CARLTON Morris says Barnsley have ‘finally shown what we are capable of’ in recent months and believes that will continue tomorrow, saying: “I would back us every day of the week against Reading.”
The third-bottom Reds are five points behind the fourth-bottom Royals, who they host tomorrow, but have reduced the gap from nine earlier in the season, doubling their points tally in the last nine games. The 26-year-old striker told the Chronicle: “We have finally shown what we are capable of. The gaffer (Poya Asbaghi) and Ferran (Sibila, assistant) have had time to implement what they want and it’s showing on the pitch.
“We have had good performances in most of the recent games.
“Hopefully it will knit into a really good end to the season.”
He added: “I am always more of a ‘one game at a time’ guy so I am not thinking about the mathematics and points.
“It’s pointless. But it is a massive opportunity to play a team in the same battle as us at home. It’s perfect.
“There isn’t a single person at this football club who thinks we will go down. I certainly don’t. Even at our lowest I was saying ‘don’t bet against us’ and I certainly wouldn’t now. We can give ourselves a massive boost with a victory on Saturday. I would back us every day of the week against Reading.
“There’s no reason we can’t win four or five of the last eight games.
“We’re not worrying about winning five or six in a row.”
Morris is Barnsley’s top-scorer this season with six league goals, but he does not care about that accolade as long as the Reds stay up.
“Goals are great, as long as they win you games, but it’s all about wins. If I score and we win that’s perfect but otherwise it’s neither here nor there.”
Cauley Woodrow, the Barnsley captain with more than 50 goals for the club, has been out for almost four months with an ankle problem that needed surgery.
He is likely to return this month.
Morris, who missed three months with a knee problem in late 2021, and Woodrow have started just six times together this season. Morris said: “I will be buzzing to have him back. It has been an age since we’ve linked up on the pitch.
“We have a really good relationship off the field and that will translate.
“I missed the first 17 weeks of this season then, as soon as I got back to full fitness, he was out. It will take him some time to get back to his best but his presence will be a huge boost.”
Barnsley have just finished their first international break for four months, having most of the first week off then getting some rare time to train under Poya Asbaghi this week.
Morris said: “It’s been a long tough season and it’s always nice to have a break, see the family, kick back and chill.
“Then this week in training has been amazing. It feels like ages since we have had a lot of players to choose from and a full week to work with the boss, take in as much information as we can and prepare properly. We started off last weekend on Saturday, Sunday and Monday brushing up on a few things and getting sharpness back then, in the last few days, it’s been more tactical stuff and set pieces especially which contributed two goals in the last home game.”
Barnsley are unbeaten in five at Oakwell. Morris said: “Home form is aways crucial and, as long as we can supplement that with away points, we will be in a great spot. If we start well and come out of the traps well which we have recently, the fans will get behind us. They have been excellent, even when we haven’t give them much to cheer but, when we have, they have responded tremendously. The good people of Barnsley expect us to work hard and get at the opposition and that’s the bare minimum of what we will do.”
On Reading, Morris said: “They have good players. (Lucas) Joao and John Swift have contributed a lot of goals.
“They will definitely be a threat but I am confident we will contain that, show our offensive prowess and bang their door down.”
Morris has played in a wide forward role for much of his Barnsley career but recently has been the lone striker in a 4-2-3-1. He said: “I enjoy both. It’s my original bread and butter to play down the middle. I am used to it, I enjoy it.
“But I will play left-back with a smile on my face if the gaffer asks me.”
