Nine matches in - what do you think so far?

Hibsclaret · Post by **Hibsclaret** » Sat Oct 20, 2018 11:42 pm

If he’s bringing 13th place in the prem to the table that’s good enough for me.

Perhaps you should dine at another table....

BurnleyFC · Post by **BurnleyFC** » Sat Oct 20, 2018 11:56 pm

We’ll be relegated come the end of the season.

I had high hopes for another top ten finish this year, but we’ve been absolutely woeful.

KRBFC · Post by **KRBFC** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 12:16 am

Hibsclaret wrote:If he’s bringing 13th place in the prem to the table that’s good enough for me.

Perhaps you should dine at another table....

We've had an easy run in compared with Huddersfield and Newcastle though, almost sure Huddersfield have played 8 of last seasons top 9 already.

Steve-Harpers-perm · Post by **Steve-Harpers-perm** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 12:20 am

KRBFC wrote:We've had an easy run in compared with Huddersfield and Newcastle though, almost sure Huddersfield have played 8 of last seasons top 9 already.

Forgot the league table was calculated on the ‘run in’ you’ve had.

GodIsADeeJay81 · Post by **GodIsADeeJay81** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 12:24 am

TheFamilyCat wrote:WELL. DON'T. *******. WATCH. IT. THEN.

What kind of bozo spends their spare time and, presumably hard earned money doing something that they hate and bores them?

On the plus side you'll rarely, if ever, see that bozo at away games.

KRBFC · Post by **KRBFC** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 12:26 am

Steve-Harpers-perm wrote:Forgot the league table was calculated on the ‘run in’ you’ve had.

No but it's not exactly a fair representation of how the league will finish after all games have played and an important factor to consider at this early stage.

tim_noone · Post by **tim_noone** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 12:43 am

5...0 to City isnt that bad. It wasnt that long since we were losing 4..0 to WBA.

Granny WeatherWax · Post by **Granny WeatherWax** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 8:36 am

1st half at Southampton and the whole Bournemouth game aside, we’ve been utter garbage.

Top Claret · Post by **Top Claret** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 8:45 am

Like others have said we have had a easy hand with the fixtures. The quality of football is woeful and the defending is not up to Dyches standards of what we are use to. With our lack of creativity, we have major problems.
The only positive is that we now have Defour and Brady fit, if we can get these two up and running performances should improve, if not Relegation

Hibsclaret · Post by **Hibsclaret** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 8:53 am

The fixture example is bs. We have played almost half the teams now including both Mancs teams.

All games are difficult in the prem.

CombatClaret · Post by **CombatClaret** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 9:47 am

Doing fine.
Nice to see Fulham in the drop zone for all those who think big spending is the sole indictor of ambition & success.

No Ney Never · Post by **No Ney Never** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 9:55 am

The world cup, an early start to the season, no proper Dyche pre season and injuries to key players, I'd say 13th while not playing to the standard we set last season isn't too bad.
I'm optimistic that things are going to gradually get better as the season progresses. While there may be less to shout about on the pitch at the present, it's support and encouragement that the team need now more than ever.
C'mon Burnley!

Winstonswhite · Post by **Winstonswhite** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 10:12 am

What do I think? The standard of football in the Premier League is absolutely shocking at the moment.

Spijed · Post by **Spijed** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 10:15 am

Top Claret wrote:Like others have said we have had a easy hand with the fixtures.

Really?

How many of the nine games would you say have been easy?

NL Claret · Post by **NL Claret** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 10:28 am

Spijed wrote:Really?

How many of the nine games would you say have been easy?

The only easy game I can remember recently in the PL was Sunderland at home, there are no easy games in the PL. Outside the top 6 all the clubs are scrapping to get to 36 points getting them by hook or by crook and can beat each other on the day. The key this season is not losing to the likes of Huddersfield, Cardiff, Newcastle and Southampton.

Stayingup · Post by **Stayingup** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 11:43 am

Ooogeorgeorgeoghani wrote:Kodi, needs replacing it's useless , other than that Lennon should be an impact sub and Brady will be playing when fit, we also need a barton type aggressive ball winner in the middle , oh and we need to make a decision on the drum situation .

We've wanted a midfield enforcer for a while
I hope we get one but can't see it.

Stayingup · Post by **Stayingup** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 11:48 am

I've seen nothing much to suggest other than we might well be relegated. Even the Bournemouth game, as sweet as the result was, showed our lack of control of the ball. Hopefully we will see an improvement. We need to.

Spijed · Post by **Spijed** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 11:57 am

Stayingup wrote:I've seen nothing much to suggest other than we might well be relegated. Even the Bournemouth game, as sweet as the result was, showed our lack of control of the ball. Hopefully we will see an improvement. We need to.

If nothing else, I'm confident of us surviving because the likes of Huddersfield, Cardiff, Fulham etc. look to be struggling in a way that we don't. We seem to have the ability to grind out results. We haven't played well this season but we are still in 13th.

As for Bournemouth, I thought we controlled things very well with them having plenty of the ball but with few chances.

RVclaret · Post by **RVclaret** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 12:21 pm

I just can’t wait to have a fully fit Defour and Brady back in the team. Add in Vydra and we will see MUCH improved performances - I am sure of it.

jurek · Post by **jurek** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 1:01 pm

After the Chelsea game we'll have played just over a quarter of our fixtures for this season
and will have played against 6 of the top 8/9 teams.

Yes, performance haven't been too good and we all know it will be a difficult season.
We've had more than our fair share of luck in the games where we have picked up points
and we'll need to perform better to stand any chance of not being involved in the relegation scrap.

But I stlll think 35 points might suffice this season and teams below us (especially the bottom three)
will struggle to get much more than 35 if that.

That should give us hope alongside the hope that Defour and Brady coming back will
improve us. If we can manage to stay relatively injury free and bring in one or two in January
who can improve us some more then we should be able to make a reasonable go of it.

That might be the best we can hope for at present.

claretspice · Post by **claretspice** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 1:09 pm

I suspect the season is going to be one of consolidation, rather than real progress either in terms of style or results, but perhaps that was inevitable given how well we did last season.

It'll be a grind, and I doubt we'll be all that comfortable at any point this season, but my gut is that we've got sufficient to keep our heads above water. That's not so far off a par season for us at this level, and it will always be thus.

claretsmart · Post by **claretsmart** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 2:03 pm

I've been telling anyone who will listen all season so may as well post it on here. We are doomed!

3 main reasons:

1. The summer window was outrageous - what are we spending the money on instead? We don't need a second training ground so what else is there?
2. The football is dire, our confidence has gone. Many of the players and Dyche himself seem a pale imitation of what we can be.
3. Our last 4 fixtures.

Spijed · Post by **Spijed** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 2:08 pm

claretsmart wrote:I've been telling anyone who will listen all season so may as well post it on here. We are doomed!

Yet we are still 13th!

Ashingtonclaret46 · Post by **Ashingtonclaret46** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 2:17 pm

Spijed wrote:Yet we are still 13th!

Yes, but you don't realise that being 13th after 9 games means that we are doomed and relegated ---just like Crystal Palace last season who had 3 points at this stage!

jojomk1 · Post by **jojomk1** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 2:27 pm

Before season started, predicted bottom 6 but hopefully just surviving
Seen nothing in the style of football currently being played to change that scenario
Here's hoping Brady and Defour can change that because the manager seems to be struggling to do so without them

FCBurnley · Post by **FCBurnley** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 2:28 pm

We have played 9 games and got 8 points

We have 29 games left

We have 10 games left v top 6 teams

Assume we get 6 points from 10 games v top 6 (which is generous)

Assume we need 38 points to stay up

We will need to get 24 points from the remaining 19 games.

Very tough ask in our current form, unless we sign Messi in January

Silkyskills1 · Post by **Silkyskills1** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 3:26 pm

Thought we played well in the opening game v Southampton and was cautiously optimistic. Since then it has been disappointing, none more so than the questionable approach employed at home to the league's bottom club.

JohnMcGreal · Post by **JohnMcGreal** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 3:39 pm

In terms of points on the board and league position, we're doing what I expected at this stage.

In terms of entertainment and quality of football, it's been very disappointing so far. I can't quite place it, but it just 'feels' like something isn't quite right at the club at the moment. Possibly a hangover from our disappointing Europa League performance, possibly disappointment over our recruitment in the summer. I'm not sure what it is, but everything just seems a bit 'stale'. There doesn't seem to be the same positive energy around the place, and I think you can see that in some of our performances this season. We just look a bit leggy, lethargic and off the pace compared to last season.

Hopefully the return of Defour and Brady will revitalize us a bit, and a couple of decent signings in January wouldn't go amiss, either.

I still don't think we'll go down, but there's lot of work to do in order to get us back to our usual standard.

claptrappers_union · Post by **claptrappers_union** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 3:42 pm

The lack of creativity and attacking threat is very concerning. I don't think our excellent defending from last season will save us this time. From what I have seen so far, its going to be a very ugly season and we are going to be in the mix towards the end.

Silkyskills1 · Post by **Silkyskills1** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 4:33 pm

JohnMcGreal wrote:In terms of points on the board and league position, we're doing what I expected at this stage.

In terms of entertainment and quality of football, it's been very disappointing so far. I can't quite place it, but it just 'feels' like something isn't quite right at the club at the moment. Possibly a hangover from our disappointing Europa League performance, possibly disappointment over our recruitment in the summer. I'm not sure what it is, but everything just seems a bit 'stale'. There doesn't seem to be the same positive energy around the place, and I think you can see that in some of our performances this season. We just look a bit leggy, lethargic and off the pace compared to last season.

Hopefully the return of Defour and Brady will revitalize us a bit, and a couple of decent signings in January wouldn't go amiss, either.

I still don't think we'll go down, but there's lot of work to do in order to get us back to our usual standard.

Agree with all of this except I do believe we will be relegated this time.

Spijed · Post by **Spijed** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 4:44 pm

Interesting stat from the Southampton forum.
They've now won just 5 of their last 40 matches!

Along with the following comment:
"Bournemouth, Brighton and Burnley don't really have better players than us, ability wise. But they have much, much, better mentality and character."

Just shows how fans from each club have a negative view of their own side

Boban · Post by **Boban** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 5:12 pm

We lack an identity that will allow us to continue to grow going forward. This is mainly due to our recruitment policy, we should really be in the market for players across the UK and Europe in the 5 to 7 million pound bracket who have potential.If 1 in 3 came good we would get a return on investment but more importantly we would have options when our best players are injured.

Top Claret · Post by **Top Claret** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 6:42 pm

Spijed wrote:Really?

How many of the nine games would you say have been easy?

Prior to yesterdays game we have only played Man United of the top 6 and 4 of the bottom 6. I agree no easy games at this level but if you want to stay in the league you need to be picking up points at home against the likes of Huddersfield.
Our performance have been poor, the team is set out to negative. Bournemouth have had 6 penalties in 9 games so far this season, us none in 50. You need to get bodies into the box to get awarded penalties and we don't

Top Claret · Post by **Top Claret** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 6:46 pm

Silkyskills1 wrote:Thought we played well in the opening game v Southampton and was cautiously optimistic. Since then it has been disappointing, none more so than the questionable approach employed at home to the league's bottom club.

We looked good at Southampton because we had the early start to the season due to the europa games, this made us fitter and more alert.
Since the 1st half bar parts of the Bournemouth game our football as been woeful.
We can no longer defend crosses into the box. Dyche has a lot of work to do with this lot to keep us up

Woodleyclaret · Post by **Woodleyclaret** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 7:10 pm

We have enough quality to stay up and must see yesterday as history.City dont need gifts off refs and 5 0 was rough given the circumstances.
We will improve now with Defour and soon Brady back

TheFamilyCat · Post by **TheFamilyCat** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 7:18 pm

claretsmart wrote:I've been telling anyone who will listen all season so may as well post it on here. We are doomed!

You must be a real Joy to hang out with

Hipper · Post by **Hipper** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 7:22 pm

NL Claret wrote:Going to be a difficult season as we've over achieved in the last two. The bell ends on this message board will make it worse. This time last year we lost 4-0 to city, it was an absolute mismatch last season yet less groaning than today. The gulf between the top 6 and the rest gets bigger and bigger. 33/1 for a Burnley win today.

Seen some posts about how Huddersfield have been playing well of late and Newcastle making a fist of it against City, neither of these sides have registered a win yet.

We lost 3-0 in the league and their first goal was a penalty that we debated about - Bernardo da Silva went down.

EarbyClaret · Post by **EarbyClaret** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 7:58 pm

I don't consider myself to be a 'happy clapper' or whatever cheap insult is thrown at anyone who expresses a degree of positivity but am I the only person fed-up with the 'I told you so' smugness of a vocal minority on here who seem to revel in every defeat so that they can tell us they know best about how the club/manager should be going about things?

We're not going to finish 7th/qualify for the Europa League. We're going to struggle to play quality passing football without our better technical players. We're likely to have relegation concerns for the majority of the season. That applies to probably 8/10/12 teams in the PL.

That's the reality of it. It's not even about when we lose now. If we win or draw without providing the level of 'entertainment' that we'd experience if we were bossing the Championship (apparently) that's not good enough at this level either.

We're falling into the lazy trap of Stoke/West Brom/Middlesbrough fans who seem to think once we've got here we should be both evolving our style and surviving with ease. It's a totally unrealistic expectation.

Steve-Harpers-perm · Post by **Steve-Harpers-perm** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 8:06 pm

EarbyClaret wrote:I don't consider myself to be a 'happy clapper' or whatever cheap insult is thrown at anyone who expresses a degree of positivity but am I the only person fed-up with the 'I told you so' smugness of a vocal minority on here who seem to revel in every defeat so that they can tell us they know best about how the club/manager should be going about things?

We're not going to finish 7th/qualify for the Europa League. We're going to struggle to play quality passing football without our better technical players. We're likely to have relegation concerns for the majority of the season. That applies to probably 8/10/12 teams in the PL.

That's the reality of it. It's not even about when we lose now. If we win or draw without providing the level of 'entertainment' that we'd experience if we were bossing the Championship (apparently) that's not good enough at this level either.

We're falling into the lazy trap of Stoke/West Brom/Middlesbrough fans who seem to think once we've got here we should be both evolving our style and surviving with ease. It's a totally unrealistic expectation.

Spot on. Reminds me of Charlton fans when they’d had enough of Curbishley or indeed the horse fiddlers when they’d had enough of Allardyce. Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for.

Silkyskills1 · Post by **Silkyskills1** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 8:15 pm

EarbyClaret wrote:I don't consider myself to be a 'happy clapper' or whatever cheap insult is thrown at anyone who expresses a degree of positivity but am I the only person fed-up with the 'I told you so' smugness of a vocal minority on here who seem to revel in every defeat so that they can tell us they know best about how the club/manager should be going about things?

We're not going to finish 7th/qualify for the Europa League. We're going to struggle to play quality passing football without our better technical players. We're likely to have relegation concerns for the majority of the season. That applies to probably 8/10/12 teams in the PL.

That's the reality of it. It's not even about when we lose now. If we win or draw without providing the level of 'entertainment' that we'd experience if we were bossing the Championship (apparently) that's not good enough at this level either.

We're falling into the lazy trap of Stoke/West Brom/Middlesbrough fans who seem to think once we've got here we should be both evolving our style and surviving with ease. It's a totally unrealistic expectation.

'cheap insult', 'smugness', 'revel in every defeat', 'I told you so', ' they know best'

Sound like anyone you know?

tiger76 · Post by **tiger76** » Mon Oct 22, 2018 11:37 am

Forget Saturday that was always gonna be tough,our cup finals will be against the likes of Brighton,Southampton,West Ham,Crystal Palace and the other teams in the mix,on reflection the only disappointing result is Fulham (a) they haven't pulled up any trees since,but against the other strugglers we have gained points,as long as this continues and we pick up results from the big six,which we'll do at least once unexpectedly.

Then this should be enough to keep our head above water,won't be pretty i'm afraid but that's the reality,some folks on here have got carried away because of last season's 7th place finish,there is little too separate the bottom 9/10 teams,this year Bournemouth and Watford are the overperforming sides.

boatshed bill · Post by **boatshed bill** » Mon Oct 22, 2018 2:04 pm

It's a pity so many can't just answer the question.
Can there be any other honest answer than "poor"?