Barnsley will know more about themselves and how League One will shape up after playing ten games in the next 38 days, says Andreas Winkler.
The promotion-chasing Reds are due to play twice in most weeks during the remainder of October and throughout November, starting with trips to Charlton Athletic tomorrow and Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday.
That gruelling schedule also includes Checkatrade Trophy games at home to Everton under 21s and Bradford City on the first two Tuesdays of next month – either side of the FA Cup first round.
Assistant coach Winkler told the Chronicle: “I think we will have a better idea after this period of games about what we can do this season. After about 20 matches we will be able to make a good assessment of the table and of our squad.
“It’s good to have so many games in the next weeks, I like it. We have prepared the squad enough so now everybody fits to our idea. The coaching staff is more aware now of what playing on Saturday then Tuesday means than 12 weeks ago because we don’t have this in Germany.”
Whereas Barnsley are unbeaten at home this season – part of a run which stretches back ten games since March – they have won more away than at Oakwell and can add to their four victories on the road this week.
The weekend journey to London and the midweek trip to Shropshire will see the Reds travel approximately 620 miles in four days while there are several injury doubts around players such as top-scorer Kieffer Moore.
“We will be OK on Saturday, it is about three and a half hours to London and we will leave very early so we will have fresh legs. But on Tuesday we will have to think about what we do. But we will do that after the match at Charlton.
“We are in a lucky situation now that players are coming back from injury and we know we can trust every player to come in and do well like Cameron McGeehan against Luton.”
Barnsley have made their best start to a season since 1978 having collected 25 points from their first 12 games.The Reds’ seven wins is already as many as they managed in their final 41 Championship matches on their way to relegation last season.
They have taken ten of the 12 points available since their only loss of the season at Coventry City on September 15.They moved into the second automatic promotion place after a 3-2 win over Luton Town on Saturday lunchtime but then slipped down to third after Peterborough won their 3pm match.
