Barnsley head coach Conor Hourihane says his squad is in “a decent place” physically – but admits the next two weeks will test the depth of a group already stretched thin.
With five matches scheduled before the international break, and four of them at Oakwell, the Reds are entering a defining spell of their season.
Last week, Hourihane confirmed that only Patrick Kelly, Josh Earl, and Tawanda Chirewa remained sidelined, with the rest of the squad available. However, Kelly is hopeful to return for the Mansfield Town fixture on March 14.
Earl and Chirewa are targeting a comeback immediately after the international break.
Reds boss Conor Hourihane said, “Can we get that little bit of luck with injuries and have the squad that we have right now up until that point?”
With the squad already light, Hourihane knows even one more setback could cause problems.
Barnsley’s end‑of‑March clash with Northampton Town is likely to be postponed due to potential international call‑ups for:
If confirmed, it would leave Barnsley with a compact block of fixtures squeezed into a two‑week window; but crucially, most of them at home.
Hourihane acknowledged that the run of home fixtures should help with travel demands, but the 1–0 defeat to Wycombe on Tuesday means the Reds must respond quickly.
“Whether it’s going to be a good thing or not, time will tell — but we really need to bounce back… and put in a real positive performance at home.” – Hourihane on the upcoming home stretch.
Three points at Mansfield would steady Barnsley’s momentum and keep them in touch with the pack before the international break, especially with injuries and squad depth already stretched.
Mansfield will likely sit compact, slow the game down, and look to counter through direct transitions, meaning Barnsley need patience, control, and a sharper edge in the final third to break them open.
