Gerhard Struber is targeting six points from this week's two home games and wants to make visiting sides 'afraid' of coming to Oakwell.

The Reds, currently bottom of the Championship and six points adrift of safety, host 18th-placed Reading tomorrow then 14th-placed Queens Park Rangers on Saturday. They will be hoping to bounce back from a 3-2 Saturday loss at Cardiff City who netted a 94th-minute winner. 

Struber told the Chronicle: "Cardiff was very painful and it was not so easy after the game to find the right words. The good thing in the Championship is the next game is very soon and we can show against Reading what we can do in front of our special fans.

"I hope we can give them a big presence, hard work and, in the end, three points. This week is a very good chance to create very good performances and hopefully, in the end, we have six points. In the next month this stadium will be like a fortress and, when the opponent gets here, they will always have the feeling that Barnsley is very difficult to play and they will be very afraid of us."

Reading are currently five points clear of safety and nine ahead of Barnsley. Struber said: "Reading is very good team with good build-up. I hope that we create a good plan and have very good pressing so we will have chances to win balls in the opponents’ half. I am very positive for tomorrow. Reading will be the first opponent tomorrow to feel the full power of Barnsley."

Struber's first home game was a 3-1 win over Hull City ten days ago. He said: "I had very good impressions. It was a top atmosphere. I am very happy that the fans watched a good team and went home with three points. The fans pay a lot of money for the tickets and our responsibility is to make them happy."

Player Jacob Brown added: "With having two games at home with the fans behind us, it’s massive for us. They are the massive games and we need to get points and creep up on teams above us. 

"We can definitely stay up this season. We have been playing very well. The Championship can change very quickly. This time next week we could be in a much better position. We have a lot of games coming up and, if we get good results this week, we would have a lot confidence.

"The aim is to go on a run and we were hoping it would happen after Hull. If we keep the good performances going, we will win more. We go into every game thinking it’s must-win because, if not, you will lose and end up going down."

Aapo Halme, who has been playing as a defensive midfielder, is a doubt for tomorrow's match. Struber said: "Aapo had a little problem with the ankle but we hope it is ready for the game. Nobody else in injured.

"It is an absolutely new position for Aapo, I speak with him a lot about this. He has done a good job and I am very happy with him. The important thing is we have two central defenders Mads and Bambo who are doing a good job. Aapo gives us a good stability and he and the centre-backs stop the long balls that come against us in every game."