Barnsley FC on the rise under Valerien Ismael but January will be true test of progression

Whereas 12 months ago, it was more to do with relief after a cathartic victory over Hull City energised the Reds’ Championship survival fight at a timely juncture – and provided the first tantalising hint of what was to come under Gerhard Struber – now there is talk of grander ambitions.

That will intensify if Barnsley defeat Bournemouth this evening and move into the top half of the table for the first time in 2020-21.

Thus far, Valerien Ismael’s time at the club has delivered a bounty by way of five wins in eight league games. Since his arrival in late October, only Brentford boast better form in the second tier.

Should Ismael continue that fine sequence tonight, Barnsley followers will find it hard to resist the urge to look up the table and start to wonder.

They will have noted a December schedule which sees Barnsley take on sides currently below them in the Championship in Wycombe, Sheffield Wednesday, Preston, Huddersfield Town and Rotherham United and view it as one which is ripe with opportunity.

More especially given the Reds’ strong form against sides presently in the bottom half, with victories registered over Derby, Nottingham Forest, Birmingham City and QPR and no defeats in five games.

Now is not the time to look too far ahead, even accounting for the fact that Barnsley are nine places and ten points better off than at the same stage of last season.

As is seemingly often the case at Oakwell, it is January which possesses the potential to be the key month in their campaign.

The first month of the New Year will see Ismael’s side face the upwardly-mobile trio of Norwich, Swansea City and Watford. They are also due to host a Cardiff City side who pummelled them 3-0 at the start of November.

In ten matches against teams currently in the second tier’s top half so far in 2020-21, the Reds have won just once.

January, of course, is also a month that traditionally sends a shiver down the spine of the Reds’ faithful and it is nothing to do with the cold weather either.

Back in January 2017, the sales of Conor Hourihane, Sam Winnall and James Bree scuppered any realistic hopes of maintaining a push for the top six.

Barnsley were on the edge of the play-offs when Hourihane signed off so stylishly with a wonderful winner against Leeds United in that 2016-17 season. They would end it below mid-table .

With the form of several of the Reds’ leading lights such as Callum Styles, Jack Walton and Mads Andersen likely to be drawing covetous glances from Championship rivals, and influential captain Alex Mowatt out of contract in June, there is the potential for further disruption next month if teams firm up interest and table significant offers.

A lot can happen between now and the end of January.

Fortunately, the Reds possess a head coach in Ismael who is grounded, focused and not the sort who gets carried away.

That much is evident by his pre-match conference yesterday. While praising the hunger, spirit and mentality of his young side, two key words mentioned by him on several occasions were ‘ruthless’ and ‘efficiency’.

Displaying those traits ultimately turns a promising team into a serious one.

What can be ascertained from Ismael’s regime so far? Namely, that he is a stickler for high standards – in every game, training session and away from the pitch.

Anyone seeking further confirmation of that should ask Elliot Simoes, demoted from Ismael’s squad for a lack of ‘intensity’ and ‘seriousness’ shown in training.

It is no coincidence that Ismael once played for one of the biggest clubs in world football in Bayern Munich, whose professionalism is legend. As someone who has played and coached for a fair amount of his career in the Bundesliga, he is wise to the notion that league tables do not particularly matter this early either.

Certainly not when you are just a third of the way through a competition. It is not how you start, but where you finish.

Ismael commented: “We must keep focused and stay that way. There is a long way to go, but any win you get gives you more confidence to get away from this red zone (relegation area) and that is what we must do all the time.

“The next area to improve is being more efficient. We create a lot, but at the moment, we need too many chances to score goals. At this level, it is too much. It is a good sign we create chances, but we must be efficient.”

A Frenchman he may be, but Ismael’s footballing mentality is Germanic. Hardly surprising given that he is from Strasbourg, a city which straddles the French/German border.

Last six games: Barnsley LWWLLW, Bournemouth LWWWDL.

Referee: K Stroud (Hants).

Last time: Barnsley 0 Bournemouth 1, March 22, 2014; Championship.

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