League One’s Saturday action sees a struggling Shrewsbury Town host promotion hunting Barnsley, for a game that both sides will be desperate to win.
Home side Shrewsbury are at risk of being six points from the safety of mid-table if they lose, while Barnsley find themsles level with the bottom two play-off spots, but having played a game more than their promotion rivals; they need to win this game to keep the pressure one.
In what is a relatively high stakes game already this season, here is everything you need to know about both sides ahead of kick-off.
Shrewsbury Town Predicted Lineup (3-4-1-2): Toby Savin (GK); Josh Feeney, Morgan Feeney, Aaron Pierre; George Nurse, Funso Ojo, Carl Winchester, Alex Gilliead; Leo Castledine; John Marquis, George Lloyd.
Sitting 22nd in League One, Shrewsbury have not been at the races at all so far this season. They have suffered the most defeats of any team (9), saved only by wins over Leyton Orient and Crawley Town, while they have also conceded the third most goals of any side in the League.
Their main issue has come when they concede the first goal. Once behind, Shrewsbury have failed to take even a single point, and more often than not, they totally collapse once falling behind. In their nine defeats this season, Shrewsbury have scored in just two of them.
However, there have been bright spots. A 5-3 win over Crawley dragged them off the foot of the table, and now with the knowledge that they can score five goals away from home, they will go into upcoming fixtures with a little more belief.
Whether they can do it against Barnsley, who reached the play-off semi finals last season, remains to be seen, and unfortunately I think the away side will prove too much for the Shrews.
Barnsley Predicted Lineup (3-1-4-2): Gabriel Slonina (GK); Josh Earl, Marc Roberts, Mael Durand de Gevigney; Jonathan Russell; Georgie Gent, Luca Connell, Vimal Yoganathan, Corey O’Keefe; Davis Keillor-Dunn, Stephen Humphrys.
After a bright start which saw them pick up 10 points from their first five games, Barnsley appear to have taken their foot off the gas a little. They have only lost three league games so far, more than fifth placed Huddersfield above them, but draws are what have cost them points.
Drawing four games, at least two of which they should have won, they find themselves sitting 8th, just outside the play-off spots they would have been targeting at the start of the campaign.
However, level on points with Exeter and Huddersfield, who occupy the bottom two play-off spots, they have put themselves in position A to steal one of them if they can take advantage of a relatively easy run of fixtures heading into mid-winter. This starts by taking a routine three points here.
Recent Meetings:
Historical Head to Head - Shrewsbury Town: 2. Drawn: 1. Barnsley: 5.
With Shrewsbury looking unlikely to make any significant changes to their team and strategy, they look set for another morale sapping game this weekend, as we are backing Barnsley to pick up an elementary win here.
Shrewsbury needed something to change, and starting by giving Barnsley a tricky game would give the fans something to cheer about.
Shrewsbury Town 1-3 Barnsley
With recent form, table position, and the two sides’ head to head record, the outcome has always looked one sided, even without the context of both teams’ seasons so far.
Shrewsbury’s leaky defense will continue to be easily opened up, while one goal down the other end will not be enough to stop the fans going home miserable.
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