How do we avoid what we are going through now this time next year ?

bfcjg · Post by **bfcjg** » Sun Mar 31, 2019 10:53 pm

For me giving Dyche some serious money but insisting it's spent on quality players with pace and playing them. Plus height aelnd power in midfield.

Devils_Advocate · Post by **Devils_Advocate** » Sun Mar 31, 2019 10:59 pm

New manager with a £100m kitty and a wage budget to match it to go shopping round Europe in the summer. Dyche has done fantastic but we're an established Premier League club now and should be mid table with the Watfords and West Hams not scrapping it out with dross like Cardiff

WestMidsClaret · Post by **WestMidsClaret** » Sun Mar 31, 2019 11:02 pm

Still trying too hard.

GodIsADeeJay81 · Post by **GodIsADeeJay81** » Sun Mar 31, 2019 11:03 pm

bfcjg wrote:For me giving Dyche some serious money but insisting it's spent on quality players with pace and playing them. Plus height aelnd power in midfield.

How much is serious money then?

£100 million?
More, less or is that just right?
Then how many players do you want him to buy?

You're dictating everything else to him, might as well tell him who you want signing etc.
See if he will make you an omelette so you can discuss it with him.

bfcjg · Post by **bfcjg** » Sun Mar 31, 2019 11:06 pm

I think we have been prudent with our money and invested at Gawthorpe and the Turf now's the time to back him.

cricketfieldclarets · Post by **cricketfieldclarets** » Sun Mar 31, 2019 11:16 pm

I don't think its necessarily the budget. We didn't spend an insignificant amount this summer. Its where we spent it and how. But we could have spent more for more quality. Spending as much as we did on players to start 4 games isn't good enough.

Obviously a bit more can often help. However you have to have a strategy and there has to be a balance.

Fulham are the extreme at one end of how spending can affect you and we are the extreme at the other how not spending can. Fulham had absolutely zero strategy and the board, manager and team clearly weren't aligned. We on the other hand got too comfortable with what we had and too cautious in the market trying to get more of the same. Spurs are another example. They have had a very good season. But they could possibly have won the league / cup had they invested in 2 or 3 marquee signings.

City have pushed on, having won the league last season didn't stand still and let Liverpool catch them.

There isn't loads wrong. But we need to improve just to stand still. And we need to lower the average age of the squad. 4 players good enough to start come August and improve our bench by using the players they replace is what we have to do.

Heaton or Pope

New RB - Tarks - Mee or Gibson - Taylor
JBG - New CM - New CM - McNeil
Wood or Barnes - New CF

Would see us more than comfortable next season.

Still have some continuity from this season without wholesale changes, gives us way more quality in reserve with Heaton or Pope, Lowton or Bardsley, Mee or Gibson, Westwood, Hendrick, Cork, Wood or Barnes.

Can free up the wages of Crouch, Lowton or Bardsley, Hart, Defour and either Lennon or Brady, Wells and possibly Vydra.

That would free up around £200k P/W before any fees received. Wouldn't disrupt the squad too much. Would give us much better options on the bench. And more importantly in the first eleven!

The new signings HAVE to be able to break into the side. We cant afford to start next season with this years 11.

Vino blanco · Post by **Vino blanco** » Sun Mar 31, 2019 11:50 pm

If we st art next season with a midfield three of Hedrick, Westwood and Cork we will be in the same position. I'm not saying that individually they are bad players, but as a midfield threesome they are not PL standard.

cricketfieldclarets · Post by **cricketfieldclarets** » Sun Mar 31, 2019 11:54 pm

Vino blanco wrote:If we st art next season with a midfield three of Hedrick, Westwood and Cork we will be in the same position. I'm not saying that individually they are bad players, but as a midfield threesome they are not PL standard.

And that's before any of the big guns come up from the league below.

Norwich may, but Leeds and Villa would throw money at it like Wolves if they came up.

Looking at the table cant believe how close it is. And there are plenty of big clubs with huge fanbases and wealthy owners. Looking unlikely a Huddersfield will make it this year. Unless Preston sneak in.

Even Bristol will be well backed!

boatshed bill · Post by **boatshed bill** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 12:07 am

Fewer journeymen and the committment to start playing football

jdrobbo · Post by **jdrobbo** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 12:14 am

A proper, uninterrupted pre-season

Key players injured less frequently

Signings in the obvious areas.

cricketfieldclarets · Post by **cricketfieldclarets** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 12:30 am

jdrobbo wrote:A proper, uninterrupted pre-season

Key players injured less frequently

Signings in the obvious areas.

Tbf id say weve been pretty fortunate with injuries.

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 12:33 am

When a few on here warned of the perils of Europa Qualification this time last year they were shot down in flames - this season confirmed we are at our best in this league with a 40 game season - no cup runs thankyou - gives us time to rest and properly prepare for the next game. SD and his team will be mightily pleased to have a proper pre season - though will be nervous about that nations cup thingymibob with Tom and Tarks - not getting a proper rest - can see Pope in goal early season as a result

dsr · Post by **dsr** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 12:35 am

bfcjg wrote:For me giving Dyche some serious money but insisting it's spent on quality players with pace and playing them. Plus height aelnd power in midfield.

I can see that convesation going well.

Garlick: "Sean, we're having a change of policy this year. We want you to sign quality players instead of rubbish."
Dyche: "Cheers boss. Why didn't I think of that."

cricketfieldclarets · Post by **cricketfieldclarets** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 12:38 am

Chester Perry wrote:When a few on here warned of the perils of Europa Qualification this time last year they were shot down in flames - this season confirmed we are at our best in this league with a 40 game season - no cup runs thankyou - gives us time to rest and properly prepare for the next game. SD and his team will be mightily pleased to have a proper pre season - though will be nervous about that nations cup thingymibob with Tom and Tarks - not getting a proper rest - can see Pope in goal early season as a result

Thats the spirit. Lets focus on 17th every year.

Vegas Claret · Post by **Vegas Claret** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 12:38 am

this season is our reality in the PL, last season like Leicester winning the league was a complete anomaly and will probably never be repeated.

HunterST_BFC · Post by **HunterST_BFC** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 12:42 am

Contracts are contracts.
You actually need a club to buy one before any player would leave.
A half way point maybe with offsetting their deal etc.
If they don't like it they stay (certain caveats apply - eg doing a crime

)

We can only strip the squad if contracts allow.
Equally we ca only sign players we would like if they agree to our contract terms.
We are never going to be a Top Six Club - any person with any functioning brain knows this.
Our BEST is being "IN IT" a the Top Level - Maybe A Cup?

Being financially viable long term is the Goal.

We will get players if we stay up (we will) but I sometimes wonder why players chance themselves with us?

We have to do everything on a worst scenario budget...
Making use of what we can afford.
We have to take punts on older players.
We can't afford top rate International Stars on stupid wages.

Talent is out there - we just need to find it better and importantly get it signed before the Fax gets put in the cupboard for another few months.

I think the term is "Pro Active And More Decisive"

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 12:43 am

cricketfieldclarets wrote:Thats the spirit. Lets focus on 17th every year.

Never said that - we saw last season that a well prepared and fresh team can perform at a high level - and I would much rather have that and a top 10-12 finish than what we have had to go through this year - no real pre-season and no time to prepare slaughtered us and it has taken an age to get to what we have had over the last 13 games

Tricky Trevor · Post by **Tricky Trevor** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 12:46 am

You can spend as much as you like. Behind the big 6 & Everton it is anybodys guess. We could finish 7th we could finish 20th. At least with VAR we’ll get our pens.

Vegas Claret · Post by **Vegas Claret** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 12:52 am

Chester Perry wrote:Never said that - we saw last season that a well prepared and fresh team can perform at a high level - and I would much rather have that and a top 10-12 finish than what we have had to go through this year - no real pre-season and no time to prepare slaughtered us and it has taken an age to get to what we have had over the last 13 games

spot on, the season Swansea got into Europe was their last good season, same can be said for Southampton

!aiboforceN · Post by **!aiboforceN** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 5:52 am

How do we avoid what we are going through now this time next year ?

1. Fail to qualify for Europe

Bfcboyo · Post by **Bfcboyo** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 6:15 am

Wear protection ?

Siddo · Post by **Siddo** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 7:05 am

We could spend 100 million and still finish just above relegation. The key point is not to lose SD.
Money guarantees nothing in this league, stabilty goes a bit further.

mickleoverclaret · Post by **mickleoverclaret** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 7:46 am

Get more than 12 points in the first half of the season

Dark Cloud · Post by **Dark Cloud** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 9:24 am

I honestly think if we stay up we won't be in this position this time next year. I think a hard lesson has been learned, but I just hope it's not been learned too late. As someone mentioned on another thread, SD will not ship out shed loads of players and totally replace almost an entire squad, which some are advocating and which some other clubs would see as the way forward, because SD doesn't work like that and he's right not to. That would destroy the togetherness and the foundation on which he's built the past 6 and a half years. BUT he knows we have to evolve and that we haven't evolved quickly enough recently. Last summer we largely sat on our backsides and didn't seriously strengthen in key positions as the club felt the players who got us to a 7th place finish were more than capable of something similar again. Well now they know they're not. We stood still whilst the rest moved on and whilst recognising the sterling efforts of our midfield this year, we desperately need more pace and more creativity rather than a great "engine" and "workmanlike". Cork was excellent last season, but now looks painfully slow and then when you see what other teams have up front you know that selling Sam Vokes was just the first play in revamping and reshaping our attack with some pace and a player (or two) who can really hold a ball up. We're not a whole squad (or team) or anything like £100 million away from a comfortable mid table finish, but certain tough decisions in certain positions need to be made and I would expect this summer's transfer window to far busier than last summer's!

Firthy · Post by **Firthy** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 10:04 am

cricketfieldclarets wrote:There isn't loads wrong. But we need to improve just to stand still. And we need to lower the average age of the squad. 4 players good enough to start come August and improve our bench by using the players they replace is what we have to do.

Heaton or Pope

New RB - Tarks - Mee or Gibson - Taylor
JBG - New CM - New CM - McNeil
Wood or Barnes - New CF

Can't believe you've left Westwood out who has probably been one of our best and most consistent players this season. I would change that to:

Heaton or Pope
New RB - Tarks - Mee or Gibson - Taylor
New - Westwood - New CM - McNeil
Wood or Barnes - New CF

JBG is too injury prone. We need someone younger with pace on the right and a player with creativity and pace in midfield alongside Westwood. I think the one thing we lack at present is pace more than anything. Hopefully we will stay up and it will be rectified for next season.

Claretmatt4 · Post by **Claretmatt4** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 10:16 am

If Gudmundsson was injury free he'd be going to a much bigger club than us next year that's for sure. Makes sense to add in some depth but to relegate him to the bench is mindless.

Having 4 new starting players is going to cost £80m at least if they fit the bill of young and good enough to dislodge our current first eleven.

A new fast striker is important as well as a centre midfielder. I dont think we really 'need' a new right back do we?

summitclaret · Post by **summitclaret** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 10:18 am

Vegas Claret wrote:spot on, the season Swansea got into Europe was their last good season, same can be said for Southampton

And Ipswich

brexit · Post by **brexit** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 10:18 am

This time next year we will be pushing for a automatic play off place with Duff in charge

Lancasterclaret · Post by **Lancasterclaret** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 10:19 am

Be able to attack down both flanks

Injury free season from key players

A monster of a centre midfielder

Real pace up front

And even if we do all that, we still be one of those clubs that will be looking at getting to 40 points as soon as possible.

bobinho · Post by **bobinho** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 10:23 am

Chester Perry wrote:When a few on here warned of the perils of Europa Qualification this time last year they were shot down in flames - this season confirmed we are at our best in this league with a 40 game season - no cup runs thankyou - gives us time to rest and properly prepare for the next game. SD and his team will be mightily pleased to have a proper pre season - though will be nervous about that nations cup thingymibob with Tom and Tarks - not getting a proper rest - can see Pope in goal early season as a result

Surely the Europa was too early in the proceedings to have had such a negative impact? Still involved at Xmas, fair enough, but our adventure was over quickly. Not a factor for me.... at least the players being tired and burnt out wasn’t a factor for me. Being all moody arsed and mardy? Maybe...

houseboy · Post by **houseboy** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 10:25 am

Chester Perry wrote:When a few on here warned of the perils of Europa Qualification this time last year they were shot down in flames - this season confirmed we are at our best in this league with a 40 game season - no cup runs thankyou - gives us time to rest and properly prepare for the next game. SD and his team will be mightily pleased to have a proper pre season - though will be nervous about that nations cup thingymibob with Tom and Tarks - not getting a proper rest - can see Pope in goal early season as a result

What utter nonesense. No cup games ? No Europe? Okay so let's throw away our only chance of actually wining anything at all so that we can struggle along nicely in the bottom half of the PL. Is that what you want, really? I'd sooner win the FA Cup as a Championship side than face the utter boredom of PL football knowing that a good season is mid-table whilst 'throwing' cup games in order to keep our bloody 'PL status'. You are also wrong about Europe, no-one was proved right about it. It was badly managed by Dyche (yes I continue to criticise him over his European decisions). The only reason we were adversly affected by Europe was because the players were demotivated because of being left out after they had got us there and nobody will change my mind on that.

Personally I believe, because I'm a football fan not a supporter of the PL, we should always field our strongest possible side in cup games in order to maximise our chances of silverware, even if it means fielding a weakened side against teams like City which we would normally have no chance of winning anyway.

Greeny · Post by **Greeny** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 10:26 am

We have to hope that Rigg steps up and brings a fresh approach to our transfer dealings during the next window.

I am certain based on past experience, left to Sean + Mike G, the transfer window, whichever division we are in, would have been like our matchday team selection policy, eat, sleep, repeat.......same old flannel re the market, we can't compete and we will stick to recruiting 40 year old has been podcast makers.

nyclaret · Post by **nyclaret** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 10:26 am

Pope
New RB - Tarks - Gibson - Taylor
New RW - Defour - New CM - McNeil
Wood/Barnes - New ST

We need to buy a CM who can score!

Bertiebeehead · Post by **Bertiebeehead** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 10:46 am

nyclaret wrote:Pope
New RB - Tarks - Gibson - Taylor
New RW - Defour - New CM - McNeil
Wood/Barnes - New ST

We need to buy a CM who can score!

Building a team around Defour? Best April fool yet.
The guys brilliant but I suspect he won’t play professional football again.

nyclaret · Post by **nyclaret** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 11:16 am

Bertiebeehead wrote:Building a team around Defour? Best April fool yet.
The guys brilliant but I suspect he won’t play professional football again.

Did I miss his retirement announcement? Did we not trigger an extension in his contract?

Dyched · Post by **Dyched** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 11:41 am

Win every game until mid March

Dark Cloud · Post by **Dark Cloud** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 11:46 am

I know it's all a a matter of opinions, but personally I feel talking of Europe as a major factor is way off the mark. As others have said it was pretty much over before it started and our poor form continued way, way beyond that. Lack of recruitment during the summer in key areas is the root cause. I don't mean spending gaziilions or changing half the squad, but certain key areas weren't strengthened and that's what's affected us all season and is still affecting us now.

Claretforever · Post by **Claretforever** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 12:08 pm

You can’t put a figure on what we need. Ideally you get a player free of charge and give them higher wages, if that level of player deserves that in the market.

So I’d rather spend £0 but our wages go up to £100m, for example.

I imagine we will have to spend this summer though, and more seriously than last year or we’ll be in the same boat again.

mdd2 · Post by **mdd2** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 12:16 pm

Probably getting relegated this season

aggi · Post by **aggi** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 1:29 pm

Realistically this is the position that we're going to be in virtually every season whilst we're in the Premier League. Occasionally we'll do better, occasionally we'll do worse but there's a pretty strong correlation between spending (wages in particular) and league position and we're not going to buck that trend every year.

Giftonsnoidea · Post by **Giftonsnoidea** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 2:27 pm

Better manager, better formations (ability to change within a game, better players than we have now

Job done

Vegas Claret · Post by **Vegas Claret** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 3:15 pm

summitclaret wrote:And Ipswich

forgot about them, I'm sure there is another - Stoke ?

Vegas Claret · Post by **Vegas Claret** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 3:17 pm

Lancasterclaret wrote:Be able to attack down both flanks

Injury free season from key players

A monster of a centre midfielder

Real pace up front

And even if we do all that, we still be one of those clubs that will be looking at getting to 40 points as soon as possible.

but IF we did all that I honestly think we would breeze to 40 points

Bertiebeehead · Post by **Bertiebeehead** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 4:44 pm

nyclaret wrote:Did I miss his retirement announcement? Did we not trigger an extension in his contract?

I would love him to play for us again, I’d be delighted to be proved wrong. Most technically gifted player in my time that’s ever played for the club.

Rowls · Post by **Rowls** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 4:56 pm

1. Keep Dyche
2. Improve our transfer dealings

It's not been the year we'd all hoped for but even though we were shocking before Christmas we've been close to the level achieved last season since the new year (give or take a few exceptions).

Perhaps the right mix isn't as far off as we sometimes imagine?

Also worth noting one of the most impressive things about Dyche - his ability to produce success more than once and through different playing styles. A lot of managers put together one good team (think Mullen in '91, Coyle in '09) and these things sometimes just "come together"; you suddenly find you have the right man at the right time and that the players you need were actually in situ, they just needed a bit of motivation or the right tactic, for example, for everything to suddenly click.

However, the truly brilliant managers are the ones who manage to build sides by their own endeavours and have shown the ability to do so on more than one occasion.

After Dyche's first promotion it might have been that he just "got lucky" but in the years since then he's proved more than capable of re-building our team (I'd say he has put together 2, nearly 3, distinct winning sides) and making us successful. We should all back him to do it again.

GodIsADeeJay81 · Post by **GodIsADeeJay81** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 5:02 pm

Vegas Claret wrote:but IF we did all that I honestly think we would breeze to 40 points

Like we did last season?

Vegas Claret · Post by **Vegas Claret** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 5:12 pm

GodIsADeeJay81 wrote:Like we did last season?

yep, and now that squad is a year older and it's shown this season. Whatever happens it needs the average age bringing down a couple of years to re-invigorate them

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 5:16 pm

Rowls wrote:
After Dyche's first promotion it might have been that he just "got lucky" but in the years since then he's proved more than capable of re-building our team (I'd say he has put together 2, nearly 3, distinct winning sides) and making us successful. We should all back him to do it again.

Which is an incredible rate of turnover on 6 and a half years

nyclaret · Post by **nyclaret** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 5:20 pm

Bertiebeehead wrote:I would love him to play for us again, I’d be delighted to be proved wrong. Most technically gifted player in my time that’s ever played for the club.

We just need him to complete a full preseason

Cornwallclaret · Post by **Cornwallclaret** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 9:31 pm

Shall we not make sure we're safe this season before speculating about what we should do next season