Barnsley Vs Wigan Athletic: Hourihane Urges Players To ‘Attack’ Defining Week
Conor Hourihane has urged his side to take the initiative as barnsley vs wigan athletic returns to focus this week, with two home fixtures followed by a compressed run-in that could determine the Reds’ season.
Barnsley Vs Wigan Athletic: Hourihane’s Message
Hourihane framed the coming fixtures as decisive, telling his players: “We always knew it was going to be a challenging week in terms of the amount of games that were coming. We knew we’d probably find out after this week what we’re in for for the rest of the season. We’ve got an opportunity to hit these two home games head on. ” He added that the team must be better on the ball while building on a recent performance at Mansfield Town.
Table Positions, Form And The Latest Results
Barnsley sit 12th in League One, seven points behind the side in sixth with two games in hand on that team, leaving a path to the play-off places if results go their way. The Reds have 49 points from 35 outings, with a season record showing 13 wins and 12 defeats. Their goals tally stands at 58 scored and 58 conceded, placing them among the division’s more prolific but also more porous sides.
The hosts go into the midweek fixture having taken eight points from five league games, and they were left frustrated after surrendering a 2-0 lead at Mansfield when the visitors equalised late. David McGoldrick and Scott Banks put Barnsley 2-0 up before Lucas Akins pulled one back and Sean McLaughlin levelled in the 94th minute.
Wigan arrived having recovered from a precarious position after a change of manager. The visitors moved three points clear of the drop following a crucial weekend victory, having earlier ended an extended run without wins and then collected points under new leadership. Their recent bounce included a 2-0 win with goals from Caylan Vickers and Joe Taylor that improved their standing in the relegation battle.
Team News, Injuries And International Call-Up Risks
Barnsley will be without defender Josh Earl and winger Tawanda Chirewa as they prepare for consecutive home matches. McGoldrick remains a key attacking threat, sitting on 14 league goals for the campaign and having scored six in his last six outings.
Wigan face selection challenges too, with James Carragher, Baba Adeeko, Jack Hunt and Ryan Trevitt all sidelined. The visitors may nevertheless stick with the attacking duo who delivered the recent win.
Off the pitch, Patrick Kelly’s call-up to the Northern Ireland squad raises the prospect of schedule disruption. Kelly’s inclusion increases the chances that Barnsley’s trip to Northampton Town on March 28 will be moved later in the season. If two of Owen Goodman, Jonathan Bland and Vimal Yoganathan are selected for March under-21 fixtures, Barnsley are likely to exercise an option to postpone the game at Sixfields. Kelly has one cap and is in the squad for one, possibly two, qualification games that will determine Northern Ireland’s path to the World Cup: an away match in Italy followed by a second fixture against Bosnia or Wales five days later.
The sides previously drew 1-1 when they met on New Year’s Day, with an early goal for Wigan cancelled out by an Adam Phillips equaliser and Barnsley holding on despite a late red card for Luca Connell.
Barnsley face Wigan at Oakwell in a week that Hourihane has called defining; barnsley vs wigan athletic is central to how the club manages a crowded schedule and lingering availability issues as the season’s final phase approaches.
