In Barnsley’s opening games of the League One season, they’ve conceded a total of 8 goals. 3 of those 8 goals were almost identical goals, so let’s take a look at those 3 goals.
The first goal came against Plymouth on the opening day of the season. This goal was the difference as Barnsley lost 1-0 against the Greens.
The build up to the goal starts when Plymouth get the ball on their left side (Barnsley’s right side.) The goalscorer is centre mid Fin Azaz, shown in yellow.
As you can see from the above picture, Azaz sprints forward and isn’t tracked by Callum Styles.
Plymouth continue the good work on their left and play a pass into Azaz. Had Styles tracked back, Azaz wouldn’t have got the ball and the goal would’ve been easily prevented.
Derby County 2-1 Barnsley
The 2nd example is against Derby County, when Barnsley lost 2-1.
The move that leads to the goal starts in the same place as the Plymouth goal, on their left side. Highlighted in yellow, Mendez-Laing is the goalscorer and Derby’s right winger who should be picked up by Barnsley’s left wing back Callum Styles.
Derby work the ball further down Barnsley’s right side (Derby’s left side) and Mendez-Laing still isn’t marked.
The pass was played from Derby’s left into Mendez-Laing who wasn’t picked up by Styles so had plenty of time to shoot, had Styles tracked back quicker he could’ve tackled Mendez-Laing. Had Connell tracked back more, he could’ve blocked the passing lane and then stopped Mendez-Laing receiving the ball and therefore prevent the goal from being scored.
Ipswich Town 2-2 Barnsley
The 3rd case of a very similar goal came against Ipswich on Saturday.
Like the previous two examples, the opposition pick the ball out wide.
Ipswich work the ball further down their right side and the goalscorer Sam Morsy has sprinted forward. Barnsley’s centre mid Matty Wolfe doesn’t follow him.
Morsy works his way further up the pitch and into Barnsley’s box and is completely free as Matty Wolfe didn’t track back enough.
Had Wolfe tracked back, he could’ve closed the passing lane or man marked Morsy, stopping him from scoring.
Overall
All 3 goals highlighted are more or less identical. The opposition pick the ball up out wide, run further up the pitch and pass it inside to their midfielders who are unmarked.
These goals are simple goals that can easily be avoided by Barnsley’s midfielders following the opposition runners.
Hopefully, after conceding 3 goals in this way, Barnsley will learn to track the on running midfielders and prevent unnecessary goals.
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