CITY have been told to go back to basics against Barnsley tomorrow in their bid to get the season up and running.

Phil Parkinson shuffled his pack with yesterday's double loan signing of teenage centre half Reece Burke from West Ham and Wolves midfielder Lee Evans.

New goalkeeper Brad Jones could also make his debut at Oakwell after Parkinson labelled his side “soft-centred” in midweek.

City have let in seven goals in three league games so far, all after half-time, and club legend John Hendrie insists their response to a poor start must begin from the back.

Hendrie, who also managed and played for Barnsley, said: “They need a clean sheet more than anything. It doesn’t matter if it’s ugly, City just need that one result to get going.

“Nobody will mind a terrible 1-0 with the goal coming off somebody’s backside; it’s a base to build on. Just get back to basics.

“You go three or four games into the season without winning and it can affect people. Players get anxious and they start taking that extra touch and playing it too safe.

“Barnsley are the perfect example of how quick that can change. They have shown that a week’s a long time in football.

“This time last week, they’d been gubbed 3-1 by Chesterfield and scraped by on penalties against Scunthorpe in the cup.

“After a below average pre-season before that, they were suddenly going into the Burton game at home last Saturday thinking about it being a tough time ahead.

“But they edged it with a dubious penalty and then took that confidence into a terrific win at Millwall.

“That’s all you need. It might not be pretty but it gives you a foundation.”

Burke, who has joined for a month, is not 19 for another fortnight but has five Premier League appearances under his belt from the end of last season.

The current young Hammer of the year has also shown he can handle some of the top-flight’s best strikers in that short time, holding his own against Charlie Austin, Danny Ings and Christian Benteke.

Wales under-21 international Evans played 18 games in the Championship last term and was also a significant part in Wolves' promotion from League One the season before.

Jones was on City’s bench on Tuesday but could be thrown in for his first senior action since suffering a thigh injury playing for Liverpool at Burnley on Boxing Day.

T&A columnist Hendrie added: “He isn’t a kid, he’s 33 and knows what it’s all about. He’s got to come in and from day one take the responsibility of marshalling the backline.

“Jones has to rollick the boys if need be and lick them into shape. He’s expected to be number one so the pressure is on him and he has to grasp it.

“He has been judged on reserve-team football for most of his time at Liverpool. He’s got to see this as a fresh challenge and the chance to stand up and be counted.

“We know it’s going to be tough. Barnsley are always up for it on home soil in a Yorkshire derby and their crowd won’t expect anything less.

“But City have to go there with positive thoughts and no self-doubt whatsoever.”