan goes out of the window when you concede that early goal and then you’ve got to look at ways of getting back into the game,” continued the caretaker Head Coach.
“We know we’re going to score goals – that’s one thing this team has got in it – and we know that the boys care and they will keep fighting, but we just keep stabbing ourselves in the foot with stupid goals conceded.”
The result could have been different had the Reds been awarded a potential penalty on the hour mark after Luke Thomas appeared to be tripped in the area.
From that incident, the Potters went onto score their third of the afternoon before eventually killing the game off.
“We started the second half brightly with that and it was a great move to get the goal, then you’re looking to push on,” said Murray. “We felt the ground lift and, at 2-1, the penalty incident changes the game and puts a real turn on it, but you can’t go and concede at the other end.
“It was an uphill battle from there and, even though they’re down at the bottom of the league, they’ve got individual quality and they’ve made us pay.”
You can watch Adam’s full post-match interview on iFollow Barnsley.
