Barnsley’s start to the season has been positive enough to suggest they will be in the conversation near the top end of League One. Under head coach Connor Hourihane, performances have carried a sense of energy, while the squad has shown glimpses of resilience in testing moments. Yet as encouraging as the opening weeks have been, there are still glaring gaps in a side looking to finally claw their way out of League One. The two most pressing being at the heart of defence and up top, where issues of balance and sustainability threaten to undo some of the early good work that has been put in by the Tykes.
Defence – A Balancing Act
The injury to Mark Roberts has spotlighted an awkward pairing at the back for Barnsley. Jack Shepherd and Josh Earl have been tasked to form a partnership in the centre of defence, but both are naturally left footed and that lack of balance has been glaring.
Shepherd is a player that Barnsley clearly believe in, having been slotted straight into the side after a standout loan spell at Bradford City, where he looked a cut above in League Two. Yet, this is a different level, and being asked to play on the right side has highlighted his inexperience. He has shown flashes of promise, strong in the air, aggressive in his duels, but there have also been moments where his positioning has been questionable, and better forwards in this division will punish those momentary lapses.
Earl, meanwhile, is a much more frustrating case. Despite his ability to slice open defences with long diagonals and break lines on the ball, his decision making in the early part of the season has been laboured. Rather than being a calm influence, he has often been found slowing down transitions and sapping momentum from attacks. He has looked hesitant, often being caught on the ball. This is something that has crept into the defensive unit as a whole and disrupted Barnsley’s early momentum in the league.
What the reds are crying out for is a centre back comfortable on the ball, reliable under pressure and naturally suited to a back four. Not only would that bring composure to a mistake prone defence, but it would also allow Hourihane’s side to build attacks with more fluency from the back.
An Issue Up Top
At the other end of the pitch, the issue is not quality but durability. David McGoldrick has been nothing short of superb in these opening weeks. Even at 37, he remains one of the most intelligent forwards in the division: dropping deep to link play, spinning in behind when needed and still possessing the technical quality to decide games.
That being said, the obvious question remains how long Barnsley can keep leaning on him to spearhead their attack. McGoldrick is not built for a 46-game grind anymore. Asking him to start twice a week, to constantly lead a line and provide the cutting edge feels unsustainable. At some point, his minutes may need managing, and when that time comes Barnsley currently look short of an alternative.
They are currently lacking a striker who offers something different. Ideally someone with the pace to stretch a defence, a willingness to run channels and the physicality to occupy defenders when games become tight and scrappy. They need someone that can shine the spotlight on the other two wide players in the front free and be there to finish chances when they come. Wit such an addition, McGoldrick could be used more intelligently, with his minutes tailored to get the best from him across a long season rather than having a front three that burns out by Christmas.
Fine Margins at Both Ends
Barnsley don’t require a major overhaul. This isn’t a squad in crisis, nor one without talent. League One seasons are often defined by what happens along long stretches, a good sides promotion push is often derailed by patchy form due to lack of depth. Right now, Barnsley’s defence looks brittle, and their attack seems overly reliant on a veteran who cannot be expected to shoulder the burden indefinitely.
The final weeks of the window represent an opportunity. Secure a commanding centre back and a forward to ease McGoldrick’s load and the Barnsley squad suddenly looks balanced, robust and capable of sustaining their early momentum.
The margins are fine, but in a division as competitive as League One, fine margins often deicde everything.
