OUR MIDFIELD TODAY

[warksclaret]

How do you think our midfield performed today-they appeared to me out of sorts-maybe exhaustion has crept in. Westwood was somewhat predictable-when people lay the ball back to him he has a tendancy to hit that long curling ball behind the opposition defence. Their central 3 were quite resolute today/ The jury on Brownhill is still out for me-Hendrick got slaughtered for similar performances. JBG could just not get in the game and whilst McNeil's possession, tracking back, defending and fitness have improved immensely he is not the threat he was when hugging that left touchline and running at defenders. For me the biggest area for strengthening in Summer.Be interesting to hear opinions

[MACCA]

Taylor playing is massive for McNeil.
Taylor occupies a defender, also overlaps and can take on a man himself meaning there's 2 threats.
Peiters is steady, but not known for bombing up and down the left, beating a man or 2, or creating space for McNeil

The lads have looked tired for a few games now, we are threadbare and theyve done amazing since the restart.

We also have a habit of being on the beach for the last game.
Go and have a well deserved rest lads, you deserve it.

UTC

[Silkyskills1]

Tired and at times pedestrian but that's because the injuries/departures ultimately caught up with us today. Overall an 'end of term' performance but absolutely nothing should be taken from the magnificent effort of the last 5 weeks since the debacle of Man City. Here's hoping the next 5 weeks are as productive.

[clarethomer]

Opinion only - not backed up by any stats or facts.

I have observed since Taylor not being available, McNeill appears to have had a slightly more fluid position in the midfield.

I think when we play wood up front with Jay/Barnes, we always appear to play a little more in the air and direct. I think this adds more strain on the midfield.

Brownhill looks good to consider his 'thrusting' into the 1st team. I don't feel he looks out of place personally and have been impressed from what I have seen so far. I think we are only a fresh right winger away from having a pretty decent 5 in midfield if we were to move away from 4-4-2.

I think today wasn't the best performance but I ready to give them some slack given the 2020 they and the rest of the team have had. I can't imagine what we would have been like if we were in this situation with previous managers.

[Woodleyclaret]

Worst game for Dwight
Kept drifting off the wing and was poor overall
Brownhill booked early on and was reluctant to tackle
Westwood kept probing but no support from others

[Bin Ont Turf]

I think we are only a fresh right winger away from having a pretty decent 5 in midfield if we were to move away from 4-4-2.

We will only move away from 4-4-2 if we don't have two forwards fit.

[Vegas Claret]

we were running on empty, don't over think it - 54 points is a superb achievement, get Dyche a few more bodies in over the transfer window and go again

[ClaretTony]

We will only move away from 4-4-2 if we don't have two forwards fit.

And when we didn't play 4-4-2 for much of the 2017/18 season there were people whinging that we should

[Bin Ont Turf]

Folk can go on about the midfield today but I think it was clear that we missed Taylor, Mee and Cork.

Cork or Mee for sorting out (through experience) that little Irish fella who got in between the lines and seemed to have Turf Moor to himself at times.

And Taylor for sending at least one of their wing backs the other way towards their goal. As well as Pieters has done defensively and getting forward, he just doesn't have the dynamism Taylor has.

[Bin Ont Turf]

And when we didn't play 4-4-2 for much of the 2017/18 season there were people whinging that we should

Hendrick haters

[clarethomer]

not suggesting that we should move away from it either but merely that Mcneil, Westwood, Cork and Brownhill give us 4 decent midfielders a fresh right-winger could make a fairly well balanced 5 midfield

[jurek]

I feel we still need another midfielder.
Someone who can carry the ball and isn't frightened about
getting forward.
We're still lacking guile and pace.
Defensively possibly a new right back too.
And hope that Brady and JBG can produce next season.

[Bin Ont Turf]

not suggesting that we should move away from it either but merely that Mcneil, Westwood, Cork and Brownhill give us 4 decent midfielders a fresh right-winger could make a fairly well balanced 5 midfield

I agree, but maybe only used for certain away games.

[HuncoatClaret]

I thought the main problem with the two central midfielders is that they were far too deep, and their midfield picked up all the cleared balls which landed just outside their Box. In the 85th min Westwood was playing balls from right back or centre half, Tarky is worth millions, he can do that.

[randomclaret2]

Ive been impressed with Brownhill but we still could do with a bigger physical presence in the middle of the field.

[clarethomer]

Ive been impressed with Brownhill but we still could do with a bigger physical presence in the middle of the field.

is that so we can flick on any misplaced long balls

[RalphCoatesComb]

Let's have this in perspective.

Jay Rod should have had a penalty in the first half. He had a legitimate goal ruled out in the second. He had a 'goal' saved on the line.

Jack Cork, Ben Mee, and important 'others' were missing. We didn't play our best today but don't blame the midfield.

[Boroclaret]

We didn't have a midfield today. Nobody could pass, control, protect the ball, or track a runner.

Everyone looked leggy, perfectly understandable with amount of games in last few weeks, but we are desperate for someone with a presence in midfield.

This and a right back should be top priorities for the transfer window.

[warksclaret]

Agreed Boro-we can blame the disputed penalty, the disallowed goal but we were easy meat today. Another club might have taken us to the cleaners

Fair to say there is an understandable tiredness in the whole camp-even tactics were lacking. Obvious their right back was going to be a threat within 5 minutes and we gave him the freedom of the town.He has been playing well for the last 3 games and should have been on our radar.He was just too quick for Pieters yet we gave Pieters no help.

Presence is the right description in the type of midfielder we need to bring in. Cork, Westwood and Brownhills are all fairly lightweight and similar in their style of play. We need to be smart in this window and time for certain people in the recruitment side to step up. Brighton finished 16th but look at their bench today-the luxury of having Moy on the bench

[Stayingup]

Can't have enough midfield players. We need Marney and Joey back!!! Or something similar and a fit Cork.

[Bin Ont Turf]

Presence is the right description in the type of midfielder we need to bring in. Cork, Westwood and Brownhills are all fairly lightweight and similar in their style of play. We need to be smart in this window and time for certain people in the recruitment side to step up. Brighton finished 16th but look at their bench today-the luxury of having Moy on the bench

It's like you have never watched us under Dyche or know what we are about.

[warksclaret]

I have watched enough of Burnley since 1961 to know what Burnley and and SD are about. However my opinion is that the midfield needs strengthening and I feel there is a similarity about the 3 current central midfielders and if we recruit in this area we need different qualities. Had we today played a team nearer the top it could have been quite a score. I am sure tiredness both physically and mentally played their part. We weren't at the races today.

[Vino blanco]

When our squad is fully fit our keeper and back four are as good as any in the PL and our four strikers are certainly good enough for the PL given our style of football. However, I have said on here many, many times that our biggest weakness is our midfield: I am not saying they are bad players but it is an area where we should really try and improve our quality and strength.

[mdd2]

I thought we needed it more on the deck against their big centre backs and that Vydra should have played that first hour but I do accept that Wood did ever so well for his equaliser.

[ClaretLoup]

We have not got a midfield player who can score more than 2 goals a season and some of them can’t even do that. We need a guy who can knock in four or five every year and or two more who can get 2/3 a season.