Swansea City return to Championship action this weekend as they take on managerless Barnsley at Oakwell.
Caretaker boss Adam Murray will take charge of the Reds on Saturday afternoon following the departure of Daniel Stendel, with Barnsley looking for only their second win in the league this term.
But what exactly can Steve Cooper's men expect in South Yorkshire?
We caught up with Doug O'Kane from the Barnsley Chronicle to find out.
How would you assess Barnsley's season so far?
It’s been tough. The first game of the season, which brought a win over Fulham, has proved to be an anomaly as they have only picked up three points from their next ten.
They had played well in five or six games but weren’t getting the results, due to some poor finishing and mistakes at the back, then they were thrashed 5-1 at Preston in the last game before the international break.
Four of last season’s key promotion stars were sold in the summer and the majority of the players who replaced them were in their early 20s with very little Championship experience. They have struggled to gel as a team and adapt to this level.
Were you surprised by Daniel Stendel's departure?
I was surprised that he has only been given 11 games to build on last season’s work, especially after all the changes in the summer, but there had clearly been some disagreements between him and the board - specifically over the club’s policy of only signing players aged 25 or under.
Six points from 11 games is usually grounds for a sacking in modern football, especially combined with a ten-game winless run and a 5-1 loss.
But Stendel has had huge support from fans who believe he was not given enough support from those above him at the club while the 21-word statement on the website with no thanks to him is seen as unfair to a man who achieved promotion.
What have you made of Swansea and are you surprised by their start to life under Steve Cooper?
I didn’t think they would have made such a good start to the season, but I have been impressed with what I have seen of them.
They have some good young players like Barnsley but, unlike Barnsley, they also have some very experienced players and the likes of Borja Baston and Andre Ayew who have been brought in for individually more money than the Reds paid for their whole squad.
What are your thoughts on the game this weekend and how will Barnsley approach it?
Caretaker Adam Murray has been working on the squad’s fitness, with double training sessions every day, as well as trying to cut out the mistakes they have been making all season which is obviously easier said than done.
He has also said he will involve some of the under 23s stars ignored by Stendel such as Elliot Simoes and Clarke Oduor.
Swansea will be tough opposition for the Reds but, if they can make a good start and get the fans behind them, Murray’s team have the ability to cause an upset.
Predicted Barnsley lineup
(4-4-2) - Collins; J Williams, Halme, Sibbick, B Williams; Brown, Mowatt, McGeehan, Thomas; Chaplin, Woodrow.
