Depleted Squad Attempt To Chop Down Forest

Last updated : 01 March 2012 By Rob Miles (BarnsleyBoy)

Barnsley are set to go into Saturday’s encounter with relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest missing six key players and no reinforcements.

The Reds have been decimated by injuries in recent weeks with David Perkins, Jim O’Brien, Jacob Butterfield, Bobby Hassell all out and recent recruits Michael Tonge and Stephen Dawson struggling with knocks.

This has led to boss Keith Hill to scour the loan market to bolster his squad but has finally admitted defeat and he will go with what he’s got for the vist of Forest and the trip to Middlesbrough on Tuesday.

Hill told the official website:

"It'll be the same squad as last week, we haven't been able to recruit anybody this week on the loan front. 

"It is what it is and I'm reasonably happy heading into this game at the weekend with the squad of players that we've got. I've got a lot of belief in the players and they get my full support.

"We're obviously David Perkins and Jim O'Brien short with respect to players who have had a big influence on this season, with Bobby Hassell as well.

"We're probably missing six influential players on the seasons we've had so far," he added. "Trying to replace them has proved to be difficult and maintaining the type of success that we'd had previously. The loan market is the only option we've got available.

"But, trying to get the right player with the right DNA in is very difficult because clubs aren't willing to release players who are doing well for their football clubs, regardless of the division they're in."