Barnsley FC's worrying second-half numbers which must change for Daniel Stendel
ASKED why his Barnsley side have conceded a surfeit of second-half goals in matches this season, Daniel Stendel opened things up to the floor.
‘When you have the answer, you can call me every day,’ the Reds head coach replied when The Yorkshire Post tabled the question.
Amid the positivity of two morale-boosting victories in the FA Cup and EFL Trophy – against Oldham Athletic and Aldershot respectively – that nagging second-half issue still persists.
The Reds shipped two goals apiece after the interval in both games. While the 5-2 and 7-2 scorelines didn't take too much gloss off the wins, the pattern remains a tad annoying.
It continued a worrying trend. The last eight goals that Barnsley have conceded in cup matches have all arrived following the break.
While their recent concessions did not cost them, the story is different at league level, which helps explain Barnsley's position in League One.
Ahead of Saturday’s crunch trip to fellow strugglers Wigan Athletic, the Reds sit second-from-bottom, with their hosts occupying the final spot in the relegation zone.
Barnsley have let in a creditable six goals in the first half of league games in 2026-27. The figure almost triples on the resumption.
The Reds' goal has been breached 16 times in the second period – only Bromley (17) has a worse third-tier record.
Stendel, inset, who is hopeful that the narrative changes with more plentiful options at his disposal in comparison to earlier this autumn said: "I know that we have conceded more in the second half.
“It's not only the defence, it's also the offence. Maybe in the past, we played five games in a row and played with a similar squad in every game. Maybe that’s a reason for it.
"Why can't we do it in the second half when we can do it in the first half? I think fitness is not a problem. I think we're one of the fittest teams in this league.
"I can see it every week in training. It's key that we defend for 90 minutes like most of the time in the first half. When we do it, I think we have a big chance to win a lot of games."
Relative defensive inexperience at this level – which will hopefully improve sooner rather than later – and lapses in concentration are two obvious reasons explaining this.
In what could well be a tense afternoon in Lancashire on Saturday, staying strong for the entire game could prove the difference.
In the EFL Cup tie between these two Roses rivals in August, Barnsley did that in fairness, scoring an equaliser in the final quarter, courtesy of Cameron McGeehan, before progressing on penalties.
A key late goal in their favour on Saturday could be far more important in terms of their season’s narrative.
Stendel added: "It’s more pressure maybe than in our situation normally, but it doesn't matter, it's one game.
"Pressure is part of football, but we need also a little bit of calm to play our game. We're looking forward to it. We're in good shape and in a positive momentum."