What is the actual problem?

[Silkyskills1]

[quote="CoolClaret"]Our patterns of play are tosh and they aren't changing.

Out wide, back, no movement up top, so back to the defence/goalkeeper for a speculative punt upfield.. Rinse and repeat.

We can't break teams down, especially if they have gone a goal up, when is the last time we came from a defect to win a game?

Probably at home to Everton last season. Certainly not happened this season.

[boatshed bill]

That's because we're crap, Silky I'm sick of trying to analyse it. Our football is mind-numbingly boring and predictable.
When do our midfielders or forwards run at the opposing defence? Where's the slick passing 1-2s etc.?
What do they practice in training?

[Conroy92]

Bumping this in hope that it shows we can still survive.

[boatshed bill]

HeHe,
i think my post above could have been written last Saturday, not much has changed.

[tiger76]

HeHe,
i think my post above could have been written last Saturday, not much has changed.

Actually a heck of a lot has changed, despite sometimes being turgid, at least we used to be effective at getting results at PL level, now we simply can't buy a win, even when we've played well, and that's the biggest concern for me, well that and the lack of clean sheets.

[boatshed bill]

Actually a heck of a lot has changed, despite sometimes being turgid, at least we used to be effective at getting results at PL level, now we simply can't buy a win, even when we've played well, and that's the biggest concern for me, well that and the lack of clean sheets.

I think we've tried to play some more attractive football in the past year, but it seems to go tats up when we go behind.

[warksclaret]

Just about every PL side has got stronger, we have just got older

[tiger76]

I think we've tried to play some more attractive football in the past year, but it seems to go tats up when we go behind.

Yes we do appear to have adopted a more expansive style recently, and just maybe we need to get back to being hard to beat first and foremost.

TBF it's also gone tats up when we've gone ahead, which is most unlike Burnley to surrender leads so readily, and until we remedy that we'll struggle to win games.

We scored 3 against Brentford & Palace, and 2 at Leicester & Southampton, yet only won 1 of those 4 games, and that kind of stat must be driving SD

[boatshed bill]

Yes we do appear to have adopted a more expansive style recently, and just maybe we need to get back to being hard to beat first and foremost.

TBF it's also gone tats up when we've gone ahead, which is most unlike Burnley to surrender leads so readily, and until we remedy that we'll struggle to win games.

We scored 3 against Brentford & Palace, and 2 at Leicester & Southampton, yet only won 1 of those 4 games, and that kind of stat must be driving SD

Yes, that looks like not having the nous to close games out.

[Aclaret]

Just about every PL side has got stronger, we have just got older

Squad average age of 29, according to Planet football. Oldest in the league.

[Devils_Advocate]

Squad average age of 29, according to Planet football. Oldest in the league.

We've got a smaller squad though so I wouldnt take too much notice of that stat

[boatshed bill]

We've got a smaller squad though so I wouldnt take too much notice of that stat

Shouldn't make any difference
Squad combined age divided by number of players?

[Dark Cloud]

The problem is actually quite simple (imo). We didn't strengthen in several successive transfer windows (blame who you like, but whoever was responsible it's still a fact) and when ALK took over we then started to address it. 3 excellent signings in the summer, BUT CRUCIALLY, no upgrade in CM (I assume they tried, but nothing came in) and no upgrade in attack, which tbf looked less of a pressing issue. The midfield situation is exactly why we're where we are and trying to sort it in January may well be impossible because genuine talent won't be keen to come to a club nailed on for relegation.

[Devils_Advocate]

Shouldn't make any difference
Squad combined age divided by number of players?

but we've got less players

[Tall Paul]

Yes we do appear to have adopted a more expansive style recently, and just maybe we need to get back to being hard to beat first and foremost.

We've lost two out of nine games, seems like we have been hard to beat. It's wins we need.

[boatshed bill]

but we've got less players

No, that really doesn't matter.

[elwaclaret]

but we've got less players

Quite right. Players have to carry on through dips in form, but hopefully that is where being ‘an older head’ means they are able to manage form more evenly, but are more likely to be injured… but they know how to adjust on the pitch etc.

Depends on your starting argument, as always weights and balances.

[boatshed bill]

The problem is actually quite simple (imo). We didn't strengthen in several successive transfer windows (blame who you like, but whoever was responsible it's still a fact) and when ALK took over we then started to address it. 3 excellent signings in the summer, BUT CRUCIALLY, no upgrade in CM (I assume they tried, but nothing came in) and no upgrade in attack, which tbf looked less of a pressing issue. The midfield situation is exactly why we're where we are and trying to sort it in January may well be impossible because genuine talent won't be keen to come to a club nailed on for relegation.

The optimist in me says that genuinely talented players believe they can avoid relegation....

Unless me are well adrift at the bottom

[Devils_Advocate]

No, that really doesn't matter.

Of course it does. If Arsenal has a squad age of 750 and 30 players their average age would be 25 whereas if we had a squad age of 750 but only 25 players then our average age would be 30.

You do the math!!

[tiger76]

We've lost two out of nine games, seems like we have been hard to beat. It's wins we need.

True we are slowly improving, but the fact we dropped daft points in our opening 5 games, 3 of which we led in, means we're playing catch up on most other teams, and ideally we need to get back-to-back wins soon to at least keep us in the hunt, our situation is by no means hopeless as some on this forum seem to think, but we do have an awful lot of work to do in our remaining fixtures.

[elwaclaret]

The optimist in me says that genuinely talented players believe they can avoid relegation....

Unless me are well adrift at the bottom

There is a calm around the club you just don’t get when the club is rocking. We have had a bad start, points wise we all know that but they strike me as a team that is frustrated, not panicking. Already those around us are getting jittery…. We’ll be fine………….. eventually.

[boatshed bill]

Of course it does. If Arsenal has a squad age of 750 and 30 players their average age would be 25 whereas if we had a squad age of 750 but only 25 players then our average age would be 30.

You do the math!!

No.
If we had 20 players aged 30 the average age would be 30
if Arsenal had 24 players aged 30 the average age would be 30

[Spijed]

Of course it does. If Arsenal has a squad age of 750 and 30 players their average age would be 25 whereas if we had a squad age of 750 but only 25 players then our average age would be 30.

You do the math!!

Math?

This is England!

[Devils_Advocate]

No.
If we had 20 players aged 30 the average age would be 30
if Arsenal had 24 players aged 30 the average age would be 30

But the average age of the Arsenal squad is less than ours, not the same like in your example

[elwaclaret]

Math?

This is England!

Fascist!

[boatshed bill]

Of course it does. If Arsenal has a squad age of 750 and 30 players their average age would be 25 whereas if we had a squad age of 750 but only 25 players then our average age would be 30.

You do the math!!

What you are saying is that we have older players in a smaller squad, that has nothing to do with average.
You could, however say we have a lot of average players in their late 20s

[Devils_Advocate]

What you are saying is that we have older players in a smaller squad, that has nothing to do with average.
You could, however say we have a lot of average players in their late 20s

I give up, Im not sure you fully under averages but to be fair most people dont. I got a C in my GCSE mock exams so I know what im talking about but Im no teacher im afraid.

[boatshed bill]

I give up, Im not sure you fully under averages but to be fair most people dont. I got a C in my GCSE mock exams so I know what im talking about but Im no teacher im afraid.

No, i understand averages, but it has nothing to do with the number of players in the squad, it just has to do with the fact that the members of one squad are older than those in the other squad.

Oh, and I failed Maths O level twice!!

[elwaclaret]

What you are saying is that we have older players in a smaller squad, that has nothing to do with average.
You could, however say we have a lot of average players in their late 20s

Sorry boat, but the average age of an older smaller squad is exactly what we have at Burnley, whether you think it is a problem or not is personal choice. Frankly I don’t care about ages if they stay fit. But on average we are quite old.

[tiger76]

There is a calm around the club you just don’t get when the club is rocking. We have had a bad start, points wise we all know that but they strike me as a team that is frustrated, not panicking. Already those around us are getting jittery…. We’ll be fine………….. eventually.

Yes Sean and the players do seem calm, and it's not like we've not been here before, I too think we'll be ok just, however the longer our lack of wins continues the more the noise will grow, so it's crucial that we pick up a couple of wins in December, especially against our main rivals, hence why there was such disappointment at the Newcastle reverse.

[Devils_Advocate]

Oh, and I failed Maths O level twice!!

They used to be well easy didn't they compared to GCSE's?

[boatshed bill]

Sorry boat, but the average age of an older smaller squad is exactly what we have at Burnley, whether you think it is a problem or not is personal choice. Frankly I don’t care about ages if they stay fit. But in average we are quite old.

i totally agree. We have an ageing squad.
Try explaining that to Devil's Advocate FFS
Anyhow, it's nice to have a bit of a laugh sometimes.

[boatshed bill]

They used to be well easy didn't they compared to GCSE's?

Not for me

[elwaclaret]

Yes Sean and the players do seem calm, and it's not like we've not been here before, I too think we'll be ok just, however the longer our lack of wins continues the more the noise will grow, so it's crucial that we pick up a couple of wins in December, especially against our main rivals, hence why there was such disappointment at the Newcastle reverse.

Sure not one person connected to Burnley wasn’t utterly sick at the final whistle. I’ve seen Burnley hit the skids and I really, really feared for the club in the final year of Garlic/Dyche side taking. This club is together, in that respect stronger than we’ve been for a few years.

[Aclaret]

Maths ?.... I couldn't believe it when my grandaughter told me 9 9s are 81 and not 99