NOT OFTEN can you lose 4-1 and feel like you have made progress, but perhaps Barnsley did at Liverpool.
From their perspective, 4-1 was a red herring.
With 83 minutes on the clock the FA Cup third-round tie was only 2-1, and there were "what ifs?" within that. What if Davis Keillor-Dunn's first-minute header had gone in rather than out off the woodwork? What if referee Farai Hallam had paid undue attention to Dominic Szoboszlai's hand on Reyes Cleary's back in the 61st minute rather than the negligible force as the winger went down appealing for a penalty?
But the pride with which the Barnsley fans in the Anfield Road End sang all night was about the performance, not the result.
The mindset behind it was a big step forward for a team who have conceded more League One goals this season (33) than bottom-of-the-table Port Vale (31).
Conor Hourihane is a positive-thinking young coach, but sometimes life demands a bit of flexibility.
When Adam Phillips went to bed on Sunday night, he visualised scoring a free-kick "probably 30 yards out in the top corner" in front of the Kop. Instead he pounced on what Hourihane called a "disrespectful" attempted backheel by Szoboszlai on his six-yard line for a 40th-minute tap-in.
"I take that all day in front of the Kop, it's a bit of a dream come true," said the Liverpool academy graduate.
NICE FEELING: Barnsley's Adam Phillips celebrates scoring against Premier League hosts' Liverpool during their FA Cup Third Round clash at Anfield on Monday night. Picture: Jan Kruger/Getty Imagesplaceholder image
NICE FEELING: Barnsley's Adam Phillips celebrates scoring against Premier League hosts' Liverpool during their FA Cup Third Round clash at Anfield on Monday night. Picture: Jan Kruger/Getty Images
Coming up against Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong, who smashed thunderbolts past Murphy Cooper to put the hosts 2-0 up, not to mention Cody Gakpo, Federico Chiesa, Alexis Mac Allister, Curtis Jones and Liverpool's youngest goalscorer Rio Ngumoha focussed the minds of those in all-white.
Hourihane, normally a devoted 4-2-3-1 merchant, banked his team into a 5-4-1 but it was less about formations, more about a hunger to defend.
Liverpool had 75 per cent of possession, yet only seven shots on target, to Barnsley's four.
Mael de Gevingey was credited with 10 clearances, Jack Shepherd seven and five blocks. Eoghan O'Connell, signed to bring that defensive thinking, did not make his debut until the 73rd minute.
GOOD SHOW: Barnsley head coach Conor Hourihane, pictured after his side's 4-1 defeat to Liverpool in the FA Cup at Anfield on Monday Picture: Peter Byrne/PAplaceholder image
GOOD SHOW: Barnsley head coach Conor Hourihane, pictured after his side's 4-1 defeat to Liverpool in the FA Cup at Anfield on Monday Picture: Peter Byrne/PA
That Liverpool had to bring £100m Florian Wirtz and £79m Hugo Ekitike on to combine for the goals which finally put the result beyond doubt was a pat on Barnsley backs.
"Liverpool had to bring on every superstar that they had on the bench to make sure that they got over the line," smiled Hourihane.
"The discipline out of possession, the gameplan to make it as difficult as possible, the lads did that to a T.
"Our lads were outstanding."
LEARNING ON THE JOB: Barnsley's Mael de Gevigney battles with Liverpool's Cody Gakpo at Anfield on Monday. Picture: Peter Byrne/PAplaceholder image
LEARNING ON THE JOB: Barnsley's Mael de Gevigney battles with Liverpool's Cody Gakpo at Anfield on Monday. Picture: Peter Byrne/PA
Phillips agreed.
"We've done our fans proud and put a good shift in," he said.
"I thought the lads showed character throughout. They scored a couple of goals towards the end, but they're bringing quality off the bench."
It begs the question what are Barnsley doing 17th in League One?
Like 4-1, it is misleading. Being slow to rearrange games lost to international football and the weather means they have five games in hand on fifth-placed Huddersfield Town, nine points ahead.
Even so, they are better than that.
"One of the things that we've probably struggled with this season is the goals that we've conceded, but I've seen now, against a top team, that the lads can do it," said Hourihane. "They can defend their box, they can block shots, they can head it clear, they can defend set plays, and we need to take that into the league now. If we get that side right, I think we'll pick up points."
Barnsley see themselves as a development club and while old heads like O'Connell, Marc Roberts and David McGoldrick – until minute 81 – watched from the bench, the youngsters looked at home in their plush surroundings.
"Vimal (Yoganathan), Blandy (Jonathan Bland), Reyes, and Patrick Kelly came on, we're really fortunate to have them," said Hourihane.
"The way they've developed since the start of the season has been really exciting for everyone.
"They need to kick on now with their careers and have that fire in the belly even more to know that they can rise to the occasion. Whether you're playing Blackpool (on Saturday) or Exeter or Anfield away, to know you have the mentality to be able to perform at this level is something that should kick them on."
It is not just the players developing.
"It's probably something that I can take away from the game that I know how to put a gameplan together in a situation," said the rookie coach. "I know that it won't look like what the league feels like.
"We try and have long spells with the ball but this was a different viewpoint completely. We had to be really disciplined without the ball, mid-to-low block and suffer at times.
"I had four or five days to put that gameplan in place, so I know I can set up a team against better opposition. That's a big confidence booster for myself."
Lessons have been learnt. Now to put them into practice away from the spotlight.