Barnsley boss on 'words' with players after poor defensive numbers - plus thoughts on Scott Banks and Tawanda Chirewa
BARNSLEY head coach Conor Hourihane says there have been some frank conversations with his players regarding the Reds' goals against column - after their defensive deficiencies were again exposed in Saturday's Roses loss at Bolton.
The Reds shipped three unanswered goals in a dreadful first half in Lancashire and despite fighting back in the second half with two goals, the damage had been done in a 3-2 loss.
Barnsley have leaked 46 goals in 27 league matches this season. It's second worst record in League One and only Leyton Orient have conceded more times. Given that the Oakwell outfit have played fewer games than anybody else in the division, it's particularly damning.
Hourihane, whose side visit Stevenage on Tuesday, said: "In terms of takeaways, probably I was really disappointed with the slow start from the goals that we conceded (at Bolton). It's been a common theme over the period of the first half of the season and we're getting to a stage where it needs to stop.
"I've been really frustrated with that. The squad know that, the defenders know that, the team knows that over the last couple of days because we're getting to a situation now where we score plenty of goals and fortunately for us, we do score a lot of goals because we like to attack and we like to play an attacking style of football.
"But we need to start now sorting off the defence because it's getting one too many for my liking.
"So there's been some words said and we're looking for a big improvement and I'm looking forward to that. Second half, my team does what they do, they play well, they attack, they score goals and when they do that, they look like a good team.
"I think that will stay in-house but there has been a lot of conversations over the last few days.
"I've been scratching my head about it all season to be honest with you. We've taken an approach over the last few days and hopefully that will have an effect over the next block of games. I'm not saying that it's going to happen straight away and Stevenage is going to be the perfect defensive performance.
"I'm hoping obviously there's going to be a big improvement, there has to be. But hopefully over the next five or six games we can see an improvement from that point of view.
"Because if we do that, then we'll pick up more points than we have been over recent times just because we know we've got the ability to win games at the other side of the pitch."
One positive again on Saturday was the display of loan winger Scott Banks, with the Scot having showcased plenty of evidence of his credentials so far, prompting talk among supporters that he would constitute an excellent full-time signing in the summer.
Hourihane commented: "Let's see. We're a long way off.
The January window's just closed. He's only played three games. I know that he's going to keep going from strength to strength.
"He's getting stronger and stronger and (with) more match fitness, more match sharpness. And he's a big plus with how we want to play. So he's been a big positive for sure.
"I really, really like Banksy. I think he's a real attacking player.
"He likes to get the ball wide, dribble left-footed and can take people on and bring people into play. He's set up quite a few goals already in his three games that he's played. I knew he'd hit the ground running.
"I knew he'd be a good player. I know he'll continue to be a good player and it's something that we really, really needed because everyone was relying on our play down the left with Reyes (Cleary) and Patrick Kelly and these guys. So, to have a balance of both sides now with Banksy as well is something that's really important to us."
Another loan signing last month in the shape of Tawanda Chirewa is still waiting to make his mark at Oakwell, with a little niggle currently hindering his progress.
On when he will return, Hourihane said: "We're hoping probably in the next week, 10 days type period. It's nothing major, but he just needs to sit out and get himself back in a decent place.
"He got a little bit of a knock, an unfortunate one. He just needs to settle down and get back. We can't take any risks with the bodies that we have.
"We'll respect the little knock that he has and then he'll come back in a good place."