Everton face Barnsley in tomorrow night’s League Cup 2nd round tie. Ahead of the game, we spoke to FL72 Editor Adam Allcroft for the inside track on the Tykes.
Hi Adam, thanks for taking the time to talk to us. Give us the lowdown on Barnsley then: who should we keep an eye out for?
Conor Hourihane is a top player. He is great in both attack and defence and can score some absolute beauties. If he finds space, he will cause a lot of damage.
Alfie Mawson is a very talented young defender who was voted the 50th Best Player in the Football League in TheFL72’s Football League Rankings. He’s still new to Barnsley but has a bright future ahead of him.
Let’s talk a bit about Oakwell. Is it going to be an intimidating venue for the Everton lads?
Not really. Away fans get a massive allocation and they usually outshout the home crowd which has been dwindling for a number of years. Of course they can get some noise going if they want but that usually ends up being left for special occasions. While some excitement has returned to Barnsley with Johnson’s appointment, there seems to be some lethargy about actually going to support them.
How are Johnson’s men likely to do this season, in your opinion? Could promotion be within reach?
I think that Barnsley will do pretty well. Last season Danny Wilson bought quite young and they were a bit raw which cost Wilson his job, but they seem to be maturing very well under Lee Johnson. I don’t think they have the consistency to get promoted, but I expect them to be floating around in a lower play-off position.
And finally, how do you think tomorrow night’s game will go?
Everton should win comfortably, 3-0.
Thanks again to Adam for his time. You can follow FL72 on Twitter at @TheFLSeventyTwo
