Well - those that had the misfortune to go to the Turf tonight, how was he? Did he look fit?

Very hard to judge anything off seeing goal highlights and listening to Clarets Player, but he sounded like he gave the ball away a lot from the commentary. Unlucky deflection with the first goal from his challenge diverting the ball into Grigg.

He’s a way off displacing either Cork or Westwood.
A good pass out to Vydra in the build up to our goal, but he’s so off the pace, I can’t see him starting a game for us for a while, yet.

Well off the pace

Disappointed to hear that

Disappointing to hear considering the short nature of his loan (which you would guess is unlikely to be extended if he cannot get into the first eleven for some weeks/months).

Will be surprised if he starts a game before Xmas.

Don’t know if it’d be any different in the league, but if he’s not capable of replacing Cork then we really did go a third consecutive transfer window without improving the first XI.

First half he was ok. Some nice touches and passes. Second half we resorted to hoof ball and bypassed midfield. He disappeared from the game. Does not look like he will fit into the more direct style we usually play in PL based on the second half but hard to judge from one game. He didn't do as much defensively as Cork or Westwood. Maybe needs game time but probably won't get it.

SGr wrote:Don’t know if it’d be any different in the league, but if he’s not capable of replacing Cork then we really did go a third consecutive transfer window without improving the first XI.

I mean Pieters seems to have taken Taylor's spot - but I take your point.

jrgbfc wrote:Will be surprised if he starts a game before Xmas.

I will be surprised if he ever starts for us .

Flat Stanley wrote:First half he was ok. Some nice touches and passes. Second half we resorted to hoof ball and bypassed midfield. He disappeared from the game. Does not look like he will fit into the more direct style we usually play in PL based on the second half but hard to judge from one game. He didn't do as much defensively as Cork or Westwood. Maybe needs game time but probably won't get it.

Did you watch anything of Leicester in the 15/16 season?
Literally the definition of direct & counter attacking football!

He looked terrible

Yes watched Leicester and he looked like a different player then. Also had Kante alongside him. Maybe needs more games. Probably rusty and the defensive side of his game wasn't there tonight.

Went into a sulk and didn't keep his fitness up at Chelsea. Allegedly.

Got paid a lot for it though.

Thought it was a bit strange that he rocked up at Burnley patently unfit despite having a pre season at Chelsea. On £100k a week he could have hired a personal trainer, but then again he is another footballer too thick to hire a taxi when he is three sheets to the wind.

SGr wrote:Don’t know if it’d be any different in the league, but if he’s not capable of replacing Cork then we really did go a third consecutive transfer window without improving the first XI.

Cork’s been one of our best players so far

Dont know how much we are paying him but it sounds like his playing time in our first team will be very limited.

You can see he has ability to pick a pass but his tackling was poor and at no time did he impose himself on the game. Seemed to struggle with our tactical shape!

FCBurnley wrote:Dont know how much we are paying him but it sounds like his playing time in our first team will be very limited.

I'd guess we'll be covering half of his alleged 100 grand a week wages.

He was poor in my eyes. Started off okay, but then got caught in possession numerous times and some very sloppy easy passes given away. Didn't show much passion or fight given it was his debut. On the flip side his long passes were very good.

I thought he showed some good passing ability especially in the first half. He played more of a defensive midfield role than I expected and seemed to find time to make sensible passes. With better players behind him (we really missed Tarks and Mee tonight) I am hopeful he can be an improvement on either Cork or Westwood. Just not sure he will get the chance bar injuries to the aforementioned pair.

Give the bloke a chance! It was his first 90 minutes of serious football for quite a while. Far too early to be written off by the 'experts' on here!

Agree Leisure. He showed some classy touches / passes but he looked like a player who hasn’t played much competitive football for a while, and that is reflected by the fact that he hasn’t!!
Sunderland deserve some credit tonight, they closed down quickly and looked a really fit side. We didn’t work as hard as them without the ball and it cost us. Drinkwater was caught out a time or two, including for their first goal, but no need to write the guy off.

Don’t think people are writing him off, merely reflecting on how he played tonight!

Underwhelmed despite a few nice touches.

One of the few positives tonight I thought was that we know it would be too risky giving him a PL start for quite some time. He could possibly have been thrown in against Liverpool. He won't be after tonight's showing. Nice to have flushed that out now rather than Saturday.

Body language and work off the ball smacked of someone who thought he should be somewhere else, somewhere better. I’d didn’t get the impression he wanted to play for our football club and fight to get into the team or make up for his unfortunate role in their equaliser. Perhaps he has that type of demeanour, perhaps he was gutted with his role in the first and it had adverse effect on him, perhaps it’s just because he’s not fit, perhaps I’m wrong...... but I reckon (just my opinion on tonight) we might just not extend his loan in January

Sideways and backwards

As I feared. past his best.There is a reason why Chelse want rid
Again our scouting and acquiring a decent cm in the Summer caught us out
Why Benson wasnt given a run is a mystery .Danny should have grabbed his chance to shine.
On this display, it will be an age before he's given the shirt again

Benson has a lot of learning to do before he is PL ready - same as the other u23 Development Squad young men. Drinkwater has had the lessons but to expect him to be ready to walk into our 1st XI after played so little in the last 2 years is crazy.

I want him to do well and sign for us. He has same name as my mum's maiden name Drinkwater who was from Denton near Manchester. We could be related
Come on Danny!

Got pelters on here for suggesting he’s going to need a hell of a lot of catching up to do to be ready. He’s barely played first team football and keeping yourself fit/playing some reserve games is not the same thing. Plus, now we’re out of the cup, it limits first team opportunities as he’s not displacing Cork/Westwood in the PL any time soon.

Flat Stanley wrote:Yes watched Leicester and he looked like a different player then. Also had Kante alongside him. Maybe needs more games. Probably rusty and the defensive side of his game wasn't there tonight.

He does need games, but when is he likely to get them?

There’s no case currently for him displacing Cork or Westwood and based on last night, Hendrick is more likely to start if either get injured.

If most of the comments on here are correct and that we have signed a player who is unlikely to get a game before his short term loan expires then it really was a sub standard transfer window. Shame, so many had high hopes when he joined us but obviously a long way off from the player that starred for Leicester.

MDWat wrote:Cork’s been one of our best players so far

When you have blamed the Wolves result on Cork (as SGr did) you can't say that. It says a lot more about his knowledge than anything else .


Those who went last night can now see that Dyche was right when saying he was behind others in terms of fitness. Strange how he seems to know these things working with the players every day. Still the non attendees who think he should just walk into the side will remind us he won the league a few year ago.

Leisure wrote:Give the bloke a chance! It was his first 90 minutes of serious football for quite a while. Far too early to be written off by the 'experts' on here!

I don't think people are writing him off, he clearly has some class about him, but the op was asking about his performance last night and that is what most of the comments here are based upon.

Writing him off after his first competitive game in a long time. Pathetic

He was awful last night. Looked way off the pace and kept giving the ball away. A good while before he will be 'Dyche fit' and clearly needs to get his sharpness back.

kentonclaret wrote:If most of the comments on here are correct and that we have signed a player who is unlikely to get a game before his short term loan expires then it really was a sub standard transfer window. Shame, so many had high hopes when he joined us but obviously a long way off from the player that starred for Leicester.

Surely a player of Drinkwaters quality can get himself fit enough in a 4 month period to earn his place in the team. He hasn't suddenly lost the knowledge how to play, it's all down to his desire and willingness to push himself. Unfortunately with the money they get paid these days that desire isn't always there becaue they are already set for life financially.

100k a week and not fit...I see.

Ipreferaflan wrote:Writing him off after his first competitive game in a long time. Pathetic

I remember a lot of fans writing Vokes off.

Papabendi wrote:100k a week and not fit...I see.

Fairly certain that how much someone earns doesn't have any baring on fitness!

Probably the sort who doesn't believe well-off people can get depression either

Leisure wrote:Fairly certain that how much someone earns doesn't have any baring on fitness!

No but if you’re willing to accept a football club sticking 100k in your bank every week for being a professional football player the least you can do is keep fit. Especially with the Chelsea transfer ban. He could have found himself in the first 11 or at least on the bench there with the right attitude.

It’s clear from last night he’s at least a month away from playing in the PL.

Falcon wrote:Probably the sort who doesn't believe well-off people can get depression either

No Falcon and if I may say so, a rather leading comment. Drinkwater's very well paid position is as a pro footballer. As far as I am aware, while he didn't play much first team football last season, he wasn't injured either. He has also had a pre season. So, while some ring rustiness is not so much a concern, being noticeably off the pace against Sunderland reserves at home, and probably being more than a month away from any realistic first team football with us, as our marquee signing of the summer and probably the highest wage earner at the club, is.

He was very poor last night and didn't look fit. That's all I know.

I think speculating any further about Drinkwater, his wages, when he will play, how good he still is etc etc is a bit pointless as we're not in the know as far as his progress goes. I'll trust Mr Dyche and his team to make the right calls for now.

Dyched wrote:No but if you’re willing to accept a football club sticking 100k in your bank every week for being a professional football player the least you can do is keep fit. Especially with the Chelsea transfer ban. He could have found himself in the first 11 or at least on the bench there with the right attitude.

It’s clear from last night he’s at least a month away from playing in the PL.

He might be fit, but it's another question entirely on being match fit, match sharp and "Dyche fit". Purely speculating due to your jealousy of his pay packet doesn't do anyone any good.

Several posts on here questioning Drinky's attitude which is surprising given that Dyche spent half a season working with the player when he was at Watford in 2011. Dyche has always maintained that he would not bring a player in to the group with a poor/bad attitude.

As for fitness surely this can be judged at the time of the medical which I am sure are very thorough. Not match fitness, but the general level of fitness expected of a professional footballer.

jrgbfc wrote:Will be surprised if he starts a game before Xmas.

Might get to see him in action once before he goes back then.

kentonclaret wrote:Several posts on here questioning Drinky's attitude which is surprising given that Dyche spent half a season working with the player when he was at Watford in 2011. Dyche has always maintained that he would not bring a player in to the group with a poor/bad attitude.

As for fitness surely this can be judged at the time of the medical which I am sure are very thorough. Not match fitness, but the general level of fitness expected of a professional footballer.

I don't know, last few hours of the transfer window, we'd clearly run out of any other options.

"will be surprised if he starts a game before Xmas"

Even Sean Dyche looks forward to a drinky at Xmas.