Daniel Stendel believes his side face a ‘difficult’ trip to relegation-battling Oxford United tomorrow when they could move into the top two in League One.
The Us are currently fourth bottom and have only won one of their last six games but it was a victory over then leaders Portsmouth in their most recent league fixture on January 19. Midfielder Mike Bahre is expected to return to the squad following injury.
Head coach Stendel said: “We are looking forward to the game and we have a good chance to take three points. It will be difficult because Oxford beat Portsmouth last week. If we have a good day or a normal day, I think we can win and it doesn’t matter if Oxford have a good day or not.
“Oxford will switch their game against a team in the top half of the league. They will play more easily out from the back. They have good offensive players and they will be dangerous. The main point is that we keep focused.”
Leaders Luton Town play second-placed Portsmouth tomorrow and a win for Luton or a draw would allow Barnsley to move into the second automatic promotion place if they win at the Kassam Stadium.
Stendel said: “I think the squad has enough to get into the top two. The last weeks have shown we have enough quality. The gap to second place is not so much and you can see our form in the last weeks so it is normal that our goal is the top two. But it is not easy because a lot of teams are in good form.”
Barnsley beat Oxford 4-0 on the opening day but they also defeated Rochdale by the same scoreline then struggled to a 2-1 victory over Keith Hill’s men on Saturday. Stendel said: “Rochdale away was one of our best games of the season but the home game was very different. We won the first game against Oxford 4-0 which was a very good start but we know it will be different when we play against them.”
This is Barnsley first’s Tuesday evening game since the 4-2 loss at Sunderland on November 27, more than two months ago. Stendel admitted, when he first arrived in England in the summer, that it would take him some time to adapt to playing regular midweek matches which is very unusual in his native Germany.
He said: “I think we are more prepared for this now after six or seven months. We have a squad of 14 or 15 players who can play every game which is an advantage for us. On the wing we can play Mama (Thiam), Hedgey (Ryan Hedges) or Browny (Jacob Brown). Kenny Dougall is back, Mike Bahre is back so we have a lot of options.”
Meanwhile, there are four days remaining in the January transfer window in which the Reds star players such as Kieffer Moore and Ethan Pinnock have attracted interest from other clubs. Barnsley have reportedly have a bid turned down for St Johnstone centre-back Jason Kerr.
Stendel said: “I think all players will stay here but if an offer comes for £10million then we will see. I haven’t heard of any offers and we don’t have the idea to sign a new player, but we will see.”
Stendel said the most likely players to leave are those who are not getting in the first team squad. Jared Bird, 21, has not played a league match since the German arrived at Oakwell while the likes of Lloyd Isgrove and Zeki Fryers have also been left out of every matchday squad for more than a month despite being fully fit.
Stendel said: “Jared Bird has not played so much this season so we hope that he finds a club on loan. Some other players have not played much this season and we have spoken to them and it is a decision for them.”
