Barnsley can make this their longest unbeaten start to a league campaign in 72 years with victory over Walsall at Oakwell tomorrow, but the coaching staff believe there is plenty of improvement to come from the team.
The Reds have won four and drawn two of their six League One games so far under German boss Daniel Stendel whose only defeat since taking over in the summer came in the League Cup last month. If they beat Walsall tomorrow, it will be the longest unbeaten start to a season since 1946/47 when Barnsley did not lose any of their first ten matches with a side that included club legends Norman Rimmington and George Robledo.
The last time the club began a season without losing any of their first six league fixtures was the only other occasion that they have commenced a campaign under a foreign manager – in 2003 when Gudjon Thordarson also won four and drew two but was sacked the following March during a run of one win in 18. Stendel told the Chronicle: “We have had a good start. It hasn’t been easy and we have worked hard. We can ask more of the players and they can develop even more in the future. I believe in our squad, our team and our club.”
Assistant Andreas Winkler added: “I am very delighted that we are unbeaten after six games. We don’t like losing. Everybody thought before the season started that our style was all about pressing but we have shown we have a very good defence too. Adam Davies has not had to make many saves.”
Winkler says the team’s ability to see out victories can be improved, after Gillingham fought back and almost salvaged a draw before losing 2-1 at Oakwell on Saturday. He also believes they can be more clinical in front of goal despite scoring 14 in six games, a record only bettered by leaders Peterborough United.
“We can get even better. We need to be more consistent over the 90 minutes. We can improve the composure on the ball and how we decide the pace of the match, but this is a learning process and it will come with experience. We need to be more clinical in front of goal as well. Our number of shots on target is 20 or 30 per cent higher than every other team in the league. If we can turn more of them into goals, that will be very very good for us.”
Fifth-placed Walsall have an identical record this season to the third-placed Oakwell club, having won four and drawn two of their six matches so far, but with an inferior goal difference. They are two of five unbeaten clubs at the top of League One along with Peterborough, second-placed Portsmouth and fourth-placed Sunderland.
Walsall drew their first away game at Scunthorpe United then won at AFC Wimbledon and Rochdale. Their most recent league match was Saturday’s goalless home draw with Blackpool. Like Barnsley, they also won 2-1 in the Checkatrade Trophy on Tuesday at near neighbours Burton Albion.
Winkler said: “It will be a pretty tough match. They haven’t lost, like us. We know they defend very hard and strong in a good, compact shape and they have two or three very good attackers with a lot of pace. We have to be very careful of the counter-attack. We might have to be patient and find something special to penetrate their defence.
“I don’t know if it will be our hardest game but I know if you are unbeaten you have great self-confidence. I think they will look forward to playing at Oakwell and showing how good they are.”
