Express & Star

Wolves v Barnsley: Tykes tackling another period of change

On the face of it, Barnsley have made a struggling start to the campaign.

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But after nine months of high-profile departures that decimated Paul Heckingbottom’s squad, seven points from seven matches represents a decent return for a young side that’s expected to mature as the season goes on.

Conor Hourihane (Villa), Sam Winnall (Sheffield Wednesday), Marley Watkins (Norwich City), James Bree (Villa), Josh Scowen (QPR) and Marc Roberts (Blues) have all departed since January, while Alfie Mawson left for Swansea at the end of last season and Liverpool winger Ryan Kent is back with his parent club after a productive season-long loan at Oakwell last year.

Those departures would be difficult for any squad to cope with but Barnsley’s budget, despite raking in a few million along the way, remains one of the smallest in the Championship.

And their replacements have come from the likes of Patrick Thistle (centre-half Liam Lindsay) and Accrington Stanley (right-back Matty Pearson). Barnsley’s transfer policy tends to be to sign players aged 25 or younger from clubs in League One, League Two or Scotland and then make a tidy profit when the big boys inevitably come calling.

It’s one they’ve enacted with some success in recent seasons.

Heckingbottom oversaw a remarkable promotion to the Championship via the League One play-offs in 2016 when they rose from relegation candidates to not only go up but also win the Checkatrade Trophy. Last season the Tykes flirted with the play-offs (when Wolves won at Oakwell in January the home side were eighth) before eventually finishing 14th.

This time around, despite that mid-table finish, expectations are to avoid relegation first and foremost. Home wins over Nottingham Forest and Sunderland have been offset by away defeats at Bristol City and Sheffield United.

A much-changed team restricted Spurs to a 1-0 Carabao Cup win at Wembley in midweek, with the Barnsley boss showing where his priorities lie by resting a number of first team players including former Walsall striker Tom Bradshaw, who’s netted five goals already this term.

Heckingbottom said after Tuesday’s defeat: “We were desperate to win but the priority was getting more experience into the players.

“We were better again in the second half. There were lots of positives but we couldn’t capitalise on the big opportunities we got.”

Bradshaw should start up front in a 4-1-4-1 formation. Barnsley came close to signing Swansea striker Oliver McBurnie on loan last month but didn’t get the deal done in time, so Chelsea loanee Ike Ugbo is their other striker option.

Likely line ups

Wolves (3-4-3): John Ruddy; Batth, Coady, Miranda; Doherty, Neves, Saiss, Vinagre; Cavaleiro, Bonatini, Jota.

Subs: Norris, Deslandes, Douglas, N'Diaye, Price, Marshall, Enobakhare.

Barnsley (4-1-4-1): Davies; McCarthy, Lindsay, McDonald, Pearson; Williams; Hedges, Gardner, Potts, Hammill; Bradshaw.

Key players

Wolves: Diogo Jota

With four goals in three games Diogo Jota is the league’s form player. Another star showing and Wolves will be well on their way to three points.

Barnsley: Adam Hammill

A player familiar to Wolves fans from his two-year stint at Molineux. Now aged 29, Hammill has been with Barnsley since 2015. Scored at Molineux last season but otherwise didn’t have the best year. This time around he’s looking back to his old self and his crosses and set pieces are a key part of Barnsley’s gameplan.

Memory lane

Dean Sturridge scored a hat-trick on his home debut as Wolves beat Barnsley 4-1 in 2001. Winger Shaun Newton was also on the scoresheet.