How will Barnsley FC perform this season?

It's been a summer of change for Barnsley. The general feeling around Oakwell was one of pessimism and anger, mostly directed at Pacific-Media Group (the major shareholders within the club). This would soon change, though.

In May of this year, without any pre-warning, Paul Conway, Chien Lee and other less notable names were booted out of Oakwell. This change of structure at the club, with the core values of 'producing young talent, and moving them on' still remaining, would swiftly change fans' opinion. Michael Duff was appointed head-coach, key players were moved on and new acquisitions came through the door. This has left a rather grey area; how will Barnsley Football Club perform next season?

A sense of caution seems to be the general mood with fans, however 'pushing for promotion' is the words coming out of the playing squad's mouth. So, let's take a look at how the Reds may fare for the next 9 months!

Duff was quick to bolster the defence.

Robbie Cundy, Conor McCarthy and goalkeeper Jamie Searle were brought in to set the foundations, and perhaps brace for the inevitable loss of Michal Helik (Barnsley's rock at the back since 2020). With evidence from pre-season, Duff seems to have fixed the notorious 'leaky defence', which defined the PMG era. The Tykes played 5 games in pre-season, with 2 clean sheets (one being against Premier League outfit Nottingham Forest). A side comprised mostly of U23's at Harrogate has tarnished the record, admittedly the home side should've scored more than their 2 goals.

Headache upfront

On the contrary, despite a very positive defensive record, going forward seems to be a bit of a headache for Michael Duff. Star-men Cauley Woodrow and Carlton Morris both departed this summer, heading to Luton Town. Add that to a loss of a reported £7M from last season, the club have had to be smart with their signings. James Norwood joined on a free transfer, after being released from Ipswich Town in May, but Norwood will not be fully fit for Barnsley's first game of the season, away to Plymouth Argyle. This leaves Devante Cole, Jack Aitchison, Aaron Leya-Iseka and Aiden Marsh the only fit strikers at the club, with Leya-Iseka a doubt due to missing training for undisclosed reasons.

In 5 pre-season matches, Barnsley haven't looked as dangerous as fans would've hoped (a 3-1 win over Worksop Town being our highest scoring match). However, this financial problem does give young players a great chance to show what they are made of! Aiden Marsh, Jack Aitchison and Fabio Jalo have looked particularly impressive in pre-season, with Jalo only leaving school in May.

Midfield conundrum

The biggest question mark surely lies over the midfield. With a lot of instability, injuries and lack of depth, we were unsure what to expect with the midfield. However, Josh Benson in particular is a player who stands out to me. He looks revitalised from last season, where he looked slow and lethargic. A rocket of a free-kick against local rivals Sheffield United, tops off what has been a brilliant start to the season for the young Englishman.

Herbie Kane's success this season will be a catalyst to the collective success of the club, we didn't get to see the best of Kane in his first and only season so far with the Reds. However, a successful loan spell at Oxford United last season fills me with confidence. When fit, and playing to his strengths, he will easily be one of the best midfielders in the league. The departure of Callum Styles will be a defining point however, with his move to a team in mainland Europe taking longer than expected.

So, after a brief analysis of the playing squad, it is still uncertain how Tarn will fare next season. For Duff, he doesn't like to set targets, and will only think about it once he has a taste for what his squad can produce.

Where will Tarn finish in the league table?

A place inside of the top 10 is a must, however. I would think a playoff spot is wishful thinking, but midtable is surely underachieving. I would personally place Barnsley in 7th place, a fight for the playoffs, but just missing out as we don't have the depth of most of League One's big boys, which will prove a problem once the infamous 'Saturday-Tuesday' fixtures start.

This isn't a season of instant success for Barnsley, but more of a rebuild that can bring some optimism and pride back to the terraces at Oakwell. 'Sweat on the shirt' says Michael Duff, and Michael, that's exactly what I want to see!