Dyche’s comments re: Thursday’s team

[houseboy]

Then they shouldn't be anywhere near the first team then.

He's going to make four, maybe five changes.

Nothing wrong with that

Yes there is, he would be fielding a weakened side and that is wrong when people are paying good money, it's like going to see your favourite singer or band and they mime.

[Lord Beamish]

He's also 103 years old.

No. He’s younger, and more experienced than Graham Alexander was when we were going for promotion at Wembley, 9 years ago.

[houseboy]

"There’s every chance we’ll change things again on Thursday.

I’ve said all along that although the Europa League is a badge of honour for a club like ours, we have to remind ourselves that the Premier League is what we are about and that remains our biggest challenge.”

Don't see anything wrong with his comments. We are bound to make changes, that is why we have assembled a squad with strength and depth. I wouldn't see bringing Heaton, Taylor, Gibson, Vokes and Barnes into the side, for example, as weakening the team.

It's a balancing act. We're clearly not going to forfeit our European run to focus all of our efforts on the league or we'd have lost to Aberdeen or Istanbul. But Dyche has got to ensure that he can field a team on Sunday which is capable of beating Watford. If that means resting a few players on Thursday then so be it. It's squad rotation, most teams do it.

Sod squad rotation, it's the bane of the modern game. Never change a winning team or one that is performing, only ever change it if you have to due to injuries or loss of form.

[houseboy]

That is a shocking original post. If Sean didn't rotate our squad when we are playing Thursday/Sunday each week he would be certifiable

No he wouldn't. Nobody will ever tell me that high paid pros can't play 3 hours a week.

[RocketLawnChair]

The question really should be are the players Dyche brings in good enough to beat Istanbul? They bloody well should be if we intend to survive with this squad in the Premier League.

If we were playing Inter Milan for example and we put up a white flag and picked half a team id be disappointed but this is Istanbul FFS.

[houseboy]

Look who cares about how far we get in Europe it's not important the premier league is the most important competition the finances it brings the prestige the way everyone know who Burnley are we have to make sure we remain in the premier league if we get beat on Thursday but beat Watford then that's good I can't understand why some Burnley fans are so fixated with having a good run in Europe I also will never slate Burnley like a section of Burnley supporters do not saying on this site but on social media they say negative things especially when we lose if you don't like losing then go support Barcelona and another thing in terms of our squad don't know why people keep slagging off players like Taylor Westwood and long Westwood is not defour we know but always puts in a shift long performed admirably last season when called upon and Taylor is a good player with a great left peg and can really cross a ball so get behind them don't criticise support them when you support Burnley that means the whole club not certain players anyway beat Watford Sunday please looking forward to seeing defour and Brady coming back and also seeing how vydra settles into the Burnley team lots in the premier league to look forward to UTC

Oh for goodness sake, another one who just wants to pay to watch the club's finances grow whilst paying hard earned money to do so. What happened to adventure and ambition? Let's all just strive for mid-table mediocrity whilst ignoring that which we actually have a chance of doing well in. If we could win this (and I'm not saying we can but if) I wouldn't actually give a stuff about PL survival and 'all the money it brings' because, hey you guessed it, it doesn't make me or you any richer just the club. What some people can't get their head around is that the club get richer and richer and the bank balance gets bigger and bigger while we are in the PL, but to what end? So we can buy a few players who are maybe just about good enough to keep us there? Unless there is a massive almost galactic change in how football is financed we are not going to win the PL but we could win a cup and those are the things that we should be prioritising. People counter this by saying we get to watch world class players every week. So what? I go to watch Burnley and support them, I don't go to watch over-paid so called world class players play for OTHER TEAMS.
In a nutshell, relegation would not be a disaster, the club are well run and would survive it and maybe even flourish, but throwing away a chance of some European glory would be an absolute disgrace and a slap in the face of all supporters who pay to watch.

[CrosspoolClarets]

Just want to say given the initial few posts piling in against them that I agree with the OP to an extent, and that extent is that their point is only true if Dyche plays a seriously weakened side on Thursday. If it's just a few tweaks here and there with no less good players moving in then that'll be hunky dory, but if it looks like we've "thrown' the game in order to have a better chance against Watford then I would be seriously ****** off.

However all of this, and every other post on this thread, is immaterial until we see what XI is played on Thursday.

Spot on. The reason I did the original post was to make it a big thread and abundently clear to Dyche what many of us think. We will see on Thursday. For me (and with no disrespect to those formerly excellent players) Bardsley and Walters (less so Taylor) represent the red line. If he crosses it, and we lose, my support for him is gone. A tweak or two elsewhere without weakening us, fine.

[Lancasterclaret]

Course it shouldn't have to be pointed out that no one is suggesting playing a very weak side, or the reserves, or the kids.

But as always on here, it has to be pointed out.

So I'm pointing it out.

No one is suggesting playing the reserves, the kids or first eleven blokes to enter turf moor on thursday.

[RocketLawnChair]

Spot on. The reason I did the original post was to make it a big thread and abundently clear to Dyche what many of us think. We will see on Thursday. For me (and with no disrespect to those formerly excellent players) Bardsley and Walters (less so Taylor) represent the red line. If he crosses it, and we lose, my support for him is gone. A tweak or two elsewhere without weakening us, fine.

So because he picks a team for a certain game that you don't agree with you will no longer be a fan of Dyche? WOW.

[RocketLawnChair]

Course it shouldn't have to be pointed out that no one is suggesting playing a very weak side, or the reserves, or the kids.

But as always on here, it has to be pointed out.

So I'm pointing it out.

No one is suggesting playing the reserves, the kids or first eleven blokes to enter turf moor on thursday.

I am taking my boots just in case.

[Lancasterclaret]

Get there early!

[RocketLawnChair]

Get there early!

Bald Blind Deaf 45 and slightly overweight oh and I’m not missing my hour in spoons before hand. But I reckon I could do a job as a Number 10. No worse than Hendrick if on here is owt to go by.

[KRBFC]

I'd rather we played full strength in Europe and rotated for the PL games.

[Grumps]

If I'd have been offered a defeat today for a win on Thursday I'd have snapped your hand off. Know it won't be popular but I just can't get excited about merely trying to survive in the Prem every year. I'll be absolutely gutted if we get knocked out on Thursday.

Don't get that point of view one little bit, perhaps you've not been watching Burnley long enough, but we ha e to stay in the Premier league for as long as we can, if that means sacrificing cups then so be it
I

[Roosterbooster]

Let me get this right, you think he should prioritise a 'run' in Europe over a season in the Premier league?

I’d argue our “run” in the league cup when Spurs knocked us out was more exciting than a mid table finish would be. And I’m way more excited about Europa league than the League cup. Each to their own, but for many, the uncertainty and anticipation of cup competitions is very exciting

[Grumps]

I’d argue our “run” in the league cup when Spurs knocked us out was more exciting than a mid table finish would be. And I’m way more excited about Europa league than the League cup. Each to their own, but for many, the uncertainty and anticipation of cup competitions is very exciting

See you in the 1st div then...... But I guess you'd be one of those who'd disappear if we fell down the leagues like Wigan, Blackburn, Portsmouth etc..... At least they had cup runs...

[jrgbfc]

Don't get that point of view one little bit, perhaps you've not been watching Burnley long enough, but we ha e to stay in the Premier league for as long as we can, if that means sacrificing cups then so be it
I

Why? So the end of year balance sheet looks a little bit better every year? Football should be about experiences and striving to win things, not just aiming to finish 17th every year and count the TV money. It's ridiculous the view some folk have on here that taking the Europa seriously would result in guaranteed relegation.

[Lancasterclaret]

And again, it has to be pointed out that no one is saying that.

The premier league TV money enables us to stay in the premier league. I can't speak for all on here but its going to be sometime before I tire of watching us in the premier league as the vast majority of my watching experience is the next three leagues down!

Its perfectly possible to rotate your squad in cup games and PL games to stay in both competitions, but its a lot easier if you have a bigger squad.

Four or even three changes on Thursday should still see us put out a strong enough side to progress.

[dsr]

Don't get that point of view one little bit, perhaps you've not been watching Burnley long enough, but we ha e to stay in the Premier league for as long as we can, if that means sacrificing cups then so be it
I

Why do we have to stay in the Premier League for as long as we can? If it's not for excitement or for winning things, what's the point?

[Bfc34]

I'm another that would like to see a bit of progress in the Europa. These things don't come around often. Let's have a go at it.

Win the thing and we are in the champions league and the super cup.

[DCWat]

I’d hope that if we can stay in the Premier League for the medium term, that we would eventually have a stab at a cup competition. I think it’s fair to say that so far, we’ve prioritised the league, under Dyche.

Since Dyche arrived we’ve been fighting for promotion or to avoid relegation, with the exception of last season, when we achieved what to many, was impossible. Taking that into account, I think Dyche has been spot on so far in his prioritisation of the league.

Like it or not, the league is our bread and butter. Whilst we may not win anything, competing with these teams is surely ample enough reward. In fact last season was in some respects, our version of winning the top division - we are never going to challenge the top six.

Would I rather be relegated and hope for an all conquering season in the Championship, not a chance.

[Grumps]

Why? So the end of year balance sheet looks a little bit better every year? Football should be about experiences and striving to win things, not just aiming to finish 17th every year and count the TV money. It's ridiculous the view some folk have on here that taking the Europa seriously would result in guaranteed relegation.

Just wanting to see my team play in the best league possible...

[CrosspoolClarets]

Definitely a majority on this thread wanting us to be at or close to full strength on Thursday.

Without doubt the biggest game of the week, by far.

The Premier League SEASON is of course much bigger, but we’re not talking about binning the season. We’re not even talking about binning Watford, just maybe making it 2% or 3% harder to beat them.

I’ve got my ticket, despite my sense of doom about the side we will pick, and should we win, I’ll be in Athens too.

[dsr]

I’d hope that if we can stay in the Premier League for the medium term, that we would eventually have a stab at a cup competition.

How established would we need to be? As established as Stoke, West Brom and Swansea? Or as established as Arsenal, Everton and Man United? Other than the top 6 + Everton, nobody is established. And even Everton could go down if they really foul things up.

[Roosterbooster]

See you in the 1st div then...... But I guess you'd be one of those who'd disappear if we fell down the leagues like Wigan, Blackburn, Portsmouth etc..... At least they had cup runs...

I honestly don’t know what to say to such an idiotic comment

I think dsr sums it up pretty well though

[DCWat]

How established would we need to be? As established as Stoke, West Brom and Swansea? Or as established as Arsenal, Everton and Man United? Other than the top 6 + Everton, nobody is established. And even Everton could go down if they really foul things up.

I’d hope that in a few more season we may have more strength in depth to be able to manage on a few fronts.

The early stages of this season see us with a very thin squad and Dyche rightly has to balance it as best he can.

I’d love us to progress in Europe and I hope we give it a really good go, just not to risk our premier league status.

[Roosterbooster]

Some people forget that we have been relegated twice from the Premier League, and we are still doing fine. The club is run well; relegation means different things for different clubs. We haven’t gambled in being in the PL at all costs, unlike many other clubs

[KRBFC]

How established would we need to be? As established as Stoke, West Brom and Swansea? Or as established as Arsenal, Everton and Man United? Other than the top 6 + Everton, nobody is established. And even Everton could go down if they really foul things up.

So true, no such thing as established, all bar the top 6 and Everton will be relegated eventually in the near future.... in 10 years time, I wonder how many of the 13 have been relegated since now.

[DCWat]

Surely none have been relegated since now