Perfect tactics lacking quality

[ClaretRock]

Today's game against Arsenal must be the first game this season I haven't had a problem with the way Dyche has set up. Yeh we got beat but we had a go which is more than what I thought about the Tottenham game where we just defended the whole game.
The lads put the effort in, there were some dodgey touches and passes, a few pulled shots and some wild ones too but what do we expect from this Burnley side. We fought for everything, attempted to catch them on the break and got under their skin.

If we do go down playing like this I won't have a problem. I feel part of our lack of quality today is down to confidence and if we win one or two that will come.
I think we have turned a corner and I recon points are around the corner if we can keep that performance up in other games.

[warksclaret]

Please Mr new Technical Director find a left back who can cross a ball. Nothing against Charlie Taylor but for a left back who pushes up his crossing recently has been shocking- rarely beating the first defender

[Indecisive]

Absolutely. Probably the most enthused I’ve ever been following 3 losses in 4 games.

We look better. Unlike some, I don’t expect to match the quality of the top 6 teams in the league.

[FactualFrank]

I think that's the highest passing % it's been all season. 76% today. It's normally in the mid 60s.

[Top Claret]

We won't go down if we play like we have in the last 4 games. The results will pick up I am certain of it.

I really like playing with the 3 centre halfs complete with the wing backs. Definitely stick with 532 formation over the Xmas fixtures.

[Hedontplayforyou]

Was the ball set alight at times Cus our first touches looked appalling at times. Frustrating indeed. I don’t think the officials helped us at all today. An offside goal, Sokratis should have been sent off, long was pushed in the back for a penalty . It doesn’t rain it pours. I really dislike Arsenal and Ozil in particular I don’t know why

[FactualFrank]

Liverpool - Brighton - Spurs - Arsenal. And we beat Brighton. Not exactly the 4 easiest games to play in a row.

[ClaretRock]

Please Mr new Technical Director find a left back who can cross a ball. Nothing against Charlie Taylor but for a left back who pushes up his crossing recently has been shocking- rarely beating the first defender

Think that's a bit harsh as it's probably been the first game he has been Allowed to push forward. Could be out of practice. I'd give it a few games before making them calls. His crossing today wasn't great but he had a decent game I thought.
It will be important for the full backs to have good games defensively and going forward in this system.

[warksclaret]

Went to the Liverpool and Spurs games and Taylors crossing is not up to standard-I appreciate he gives his all but you could see the frustration of other players today when Aresenal were on the back foot

[CrosspoolClarets]

We were decent today. Tactics generally solid, but individual errors through a few not being good enough are costing us repeatedly. The way Long was done for their first goal, standing still ball watching while the goal scorer sauntered past him - conference standard defending at best. I can think of several times this season that has cost us. Surely Gibson is a better option, central with Tarky to his right and Ben to his left?

[THEWELLERNUT70]

I thought Long was outstanding today

[BFC88]

Totally agree this system suits us a lot more. Whats evident however is a lack of quality.

Get Defour, Brady and Gudmundssen back in this system and as long as we show the same fight and commitment as the last 4 games we'll be fine

[SkiptonClaret]

I thought Long was outstanding today

Long cost us a couple of goals, we need better. Taylor and Bardsley can’t play that system, don’t have the legs.

[diamondpocket]

I thought Long was outstanding today

Me too (not Mee) apart from the aforementioned goal where he was ball watching and just didnt react to the pull back but it should never have been pulled back had Bardsley been more aware! Shocking defending from an experienced right back; it's the only concern he has to have, the man on his right shoulder/blind spot!!

[SkiptonClaret]

Me too (not Mee) apart from the aforementioned goal where he was ball watching and just didnt react to the pull back but it should never have been pulled back had Bardsley been more aware! Shocking defending from an experienced right back; it's the only concern he has to have, the man on his right shoulder/blind spot!!

...and the third goal where he tried to play some football..and lost the ball.

[diamondpocket]

...and the third goal where he tried to play some football..and lost the ball.

Yeah, fair do but it was in the last few mins and counted for nothing really; he got himself in a bit of a mess but was in a similar situation earlier in the half (maybe it was the first) and came of a tricky situation with the ball in tact and streaming into midfield aka Steve Davis in his prime. Deserves a chance if Mee & Tarks are anything to go by; they are giving Sloppiness a new definition!!

[Belgianclaret]

Agree Long was one of our better players today, save for the momentary lack of concentration for their first.
For all his efforts Cork seemed pedestrian at times. He seems a yard off the pace this season. Had a great chance to equalize and should have done better in front of their box instead of dithering and losing the ball for their third.
As for Vydra, on this showing he will not be the great savior although he should be given more time.
Onwards and upwards

[beddie]

Agree with the opening post. Apologies for sounding like a broken record but it's our "lack of pace" almost every time, with it we'd tackle quicker and move forward quicker. We need a minimum of two quality players (and pay the money Mr Garlck) if we've any chance of staying up.

[FactualFrank]

I agree we need new players. This transfer window is going to be the difference between staying up or going down. Do the board settle with what we have and accept going down, to plan on bouncing back up, or do we buy 2 players good enough to walk into our starting 11.

[warksclaret]

We definitely lack quality all over the pitch which makes our transfer business in Summer even more shambolic. Hart is playing as Heaton was quite simply injured. In fairness he has been one of our few pluses. Vydra has started twice only and looks really lightweight (who did the research on him), and Gibson despite us letting in a shed full of goals has yet to start in the PL

Taylor cannot cross consistently and Cork is also looking lightweight and being bullied for fun. Time is running out and at this rate the gap between 17 and 18 will be too daunting. It seems like SD is starting to use excuses about decisions to deflect our lack of quality.
Yes there has been more spirit since the Liverpool game, and today we did press more but we desperately need some new blood and SD to play them instantly.

For those that think we can walk straight back to the PL if we go down, the Championship just like the PL has moved forward. At least the last time we came up we made two tremendous signings-Andre Gray and Joey Barton

[CrosspoolClarets]

We were decent today. Tactics generally solid, but individual errors through a few not being good enough are costing us repeatedly. The way Long was done for their first goal, standing still ball watching while the goal scorer sauntered past him - conference standard defending at best. I can think of several times this season that has cost us. Surely Gibson is a better option, central with Tarky to his right and Ben to his left?

I thought Long was outstanding today

Agreed. The reason I posted the above, but also agree with TheWellerNut, is because Long (and he is one of three or four, it is just that he was at fault today) gives 100% but due to this level being so tough for him it leads to a serious error every two or three games. The point being, we can’t afford it. He was brilliant today, apart from that error that was shambolic (Dyche called it soft) and had our backs to the wall from early on.

[Spijed]

For those that think we can walk straight back to the PL if we go down, the Championship just like the PL has moved forward.

The PL/Championship/League 1/2 etc. move at the same rate every season, nothing more, nothing less.

[EarbyClaret]

The problem is it counts for nothing if, like Long, in general play you have a decent game but at the critical moments you're found wanting. That's the difference between us this season and (most of) last season. It's the difference between staying up and going down.

Not singling Kevin Long out because generally he's been decent and overall has done as well as could be expected but he should be occasional and reliable cover. If you're at a point when you're reliant on players of his quality on a regular basis then game, at this level, is up.

The current squad is, with the odd exception, playing to it's full potential - but that's not going to be good enough to keep us in the PL.

[beddie]

The true fact is that we still have a squad of championship players. The quality of players at a number of other clubs has improved immensely this season, ours has improved marginally. At the moment despite the players best efforts were just not good enough and regrettably I don't see it Improving enough in order to stay up.

[SGr]

Genuine technical quality is our biggest failing. Seems to me like even the most bog standard mid-table midfielders can our-muscle, run faster and turn a man better than ours can.

Recruitment has been totally oblivious to this, players wanted based on their personalities and work-rate rather than genuine ability. It’s gone too far.

[Herts Clarets]

Our midfield issues have been well covered. The other big issue we have is that on the odd occasion we do manage to create something, pick any one of our 4 forwards and they are all of the standard of where we found them. Championship. None of them are going to get us 15-20 goals a season and if we carry on shipping them at the other end then I fear we will see the inevitable come May. Big transfer window coming up for me.

[jojomk1]

Agree with most comments on here - we are just not technically good enough (anywhere on the pitch) to retain the ball whether defending or attacking. Add to that our blatant lack of pace, and we are an accident just waiting to happen - and there's been too many of them already this season.
Realistically, just see the current bottom six as relegation prospects and this squad is looking nowhere near good enough to get back up if we go down

[Hipper]

I'm not sure our tactics were correct for this game - at least I'll question them.

Last week Arsenal were done by three headers. It's true that yesterday Sokratis was back but I would have thought Vokes would have been the better partner for Barnes.

[SpringHillClaret]

Would have to agree with Vikes and Barnes being a more potent threat.

That said our possession and completed passing rates were a significant step in the right direction yesterday

[Hendrickxz]

I still think we can do better than Hart -- and from our existing resources. We have two England class goalies in our ranks but we persist with the flapping, fumbling one who England cast aside. I think he could have done better with two of their goals yesterday.

[Ashingtonclaret46]

I still think we can do better than Hart -- and from our existing resources. We have two England class goalies in our ranks but we persist with the flapping, fumbling one who England cast aside. I think he could have done better with two of their goals yesterday.

Was that the mishit first, the deflected second or the offside third? I am unsure!