ARTICLE: Premier League defence confirmed – and on to the midfield

[ClaretTony]

Best PL central defenders result and voting underway for best central midfielders

See link
https://www.uptheclarets.com/premier-le ... e-midfield

[wilks_bfc]

This will probably be the most difficult position to decide

[Mattster]

Recency bias will play a big part in this one. Only one of these has won the club's player of the season award whilst we were in the Premier League and I will put good money on him not coming top 2, in fact I bet he doesn't even make top 3.

[TomtheClaret]

Barton not included in poll?

[Mattster]

Barton not included in poll?

Only had half a season in the PL

[claretrobo1]

Toughest one yet. Found it hard to pick between Cork and Westwood but Cork just edged it.

[ClaretTony]

Barton not included in poll?

Minimum of 20 appearances required - he didn't reach that total.

[tiger76]

Cork was a shoe-in for me, 2nd one was tougher, but ultimately Defour got my nod, and as a pair they were a joy to witness during that 17/18 campaign, sadly they didn't play together that often mainly due to injury.

[Murger]

Defour and Cork for me.

[RVclaret]

The Defour / Cork partnership was easily my favourite midfield duo, outstanding - just a shame it didn’t last longer.

[Mala591]

Minimum of 20 appearances required - he didn't reach that total.

At less than 20 appearances he was still one of the best

[RVclaret]

At less than 20 appearances he was still one of the best

I thought Barton’s stint with us in the Prem was pretty disappointing - nowhere near as good as he was in the Champ.

[ClaretTony]

At less than 20 appearances he was still one of the best

Really? Do you think he would have got many votes from those Premier League appearances? We won 2, drew 4 and lost 6 of his 12 Premier League starts for us.

[Mala591]

I thought Barton’s stint with us in the Prem was pretty disappointing - nowhere near as good as he was in the Champ.

You might be right, I’m probably remembering his Championship performances. Ageing legs in a much higher quality league might have been a bit too much to ask of Barton.

[ClaretPete001]

Marney and Westwood deserve a shout but for me it has to be Defour/Cork as well.

It's not surprising Alex Ferguson was interested in Defour and had it not been for injuries you would have to think he would have played for one of the European elite clubs.

[ClaretTony]

One of the candidates in this vote actually signed for us five years ago today

https://www.uptheclarets.com/burnley-pu ... the-claret

[fidelcastro]

I think we know who was the best penalty taker.

[Pickles]

Can see how it may appear tricky, this one. Did for me at first. But really, was fairly straightforward. Defour and Cork. The former is probably the best player I've seen play for us.

[Pearcey]

Defour and Cork for me too. Westwood is a close third.

[wilks_bfc]

Can see how it may appear tricky, this one. Did for me at first. But really, was fairly straightforward. Defour and Cork. The former is probably the best player I've seen play for us.

Admittedly I posted my initial comment after seeing the list but before actually considering and voting, for the same two

[bfcjg]

Defour and Cork for me.

[bobinho]

Defour and Marney for me. Defour is the best player I have ever seen play for us. I’m 56. No one comes close.
Close between Dean and Jack, but Dean takes it purely for his shooting.

[ClaretPete001]

Marney is a good shout, and I think if it had been a PL squad he would have made my first 11 in a 5-4-1 away at City or Anfield in a number 10 type role.

The reason I picked Cork was for his yards covered and because I can't decide whether to go hardworking left and right sided midfielders like Arfield/Hendrick/JBG or more mercurial players like Cornet and Mc Neil.

I'm tempted for the latter so I need Cork to cover the ground.

On pure talent Cornet/Mc Neil are shoe-ins but in terms of effectiveness Arfield has to be a consideration.

Oh blimey, this management thing is giving me a headache.

[Swizzlestick]

Another vote for Defour and Cork. SD the best player I've seen in claret and blue.

[BurnleyFC]

Sentiment, but I cannot vote against Dean Marney here - I loved the guy.

So Marney and Defour get the nod from me.

[MDWat]

Marney is nowhere near our best Premier League midfield.

Defour and Cork for me.

[Rowls]

The two front runners look to be running away with it.

3rd place is the closer position. Marney wins it for me for his forward momentum. Westwood has been great for us but too often went with the easy pass or wasn't quite strong enough.

A midfield of Marney and Westwood at their best would have been formidable.

[Greenmile]

I went with Alexander and Cork. Defour was comfortably better than both when fully fit, but that just wasn’t often enough for us, IMO.

[jrgbfc]

I went with Defour and Cork also. The Jack Cork of a few years ago was streets ahead of Westwood, even at his best.

[ClaretTony]

Cork is a player whose influence on the team is not always obvious until he’s out of the side and then you badly miss him

[Shaggy]

It’s fairly easy this one, Defour and Cork. Westwood and Marney are/were decent for us aswell and would be 3rd and 4th choice.

[Indecisive]

Despite him not always being given the credit he’d deserve I’d say Cork has been the most valuable to us. Raw ability… Defour is a shoe in.

Quite an easy pick for me with these two.

[bobinho]

I went with Alexander and Cork. Defour was comfortably better than both when fully fit, but that just wasn’t often enough for us, IMO.

So you’ve voted on the criteria of who played the most?

[Greenmile]

So you’ve voted on the criteria of who played the most?

I suppose I’ve gone with what they brought to the team over their Burnley careers, rather than what they could bring to the team when at their best in a single match.

Games played for us was certainly a factor, but not the only (or even main) one. The reason I didn’t pick Defour probably relates to the proportion of his appearances when he was largely ineffective for us, which I put down to his not being fully fit, as we could see what a good player he was on the relatively few occasions when he was fully fit and firing.

Cork may never have reached the heights of Defour at his best, but I think we have to put some value on consistency.

Having said all that, it’s probably fair to say that my choice of Alexander may have been a bit heart before head. In all honesty, I’m not sure any of that first promotion / PL side get anywhere near most of Dyche’s teams (with the possible exception of Blake), but I loved the calm way GA played that lynchpin role he had in the team.

[jdrobbo]

Cork and Defour

[ervi34]

Defour and Westwood

[NottsClaret]

17 games into a Premier League season with a fit Defour, and Cork next to him.

Screenshot 2022-07-11 at 17.12.50.png (51.44 KiB) Viewed 768 times

[Rowls]

17 games into a Premier League season with a fit Defour, and Cork next to him.


Screenshot 2022-07-11 at 17.12.50.png

We were extremely unlucky not to have a handful more points on the board too with some dubious refereeing decisions going against us.