Reading today that in the second half of the season Barnsley won SEVEN more points than we did, scored TWO more goals and conceded FIVE goals less!! No doubt who has the momentum and which is the form team. Another thing that concerns me is that Barnsley have perfected their version of the gegenpress and we do
NOT like playing teams who hard press us.
We like and need time to play our slow buid-up game but you can be sure that no way on earth will this Barnsley team allow it. They'll be in our faces from the off and stay there until the final whistle. The bookies know this and all the odds and smart money are in favour of the Tykes to turn us over.
Unfortunately they could have a point. As
@Yankee_Jack has said, it would be sufficient (to win) to play the best version of ourselves. But the question is, WILL we? We've got this awful habit of blowing hot and cold. We beat both promoted Norwich and Watford by a combined score of 4-1 then carelessly toss away two home points against relegated Wycome - and there have been other results equally as bad and performances even worse.
So which Swans' team will show up? God only knows!! Whether you champion Cooper or challenge him, one thing is indisputable, and that is his inability to get his team to
consistently produce good performances. As a youngster I well remember Swans going to Leicester in the Second Division where we got thumped 1-6. I watched the return fixture at the Vetch and we battered them 6-1 in response. And this is how I feel about our team at the moment. There are times when I scream in despair and frustration at our abysmal display yet, on occasion, I purr with delight at a Rolls Royce performance. So those are my feelings about both Barnsley games. Produce a Silver Ghost display and our players will be at Wembley. If it's to be Ford Mondeo stuff then they'll be packing their respective holiday suitcases early doors.