Very early view from Barnsley

[terryr]

Its pretty early to do one of these but newly promoted Barnsley are excited and full of promoted club nerves.
I'm sure as we get past the last friendlies this weekend, there will be more and I'll update then.

" We might as well pack up now, and send our season tickets back. Yorkshire Post have a sort of pole of all the bookies and we are favourites to go down ignominiously in 24th place along with Charlton in 23rd and Wigan in 22nd
No prizes for who they have for finishing as champions"

"Don't think I can be bothered with the Fulham game now!"

" It's not difficult to see why outsiders think we will go straight back down. If we weren't Barnsley fans we would think the same. Lost the keeper, lost both first choice CBs, star target man has had a lack of minutes and might be sold, lots of new players who have never played this level before and head coach with less than a year left on his contract.

The front six of our team will have plenty of goals in them. The back five will probably take time to gel. Some of our 4-5 year contracts will look brilliant business and make us millions down the line. Nobody in the transfer market gets it 100% right so some of the players on 4-5 contracts we might be worrying about how we can move them on in 12 months time."

" Gospel according to St Me

No favouritism or bias whatsoever. Oh no.

1. West Brom
2. Fulham
3. Brentford
4. Leeds
5. Swansea
6. Stoke
7. Derby
8. Nott. Forest
9. Middlesboro
10. Bristol C
11. Birmingham
12. Barnsley
13. Cardiff
14. Preston
15. Sheff W
16. Hull
17. Blackburn
18. Charlton
19. Huddersfield
20. QPR
21. Reading
22. Wigan
23. Luton
24. Millwall

" It's a strange one this. If/should we beat Fulham in the opening game what will all the predictions be after the result? Whilst I agree it will be only on the back of one result, would teams consider us more of a threat and less likely to be relegated? After all, the bookies and other fans are making their assumptions before we have even kicked a ball, so a win would should make them reconsider given this logic."

"  Anyone who finishes above Fulham will most likely be champions. I fancy brentford to be dark horses and hull to drop."

" I think its imperative we get off to a good start. We've seen it before when you can't see your next win and the effect that has on fans and young players. We've not seen how Stendel reacts to multiple defeats or a negative run of results.
If we can scrape a point and retain that undefeated home run for a little while longer, confidence may just keep us ticking along. if we get off to a bad start, I really fear for us."

" For me the league has three zones of 8. The top 8 , the real contenders. The middle 8, the consildators/builder. The bottom 8 the strugglers. I would happily to see Barnsley in the middle 8 at the finish. Then hopefully the top 8 the following season"

" Like most others on here, I'm confident we'll score plenty. As for the defence, it's an unknown. I don't doubt we've signed excellent replacements for Lindsay and Pinnock. Just defences tend to take quite a while to gel. I just hope we don't take too many tonkings in the first couple of months."

What would you be happy with against Fulham?

" Personally an entertaining 2-2 draw would do nicely. Think they'll be quite strong, especially with Mitrovic up front. Be good for the lads' confidence to get something out of the game"

"3-0 to the Reds. Or 1-0"

" I don't think there'll be a nil to anyone hopefully 2-2 and a cracking game and atmosphere ."

" A win. Aiming for any less is wrong."

"
Obviously want us to win. Think we'll score. Think we'll concede, maybe a lot."

" We aim to win of course but even if we lost, given Fulham are likely to be among the better sides I'm more interested as to how we compete rather than just the result.
If we look ok then we could have a good season"

" I don't think we will be keeping many clean sheets at all"

"I always want the first goal of the season to b scored asap and the first clean sheet to come in the first couple of games. Think it just settles players at both ends of the pitch. That being said, think we can score against Fulham, not sure about the clean sheet though. Hope we win."

" I'd be happy if we won 5-0"

"  Realistically, we want to be looking to compete with Millwall, QPR, Birmingham City, Luton, Charlton, etc and if we finish higher then all well and good.
We look to be set up to attack rather than defend, meaning Fulham may give us a good tonking."

" Here's our record v Fulham. Bit of a mixed bag.
Overall we just about have the upper hand.
At home we have decent record against them, but we haven't beaten them in last 3 seasons (1 draw 5 defeats).
https://www.soccerbase.com/teams/head_to_head.sd?team_id=208&team2_id=1055
Long unbeaten home record to try and preserve as well!"

" We've definitely got goals in us, but still worried about the defence. I would love a 2-0 to get the season started, but my prediction is 1-3. I think it will take a few games before the defence starts to gel."

" 5-0 I'd be over the moon
4-0 Ecstatic
3-0 chuffed to bits
2-0 Very happy
1-0 Happy
A draw - reflectively optimistic
A narrow defeat - disappointed
A big defeat - Pissed off
A massive defeat and hammering - suicidal and in 'kick the cat' mode.
All the above open to slight differences in mood depending on team and individual performances."

"Think we have creativity and goals in us but can't help think they'll have too much in Knockaert, Cavaleiro and Mitrovic. Top players, and the rest ain't too shabby.
Heart says 2-1
Head says 2-4"

" Be absolutely chuffed with a draw. Can't see it though. Fulham have a very good team and will deal with our pressing game quite comfortably I think. I do hope I'm wrong like."

" Were unlucky to have drawn the best team in the league for the first game, but theres a huge positive as well. If we get a win, the boys confidence will be sky high and I can see us going on a nice run straight from the off. If we lose, I dont think itll affect them too much, they arent expected to get anything.
I think with a good crowd and a good atmosphere we can really spur these boys on."

" A narrow defeat would be acceptable, a hammering could see a bubble deflate at record speed."

" I'd be happy with a win and I think we will win."

" A defeat in this opener does not compromise how our season will go. I think Fulham will be one of the toughest sides in this division.
They have Mitrovich and Crainey signed up to new contracts, plus Knockhaert about to come in. We have a defence that had not met each other four weeks ago. There was two divisions between us in May. Fulham are 23/20 with Boylesports. Delighted if we can do them. In profit if it's the other way around."

" Could well be like the 1999-00 season where we have a lot of high scoring games and few clean sheets. The front six I don't doubt that they will get us plenty of goals with our attacking style.
Our back five though it's not ideal losing three key players in the same window, to be replaced by very little experience at a tough level. We are going to have to be patient and hope they gel quickly."

" I'd rather play them first up. It often takes relegated teams a few games to start firing and we might catch them cold. Don't get me wrong, I'd take a draw now if offered but I'm cautiously optimistic"

" I know they look formidable on paper but why can,t we beat them?"

" Remember they've been relegated having got used to losing in the Premiership. Personally I think this us a good time to play them as they're not yet on a winning streak."

" I'll be happy with a win. And OK with a draw
Performance is also important. A narrow defeat with us playing well would be unfortunate but I would live with it. Ripped apart and a 0-4 or worse defeat would be depressing"

" Yesterday we attacked with pace and skill that will be too much for a lot of the sides we will face. The defence will take time to work together and I expect we'll get put to the sword initially but once gelled we should hold our own.
It could end up being the Brazil ethos of you score 3 against us and we'll put 4 past you.
I don't expect to win any of our first 3/4 games."

" If it's just like watching Brazil, I'll be happy"

" Didn't Brazil get tonked by Germany in a world cup final?
Not saying Fulham are Germany but......."

" 4 4 2
With Woodrow and Chaplin up top
Wilks and Thomas on the wings.
Very exciting"

" Can't help but think that Chaplin will play as more of a number 10 or as part of the front 3. Looks very creative from what I've seen of him. Surely we can't drop Moore? He'll be a right handful for defences and at the very least will create space for Woodrow with the marking that he'll require."

Anthony Knockaert

"having a medical at fulham.........SSN"

"One of those players that is great in the championship, ***** in the prem. See also Dwight Gayle, Matej Vydra etc."

" Really rate him. He'll have the chance to show us if he's still got what it takes."

" Good player at championship level."

" Very effective player and a really good signing for them. Rumours still abound that
some of their more prized players are going to be sold before the season starts.
Sessegnon is apparently high on Spurs wish list. If they meet Fulhams valuation, he
will in all probability be sold."

" Gonna be a very hard game this first one, would snap your hand off for a draw right now"

" The 1st away one looks a bit easier."

" I don't know how they're managing to retain the likes of Mitrovic and Cairney and attain the likes of Knockaert but that looks like one promotion spot wrapped up already."

" Parachute payments."

" My moneys on a woodrow brace and a comfortable home win...."

" They look strong, very hard test for our fledgling defence. I'd take 2 points from the first two now. Will depend if Dougall is fit enough to start in front of the back 2. If we were going to bring loans in it would be an experienced holding player, given Dougall's injury record. We need someone who will sit in front of those two & cover & spray the ball forward. I expect Bahre to be a starter, meaning Woodrow up front for me in a 4-3-3 or a 4-4-1-1. Pacy wide players (Moore could do that role, or be the option off the bench). Rest of the squad looks OK to me TBH, if we hang on to Moore. I don't think we have a solid holding player other than Dougall, which is a big worry. I don't want us to ship goals in the first home game vs a very strong team. I rate Styles a lot, but he is a box to box player & McGeehan will be caught out at this level as a holding player, he needs to be covered, as does Mowatt."

" I had to call it right now , I would say it will be a high scoring affair likely ending in defeat for us , maybe a 4-2 game similar to when we played them the first season we went up last time around . I think we will show we have got plenty of attacking threat ourselves but think that they will have too much for us overall. (Really hope I am wrong of course)"

" They were utter gash until Ryan Babel signed in Jan transfer window. He's ofski to Turkey, back to being gash lets hope!!"

" I think that after a short period of adjustment Fulham will be a very good championship side and will be serious contenders for automatic promotion. I'm glad we play them first game."

That's it for today. I'll check back after the weekend
Updated below

" A new season dawns
Same blind optimism as always following a fantastic season last time out. I don't know whether I have "expectations" anymore, I think it's just hope.
I hope we're competitive, I hope we try to play the same entertaining football we had last season, whilst accepting it'll be so much tougher against better and sometimes more cynical opponents.
Some of the recent fees quoted for players at this level (£20m for the lad from Bristol City for example) show what we are up against. I'd like to think there'd be no early judgement of our team if results are poor, but again that's possibly just a hope. Stendel and his team and players need the same backing as last year, arguably more so if we are struggling.
The beauty of football at the beginning of the season is that it's a journey into the unknown, some clubs just defy the logic of finance and succeed against the odds. It's increasingly difficult I guess with more and more clubs throwing daft amounts about, but I've got that same optimism again, hoping for a bit of luck, and looking forward to the season. You never know.
COYR"

" What we thinking for score and goal scorers in tomorrows season opener vs Fulham
My heart says 2-2 but head saying a narrow 1-2 loss.
But going to be optimisic and stick to the 2-2 which would be a good result. Woodrow and Wilks to score for us and Mitro and Cairney for them."

" 1-3
ATT 13987"

" 2-2"

" 0-4"

" 4-2 defeat, unfortunately. Woodrow and McGeehan to score for us."

"3-2 win for me, think we will concede 2 sloppy goals but score enough to win."

" 1- 4. Toasted alive."

" I think it'll be a right ding dong job, 8-7 Tarn."

" We will see. I think the squad will eventually get it together but I think we will get some pastings til Christmas. Will be delighted if I'm proven wrong, but folk are forgetting the quality of the championship and how important our defence were last season."

" defence is a big worry and we could get tonked tomorrow easily but I want to remain hopeful we wont. So many sloppy goals conceded last weekend just hope DS and the staff have sorted them out a but this week.2

" 8-3"

" 2-1 to the reds "

" 1-4. Tough first game."

" A comfortable home win, of course."

"2- 2 if we score 1st. 1 -3 if they score first...... more i look at it the harder game is getting. They have some top top attacking players. Going to be a tough afternoon...... "

" 1 - 4, mass uproar about lack of pies. mass uproar about slow service to find out there is a lack of pies. bird sh1t."

" 1-6"

" 9-6 with all goals coming In the first 12 minutes
48,567 the crowd"

" I'd take 0-0 now if it was offered.
I'm expecting a hammering, so if we can avoid one I'll be happy. Given the quality of the opposition, for me its more about performance tomorrow. Any points we might get will be a bonus and well earned."

" 3 - 2..... The mighty reds... fortress Oakwell though shaken.... remains..."

" Here's a piece from the Guardian about the good times ahead for our opponents on Saturday.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/jul/23/fulham-bounce-back-learn-from-mistakes
I don't know the stats for relegated clubs bouncing back to the Premiership but perhaps there is someone on here who does - my feeling is that it is not too easy to do so.
In reading the Guardian article you should remember their season in the Premiership where they were not very good at all. In their 19 away games they won 1, drew 2 and lost 16. In those games they scored 12 goals and conceded 45.
I am not saying that Saturday is not going to be hard for us, it will be but let's not be too pessimistic about it - we have always given this lot a game and I am sure we will at the weekend.
In the Racing Post today they have this to say about us "Barnsley are favourites to finish last but they may have been underestimated. Key players have departed but Daniel Stendel is a good coach and a smart transfer operator." They have us finishing 20th. I think we will be somewhat higher than that."

" It's a popular match against them for international live TV coverage.......
https://www.livesoccertv.com/match/3336049/barnsley-fulham/
Shouldn't be difficult for anyone not going to Oakwell to be able to watch the game. I looked at their forum and someone a week ago mentioned already selling 1,700 but I can't see any current figure from Fulham. I would hope it's going to be a 14,000 crowd."

" Have to say TQO, 5/4 Fulham with Betway (6/5 elsewhere) looks quite tempting! Like you I'm hopeful that we will do okay as the season goes on, but our new defence versus Knockeart, Mitrovich and Cavaliero on Day One looks a tall order to me! Before that there's the small matter of Pinatubo, Too Darn Hot and Stradivarius versus the bookies!"

" Mawson could still be playing this weekend even though he went off injured last weekend in a friendly......"

" Just been reading their forum. They're a bit concerned about the centre of defence being a bit weak if Mawson doesn't make it."

" Hmmm, they've not seen ours yet!"

" Their attack is frightening against our back line that hasn't had time to gel. I think we'll survive this season but 40/1 on Mitrovic to get a hat trick is tempting"

" You don't mention Sessegnon - isn't he still there? We might well be the only Championship side that has to face him this season."

" Theres absolutely no doubt that on paper they are a far superior team, with superior players.
If you were a betting person, this is easy as it gets.
I do believe a draw would be an excellent result. As long as we learn from this (and all of our games) at this level, we will be ok.
I really believe in our coach, however this is a team we are playing too early in our development.
I think we will be ok this season, as long as we keep our coach, testing times (again) for our young squad and coach."

" Totally agree. Fulham, Cardiff and Huddersfield are all well resourced so they should do OK this season.
Don't hold out much hope of a result on Saturday and Sheffield Wednesday away could be difficult for us.
To be honest, I'll be more optimistic of our chances of points this month, against Charlton, Luton and Wigan."

" Their attack is absolutely terrifying. Their defence was a shambles last season and hopefully still will be this season. Can see it being a high scoring game, just hope it's not all for them."

" According to 'Talkshite' it sites the age of the West Stand as the reason for lacking modern features, and a small capacity leading to lack of atmosphere.
https://talksport.com/football/efl/...und-the-valley/amp/?__twitter_impression=true
I often wonder if they actually visit the grounds, or just Google stuff.
How in anyones imagination are Griffin Park and Kenilworth Road better stadiums than Oakwell?"

" Jarred Gillett. He's an Australian and we will be his first match in this country......
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/11614565/australian-referee-to-officiate-in-england
Can't be any worse than our own......."

" Sorry to be pedantic, but he actually refereed 3 games at the end of last season."

" I'm sure mike Riley has given his orders. Give Barnsley fuk ALL"

" Come 5 o'clock Saturday he'll be easily the worst referee we've ever had."

That's it for this week!

[Sgt Fulham]

Thanks for this! Interesting as always. I have a bit of a soft spot for Barnsley since their last promotion to the championship. Good set of fans and try and play exciting football. Hope they stay up, but not with any points from us.

[filham]

Note that Terry R has a season ticket already, that puts him a week or more ahead of any Fulham fan.

[Jims Dentist]

Blackburn have picked up a number of potentially good upper Championship signings and could be a surprise package.

[terryr]

Season ticket?
Where did I say that?

[Fernhurst]

Thanks Terry, very interesting to see how others feel about us.

[bobbo]

Thank you terry your view from is a must for me.

[Whitesideup]

Yes Terry - a good read. I thought the Barnsley lot sounded quite reasonable .. until I read the posts that seem to have us nailed down top 2 or 3. Don't they know .. we are Fulham?  And we are quite capable of being dumped on by an enthusiastic, hard-working team with a noisy crowd behind them for their first game back in the Championship. And to boot they have Woodrow.....

[love4ffc]

Thanks Terry.  Love these and always get a big kick out of what the opposition thinks. 

[HV71]

I always find this piece the highlight of the week on this board - huge thanks to you Terry

[terryr]

updated

[Dr Quinzel]

Looking forward to Barnsley tomorrow! Welcome back football  082.gif

[Digger]

I always find this piece the highlight of the week on this board - huge thanks to you Terry

I very much like reading it to, many thanks for posting it Terry