Team News
Captain Stephen Foster returns from a one match suspension and should slot back into the centre of defence alongside Darren Moore, with Ryan Shotton reverting back to right back and Rob Kozluk dropping out of the side. Julian Gray has left the club and Hugo Colace is a slight doubt after suffering a soft tissue injury in his groin. Jamal Campbell-Ryce, Daniel Bogdanovic and Emil Hallfredsson should report back from international duty today unscathed.
Likely Lineup:
Luke Steele
Carl Dickinson
Darren Moore
Stephen Foster
Ryan Shotton
Anderson De Silva
Hugo Colace/ Emil Hallfredsson
Nathan Doyle
Adam Hammill
Jon Macken
Daniel Bogdanovic
Head To Head
Barnsley go in search of their first win against the Bluebirds from Wales in nine attempts. The Reds haven’t grabbed all three points against Cardiff since a 3-2 Oakwell victory in 2002, and they have lost their last four meetings and six of the last seven, including that FA Cup Semi-Final at Wembley.
Cardiff secured a double over The Reds last season, winning 1-0 in an awful game at Oakwell last September before winning 3-1 at Ninian Park in March where Andranik was sent off. The most heart-breaking defeat came at Wembley in April last year when an early strike from Joe Ledley ensured it was Cardiff who returned to the stadium for the FA Cup Final and not Barnsley.
Barnsley’s only respite in the last seven meetings came in September 2007 when they managed a 1-1 draw at Oakwell. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink looked to have won it for Cardiff in the 73rd minute but a superb diving header from Brian Howard six minutes from time earned a point.
Barnsley 0-1 Cardiff 16/9/08 Match Report
Barnsley 0-1 Cardiff 6/4/08 Match Report
Barnsley 1-1 Cardiff 29/9/07 Match Report
Barnsley 1-2 Cardiff 5/8/06 Match Report
Overall Record:
Barnsley Wins: 11
Cardiff Wins: 19
Draws: 9
Barnsley Goals: 42
Cardiff Goals: 59
At Oakwell:
Barnsley Wins: 7
Cardiff Wins: 6
Draws: 6
Barnsley Goals: 28
Cardiff Goals: 23
This Season
Cardiff are looking to make it fourth time lucky in their attempt to gain top flight English football for the first time since 1962. They have fallen agonisingly close in the last three years. In 2006-2007 the Bluebirds were flying high in first place in November before a horrendous run of 11 games without victory scuppered them. They were still in fifth place going into March but ended the season on a run of nine without victory and finished 13th. Despite an FA Cup final appearance the following year they could only muster a 12th place league finish but last season was as heart-breaking as it gets. Cardiff finished 7th and missed out on the final play-off place to Preston by a singe goal! Ironically Preston had beaten Cardiff 6-0 in April… meaning a 5-0 defeat would have been enough to ensure Cardiff a play off place!
They are certainly hoping to go one better this year and have made a flying start to 2009-2010, sitting in third place, having lost just five of their 16 games. Rather ominously for Barnsley, they also host the Championship’s top TWO scorers in ex Red Michael Chopra and Peter Whittingham who have 11 and 10 goals respectively. Only Bristol Rovers’ Rickie Lambert, with 12 goals, has more than Chopra.
Barnsley are again searching for that elusive third home win of the campaign, but they haven’t lost a league game at Oakwell since the 3-1 defeat to Reading in September and are unbeaten at home in the league under Mark Robins.
Last six 2009-2010 Results
Barnsley:
9/11/09 Barnsley 2-2 Sheffield United (Championship)
31/10/09 Peterborough 1-2 Barnsley (Championship)
27/10/09 Barnsley 0-2 Manchester United (League Cup)
24/10/09 Barnsley 2-3 Bristol City (Championship)
20/10/09 Nottingham Forest 1-0 Barnsley (Championship)
17/10/09 Doncaster 0-1 Barnsley (Championship)
W: 2 D: 1 L: 3 F: 7 A: 9 GD: -2 Points: 7
Cardiff City:
7/11/09 Swansea 3-2 Cardiff (Championship)
1/11/09 Cardiff 1-1 Nottingham Forest (Championship)
24/10/09 Sheffield United 3-4 Cardiff (Championship)
20/10/09 Cardiff 2-0 Coventry (Championship)
17/10/09 Cardiff 1-1 Crystal Palace (Championship)
3/10/09 Watford 0-4 Cardiff (Championship)
W:3 D:2 L:1 F:14 A:8 GD: +6 Points:11
Barnsley lie in 15th place in the Coca-Cola Championship with 18 points from 16 games.
Cardiff City lie in 3rd place in the Coca-Cola Championship with 27 points from 16 games.
Barnsley could go as high as 14th with victory whilst Cardiff will remain 3rd.
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