SCOUT'S REPORT: BARNSLEY

Club News

City's hunt for top spot continues this Saturday at Oakwell.


. BarnsleyCardiff maintained their unbelievable form at home with a 1-0 win against Middlesbrough last weekend. This Saturday they will be looking kick-start their away form against


.Craig Davies. Barnsley face Cardiff on the back of an impressive away point at Bolton last time out where they came from behind and equalised through leading scorer Aron GunnarssonCity beat high flyers Boro despite having early injuries to Andrew Taylor, Ben Turner and later on

 

That point against Bolton ended a run of four straight defeats for the Tykes - they have only picked up one win in their last ten games. However, the Yorkshire outfit are capable of some very impressive results. They managed a 5-0 win at Birmingham earlier in the year showing the potential for performance is there.

 

Barnsley have a mixed home record so far this season. They have only won twice at Oakwell, drawing three and losing three. They picked up three points against Middlesbrough and drew against top of the league Crystal Palace, but have had very disappointing home results such as a 2-0 defeat against Peterborough and a 4-0 turnover against Nottingham Forest. The Tykes have only scored six goals at home and have conceded ten, but with a number of loan signings coming into the Club recently, it could mean for a very different looking Barnsley come Saturday.

 

has joined Greening in moving from the City Ground to Oakwell.Marcus Tudgay has come in on loan from Peterborough and Emile Sinclair has also been brought in from Portsmouth to further options in midfield. Striker Akos Buzsaky  into midfield could be a successful move as he is an intelligent footballer with Premier league experience.Jonathan Greening has been busy in the loan market recently, and has added some talented and experienced players. The addition of Keith Hill Barnsley manager Key Players:

 


. He is the only person to score for Barnsley in the last four games and already has eight League goals to his name with his closest allies back on two. Craig DaviesAlong with the players who have been brought in on loan there are some dangerous players already in the Barnsley ranks. Goals seem to have been coming from one source for Barnsley of late, and that source is Wales international striker

 

may only have one goal to his name but could still cause a threat to the City.Marlon Harewood not picked up a serious hamstring injury earlier in the campaign. Mido, and only Bolton’s Chris Eagles has more. Barnsley may have had more threat in front of goal had marquee-signing Craig Noone. Mellis has the second highest number of assists in the championship with seven so far. This is the same amount as City’s Jacob Mellis, who has featured in every game this season - the other is Tomasz CywkaOne of those players on two is

 

. He featured for Barnsley against City in the FA Cup semi final in 2008 whilst on loan with the club. He produced heroic performances in the earlier rounds in the defeats of Liverpool and Chelsea.Luke SteeleIf Cardiff are to win on Saturday they will have to get through goal keeper

 

Cardiff have the superior record compared to their South Yorkshire opponents when it comes to overall head-to-heads. Out of the forty-five meetings, Cardiff have nearly won half of them with twenty-two wins compared to Barnsley’s thirteen. Ten have ended in draws. Cardiff also did the double over Barnsley last season and have only lost two of the last ten. Both these losses came in the season of 2009/10 where Barnsley completed their first double over the City since the 1958/59 season.Previous Meetings:

 

(14/04/2012) Last Meeting: Barnsley 0 – 1 Cardiff City

 

crossed in from wide left. This win allowed Cardiff to move four points clear of seventh place with three games remaining in their bid to ensure a play-off spot.Andrew Taylor goal saw Cardiff stretch their unbeaten run to seven games when they beat Barnsley last season. Lawrence found the net with header after Liam LawrenceA 59th minute

 

Barnsley Line-up Dawson, Higginbotham.Not Used:Subs: Button, Foster, Wisemen, McNulty, Collins, Doyle, O’Brien, Perkins, Tonge (Gray), Nouble (Davies), Noble-Lazarus (Cotterill).

 

Cardiff City Line-up: Heaton, Harris.Subs Not Used:Marshall, Taylor, Turner, Hudson, McNaughton, Whittingham, Cowie (McPhail), Lawrence, Gunnarsson (Blake), Miller, Mason (Earnshaw).