Time for something different


Whichever side Zaha plays then Lennon must go

How about we go back to the team that got us to 7th last season.

Hart
Lowton
Long
Taylor
JBG
Defour
Cork
Brady
Hendrick
Wood

I’ve solved it:

.........................Heaton
Lowton............Long....Gibson..........Taylor
................Hendrick...Westwood
.........................Defour
.............JBG.....................Vydra
..........................Vokes

-I think we miss Heaton
-Cork is turning into the player Swansea fans will remember
-Mee is turning into the player Burnley fans don’t want to remember
-Long has been our most consistent CB
-Gibson looks quality. Better passer than Tarks, can really get us on the front foot
-Defour could play a little further forward
-Having JBG and Vydra narrow provides support for Sam, an option for Defour, and doesn’t cramp the attacking nuances of the full backs
-A midfield 3, with the engine of Hendrick, provides cover for the back 4, and leaves Hendrick in his best position
-This cover also allows the full backs to get forward
-The dynamic up front completely changes from a turgid hoofball tactic, to one of options: long to Sam / wide using the full backs / into Vydra’s feet / JBG to run at players and get central to shoot / Hendrick to arrive from deep / Defour to thread the pass playing higher up the pitch
-Leaves options on the bench: Wood, Barnes, Brady, Lennon

Heaton in for Hart. For no other reason than we seek to lack any organisation and we know that is something Heaton brings to the team.
JBG is for Brady. He’s still looks to be a long way off.
Hendrick in for Wood
Westwood in for Cork who is not even a third of the player he was last season.

Heaton
Bardsley Long Gibson Taylor
JBG Westwood Hendrick McNeill
Vokes Vydra

I'm not going to predict the team as in all likelihood it will be the same predictable 4-4-2. However the defence is the main achilles heal at present and I for one would certainly bring Heaton back in before it's too late. Not for one minute suggesting he's better than Hart but he's better for us than Hart.

Does it matter? We all know it'll be the same as last night and another defeat

Heaton
Lowton Gibson Mee Taylor
Lennon Hendrick Defour JBG
Wood Barnes

------------------Hart
Lowton Long Gibson Taylor
-----------------Westy
-------Defour--------Hendrick
JBG------------------------McNeil
-----------------Vokes

Hart
Lowton
Mee
Long
Taylor

Lennon
Hendrick
Defour
Cork
Brady

Vokes

The midfield is being over run and does not have the legs, that is why I have gone 5 across by bringing Hendrick in to do all the leg work. We need someone who is strong and can run with the ball and neither Cork or Defour can do this

Roosterbooster wrote: Gibson looks quality.

Based on that very brief period with us where he hasn't had a hernia.

Some interesting suggestions re. team for Palace
but I doubt whether Dyche will change it that much.

I do think Roosterbooster's team may be the most promising but think
Dyche will stick with Hart especially if he thinks Heaton is on his way eleswhere
and probably the same back 4 as last night.
I don't think he'll drop Mee for Gibson either.
Wood had a number of chances last night, more so than Vokes (even though his header
was phenomenal) and will put one away eventually whereas Vokes isn't likely to score
goals like he did last night on a regular basis.
Certainly 3 in midfield would be my favoured option with Defour sitting in front.
So for me it would be:

Hart
Lowton............Long....Mee.........Taylor
................Hendrick...Westwood.

.........................Defour
.............JBG.....................Vydra
........................Wood

Hart/Heaton- either/or, won't make a difference, it's Pope we have missed.

Lowton, Long, Gibson, Mee, Taylor

Hendrick, Defour, Westwood,

Barnes

Vokes

For me Heaton must return!!

Hart (can stay in until Pope returns for me)
Lowton Long Gibson Taylor
JBG if fit (Lennon if not) Hendrick Defour Westwood Brady
Vokes

It's getting to the stage where I'd be tempted to make wholesale changes just for the sake of it to try and shake things up a bit. The likes of Lowton, Mee and Cork have been allowed to become far too comfortable and know that they'll play no matter what.

Heaton
Lowton Long Gibson Taylor

Lennon Defour Hendrick JBG/Brady

Vydra
Vokes

Hart
Lowton Long Mee Taylor
JBG Defour Hendrick Brady
Barnes
Wood

The Barnes/Wood partnership worked wonders during that 5 game winning streak at the end of last season and we desperately miss Barnes breaking up play.

I'd rather Heaton ahead of Hart but Tom's probably leaving in January anyway so we might as well stick with Hart.

Deckchairs on the Titanic

-------Heaton
Lowton Long Mee Taylor
Lennon Defour Cork Hendrick
------------Vydra
------------Vokes

If JBG is fit then, you can debate him coming in for Vydra or possibly Lennon. But we need the extra presence in midfield that Hendrick offers, and Vokes and Defour both need a more mobile support act to support both midfield and attack.

---------Heaton---------------
Lowton--- Long--- Gibson--- Taylor
JBG--- Defour--- Hart ---Brady
------------Vileda----------------
------------Wood-----------------

Sutton-Claret wrote:---------Heaton---------------
Lowton--- Long--- Gibson--- Taylor
JBG--- Defour--- Hart ---Brady
------------Vileda----------------
------------Wood-----------------

Reckon we'd clean up with that line-up

Heaton
Lowton Long Mee Taylor
Brady Defour Hendrick JBG
Barnes
Vokes


Unlucky for Hart, but it isn't working, even if it isn't his fault, it's time to bring Heats back and see if he can make a difference.

Barnes because we need a fighter playing in the hole, who has the skill on the ball to bring others in, as well as score themselves

Hendrick for Cork, because it is an absolute no brainer. Cork needs time out for his own sake, come back fresh if we can sort the mess out.

Tactically Brady and JBG need to start working the full backs, with or without the ball. They make life far too easy for the opposition and create no spaces for the midfield to push forward.
Fullbacks need to get the ball in the box every time they enter the final third, to get into that attacking position and then lamely pass back to half way is a waste of effort. AND if the forwards aren't in a position to attack the ball they want their arses kicking.

deanothedino wrote:Based on that very brief period with us where he hasn't had a hernia.

I’m fairly certain he also played football before he came to Burnley

Anyone who has Vydra in the team clearly lives on another planet. In fact your pushing it putting him on the bloody bench!!!

I’m now past caring. Cannot remember ever feeling so ‘meh’ about the Clarets. I think it’s the style of play that’s killing me. Turgid, slow, boring, error strewn,frustrating. Something is seriously wrong in the camp. Seems to have coincided with Hart’s arrival, could be wrong but that’s how it feels. Whatever it is it needs sorting as we are currently on a fast route to the Championship. If that happens I doubt we would regain our Premier league status any time soon, if ever.

Drop Hart. Anything else is a bonus but a return to 4-5-1 with the inclusion of Hendrick, as there is no one else for the role apparently, is probably our best bet. Not much between our collection of lumps/big lads to play the “1” so I don’t thing it matters greatly.
I certainly wouldn’t be starting Brady so hopefully JBG back in.

Blacklaw, Angus, Elder, O'Neil, Miller, Todd, Morgan, Lochhead, Irvine, Harris, Coates.

Not sure who the team will be but I know the tactics.

bfcjg wrote:Not sure who the team will be but I know the tactics.

unfortunately so does
Eddie Howe
Unai Emery
Chris Hughton
Neil Warnock
Maurizio Sarri
Roy Hodgson
Marco Silva
Claudio Ranieri
David Wagner
Claude Puel
Jürgen Klopp
Pep Guardiola
José Mourinho
Rafael Benítez
Mark Hughes
Mauricio Pochettino
Javier Gracia
Manuel Pellegrini
Nuno Espírito Santo

Quicknick wrote:Blacklaw, Angus, Elder, O'Neil, Miller, Todd, Morgan, Lochhead, Irvine, Harris, Coates.

I wish !! What a team.

Will bringing Tom back turn Lowton, Taylor, Brady and Cork into PL players? Will Tom put some life into Defour's legs? I'm not so sure.

As mentioned in this thread and by myself yesterday afternoon. Shuffling deckchairs on the titanic.

Heaton
Lowton
Taylor
Gibson
Long
JBG (or Brady if JBG not back)
Defour
Cork
Lennon
Barnes
Wood

Defence don’t seem to have much confidence in Hart. Mee not at the races recently. Barnes and Wood is a proven strike force who somehow have still not started together this season!!

MattBFC wrote:Heaton
Lowton
Taylor
Gibson
Long
JBG (or Brady if JBG not back)
Defour
Cork
Lennon
Barnes
Wood

Defence don’t seem to have much confidence in Hart. Mee not at the races recently. Barnes and Wood is a proven strike force who somehow have still not started together this season!!

If I was Hart I'd have no confidence in the defence or midfield in stopping crosses coming in or providing much protection for him.

Heaton
Lowton, Long, Mee, Taylor
Lennon, Westwood, Defour, Hendrick, Brady
Wood

Or

Heaton
Lowton, Long, Mee
Lennon, Westwood, Defour, Hendrick, Brady
Vyagra, Wood

Whatever the eleven, we need five across the middle. The opposition are finding it too easy to advance play in our third, putting us under too much pressure.

Hart as rush back goalie again, with any combination elsewhere on the pitch for the rest

Heaton
Lowton
Mee
Gibson
Taylor
Defour
Westwood
Hendrick
JBG
Lennon
Vokes

RVclaret wrote:How about we go back to the team that got us to 7th last season.

Hart
Lowton
Long
Taylor
JBG
Defour
Cork
Brady
Hendrick
Wood

Last season was tremendous but I don't think that we would have done it with playing 10 players.

The U23s

NL Claret wrote:Will bringing Tom back turn Lowton, Taylor, Brady and Cork into PL players? Will Tom put some life into Defour's legs? I'm not so sure.

As mentioned in this thread and by myself yesterday afternoon. Shuffling deckchairs on the titanic.

Not but it may give the defence some confidence in their keeper, and one of the things that's sadly missing, "organisation" because that's what last season was built on.

having seen last night we could go
Heaton
Lowton Mee Long Taylor
Lennon Defour HART Brady
Vokes Barnes

alwaysaclaret wrote:Not but it may give the defence some confidence in their keeper, and one of the things that's sadly missing, "organisation" because that's what last season was built on.

There was some amateur defending for the goals last night. Watch the 1st , poor header from Wood and Mee waves a foot at shot that's going wide. Hart at fault?

2nd , not sure what Brady is doing and you can hear a shout of get to the ball. It may have been Tom shouting from the bench? Lowton and Mee make half arsed attempts at heading / making a challenge. Is that down to Hart?

Hart is probably thinking why have I come to Burnley?

Heaton
Bardsley Lowton Long Gibson Mee Taylor
Westwood Hendrick Cork
Vydra

I think 6 3 1 will confuse Palace as we clearly park the bus and only lose 3 0

4-1-4-1

Westwood to stay deep in front of the back four

Cork or Hendrick to play alongside Defour

McNeil instead of Lennon

--------Heaton
Lowton Long Mee Taylor
-------Westwood
JBG Defour Cork McNeil
--------Vokes

NL Claret wrote: Hart is probably thinking why have I come to Burnley?

Good question! Methinks the ‘fine print’ in his contact may provide the answer. IMHO Hart was a totally unnecessary ‘panic’ buy and may have caused a rift in the camp.

exilecanada wrote:Good question! Methinks the ‘fine print’ in his contact may provide the answer. IMHO Hart was a totally unnecessary ‘panic’ buy and may have caused a rift in the camp.

No fit goalkeeper in the camp is a 'panic' buy? Okay, there may be some logic in there.

Individually Hart has been fine but for whatever reason the defence isn't working as a unit so I'd make other changes at the back too - not just scapegoat the 'keeper

Heaton - hopefully improve communication/organisation
Bardsley - a better defender than Lowton and more of a physical presence
Long - been doing OK
Mee - marginal. Give him the benefit of the doubt on the basis that the defence is getting no protection through the centre of the pitch
Taylor - when will Ward be back?

Lennon
Cork - holding role in a central three - might give him a bit more time to play
Hendrick - drive, energy and more of a physical presence
Defour - surely at his best in a three
JBG

Vokes - poses some goal threat. Holds the ball up better than Wood - a better option if we wanted the wide players to get up and support

As others have rightly pointed out the 'units' are not combining at all. Hopefully a formation like that would reduce the distances and maybe enable us to get up the pitch more quickly making better use of the wide players as a genuine threat

It would also make a change of formation - by introducing Vydra for a CM - far less grating than our current substitutes which just seem to finally put to bed any semblance of a meaningful shape

I'd give Brady a complete break until he convinces the management team that he's physically capable of meeting the demands of the PL.

ashtonlongsider wrote:I'm not going to predict the team as in all likelihood it will be the same predictable 4-4-2. However the defence is the main achilles heal at present and I for one would certainly bring Heaton back in before it's too late. Not for one minute suggesting he's better than Hart but he's better for us than Hart.

Same as ashtonlongsider.

Well put Sir.

UTC

Has to start vydra for his pace. People can defend so high against us knowing there’s no threat in behind, and knowing if they squeeze up as a team we will give them the ball back. Has to be an outball over the top into the channels to help us move forward as a team and get out.

It’s similar to a game of cards really. If you are dealt a bad hand, you can shuffle them around all you like but the outcome will still be the same.

alwaysaclaret wrote:Not but it may give the defence some confidence in their keeper, and one of the things that's sadly missing, "organisation" because that's what last season was built on.

Agree on the organisation, but Pope was in goal for most of the season so don't know for sure that Heaton is the answer.