By Red Army
February 12 2021

Barnsley were unable to repeat the heroics seen in 2008 as they bowed out of the FA Cup at home to Premier League Chelsea. A second-half goal from Tammy Abraham was enough to see the away side through in what turned out to be a very tough test for the Premier League outfit.

Barnsley started much the brighter and they pressed Chelsea so well high up the pitch. Chelsea were unable to settle into a rhythm due to the intensity of the Barnsley play and the excellent way that the reds pressed Chelsea forcing them to turn over possession. 

With ten minutes gone Barnsley should have gone ahead but somehow Brittain missed from just a few yards out. Captain Alex Mowatt floated in a lovely right-footed cross which the wing-back met at the back post following a flick on in the box. Somehow Brittain shot at Kepa who saved from point-blank range with the goal gaping. A huge opportunity missed by the reds. Anywhere but where he hit it and it would have been 1 – 0 to the reds.

Chelsea had a big claim for a penalty midway through the first half when Sibbick challenged Abraham in the box. In real time it looked a fantastic challenge from Sibbick but replays showed it was actually foul and should have been a Chelsea penalty. No VAR in the FA cup at none Premier league grounds so that was that.

Just on the stroke of half-time, the reds came close and again it was that man Brittain in the thick of it. A cleverly worked corner routine picked out Brittain in the box and he shot towards the far post. It took a slight touch off Adeboyejo and went just wide of the post with the keeper well beaten. But for the touch by Adeboyejo it was certainly a goal. Two big chances for the reds in the first half and on a different day it could have been 2 – 0 at the break.

Barnsley inevitably began to tire in the second half and Adeboyejo and Chaplin were replaced by Frieser and Dike up top. This should have given Barnsley renewed energy for the press but it seemed to have the opposite effect.

Dike took the central role and you could even say Schmidt role with how little he touched the ball. I’m not having a dig at the lad here. It was his first game and it was against Chelsea, I will give him time before I judge, I am just stating what happened.

Woodrow went to the right of the front three but ended up much deeper than the other two and the fresh players just didn’t seem to have the same energy as the front three in the first half.

Chelsea did eventually open the scoring on 64 minutes. Half-time sub Reece James found space down the right and he made a powerful, pacey run towards the box. He had time to get his head up and pick out Abraham who was left with a simple tap in from close range to score his fourth FA Cup goal of the season.

It initially looked like the striker had strayed offside. But replays apparently show he was onside, not for me they don’t.  I have watched the replays many times and I don’t care what the BBC did with those lines to make it look like he was onside, there is no doubt in my mind that he was offside with every replay I see and every angle I watch it from. Wrong decision for me no matter how much they try to make it look like the right one with all this bull sh*t line drawing. I think VAR with the proper technology would have disallowed the goal. Having said that I do prefer the game without VAR. VAR would have also given the penalty so I am not complaining about the fact that goal was given really as we got away with one with the penalty.

Overall I think we were the better team and we just didn’t take our chances and they took the only real chance they had.

They had most of the possession but I think we were comfortably the better team. We created the better chances, had more action in the final third, got more balls in to the box and in to dangerous areas and pressed really well. Definitely the better team but the difference between winning and losing football matches is taking your chances.

For me the entire Barnsley starting eleven were excellent last night but Alex Mowatt got my vote for man of the match. I felt he had an excellent game both on and off the ball and showed he could mix it against quality opposition.

I do believe that the effort and intensity that went in to such a performance will leave some fatigued players ahead of a tough trip to table topping in form Brentford on Sunday.

Will former loanee Ivan Toney bag against the reds?

It will be a difficult match for sure. I think we can give them a game but to be honest I am not expecting anything from this one. The run of fixtures we have had since the turn of the year has certainly been difficult and there is no doubt we could do with three points.

COYR