ARTICLE: Roberts moves to Leeds

[Jakubclaret]

Everton may well stay up but the fact is - I know how much you like facts - they are in the bottom three and are winless in their last six games. A few had them comfortably top half even with the points reduction.

At the final reckoning & probably before that everton won't be in danger. Unlike us they have a manager who knows what he's doing.

[Colburn_Claret]

I'd wish Connor luck, but don't want anything positive for dirty Leeds.
He deserves a good move, I just don't see what VK sees and doesn't see in our squad. The good players from last season frozen out, and the usual lack of explanation from the club regarding anything.

I'm sure we are all on the same page by now, that we are lacking leaders and experience on the pitch. I don't see how losing Connor helps us.

[BurnleyFC]

…got to play well and keep your spot.

You don’t have to in this Burnley team.

[daveisaclaret]

A bizarre and pretty crap situation imo. Our first choice right back from the start of the season gets a red card (and not a particularly poor or impactful one) and all of a sudden he's a bit part midfielder/left back. Then you send him on loan with no obligation to buy meaning in Summer we either have to find somewhere else to send him or we need to say welcome back lad, we didn't want you around last season but it's time to crack on now.

[Bordeauxclaret]

I genuinely don’t think the red card played any significant part.
We’ve seen from his time here he’s just short of the quality for this level.

Good Championship player, just not good enough for this level unfortunately.

[daveisaclaret]

Either the red card was significant or Kompany has watched Vitinho play since and decided it's Roberts that needs to go. Either is a little scary imo.

[KRBFC]

A bizarre and pretty crap situation imo. Our first choice right back from the start of the season gets a red card (and not a particularly poor or impactful one) and all of a sudden he's a bit part midfielder/left back. Then you send him on loan with no obligation to buy meaning in Summer we either have to find somewhere else to send him or we need to say welcome back lad, we didn't want you around last season but it's time to crack on now.

You’re twisting it and ignoring reality.

The reality is our first choice right back was getting roasted every week and the team was leaking goals for fun. He then gets a red card which means he’s forced to miss games, with him gone we look a better unit. He returns from suspension and can’t get a look in at right back anymore because VK (like Dyche was) Is sick of his lack of defensive skills and poor form.

[jedi_master]

"...or we need to say welcome back lad, we didn't want you around last season but it's time to crack on now."

Quite a few in that boat - some of them not even out on loan.

[daveisaclaret]

Quite a few in that boat - some of them not even out on loan.

Think most of them will either be candidates for selling for a tidy profit or out of contract. Roberts and Cullen seem to be the main two in that position to me.

[Stayingup]

Hasn't been treated very well this season. Better than Vitinho in my opinion.

[ClaretLoup]

Just to clarify, he was left out for the Chelsea game and Vitinho brought in presumably because VK thought the Brazilian’s pace would negate Sterling. Roberts was then re-instated for the Brentford away trip.

[Bordeauxclaret]

Either the red card was significant or Kompany has watched Vitinho play since and decided it's Roberts that needs to go. Either is a little scary imo.

Defensively I think there is little between them.
Neither are good enough for this level but results and performances have been better without Roberts.

Fingers crossed for the new guy.

[Goliath]

Just to clarify, he was left out for the Chelsea game and Vitinho brought in presumably because VK thought the Brazilian’s pace would negate Sterling.

That went well

[BurnleyFC]

That went well

I don’t mind Vitinho (and Roberts for that matter) and think he gets a bit of unfair criticism on here at times.

He was horrific against Chelsea, though.

[warksclaret]

I like Roberts and have been accused of being biased on this site, so I am sad to see him go, but at least we have bought in a new RB who could be a real discovery and ready for the first team immediately. That means we can start without Vitinho who is massively exposed in the PL, and in the last few games he has been dreadful when moving forward and attacking. It also means we can dispense of JBG, largely in the team to cover for Vitinho. JBG has to be one of the slowest players in the PL. We need pace, physicality and decisiveness when attacking. Forfana had a great debut, and alongside an in form Foster and Odobert we may start to create more chances and score more goals. I think the club has done fantastically well to attract three new players who all look better than most of the current starting eleven, particularly when you appreciate we have just 12 points and look doomed.

Coming back to Roberts I have often felt he enjoys playing for Wales more than our club, particularly this season-its no coincidence that Leeds have a number of Welsh internationals. Be interesting to see Connor's mobile phone

[Jakubclaret]

Hasn't been treated very well this season. Better than Vitinho in my opinion.

He is without a shadow. it's a stretch I think though to say he's been treated poorly he's effectively been paid thousands for sitting on his backside I wish somebody would treat me badly if that's what it amounts to.

[Jamesy]

I didn't say a word about Vitinho. You can't fault Vitinho's effort. His defending and end product you can certainly question but not his effort or work-rate.

Kompany was using Roberts off the bench in midfield to help us try to see out some games. He'll probably use Massengo or Ramsay to do that now?

Defending and end product are two pre requisites of someone playing at full back. As you say we can question his ability to do these two things but his effort and work rate are sound?
When I used to play amateur football we often trialled players who had plenty of effort and work rate. However, they didn’t manage to get in the team because in a nutshell they couldn’t master the basic skills and weren’t very good.
Whether Connor wanted to go out on loan or not, I find this another strange decision in the head of Vincent Kompany.

[Vegas Claret]

He's good on the goals again last night isn't he Vitinho? He can't defend and Beyer can't either, he's a good footballer but is constantly found out at this level in terms of defending.

Vitinho 1 million quid
Gvardiol 80 million quid - he was just as bad on our goal
Both in their first season at this level as is Beyer.
Grealish with loads of PL experience struggled massively at City in his first season despite costing 100 million and isn't getting as much game time as he did last season now either. In a recent interview i think he described himself as 'really poor'

I'm not sure anyone can knock Vitinho at what we paid for him, had we paid 80 we would be fuming !

[elwaclaret]

I suspect Connor has struggled this season after seeing the gang ‘all for one’ mentality of last season dismantled. Hopefully we will see it return to some degree in the coming weeks. I can see Roberts returning after a freshen up at Leeds, and it would not surprise me to see him back around the team next seaon… effectively when the current crop are more bedded in and a ‘team mentality’ again replaces a team of part and pieces… so far we have felt too often like a Lego kit straight out of the box, that at times appear to be just a load of unrelated bits.

[boatshed bill]

What thread can we move the same old arguments on to next?

[CoolClaret]

You’re proper full of poo, let’s only show appreciation to those VK isn’t picking to start!

Just not true is it?

How old are you now?! - thought you'd 'grown up'

[ClaretTony]

I'm not sure anyone can knock Vitinho at what we paid for him, had we paid 80 we would be fuming !

So we don't criticise him because he didn't cost much

[taio]

Vitinho is barely good enough to play right back in the Championship. Pretty irrelevant what we paid for him in the context of needing to play our best eleven or to strengthen in postions of weakness. Roberts should've been starting ahead of him.

[Big Vinny K]

Vitinho is barely good enough to play right back in the Championship. Pretty irrelevant what we paid for him in the context of needing to play our best eleven or to strengthen in postions of weakness. Roberts should've been starting ahead of him.

Agree.
But Roberts was having a pretty awful season prior to being dropped (like most of the team)
Would have been interesting to see how Roberts would have fared as we started to improve and concede less goals and chances.
Vitinho is just not good enough - it’s a long time since I have seen a burnley player who crosses it as poorly as Vitinho and who makes such poor decisions when he gets in an advanced position especially.
Struggle to believe Roberts would not have done better than Vitinho but still think that both aren’t good enough and in fact we probably have the poorest full backs in the league at the club.

[DCWat]

For all his faults, I like Vitinho. He’s definitely a useful squad player, just not really a regular starter.

Despite a better season last time, I’ve really never taken to Roberts. Not sure what he is but I’m just a bit ‘meh’ about him as a player and him going out on loan.

[JohnMac]

Our current level is bottom 2 and we aren't the first; or last Club, to undergo a major overhaul between seasons and not set the League alight. Playing against some of the finest players in the World every week along with some younger players far too good to be within our sphere is a real test.

To say players like Connor aren't good enough is a real slur on him as a professional footballer. It's just a pity he is out of favour as he has always worn his heart on the sleeve and given his best. Some fans are so disrespectful of our Squad as a whole and really need to stay off the keyboard.

[taio]

Agree.
But Roberts was having a pretty awful season prior to being dropped (like most of the team)
Would have been interesting to see how Roberts would have fared as we started to improve and concede less goals and chances.
Vitinho is just not good enough - it’s a long time since I have seen a burnley player who crosses it as poorly as Vitinho and who makes such poor decisions when he gets in an advanced position especially.
Struggle to believe Roberts would not have done better than Vitinho but still think that both aren’t good enough and in fact we probably have the poorest full backs in the league at the club.

Full backs definitely an area of weakness. Inexplicable how we didn't strengthen in certain positions.

[fidelcastro]

Full backs definitely an area of weakness. Inexplicable how we didn't strengthen in certain positions.

Isn't this why we have brought in Assignon?

Presumably, he thinks Taylor is good enough on the other side... either that or we just failed to land his replacement this window, once we knew Maatsen wasn't coming.

[taio]

Isn't this why we have brought in Assignon?

Presumably, he thinks Taylor is good enough on the other side... either that or we just failed to land his replacement this window, once we knew Maatsen wasn't coming.

We should've strengthened those positions in the summer, not in January. I've no idea what the new right back is like.

[fidelcastro]

We should've strengthened those positions in the summer, not in January. I've no idea what the new right back is like.

Agreed. The decision to stockpile the squad with wingers who were no better than what we already had (worse in one or two cases) remains a mystery.

[Jamesy]

Agreed. The decision to stockpile the squad with wingers who were no better than what we already had (worse in one or two cases) remains a mystery.

Stockpile is a very apt description here. VK has been allowed to sign more players than any Burnley manager in my lifetime and has ended up with loads of pretty boy potential and neglected the spine of the team.

[FCBurnley]

Roberts will be a major asset for Leeds push for promotion

[nil_desperandum]

Just wait till Kompany plays Assignon at RB and moves our utility player - Vitinho - to left back. It will be lively on here!

[Silkyskills1]

Please explain what is 'pretty boy potential'? I'm intrigued.

[AlargeClaret]

It’s a pity the club will likely make a decent profit on players yet be relegated for 2nd time in 3 seasons . This model goes hugely t1ts up if we don’t get straight back though . Roberts been a decent servant , not quite as good as Lowton as a RB but always gave his all .

[Enola Gay]

Our current level is bottom 2 and we aren't the first; or last Club, to undergo a major overhaul between seasons and not set the League alight. Playing against some of the finest players in the World every week along with some younger players far too good to be within our sphere is a real test.

To say players like Connor aren't good enough is a real slur on him as a professional footballer. It's just a pity he is out of favour as he has always worn his heart on the sleeve and given his best. Some fans are so disrespectful of our Squad as a whole and really need to stay off the keyboard.

Well, no, it isn't.

I haven't seen anyone say he's not good enough to play professional football. All anyone has said is that he doesn't look good enough for the Premier League, which is pretty much my take on him as well. Fine at the level below but this one looks a step too far and at this stage in his career, it's a step you'd be surprised if he made it.

[Jakubs Tash]

Roberts has been at Burnley for two and half years and only really given us 6 good months. I know he had his illness but he was pretty underwhelming for most of his time at Burnley apart from the second half of last season.

There’s very little between him and Vitinho ability wise (I personally think Roberts is slightly better) so the upshot is we needed two new right backs. Yesterday’s business (bringing one in and shifting one out) is a good start.

[warksclaret]

Roberts has been at Burnley for two and half years and only really given us 6 good months. I know he had his illness but he was pretty underwhelming for most of his time at Burnley apart from the second half of last season.

There’s very little between him and Vitinho ability wise (I personally think Roberts is slightly better) so the upshot is we needed two new right backs. Yesterday’s business (bringing one in and shifting one out) is a good start.

He was very good in the second half of his first season with us once SD started playing him

[Goliath]

He was very good in the second half of his first season with us once SD started playing him

Don't agree with that, i thought he was god awful. He got a run in the side and got gradually worse until the famous roasting he got from Richarlison, he was then dropped.

It was also telling that in our huge relegation decider v Newcastle, Jackson didnt trust him at right back v St Maximin so ended up playing him on the right of midfield with Collins behind him, which i think in the end is what cost us. Never been good enough at this level.

[dougcollins]

If they both get on the pitch, could be Roberts v Twine tonight.

[ClaretSam]

He was very good in the second half of his first season with us once SD started playing him

Crikey, Very good is a stretch.

Only saw any glimpse of talent after the W/C. Very deserving of his place in the team of the year.

But some fans deffo are re writing history. Keep seeing the “passion” mentioned. He was always shirking tackles especially in the lead up to the w/c.

Good solid champ right back. Nothing more, nothing less.
Really need to move on he isn’t Cafu.

[Jamesy]

Crikey, Very good is a stretch.

Only saw any glimpse of talent after the W/C. Very deserving of his place in the team of the year.

But some fans deffo are re writing history. Keep seeing the “passion” mentioned. He was always shirking tackles especially in the lead up to the w/c.

Good solid champ right back. Nothing more, nothing less.
Really need to move on he isn’t Cafu.

It’s fine to move on providing we have adequate or better replacements. Sadly I’m not sure this is the case.

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

Crikey, Very good is a stretch.

Only saw any glimpse of talent after the W/C. Very deserving of his place in the team of the year.

But some fans deffo are re writing history. Keep seeing the “passion” mentioned. He was always shirking tackles especially in the lead up to the w/c.

Good solid champ right back. Nothing more, nothing less.
Really need to move on he isn’t Cafu.

As you say solid Championship full back but not good enough for the step up as we witnessed last time we were in the Premier League. Also as someone has posted both full back positions should have been sorted early last summer.

[Westleigh]

If Hull and Leeds get promoted will Zaroury and Roberts want to come back?

[boatshed bill]

If Hull and Leeds get promoted will Zaroury and Roberts want to come back?

If those two clubs, and players, end up getting promoted will they want those 2 players in the PL?

[Westleigh]

If those two clubs, and players, end up getting promoted will they want those 2 players in the PL?

64,000 dollar question.

[boatshed bill]

64,000 dollar question.

millions, probably.

[bobinho]

If those two clubs, and players, end up getting promoted will they want those 2 players in the PL?

I’d suggest they’d get a chance….

[Vegas Claret]

So we don't criticise him because he didn't cost much

or maybe your expectations of a million quid player playing his first season at this level are too high, typical of football fans in this decade.

[ClaretTony]

or maybe your expectations of a million quid player playing his first season at this level are too high, typical of football fans in this decade.

Typical of football fans in this decade? What on earth is that nonsense about?

I simply don't rate him, I've no interest in how much or how little he cost us, I didn't think he was good enough in the Championship. And I am certainly not in the minority given the comments on here and his player ratings.