Fleetwood’s Pressley has words of wisdom for Tykes boss

Johnson was forced to come out fighting this week, insisting he doesn’t live in fear of the sack after a run of results which have left the Tykes battling at the wrong end of League One.

HIs side have lost their last four, piling pressure on the former Oldham manager who only arrived at Oakwell in February.

That was in the wake of Danny Wilson’s sacking - following a home defeat to Fleetwood - and Johnson insists he’s not worried about lightning striking twice.

“Football is football, and so far everybody has stuck with me which is good,” said Johnson

“People understand what phase we are in, because it will come good. I want to be the person to deliver that.

“I don’t have fears (over the sack) because football is like that, and I give it my best every day.”

His opposite number at Highbury is busy rebuilding after the sacking of Graham Alexander.

And he believes his opposite number in South Yorkshire will learn some important lessons from the Tykes’ current woes.

Pressley said: “I know Lee Johnson very well, I played with him. He’s had a really impressive start to his managerial career.

“He’s obviously having a little bit of a difficult time of it - but that’s a good thing.

“You learn your greatest lessons in those difficult periods.

“He might not see it that way but it’s a great lesson.

“For us, we have to carry out the defensive aspects we did on Tuesday and be far more creative.

“If we do that we can win many more games.

“If we get the balance and the consistency hopefully we can start putting a run of positive results together.”

The Fleetwood boss insists he’s heading back over the Pennines with only winning in mind.

But he knows he needs to see more from his attacking players, who offered precious little in Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat at Sheffield United.

“I’ve watched the DVD again, my thoughts haven’t changed since after the game,” said Pressley.

“The reality is that Sheffield United at home had four shots on goal which is unheard of for them as a home side.

“In the first half they had one shot on goal and one goal.

“From a defensive perspective we did very well - we lost three goals which was disappointing but we restricted them to very few chances.

“Offensively we have to improve.

“Our three attacking players have to provide more.

“They did against Burton and you saw the performance and how potent it was.

“We got the clean sheet and the 
goals.

“On Tuesday we didn’t manage to carry out the game plan in terms of our attacking sense.”

Town are without any fresh casualties – Victor Nirennold, Nathan Pond and Vamara Sanogo remain long-term injury concerns.