Schumacher's Barnsley Preview

It is a long time since Argyle and Barnsley met on the opening day of the 2022/23 Sky Bet League One season.

The Greens won on that day, via a Finn Azaz goal, and have gone on sit in second place after 35 games. Barnsley are two places and 11 points inferior, after 33 games, but their surge into that position has taken time to come to fruition.

Now, they are in form matched only by leaders Sheffield Wednesday. Barnsley have won seven and drawn two of their last nine games, and now face Argyle, who have won both home games – against Charlton Athletic and Derby County - during a busy, important week.

“If we get a result at Barnsley, it's a great result,” said manager Steven Schumacher. “If we get three points at Barnsley, it’s been an amazing, punishing week.

“It seems to me that they've got a settled team, pretty much the same team all the time. They've got some really good players who, as you would expect under Michael Duff, were really well organised when we played them in the first game with the season here. He hadn't been long in the job, so it took him a bit of time to figure out what system he was going to play, I'm guessing, and what the players could do.

“Now, they're rolling. They've won seven out of nine. The two front players look as though they've come alive and they're always a threat. They've got three midfield players that are very creative for this division and score goals as well. They’ve got a settled back line. They look really fit and strong. It's got all the makings of a good team.

“We’re going to have to play really well to get a result there. I watched them when they played Derby. They beat Derby 4-1, and we know what a tough game that was on Tuesday night.”

As the amount of games remaining gets fewer – Argyle have 11 to go – the intensity and focus on each becomes intensified.

For Schumacher, as pressured as the run-in may be, it is much better than the alternatives.

He said: “I think all of the games now are going to be big games. There's a lot at stake. After this one, we play teams down towards the bottom end of the division, who’ll be fighting for their lives. They're all going to be exciting games; we're just pleased that we're in the mix.

“We're not sitting in mid-table with nothing to play for. I've been there as a player, where you can't wait for the season to end.

“It makes preparation a little bit easier. You're not overthinking things. You're going from one game straight into the next, but the players understand how important the games are, against teams who are in the top six and are rivals. They’re going to have to perform, which is brilliant. As a player, that's what I would've liked, going into these big games. I'm sure our players are feeling the same. We’re looking forward to it.

“There's a lot of teams – Barnsley are one of them - who are in good form at the moment and seem to have momentum. We would like to get on a run, but we also know that we've got 11 league games to go. We know, sort of, how many wins we're going to need.

“How they come, we don't really care. If we win five on the spin: brilliant. If we go win-one-lose-one, win-one-lose-one, as long as we get the points that we require, then I'm sure all the teams will be thinking that.

“We’ve got 12 cup finals to go this season; that's how it'll feel."