Championship Easter Review

This Easter, we’ve seen the Championship relegation battle condense, with 2 points now separating 5 teams. We’ve also seen Burnley secure promotion, while Leicester have wrapped up the Championship title. Here’s a look at two clubs, whose situation in the relegation battle has worsened over this Easter period. Barnsley look destined for the drop, while Birmingham’s position is looking ever more precarious, after some questionable tactics from manager Lee Clark.

Barnsley are resigned to the drop

Tomasz Cywka

It will take a minor miracle for Barnsley to stay up now. The Tykes would need to win back-to-back games, something they have only done once all season. In addition, they must hope that results for two of Blackpool, Birmingham, Millwall and Doncaster, go dramatically in their favour.

The one positive for the team in recent weeks, has perhaps been more consistency in team selection. David Flitcroft used 27 different players before leaving in November, whereas Danny Wilson appears to be identifying his best side. Since the start of April, Danny Wilson has made an average of less than 1 ½ changes per match, which implies his belief in tactical consistency.

However, some criticize Wilson for being too defensive minded. He favours the solid, ‘team player’ types such as Liam Lawrence and Stephen Dawson, over those who look to pro-actively stretch teams.  Paddy McCourt, signed after leaving Celtic this summer, has the pace and skill to beat players, yet he’s only started once since Wilson took over. Likewise, Tomasz Cywka had barely started a game under Wilson until March, but has since been deployed as a second striker behind target man Chris O’Grady. Nick Proschwitz looked to have formed a good partnership with O’Grady, yet both lacked pace, hence the introduction of Cywka, and a more prominent role for left winger Dale Jennings. A big factor in Barnsley’s revival last season, was the high-tempo they played at under David Flitcroft, but fans have not seen so much of this in recent months.

If the Tykes do go down, small amendments to the squad may be made. They will need to slightly reduce quantity and slightly increase quality, which is what Wilson did when he took over, and led to an improvement in form. Despite getting rid of several fringe players such as Chris Dagnall and Jim McNulty, the connoisseurs of the David Flitcroft regime, Danny Wilson still has a relatively big squad. If Wilson remains in charge, a summer of minor tweaks will be required at Oakwell.

Time for Clark to leave Blues?

Lee Clark

Birmingham lost 4-2 at home to Blackburn on Monday. For that particular match, manager Lee Clark can be held responsible, because he fielded a large proportion of the team out of position. Birmingham had a central midfielder playing on the left, a centre-back playing at right-back, a left-back playing at centre-back, a midfielder playing at left-back, and a right-back playing in midfield.

Though Clark has had to work under difficult financial constraints off-field, this is not the first time he has been talked about with regards to baffling tactics on it. A recurring theme for Blues since January, has been that they have not started positively enough. Since the turn of the year, Birmingham have conceded the opening goal in a match on 16 out of a possible 20 occasions. They always start by sitting back too much, giving the opposition too much space in their half, falling behind, and then going for the win.

Even away victories against Blackpool and Doncaster, have come from improved second half performances, when the team converts to 4-4-2. Should Clark have learnt from this lesson, and started with 4-4-2, rather than waiting for the opponents to take initiative? Arguably so.

Lee Clark did a good job for the Blues last season. In spite of an injury crisis and being forced to dip into the youth academy, he guided the team to a good run of form from February onwards, to a safe midtable finish. Yet now, the ex-Huddersfield boss seems to have lost the plot. Chants from sections of supporters of ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’ had been present in the match against Bournemouth a few weeks ago, and were louder on Saturday. If Birmingham do stay up, which is looking a big ‘if’ at the moment, it may be best for all parties if Clark were to leave at the end of the season.