Callum’s got his eye on Chelsea
TYKES IN LINE FOR POSSIBLE BLUES CLASH
DANIEL FARKE’S Canaries were brought down to earth – leaving Barnsley to dream of a glamour FA Cup visit from Chelsea.
That’s of course only IF Luton Town are cast aside by the Blues first in today’s clash.
One thing is certain: Valerien Ismael’s spirited side deserved this win which left Norwich to concentrate solely on their ambitions to return to the top flight at the first attempt.
And for Barnsley, if Chelsea end up arriving in these parts next month the locals can evoke memories of a famous quarter-final victory against the Londoners in 2008 – an inspirational run which also involved beating Liverpool.
Farke didn’t take any consolation from only having promotion to worry about after witnessing a flat display from a team that has been setting the pace in the Championship.
“We wanted to go to the next round but we had to find the right balance with the team I picked,” he said.
“Barnsley were more focused and really went for this game. It was definitely not our best performance but I don’t want to criticise my team too much.”
Callum Styles was a constant bundle of energy up and down the Barnsley left flank and was on hand to apply the killer finish to settle this Oakwell clash.
There might not be much of him – he’s only 5ft 6in – but the 20-year-old livewire certainly packs a punch.
He doesn’t panic either as he proved just after the break, seizing upon an attempted clearance from Max Aarons following a deep cross from Callum Brittain, turning sharply and gliding his low shot into the corner past Tim Krul.
His manager Ismael said: “He is a player with big talent and now he has to stay at this level. This was a step in the right direction.
“We know we are close to being a top team. We are now starting to believe in ourselves.”
For most of the game Krul had been a one-man barrier against a flurry of Tykes attacks, as Norwich appeared to be stuck in first gear.
No wonder Farke had made his way to the away dressing room at the interval shaking his head.
And it didn’t get any better, Styles adding to his woes and Cauley Woodrow missing a great opportunity soon after to make it 2-0.
Farke called his midfield talisman Emi Buendia off the substitutes’ bench and there was finally some life in his side.
With 17 minutes to go Przemyslaw Placheta burst into the penalty area only to crash his drive against the underside of the bar and just when it looked like Buendia would pounce, man-of-the-match Styles produced a great block.
That would have been harsh on Barnsley who had created chance after chance, especially in the first half.
Woodrow had begun the examination of Krul’s ability with an early snapshot. He then had to grasp a header from Michal Helik from under the bar before foiling both Romal Palmer and Dominik Frieser.
Then Victor Adeboyejo went close and Krul had to block a fierce effort from Styles, who was to have the final word. BARNSLEY: Collins 6; Helik 7, Andersen 7, Sibbeck 7 (Sollbauer 79), Styles 8; Brittain 7, Mowatt 7, Palmer 6 (Kane 46, 6); Adeboyejo 6 (Chaplin 56, 7), Frieser 7 (Miller 79), Woodrow 6 ( Schmidt 79).
Unused subs: Walton, Oduor, Moon, Omar. NORWICH CITY: Krul 8; Aarons 7, Hanley 6, Gibson 6, Sorensen 7; Rupp 6 (Vrancic 77), Tetley 6 (Skipp 64,6), Dowell 6 (Martin 77); Hernandez 6 (Buendia 64,6), Placheta 7, Hugill 6 (Omotoye 66,6). Subs not used: Barden, Mumba, Omobamidele.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Callum Styles. Full of energy and came up with the winning goal for a deserved Tykes victory.
REFEREE: John Brooks 7.
Callum Styles is a player with big talent... We know we are close to being a top team, and starting to believe in ourselves