It has been a turbulent early run of results for Barnsley this season, and the conversation around Oakwell has inevitably turned to the make-up of a squad that leans heavily on youth. Defender Tyrese Noslin, speaking to BBC Radio Sheffield, pushed back against any suggestion that inexperience should be treated as a handicap, offering a fairly blunt summary: "Age is nothing."

It is a sentiment worth examining rather than simply accepting, because the evidence so far has cut both ways. A 5-1 home defeat to Stevenage and a 3-0 loss at Plymouth are the kind of results that invite scrutiny of a group that has not yet had the chance to build the resilience that comes with a long campaign together. Three games is three games, and it tells you very little about what a young side will look like come March.

What Noslin appears to be arguing is that the problem is not the collective age on the teamsheet but rather moments of individual and collective concentration. That is a more hopeful reading of the situation, and it is not without basis. Young squads can improve sharply once the shock of the League One intensity registers. Whether Barnsley's group is young enough, or talented enough, to make that adjustment quickly enough is the question that will define their season.

Manager Alex Stendel spoke recently about the "energy" returning to the club, and Noslin's comments sit comfortably alongside that mood. The tone from within the building is that the defeats, however heavy, have not dented belief. Stendel has also had the chance to add to his defensive options, with Tendayi Darikwa-Okedina arriving on a one-year deal, and the head coach will be hoping that a more settled backline helps younger players around him find their feet.

There is, however, a practical concern that sits behind the optimistic framing. The third tier does not offer long grace periods. Clubs that start slowly can find themselves pressed up against the wrong end of the table before the fixture list opens up in autumn, and clawing points back from a poor opening is harder than avoiding the deficit in the first place. Barnsley have the quality in the squad, on paper, to be a mid-to-upper-half outfit, but paper and Oakwell turf are different surfaces entirely.

Noslin himself represents the kind of player who benefits from continuity of selection and trust from the management. Defenders in particular need a settled partnership and a clear tactical framework before their best qualities show consistently. If Stendel can provide that stability, the logic of the "age is nothing" argument becomes easier to sustain.

For supporters, the honest position is probably somewhere between the gloom that follows a heavy defeat and the confident brushing-aside of those results that comes in a post-match interview. Barnsley have the personnel and the coaching to be competitive in this division. But the next block of fixtures will matter enormously, both for the table and for the confidence of players who are still working out what League One demands of them week to week.

It is early. That cuts both ways. There is time to put things right, but not unlimited time. Noslin's message to sceptics is clear enough; now the squad needs results to back it up.

Frequently asked

Who is Tyrese Noslin at Barnsley?
Tyrese Noslin is a defender at Barnsley FC, playing in League One. He has spoken publicly about the club's young squad and the belief within the dressing room despite a difficult start to the season.
How has Barnsley started the League One season?
Barnsley's early form has been inconsistent, with heavy defeats including a 5-1 loss at home to Stevenage and a 3-0 defeat away at Plymouth among their results.
Who is Barnsley's manager in League One?
Barnsley are managed by Alex Stendel, who has spoken about restoring energy to the club and has been building a young squad for the League One campaign.