By Steve Manning
Barnsley v MK Dons – Preview
Venue: Oakwell Stadium, Barnsley (capacity: 23,287 all-seated)
Competition: League One – Matchday: 18 of 46
Form:
Barnsley FC – Pos: 8th Pld 17 W 8 D 3 L 6 gf 20 ga 14 gd +6 Pts: 27
Top League Scorer: Devante Cole – 5 goals.
Top Assist Provider: Luca Connell & Jordan Williams – 2 assists.
Previous result:
Barnsley beat Shrewsbury Town 1-0 away to record their third straight victory in League One.
MK Dons – Pos: 21st Pld 17 W 4 D 2 L 11 gf 16 ga 25 gd -9 Pts: 14
Top League Scorer: Will Grigg – 5 goals
Top Assist Provider: Dawson Devoy – 2 assists.
Previous result:
The Dons lost 3-1 in league one at home to Derby County on Saturday (12th Sept) Louie Barry scored his first goal for the club during this game.
Head-to-head:
Barnsley wins: 2 Drawn: 3 Dons wins: 3 Barnsley goals: 11 Dons goals: 12
Last meeting between The Tykes and The Dons:
League One (24/01/2015) – MK Dons 2 Barnsley 0 at Stadiummk.
Derby loss review
Mendez-Laing’s goal secured victory for the Rams to lift them into a play-off place with a 3-1 win at Stadium MK.
The Rams climbed up to sixth in the table after to going behind to The Dons, with Barry’s opener.
That came 41 minutes in with Derby getting a corner that led to Barry having the ball and being able to run into the opposition half before he rounded Rams keeper Wildsmith to put the Dons 1-0 up.
Derby went level though two minutes later, as Roberts made the most of poor marking in the Dons area to head in Hourihane’s corner past keeper Cumming.
The Rams then piled on the misery for the Dons just eight minutes into the second half when Collins put in after Hourihane’s free-kick was headed on by Forsyth to take the lead 2-1.
The game was then put to bed by the Rams in on 79 minutes when Mendez-Laing passeing between him and Bird before finishing to make it 3-1.
How Barnsley could line up?
Michael Duff likes to employ a 3-5-2 formation, with two wide players dropping back to form a back 5 when in defensive situations.
Possible Tykes starting XI:
- 40. Brad Collins;
- 3. Tom Edwards, 6. Mads Andersen (c), 5. Liam Kitching;
- 2. Jordan Williams, 30. Adam Phillips, 48. Luca Connell, 8. Herbie Kane, 7. Nicky Cadden;
- 31. Slobodan Tedić, 44. Devante Cole.
How Dons could line up?
The familiar 3-4-3 or a 3-4-2-1 formation could be what is needed here, with the transfer window around the corner this might change in January.
Possible Dons starting XI:
- 1. Jamie Cumming;
- 5. Warren O’Hora, 3. Dean Lewington (c), 33. Zak Jules;
- 2. Tennai Watson, 14. Brad Johnson, 6. Josh McEachran, 21. Daniel Harvie;
- 19. Louie Barry, 9. Will Grigg, 30. Matt Dennis
One’s to watch:
Nicky Cadden – Barnsley: Winger Cadden came to the attention of a host of scouts last season as he helped Forest Green Rovers to last season’s League Two title.
The Scot is a tricky ball playing wide player, capable of turning defence into attack with just a flip of a switch, he is comfortable in almost all situations Cadden is a very useful outlet for Michael Duff’s men.
Josh McEachran – Dons: Josh has put his money where his mouth is thus season with some decent performances in a very underperforming Dons side this season.
McEachran is starting to look a lot like a player in the mould of Darren Potter, sitting deep in that central midfield pairing and in the thick of it when the Dons are starting their attacking forays into the opposition half.
Josh has everything you would want in a midfield general, and his influence on the pitch is starting to grow with every passing game.
Score Prediction:
Barnsley 1 Dons 2
Match Odds supplied by Oddschecker:
Barnsley win: 5/6 Draw: 23/10 Dons win: 13/5 – Dons to beat Barnsley 2-1: 14/1
The Dons are in a false position in a sense that some of the football they have played this season didn’t justify some of the adverse results they have suffered, Derby on Saturday is a prime example of this.
Oakwell has always been a football ground I’ve enjoyed visiting in the past, hopefully it’s going to be a place that my fellow Dons will have fond memories of by 5pm this Saturday.
Enjoy your road trip if you’re going to Yorkshire, and safe travels to you all.
Until Next Time, SM.
