Benson

[Clive 1960]

just reading what Vincent had to say about Benson after not being in the match day squad saying there was a chance he might have gone out on loan, i though it was put to bed before transfer window closed that he was staying until the end of the season after talks between player and management, personally think there's problems down at the Turf and they are just covering the cracks which is a shame because these were players i was looking forward to getting a fair chance to prove themselves and haven't been given the opportunity. what are your thoughts fellow Clarets...

[Burnley1989]

Nah, I personally don’t think so, you’ll never keep every player happy though when there’s so many of them.
Get them playing, reset in the summer ready for a good season next year.

[Grahamjack]

Completely agree!!

The decisions made in recruitment and team selection are baffling to say the least!!! I have never known a manager not give players the opportunity to succeed like VK has with several of our players.

Zaroury and Benson are certainly no worse than the new players brought in. I would be amazed if we stay up.

I hope I am wrong UTC

[Nori1958]

just reading what Vincent had to say about Benson after not being in the match day squad saying there was a chance he might have gone out on loan, i though it was put to bed before transfer window closed that he was staying until the end of the season after talks between player and management, personally think there's problems down at the Turf and they are just covering the cracks which is a shame because these were players i was looking forward to getting a fair chance to prove themselves and haven't been given the opportunity. what are your thoughts fellow Clarets...

My thoughts are that the suggestion of talks, and Benson staying only came from a Belgian journalist, not the club or any official outlet.

[NewClaret]

My thoughts are that there are no problems at all. Kompany has always been honest with us and the players; you’re competing not only with each other, but every player affordable to Burnley. These are professional players who will understand that, providing they’re treated with honesty and respect, and I see no signs that’s not the case with Kompany - as an ex player himself, he’ll know how to treat people.

I was looking forward to seeing how a lot of players would fare in the Premier League, but with the outfield players it’s basically an issue of lack of physicality - Cullen, Zaroury, Benson - and the attributes you need when you’re seeing far less of the ball.

It’s interesting how nobody ever mentions Cullen, actually. Reminder he was our player of the year last year, but because he didn’t score bangers or run at defenders, everyone seems okay with that one.

Muric is a bit of a different beast, but I think Kompany probably thinks Trafford is a better shot stopper and that is the more important attribute when facing more shots.

Final point: think it was Esteve who said last night that he spoke to Odobert before joining and he spoke really highly of the club, which helped convince him, which helped convince him to join. Can’t be so bad on that basis.

[Holtyclaret]

It’d be more weird if a player wasn’t fed up with a lack of minutes.

Has Benson ever completed a full match for us?

He’ll get his chances before the end of the season, hopefully he takes them.

[Burnley87]

Benson should be the first name on the bench at least every week. I’m not convinced about him starting games but there isn’t a better option on the bench than him when we are chasing a game

[Big Vinny K]

My thoughts are that there are no problems at all. Kompany has always been honest with us and the players; you’re competing not only with each other, but every player affordable to Burnley. These are professional players who will understand that, providing they’re treated with honesty and respect, and I see no signs that’s not the case with Kompany - as an ex player himself, he’ll know how to treat people.

I was looking forward to seeing how a lot of players would fare in the Premier League, but with the outfield players it’s basically an issue of lack of physicality - Cullen, Zaroury, Benson - and the attributes you need when you’re seeing far less of the ball.

It’s interesting how nobody ever mentions Cullen, actually. Reminder he was our player of the year last year, but because he didn’t score bangers or run at defenders, everyone seems okay with that one.

Muric is a bit of a different beast, but I think Kompany probably thinks Trafford is a better shot stopper and that is the more important attribute when facing more shots.

Final point: think it was Esteve who said last night that he spoke to Odobert before joining and he spoke really highly of the club, which helped convince him, which helped convince him to join. Can’t be so bad on that basis.

But people have mentioned Cullen lots of times this season.
The big difference between Cullen and Benson this season is that Cullen has been given a chance - he’s had plenty of minutes and started a number of games. Personally I think he was often thrown under the bus in some games (Spurs at home) with how our keeper and defenders played.

Benson has hardly been given a chance. Somebody on this board even said he was “ineffective” when he came on against Everton after 82 minutes !!

Esteve being told how great it is by Odobert is no proof that all is well. I’d be more worried that if all our players were happy given the way some of them have been treated this season. Of course Odobert is going to give a glowing report - he’s starting every week now and his situation and expectations will be very different to the players who were already here and got us promoted last year.

And I’m not saying either that there is big unrest amongst the squad either - just think that having gone through what we have in the last 18 months and the massive roller coaster it must have been for many players that it’s unavoidable that you are going to have some unhappy players.

[ClaretTony]

My thoughts are that there are no problems at all. Kompany has always been honest with us and the players

A nice simplistic way of looking at things

[Quickenthetempo]

A nice simplistic way of looking at things

I don't think there's been a manager in the history of football that has always told the truth to fans and their players.

[Big Vinny K]

Koleosho’s and Odabert’s performances seem to have been inflated by how bad some of our other players have played most weeks - especially the likes of Amdouni and Tresor who cost a lot of money.

In reality the statistics for both players are not great. That doesn’t mean they deserve criticism as both need time to develop and clearly have shown potential.

Even then if (and it’s a debatable if) we say Koleosho and Odobert deserve to start nearly every game as one of them have JBG and who ever else VK had tried on the right have been consistently poor. And again even if (even more debatable !!) we say the likes of JBG, Tresor deserve to start most games I simply cannot get my head round why Benson and Zaroury have hardly been used as substitutes especially when VK is regularly hooking starting wingers after 60 minutes.

Makes no sense on a couple of fronts. Both were brilliant last year and deserved their new long term contracts. And secondly you are absolutely knocking their confidence levels as they are struggling to make even a 9 man bench.

[summitclaret]

It's very straightforward. We signed far too many wingers ( at the expense of full backs and a cm bruiser). We've chopped and changed the starting 11 and subs in a poor attempt to keep all those wingers and Ramsey happy, which has backfired massively.

[mdd2]

Completely agree!!

The decisions made in recruitment and team selection are baffling to say the least!!! I have never known a manager not give players the opportunity to succeed like VK has with several of our players.

Zaroury and Benson are certainly no worse than the new players brought in. I would be amazed if we stay up.

I hope I am wrong UTC

With a home record that reads P11 W1 D1 L9
Away P11 W2 D2 L7 I think relegation is a near certainty
Hard to see where we are going to collect 22-24 points from 16 games

[elwaclaret]

I just think the four year plan has been stuck to rigidly. Had we not taken the league by storm last season this would all be happening at a lower level. Benson’s fitness to complete a full game has clearly been an issue since he arrived. That he still lacks condition suggests his body just may not be up to the rigours of competing for sustained periods.

Much as I cannot understand omitting a player that won us so many points last season I would have been very interested to see how another manager was able to use him, and what play time he could manage.

I’d love to see Benson doing what he did to defences last season again, hopefully it will still happen for Burnley down the road.

[ClaretTony]

I don't think there's been a manager in the history of football that has always told the truth to fans and their players.

I'd definitely agree with that

[Goody1975]

With a home record that reads P11 W1 D1 L9
Away P11 W2 D2 L7 I think relegation is a near certainty
Hard to see where we are going to collect 22-24 points from 16 games

It's a tall order but the home record is skewed by the fact we've played Man City, Aston Villa, Tottenham, Man Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool in the first half of the season.

The home games are 'easier' in the remaining games but admit we have to hit a rich vein of form to stand any chance. Tomorrow is a must win.