Oh dear God. Barnsley. I hate playing bloody Barnsley. Especially in a must win game. Because that’s what it is for Gianfranco Zola. Two defeats against very strong sides can be forgiven if Blues deal with the ‘bread and butter’ games coming up.
Zola needs points. Blues need points. A defeat at Oakwell this afternoon is unthinkable. Absolutely unthinkable. And while that adds a great deal of pressure, it has to be realised. In the eyes of the majority of fans, Zola’s tenure will already be heading for free fall if we lose at Barnsley. And make no mistake about it, it’s a tough game. They handed us our arses at St. Andrews a few weeks back (not for the furst time) but now is the perfect time to gain revenge.
A win by any means will do. I don’t care if it’s tippy tappy or hoof ball, just get the job done. Ease the pressure slightly.
There’s only so long writers, such as myself, can keep pointing out the positives before conceding defeat. And there’s only so many times Zola can say that we played well without bringing home the crust. I’m not for one second suggesting that another change of manager is the answer. And while half a season remains in which anything is possible, momentum will certainly be against Blues.
Barnsley and Brentford. Two winnable but very tricky games. Games in which points are a must. Let’s get the ball rolling at Oakwell. Let’s be bold and brave. Let’s continue to pass the ball but use it better in the final third. Let’s get in amongst them. Let’s give our wide men the license to run and roam. And, most importantly, let’s give us fans a glimmer of hope once again.
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