What's the point of this season?

[cblantfanclub]

Like many I really no longer follow the plan for this season. Kompany can see what’s going on the board can and through stubbornness or design we continue.
There must be some ultimate outcome that he sees to carry on like this – what is the point of this season? Where does he believe it will take us? His after match comments are meaningless and no hints are given as to the ultimate benefits of his “plan” and why he’s putting both players and fans through this.
I’m lost. It feels like the plan is there is no plan.

[CoolClaret]

According to the happy clappers it's so we can be good in two seasons.

I don't understand it either.

[BurnleyFC]

Make no mistake, the start to this season wasn’t in the plan and whatever was the plan has gone straight out of the window, now.

[Spiral]

Don't overcomplicate it. We have really young players, we're giving them a baptism of fire, no stabilisers, no hand-holding, just let them play, fk up, get better, play again, fk up again, play again...

There comes a point where they work out how to win. I think we're a completely w@nk football team, and my brain says we're going down, but then another brain of mine says we're going on a second half of the season rally and we'll scrape it.

[Westleigh]

The point of this season is to help Man City with their financial irregularities ,hence why would we pay £14 mill for an average league 2 keeper ,or does anyone else have a better reason,we were shafted with City’s John Bond and they’ve done us again with VK and Trafford.

[MT03ALG]

The point of the this season is for us to admire the skills of the some of the world's best players whilst at the same time wondering why the world's best players have to resort to cheating, before we can enjoy our football again in the Championship next season.....hopefully still without VAR

[Jakubclaret]

Don't overcomplicate it. We have really young players, we're giving them a baptism of fire, no stabilisers, no hand-holding, just let them play, fk up, get better, play again, fk up again, play again...

There comes a point where they work out how to win. I think we're a completely w@nk football team, and my brain says we're going down, but then another brain of mine says we're going on a second half of the season rally and we'll scrape it.

“There comes a point where they work out how to win” sure does in the championship next season the 1s that still remain.

[Holtyclaret]

According to the happy clappers it's so we can be good in two seasons.

I don't understand it either.

Rather be a happy clapper than an unhappy flapper.

There’s Too much divisive swill and not enough support.

[Vegas Claret]

as with everything in life, there is always a point. If you can't see it try looking just a little harder. I'll repeat what I've said on another thread, our little town team is currently the 20th best in the entire country, nothing pointless about this season at all.

[bumba]

According to the happy clappers it's so we can be good in two seasons.

I don't understand it either.

The happy clappers see the vision of relegation, no players leaving, VK staying and Burnley romping the league then surviving the year after

If we carry on like this until the end of the season VK won't be here, the most ambitious players will leave and we may never return

[Anthonini]

Starting daft topics after a game we should have won and played very well actually...
Criticising young players that just arrived at the club... Criticising the manager that brought us to the PL...

[Rick_Muller]

Don't overcomplicate it. We have really young players, we're giving them a baptism of fire, no stabilisers, no hand-holding, just let them play, fk up, get better, play again, fk up again, play again...

There comes a point where they work out how to win. I think we're a completely w@nk football team, and my brain says we're going down, but then another brain of mine says we're going on a second half of the season rally and we'll scrape it.

I share your view

[Kilson810]

The happy clappers see the vision of relegation, no players leaving, VK staying and Burnley romping the league then surviving the year after

If we carry on like this until the end of the season VK won't be here, the most ambitious players will leave and we may never return

Correct, people keep saying these lads will romp the championship, they clearly don't realise you usually have to sell the best ones following a relegation or they force their way out

[gawthorpe_view]

It's a dry run for the season after next.

[Dyched]

This building is absolute nonsense.

You don’t in season 1 get loanees in that will be your star players that are out of budget to keep and build a team with them. It makes no sense.

The start of next season we are weaker than 24 months earlier. How’s that building?

If we went up or not last year, you don’t “build” with loans.

[RVclaret]

This building is absolute nonsense.

You don’t in season 1 get loanees in that will be your star players that are out of budget to keep and build a team with them. It makes no sense.

The start of next season we are weaker than 24 months earlier. How’s that building?

If we went up or not last year, you don’t “build” with loans.

How would we be weaker than 24 months earlier when we had literally half a squad left? Here’s a hypothetical XI, with the likes of Zaroury, Benson, Redmond, Ekdal, Vitinho, Obafemi, O’Shea, JBG, Larsen, Massengo, Muric and Cullen not accounted for, and Koleosho/Amdouni presumed to be sold:

Trafford
Roberts
Al-Dakhil
Beyer
Delcroix
Berge
Brownhill
Odobert
Ramsey
Tresor
Foster

Sorry but I just don’t buy this ‘we’d be weaker than last time’, at all? That team (and squad) would dominate games of football at that level, gain some swagger (not seen yet ‘cause of results) and blow teams away.

[Newcastleclaret93]

How would we be weaker than 24 months earlier when we had literally half a squad left? Here’s a hypothetical XI, with the likes of Zaroury, Benson, Redmond, Ekdal, Vitinho, Obafemi, O’Shea, JBG, Larsen, Massengo, Muric and Cullen not accounted for, and Koleosho/Amdouni presumed to be sold:

Trafford
Roberts
Al-Dakhil
Beyer
Delcroix
Berge
Brownhill
Odobert
Ramsey
Tresor
Foster

Sorry but I just don’t buy this ‘we’d be weaker than last time’, at all? That team (and squad) would dominate games of football at that level, gain some swagger (not seen yet ‘cause of results) and blow teams away.

I would expect at least 6 of that list to be gone by the end of the summer. So yes you could argue we are going to be weaker than 24 months ago. Especially since the likes of cork will arguably be too old and Jay will be gone as well.

[Stacky_claret]

The point of this season is to help Man City with their financial irregularities ,hence why would we pay £14 mill for an average league 2 keeper ,or does anyone else have a better reason,we were shafted with City’s John Bond and they’ve done us again with VK and Trafford.

Ye because we were so lucky to get 100 points with kompany last year

[Whitgord]

Would there be anyone left to fill the bench RV?

[RVclaret]

I would expect at least 6 of that list to be gone by the end of the summer. So yes you could argue we are going to be weaker than 24 months ago. Especially since the likes of cork will arguably be too old and Jay will be gone as well.

Who would be gone? Berge aside none have done anywhere near enough to secure a move (at this stage). Even he stuck around with Sheff Utd in that league. Also, another reason I want us to stick with Kompany, given he was the main part most of them joined us.

[Westleigh]

Ye because we were so lucky to get 100 points with kompany last year

Why do fans harp on about last season ? we enjoyed it we raved about,Jimmy Mullen & Judas had brilliant season but that’s water under the bridge VK can’t cut it at this level and why should we have to watch our team (Newport aside) have the worst ever home record in the history of English football whilst he watches us sink to new lows.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Who would be gone? Berge aside none have done anywhere near enough to secure a move (at this stage). Even he stuck around with Sheff Utd in that league. Also, another reason I want us to stick with Kompany, given he was the main part most of them joined us.

If I was making a list of our entire squad I think the following will be gone and reason:

Muric - gone, won’t want to be a number 2 in the champ.
Al Dakhil - gone, won’t get regular game time and he’s likely someone we can make profit on (although probs not a lot). I expect him to go to the Dutch or French league.
Taylor - gone, expensive wages and doesn’t suit VK.
Delcroix - shifted on, probably break even.
Redmond - loaned to Turkey
Tresor - loaned to somewhere (no one will pay the fee we have and similar to Weghorst we won’t want to make a loss selling low. No way he drops to championship.
Odobert - loaned out, too many wingers and with Zaroury still around he won’t get enough game time.
Berge - sold for a profit to either European club or a newly promoted prem team.
Koleosho - sold for healthy profit (probs 15m) to a prem team.
Foster - is a totally open depending on if he comes back. I suspect he will be sold and probably for a decent amount if he’s back early enough.
Amdouni - will disappear into Europe somewhere either on loan or be sold for what we bought him for.

[RVclaret]

If I was making a list of our entire squad I think the following will be gone and reason:

Muric - gone, won’t want to be a number 2 in the champ.
Al Dakhil - gone, won’t get regular game time and he’s likely someone we can make profit on (although probs not a lot). I expect him to go to the Dutch or French league.
Taylor - gone, expensive wages and doesn’t suit VK.
Delcroix - shifted on, probably break even.
Redmond - loaned to Turkey
Tresor - loaned to somewhere (no one will pay the fee we have and similar to Weghorst we won’t want to make a loss selling low. No way he drops to championship.
Odobert - loaned out, too many wingers and with Zaroury still around he won’t get enough game time.
Berge - sold for a profit to either European club or a newly promoted prem team.
Koleosho - sold for healthy profit (probs 15m) to a prem team.
Foster - is a totally open depending on if he comes back. I suspect he will be sold and probably for a decent amount if he’s back early enough.
Amdouni - will disappear into Europe somewhere either on loan or be sold for what we bought him for.

Some fair arguments there. I’m pretty sure Taylor is out of contract anyway. Foster, obviously let’s hope he gets better first, but he just signed a new long term deal and given his health priorities, he may well prefer staying where he is rather than a big money move. Re. Odobert, won’t be many wingers left if all the others you mention leave too! I think at 18/19 he’d stay under Kompany. If we end up with a Wilder or Dean Smith then yeah, he goes. Can’t agree on AAD and Delcroix leaving, both stay in my opinion and will be on low enough wages.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Some fair arguments there. I’m pretty sure Taylor is out of contract anyway. Foster, obviously let’s hope he gets better first, but he just signed a new long term deal and given his health priorities, he may well prefer staying where he is rather than a big money move. Re. Odobert, won’t be many wingers left if all the others you mention leave too! I think at 18/19 he’d stay under Kompany. If we end up with a Wilder or Dean Smith then yeah, he goes. Can’t agree on AAD and Delcroix leaving, both stay in my opinion and will be on low enough wages.

Odobert needs to be playing week in week out at 15m. We will still have Larsen, Zaroury, Ramsey, Benson, twine that can all player there.

I just can’t see in any situation we are are carrying 6 cbs in the championship.

I think the two I mentioned will be gone, leaving us with O’Shea, Beyer, Ekdal and McNally in the championship.

[bumba]

Correct, people keep saying these lads will romp the championship, they clearly don't realise you usually have to sell the best ones following a relegation or they force their way out

Absolutely no way we keep this squad together, Koleosho looks to have bags of potential and will play most games but he is also most likely to be sold so he's spent a full season playing then gone, how does that benefit us in the championship?
By that point the wingers not given a game are unhappy, JBL probably returns from his loan due to last of game time.
Berge probably gets bought if he carries on performing.
Foster if he gets back to his form pre illness will more than likely move on to bigger things.
Amdouni will probably move on.
There is absolutely no given that we bounce straight back up, infact I'd say we'd be in a worse position than we was before last season

[RVclaret]

Odobert needs to be playing week in week out at 15m. We will still have Larsen, Zaroury, Ramsey, Benson, twine that can all player there.

I just can’t see in any situation we are are carrying 6 cbs in the championship.

I think the two I mentioned will be gone, leaving us with O’Shea, Beyer, Ekdal and McNally in the championship.

Odobert was 9.5m not 15. Larsen might not be bought after his loan. Ramsey and Twine likely central in this team and the latter might get sold to Hull.

Delcroix can cover left back quite well, which would be needed with Taylor leaving. McNally I believe would be sold for a couple of mil like Thomas was.

[Kilson810]

Absolutely no way we keep this squad together, Koleosho looks to have bags of potential and will play most games but he is also most likely to be sold so he's spent a full season playing then gone, how does that benefit us in the championship?
By that point the wingers not given a game are unhappy, JBL probably returns from his loan due to last of game time.
Berge probably gets bought if he carries on performing.
Foster if he gets back to his form pre illness will more than likely move on to bigger things.
Amdouni will probably move on.
There is absolutely no given that we bounce straight back up, infact I'd say we'd be in a worse position than we was before last season

Yep very true, suspect you can add Benson to the list of players who leave, possibly Beyer and/or Ekdal. Basically we will have to have another full reset and start again.

[Kilson810]

Some fair arguments there. I’m pretty sure Taylor is out of contract anyway. Foster, obviously let’s hope he gets better first, but he just signed a new long term deal and given his health priorities, he may well prefer staying where he is rather than a big money move. Re. Odobert, won’t be many wingers left if all the others you mention leave too! I think at 18/19 he’d stay under Kompany. If we end up with a Wilder or Dean Smith then yeah, he goes. Can’t agree on AAD and Delcroix leaving, both stay in my opinion and will be on low enough wages.

I think AAD will leave, he's getting into the Belgium first team now and will want to keep that up. Delcroix probably stays.

[evensteadiereddie]

Rather be a happy clapper than an unhappy flapper.

There’s Too much divisive swill and not enough support.

Brilliant, Holty, the atmosphere on this board has gone far beyond constructive criticism to pile - on and blame anybody and anything for our struggling.
I thought we played damn well for most of the game.
A bloke and his lad stood next to me in the CFS, row J as it happens, and I kid you not did nothing but whinge and criticise from the kick off. He gave a begrudging clap when we went ahead.
I'll give him one thing, ALL the players were "dogs hit", "lazy" and/or "hopeless". He was nothing if not consistent.
I really don't get the malicious, endless negativity, we know that we are too young and inexperienced as a side in an incredibly demanding league but we play some decent stuff and I thought yesterday we seemed a bit more aggressive too.
If we play like we did yesterday, we'll get some wins and enjoy ourselves.
We might not stay up but this season will not do us any harm whatever happens.

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

According to the happy clappers it's so we can be good in two seasons.

I don't understand it either.

There is a big wide world out there. Maybe have some switch off time from Burnley FC and this messageboard and it won’t all feel as bad.

[Ric_C]

For me the point of this season now is not letting our heads drop, keep evolving the style and hopefully get us a decent points haul. It's imperative we keep backing them.

I'm not in the VK out camp as I think this is a genuinely interesting way of going about squad growth over time. We all know we massively got it wrong in the summer. How much of that was VK and how much was the board, we don't know yet.

The VK style of trying control games invariably ends with not many chances being created at either end. How many times did Benson bail us out last season? The problem we have is we have no real quality up top and a liability of a defence and goalkeeper, so tight games like the last 2 a home, we lose, despite being on top for vast swathes of the game. Look at Sheff Utd yesterday, they conceded 23 shots to Bournemouth.

Signing all these wingers without addressing the main problems of the team is killing us. Benson, Zaroury, Bruun Larsen, Tesor, Odobert not getting a sniff. Absolute car crash. Having said that we have made some useful additions for the future.

BUT

Even though we have stockpiled the wrong players, our squad depth is better than when we went up last season. If we sack VK now it is giving up on the "plan". It is so frustrating at the moment, but just maybe, as a manager and a group we will learn so much from this season, a lot more than swatting away mid championship sides every week.

We need to take it on the chin and keep turning up and keep backing the lads.

[Boss Hogg]

It’s become pointless. I’m not enjoying what I’m seeing. My time is precious and Ive already found something better to do next weekend. We are a rudderless sinking ship. On the field we are a soft touch with no leadership or resilience and an easy three points for other teams. I used to feel sorry for Aston Villa fans when they had that awful PL team that got relegated and they just just couldn’t win and played awful football. We are worse.

We’ve messed up the window big time and given up. Stubbornness from the manager and naivety from both the board and the manager. The worst home start in football league history equalled ( I’m sure we can beat it) yet we’ve spent more in the window than ever before and pay the manager astronomical amounts. We’ve become a lesser team than Luton who we were miles ahead of last season. Im not sure that the player sale strategy will go to plan either. A mess.

[Shaggy]

Continuing with the plan is utter madness. It’s embarrassing and we have the lowest points total ever after 13 games in the PL. at what point does the script require to be ripped up and we start again?

How anyone can defend 11 defeats in 13 is beyond me.

[StayingDown4Ever]

Continuing with the plan is utter madness. It’s embarrassing and we have the lowest points total ever after 13 games in the PL. at what point does the script require to be ripped up and we start again?

How anyone can defend 11 defeats in 13 is beyond me.

11 defeats in 13 games is an absolute disgrace.

It also humiliates all those who claimed we just needed a decent run of fixtures after the tricky few opening games.

[Tricky Trevor]

The football gods smiled on us last season and have **** on us this.
The signings have been baffling beyond belief. The loyalty to players who are nowhere near the required standard for this level is even more so.
What turns me off even more is the garbage pissy pass football. I’ve long said, on here, how bored I get watching Citeh but they do it with a purpose. We don’t. It just appears to be a way of turning a 90 minute game into 60 minutes. Even after WHU winner, with little time remaining, we were ******* it sideways across our half.
I’m not one for getting rid of a manager who proved last season he has ability but I’d love to know if the plan is his or the boards.

[xxmunkyennuixx]

I understand the premise of the title - it is horrible to watch currently. We got most of the last three games correct but this is elite level and any weakness or lack of concentration then all the good work and effort gets thrown away. Essentially, we are watching the club we love get bullied and can't see when it is going to stop.

For me, the board need to come out this week and discuss openly the direction we are taking so there is absolute clarity ie. Vinny stays regardless up to and including a lowest points record relegation or relegation matters (pressures on Vinny to sort this and quickly). We at least will have unity of purpose then. All of us writing on the board hoping to convince and persuade each other is far more ineffective than the board coming out and saying this is what we are doing.

Personally, I'd keep Vinny. He will come good and the show of faith in him will bond him closer to our club and we will get rewarded in the long run. Those who can't bear the bad results can write this season off. Those that are prepared to stick with the team will. I don't give a **** about the plastic EPL melodramatic, rent-a-gob media and the arrogant big club fans. What matters is our team and where we are heading long term.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Grow the squad
No one knew we’d be this toss, but both the players and managers are new to this league

He’s earned the right to bring us back up

We’ve had crap seasons in this league before and lots of people wanted the old manager gone

[warksclaret]

My fear is that VK is somewhat of a broken man lately and the team is sensing this and not finding both inspiration anda way to turn things round for him. Last season everything he did turned to gold-his new players, the coaching, the methods,the new brand of football, the tactics (did he not say on MISSION that during a game we could change our formation and style up to four times in the game).Then more recently he has said things that have come back to haunt him-like saying after the opening game defeat v City "thats the worst we will play this season", and "we need to make Turf Moor a fortress", and "O'Shea is a potential top 6 defender", and Ramsey "is going to go on and play for England". I know dread listening to post game interviews

I think VK needs help from the Board , it seems everything is on his shoulders, and it appears from MISSION that he is a workaholic involved in numerous facets of the club. I can't see how you can become such an ineffective manager overnight . To answer the OP's question it seems such a shame having made the supreme effort to get promoted that we seem to be throwing it away.Getting promoted if we go down is not a given.

What really hurts is seeing Luton now with 5 points more than us, they are extremely hard to beat and have a very ordinary side.

The big question for me is whether VK would be a better coach and manager if we got relegated and promoted again in our first season. We have only seen him for a full season when everything is going well and to plan, and he could do no wrong, but this season he is a very different person. But just imagine how tough the PL will be in 2025/26

[mybloodisclaret]

Stick with the manager. Stick with the players or majority at least.

I'm not finger pointing but anyone can see where our problems lie.

The squad is just too young. There is a lot of talent in that squad, but not enough experience. Not enough leaders. You need to have know how in this league.

[CoolClaret]

My fear is that VK is somewhat of a broken man lately and the team is sensing this and not finding both inspiration anda way to turn things round for him. Last season everything he did turned to gold-his new players, the coaching, the methods,the new brand of football, the tactics (did he not say on MISSION that during a game we could change our formation and style up to four times in the game).Then more recently he has said things that have come back to haunt him-like saying after the opening game defeat v City "thats the worst we will play this season", and "we need to make Turf Moor a fortress", and "O'Shea is a potential top 6 defender", and Ramsey "is going to go on and play for England". I know dread listening to post game interviews

I think VK needs help from the Board , it seems everything is on his shoulders, and it appears from MISSION that he is a workaholic involved in numerous facets of the club. I can't see how you can become such an ineffective manager overnight . To answer the OP's question it seems such a shame having made the supreme effort to get promoted that we seem to be throwing it away.Getting promoted if we go down is not a given.

What really hurts is seeing Luton now with 5 points more than us, they are extremely hard to beat and have a very ordinary side.

The big question for me is whether VK would be a better coach and manager if we got relegated and promoted again in our first season. We have only seen him for a full season when everything is going well and to plan, and he could do no wrong, but this season he is a very different person. But just imagine how tough the PL will be in 2025/26

This is why the noise about him being this supreme, driven workaholic is kinda more PR nonsense. No one can be maximally productive for 60+ hours a week at all, despite what they say.

Not only that but when we do need him at his best - come match day, a lot of the decisions have left a lot to be desired..

Think the club desperately needs an extremely experienced D.O.F with vast knowledge about tge game and a track record of bringing in/developing players but I don't think VK would want to work with that.

Little bit bored of the hyperbole, excuse making and the results. Again, it's not like we're this plucky team that can't believe our luck; we've spent pretty big and absolutely stink.

[Bordeauxclaret]

What would a director of football actually do?

How would it improve us?

[taio]

I can think of many things we need before appointing a director of football.

[Big Vinny K]

Director of Football - ffs
Had there been a manager in the history of the game who genuinely thought that was a good idea

Anyone for Harry Redknapp ?

[daveisaclaret]

Director of Football - ffs
Had there been a manager in the history of the game who genuinely thought that was a good idea

Anyone for Harry Redknapp ?

Manchester City have had a director of football since 2012 and that isn't going too badly.

[CoolClaret]

Directors of football are absolutely everywhere in the game now - throughout the Premier League as well.

Football has absolutely shifted in this direction, it’s not 2005 anymore lads .

[getbennyon]

I can never understand these Burnley fans who obsess about playing the Premier League, the most fun fans have are in the leagues when Burnley is the big fish.

Much more fun watching Burnley slap Rotherham/Notts County and Stockport than kidding ourselves that we played well against West Ham.

[Bordeauxclaret]

Directors of football are absolutely everywhere in the game now - throughout the Premier League as well.

Football has absolutely shifted in this direction, it’s not 2005 anymore lads .

Other than getting one because other clubs have, what exactly would he/she do to improve things?

[CoolClaret]

I can never understand these Burnley fans who obsess about playing the Premier League, the most fun fans have are in the leagues when Burnley is the big fish.

Much more fun watching Burnley slap Rotherham/Notts County and Stockport than kidding ourselves that we played well against West Ham.

Nothing beats seeing world class players down at the Turf - some of the famous scalpels we’ve had coming off Old Trafford with a 2-0 win gives a far better high than beating your Rotherham types, at least for me anyway.

[taio]

I can never understand these Burnley fans who obsess about playing the Premier League, the most fun fans have are in the leagues when Burnley is the big fish.

Much more fun watching Burnley slap Rotherham/Notts County and Stockport than kidding ourselves that we played well against West Ham.

We should always strive for playing at the highest level. The last 15 years have been the best following Burnley since the 80s for me. I've had some unforgettable times during that period that I wouldn't have had competing in the lower leagues against Notts County and Stockport.

[taio]

Other than getting one because other clubs have, what exactly would he/she do to improve things?

To be fair probably our transfer activity and approach in the summer