Although keen to emphasise it was only a friendly, played in the serene surroundings of Aston Villa’s Bodymoor Heath training ground, Joey Barton believes Bristol Rovers’ 3-1 friendly win over the Premier League side has had a clear and visible impact on the morale and confidence of his squad, particularly in defence and attack.
Rovers beat Unai Emery’s side in a behind-closed-doors encounter two Fridays ago in the midst of what has been a peculiar near three-week break for the Gas due to the postponement of their fixtures against Shrewsbury Town and Plymouth Argyle.
Having rested a number of key first-team players, the 90 minutes in the Midlands allowed some of the more fringe members of the squad or those who have been out of the starting XI due to indifferent form the chance to play their way back into contention.
Returning to action on Good Friday against Charlton Athletic, Barton insists he’s detected a collective spring in the step and admits for the first time in a long time that selecting his strongest possible XI and matchday 18 - both in terms of form and where each player is at mentally - has proved challenging.
“A lot of people will take a lot of confidence from it, and rightly so,” Barton said. “It’s a friendly so it’s not a cup tie or a league tie so you always have to have an asterisk next to it but I’ve been a player who’s played in those games - on the Goliath side rather than the David - and Premier League and international-level footballers don’t like losing a game of Connect 4 or tiddlywinks, never mind a game of football.
“We rested a number of our bigger players but our lads who were maybe struggling for confidence or form, they certainly gave a great account of themselves in beating a strong Aston Villa side 3-1 and it looks like it’s done their confidence levels the world of good.
“We’ve ended up with the group in a more confident place. When I named the team three weeks, a few might have gone, ‘phew, I’m not playing’ because they were a little low in confidence. But I named the team for the game today and you can see some of those players who would have been like that three weeks ago are now frustrated they’re not in the team, and that’s because of how they utilised the break but also how they played in that friendly game against Premier League and international players.”
Jarell Quansah is one member of the squad who will be absent on Friday following his red card against Portsmouth which has seen the Liverpool loanee handed a three-match suspension.
That should provide a route back into the team for James Connolly who’s experienced a mixed campaign, having signed a permanent deal last summer after his successful loan from Cardiff City, and has started just one of Rovers’ last five fixtures - at home to Wycombe - where he was substituted at half-time.
Lining up in an unorthodox back three alongside James Gibbons and left-back Lewis Gordon, with Lewis Gibson rested, Barton reveals Connolly emerged from the game against Villa with considerable credit having marked Ollie Watkins throughout.
“Beef was one of those who did really, really well in the Villa game along with James Gibbons so there were good minutes for them,” Barton added.
“Beefy, Gibbo and Lewis Gordon played as a back three and handled Ollie Watkins who, it seems, Premier League defences aren’t capable of handling at the minute so they have to take a shot of confidence from that, as you would, if you’ve gone and competed with some of the top boys and done really well.
“The whole group has benefited from it; the fitness benefit and going to their training ground, as a League One player, and given a good account of themselves, and there seems to be a real spring in the lads’ step and we’re looking forward to what the last nine games hold.”
Aaron Collins was also given the afternoon off, with Rovers’ frontline comprising Ryan Loft and Josh Coburn with John Marquis replacing the latter on the hour mark. Each of the three strikers found the target which, for Coburn and Loft in particular, was important given their own personal lean spells in front of goal.
Loft hasn’t played the same volume of minutes as Coburn but the Middlesbrough loanee has gone 11 games without a goal and although he enjoyed multiple chances against Wycombe and Portsmouth it appeared as if his drought was getting to him.
That’s against the backdrop of Rovers’ own struggles in BS7, with Marquis’ early header against Burton Albion the only time they’ve found the net in their last seven matches at home, in league and cup, albeit while consistently working the opposition goalkeeper.
“I know we’ve had a little bit of a leaner spell at home but I’ve been in teams before where you’re not scoring and you’re not creating much either. I don’t think we’re in that spot,” Barton said. “Alright, we’re not scoring enough goals but, actually, we’ve created a lot of chances, it’s either been good goalkeeping or good defending, or a little bit of a finishing or a little bit of luck in front of goal.
“As it was at Villa, all you need is one to go off your backside. They had a couple of chances, don’t take them, we go up and the other end and score - 1-0 - the pressure comes off, you can see the lads relax, and then the second one, everyone wants the ball, confidence is flowing and, ‘who’s the Premier League side here?’.
“It was nice to see the lads get that because they were playing against Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne and Douglas Luiz who they paid £20m for. Now, you know those lads are playing possibly not to get injured, because they want to be fit for the league campaign, so big Ryan Loft charging towards you, you think twice.
“But we know there are goals in our team, whichever way we turn. It’s been frustrating of late but we maybe need to tighten up the fine details or one to go off someone’s backside. So hopefully that’s the case on Friday and we can get one early and get one back in the winner’s column at the Mem.”
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