Why Barnsley FC boss Darrell Clarke's battle to overcome autumn 'adversity' is a harder task than Michael Duff's at Huddersfield Town

Seven days ago, the Huddersfield Town head coach was searching for answers to arrest an ugly run of form. The natives were getting restless and an on-pitch drama was in danger of descending into a crisis if results continued to deteriorate.

It is now Barnsley counterpart Clarke’s turn to be thrust into that unwanted spotlight, while Duff is entitled to feel a bit better about things following deja-vu victories in League One and EFL Trophy at his former club’s expense.

Duff found some solutions after a run of seven losses out of eight in all competitions and so must Clarke in order to alter the mood music.

Statistically, Barnsley’s sequence of one win in their past seven competitive matches - incorporating four defeats - is not quite as grim.

But, in many respects, Clarke’s task to change the narrative is more onerous.

Given the options at Duff’s disposal, coming up with answers was always going to be less problematic.

Granted, Huddersfield may have some significant injury issues, but their bases are better covered across their squad.

Their depth is far deeper than Barnsley’s, whose pool is shallow, comparatively. That was self-evident on Tuesday night.

Following Saturday’s meeting, Barnsley made nine changes, while Town’s changes amounted to seven.

But the difference in seniority was colossal and that was played out on the night as Huddersfield registered another comprehensive 2-0 win.

Clarke acknowledged as much afterwards and it wasn’t clutching for excuses. More fact. His point that, in comparison to Duff, he had ‘a lot of work to do’ in terms of squad-building was a valid one.

Clarke said: "I always knew it would be a massive job because of who we were and what was in.

"The last couple of years, we’ve had a little bit more experience and players in the building who have helped them get into the play-offs.

"I believe in the group. But we can’t kid ourselves. I am not one of those managers who comes out and says we have cracked it as we have nowhere near cracked it. We are nowhere near the standard where I want us to get to.

"I have been pretty consistent with that message when I was winning games as well. It’s about working hard and working on details of the game and coming through competitive moments. Sometimes, a little bit of adversity doesn’t hurt.

"Do I want it? No. But if we can learn from adversity and come out stronger, which I think we will do, then it benefits everyone.”

The adversity that Duff has had to contend with this autumn has been considerable, with form issues coinciding with the loss of three integral first-team players in Lee Nicholls, Michal Helik and Josh Koroma.

The Town chief has also had to cope with the absence of several other first-teamers at certain junctures as well.

Instead of moaning, Duff is in the problem-solving business and making the most out of what he has got.

His tactical adjustment to move Ben Wiles to an advanced central midfield role, with David Kasumu and Joe Hodge operating behind, worked a treat on Saturday, for instance.

Antony Evans’s forward deployment as a midfield ‘eight’ in Tuesday’s fixture also came off. Duff commented: "It was nice to get another win (on Tuesday) as they are hard to come by - don’t toss wins away and don’t take things for granted.

"Ideally, you keep a clean sheet, win 2-0 every week and your two centre-forwards score a goal and we were close to that.

"People assume it’s only this competition, but where we have been in the past month, we couldn’t win a game and were finding every way possible to lose.

"Pre-season was really good. We were really organised and structured with clear patterns of play and started the season well and then adversity kicked in.

"It’s instilling that belief that when we do certain things, we look a better team. Its having that confidence to carry on doing that, which is difficult when you get that bit of adversity.

"When you are losing a game, people panic or the crowd start getting on you as there is expectation where there’s 20,000 people in the building. That’s not anything on the supporters as we have to earn their trust."

Both Town and Barnsley are inactive on Saturday and return to action next weekend and for Clarke, it provides invaluable training-ground time to find some answers.

Much like with Duff, getting the right chemistry in midfield represents a key consideration, with Kelechi Nwakali's first competitive start in midweek being one crumb of solace on a night when he was the best of a pretty bad bunch. Something needs to change fast.