Barnsley v Preston - Reds hero Dominik Frieser hoping to have made breakthrough

Dominik Frieser says adapting to the physical demands of the Championship has been his biggest test this season.
Dominik Frieser, right, celebrates scoring at Hillsborough as Barnsley claimed local bragging rights with victory over Sheffield Wednesday. (Picture: Andrew Yates/Sportimage)Dominik Frieser, right, celebrates scoring at Hillsborough as Barnsley claimed local bragging rights with victory over Sheffield Wednesday. (Picture: Andrew Yates/Sportimage)
Dominik Frieser, right, celebrates scoring at Hillsborough as Barnsley claimed local bragging rights with victory over Sheffield Wednesday. (Picture: Andrew Yates/Sportimage)

The 27-year-old scored 13 goals for Europa League last-16 side LASK in 2019-20, but his winning goal at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday was just his second since moving to Barnsley in the summer.

He will be hoping it earns a start at home to Preston North End this evening, where the Reds will be without the injured Aapo Halme.

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Championship football has been a step up from Austria’s Bundesliga, and the biggest difference the 5ft 10in forward has noticed is physical.

Barnsley's Dominik Frieser and Watford's Craig Cathcart (right) (Picture: PA)Barnsley's Dominik Frieser and Watford's Craig Cathcart (right) (Picture: PA)
Barnsley's Dominik Frieser and Watford's Craig Cathcart (right) (Picture: PA)

“Every defender is really massive,” he commented. “It’s hard to play and the defenders are big.

“It’s more physical with a lot of long balls. You have to fight for every ball.

“I wanted to play in England but when you play against some teams like Wycombe you have to adapt your game because they play only long balls. You have to fight for the second and third balls.”

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The shock was greater for Frieser because whilst he was familiar with the Premier League – he played home and away against Manchester United either side of last season’s lockdown – the second tier was a more unknown quantity.

Moses Odubajo challenges Barnsley's Dominik Frieser.  (Picture: Steve Ellis)Moses Odubajo challenges Barnsley's Dominik Frieser.  (Picture: Steve Ellis)
Moses Odubajo challenges Barnsley's Dominik Frieser. (Picture: Steve Ellis)

He has been impressed by the quality.

“When I watched English football growing up, it was more Premier League because it’s not so easy to watch the Championship in Austria,” he said. “When I came here, I was surprised because there are some really good footballers in our team.”

Frieser has been involved in all 21 Barnsley games this season, but has played just three in their entirety.

Saturday was his first start in five matches and now coach Valerien Ismael is allowed to use five substitutes per game, there seems little prospect of him going the distance if he is granted another tonight.

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Ismael was Freiser’s coach at LASK – the forward joined Barnsley ahead of him, with Ismael only arriving In late October – and hopes his derby goal can be a “breakthrough” moment in the latest chapter of his career.

“I’m very happy for Friesey,” said Ismael.

“He scored some very important goals for me last season in the league and Europa League so I know what he can do. I hope it’s the breakthrough for him.”

The news that former Leeds United centre-back Halme is expected to be out for the next four weeks with a fractured toe is a blow for him personally as much as for the team, but should offer a reprieve to Michal Heilik.

Halme only made his first Championship start of the season against Wycombe Wanderers last week when Heilik was dropped after an error-strewn display against Bournemouth.

Jordan Williams is due back in training this week.

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All clubs are finding it difficult to manage their players’ fitness in an extremely demanding schedule this season, which has been truncated by the knock-on effects of the first Covid-19 lockdown.

Fatigue may well have been a factor in Helik’s messy performance against the Chairboys.

Ismael, though, is not one for excuses.

“We have to deal with it,” he said. “It’s our challenge to find a solution but it’s the same problem for all the teams, not only for us. We accept this.”

Barnsley have not beaten Preston in their last five meetings, and lost 8-1 on aggregate last season, but then again until last weekend they had not defeated Sheffield Wednesday since 2009.

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Ruthlessness will be the key against the Lilywhites, says Ismael.

“Last season, our results and performances against Preston were not good enough,” he said. “It’s time to change more history. We need that ruthless nature again.

“Against Bournemouth, we struggled with fatigue. We need to learn from that. When we get chances we need to be clinical and punish the opponent.

“Preston will be difficult, we expect a strong side but we have prepared well and we have good momentum that we wish to continue, to keep up our good work.”

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Meanwhile, former Barnsley manager John McSeveney has died, aged 89.

The Scottish winger’s playing career ended at Hull City in 1964, and it was at Boothferry Park he moved into coaching.

In September, 1971 he took his only job in management at Oakwell, but the season ended with relegation from Division Three on goal average, and he left in November of the following campaign.

He did not return to management, but he did have time on the coaching staffs at Rotherham United and Sheffield United.

Last six games: Barnsley WWLWLL; Preston North End LWDWLL.

Referee: D Whitestone (Northampton)

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Last time: Barnsley 0 Preston North End 3, January 21, 2020, Championship.

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