Cullen

[Conroy92]

A lot has been made of the return of Muric but Cullen has been influential to our play since returning.

Why it took so long to play them both is baffling. Murics ability to play out brings the best out in Cullen's game.

[blatherwickstattoos]

Agree. To drop your championship winning captain was a massive call from VK and no doubt disrupted the dressing room. He’s head and shoulders over Brownhill as muric is over Trafford. Vk has to take the blame for a pretty dire season. Stil learning on the job so hope he’s seeing the light now . UTC

[Targetman]

Agree. To drop your championship winning captain was a massive call from VK and no doubt disrupted the dressing room. He’s head and shoulders over Brownhill as muric is over Trafford. Vk has to take the blame for a pretty dire season. Stil learning on the job so hope he’s seeing the light now . UTC

There was me thinking that Jack Cork was our captain last season!

[whiffa]

There was me thinking that Jack Cork was our captain last season!

He was and still is.

[Vegas Claret]

When you listen to his interview the other week when he said something along the lines of 'it's not all about where the club finish this season but where we are planning to be in the future" (not those words but I don't remember exactly what they were, but that was the sentiment) I have confidence he will remain with us.

[Pickles]

To be fair, Cullen was looking jaded and lost when he was taken out the side. Same could be said for most of them though. He's been very good since coming back into the eleven.

[Vegas Claret]

To be fair, Cullen was looking jaded and lost when he was taken out the side. Same could be said for most of them though. He's been very good since coming back into the eleven.

it's the sum of the parts, there is no coincidence we've picked up with both him and Muric playing

[Pickles]

it's the sum of the parts, there is no coincidence we've picked up with both him and Muric playing

Oh absolutely.

[elwaclaret]

I find it harder to understand Cullen’s seeming fall from grace than VK not wanting to drop Trafford on the back of a mauling. To my mind VK has worked with Cullen long enough to know the solidity he brings to the team and that a dip in form is purely that… Trafford is young and dropping him would have potentially destroyed the lads confidence… in a position where self belief is half of the battle. Muric was clearly one of the stars last season (once we got used to him and he settled) but there were occasions when his ‘heart’ for the battle was questioned, even last season.

[Tricky Trevor]

Cullen has played much better with the extra freedom he’s been given. He barely crossed the halfway line previously now he is more of an allrounder.

[Vegas Claret]

I find it harder to understand Cullen’s seeming fall from grace than VK not wanting to drop Trafford on the back of a mauling. To my mind VK has worked with Cullen long enough to know the solidity he brings to the team and that a dip in form is purely that… Trafford is young and dropping him would have potentially destroyed the lads confidence… in a position where self belief is half of the battle. Muric was clearly one of the stars last season (once we got used to him and he settled) but there were occasions when his ‘heart’ for the battle was questioned, even last season.

in my 40 odd years of watching football and particularly the Clarets I struggle to think of and more baffling set of decisions by any manager

[elwaclaret]

in my 40 odd years of watching football and particularly the Clarets I struggle to think of and more baffling set of decisions by any manager

Hard to argue from our position… but we do not have the ‘inside track’ on the decision making process. It could be something as simple as long covid; that we don’t get such detail means we can only look on scratching our heads, sometimes (Not that I’m suggesting I know any more than you do… I don’t).

[taio]

in my 40 odd years of watching football and particularly the Clarets I struggle to think of and more baffling set of decisions by any manager

A damning reflection on our manager.

Cullen understandably had challenges adapting to the PL earlier in the season.

I'm sure you said as much.

[ClaretPete001]

Arguable Cullen's issue was VK was playing a high pressing (or attempting to) 4-3-3 with Cullen as a single pivot. He was just overrun week in and out.

Things improved when we went to a double pivot albeit I think we should play with a centre-mid 3 but Cullen's problems were caused by the team attempting to play a Champaign City lite style with a Broon Ale squad.

[ClaretPete001]

in my 40 odd years of watching football and particularly the Clarets I struggle to think of and more baffling set of decisions by any manager

The very same phrase was going through my head yesterday afternoon watching a team that was chaotically open in the first half to one that played with two symmetrical banks of four in the second.

[Vegas Claret]

A damning reflection on our manager.

Cullen understandably had challenges adapting to the PL earlier in the season.

I'm sure you said as much.

not really, imho he's got an awful lot more right than he's got wrong. I just never thought Muric deserved to dropped after last season and as Cullen was his captain at Anderlecht and was our player of the season last year it also made no sense whatsoever (although we know Cullen was injured). The two players together makes a huge difference to us. It's not close to a damning reflection, it's an observation on two really bizarre decisions. I could say similar about Dyche when he simply refused to pick Cork for half a season.

[Colburn_Claret]

I think he struggled before dropping, as much to do with our open style and lack of a DM, as to his own ability.

He has definitely looked more up for it since his return, and the amount of times he got to the edge of the box yesterday, and supported the attack, was a welcome change.

[Cirrus_Minor]

I think Cullen struggled earlier when we played with 2 in midfield but flourishes when we have 3 who are used to the position. The introduction of Brownhill made us better, even with 10.

[Vegas Claret]

Hard to argue from our position… but we do not have the ‘inside track’ on the decision making process. It could be something as simple as long covid; that we don’t get such detail means we can only look on scratching our heads, sometimes (Not that I’m suggesting I know any more than you do… I don’t).

yep, we know Cullen was injured so maybe that had something to do with it. Strange all the same though, do we think Kompany puts Cullen and Muric back in if Trafford doesn't play that pass at Palace ? I'm not so sure. These are just my observations, I back the management team 100%, they are learning as they go and I'd expect plenty of mistakes or mis-steps but as I mentioned yesterday I believe the future for us is very bright.

[taio]

not really, imho he's got an awful lot more right than he's got wrong. I just never thought Muric deserved to dropped after last season and as Cullen was his captain at Anderlecht and was our player of the season last year it also made no sense whatsoever (although we know Cullen was injured). The two players together makes a huge difference to us. It's not close to a damning reflection, it's an observation on two really bizarre decisions. I could say similar about Dyche when he simply refused to pick Cork for half a season.

I'd say 40+ years of watching football and the most baffling set of decisions is pretty damning.

Although I note that you have since drawn a fair and good comparison about Dyche with Cork.

Also, to be fair it wasn't as cut and dried as that re Cullen as you reflected just three months ago:

'Cullen was our best player last season and when he has played this season he's been woeful maybe the manager is right'

[Vegas Claret]

I'd say 40+ years of watching football and the most baffling set of decisions is pretty damning.

Although I note that you have since drawn a fair and good comparison about Dyche with Cork.

Also, to be fair it wasn't as cut and dried as that re Cullen as you reflected just three months ago:

'Cullen was our best player last season and when he has played this season he's been woeful maybe the manager is right'

hence the sum of parts comment - the pace at which Muric gives him the ball gives him more time on the ball to do things correctly, pretty sure everyone has acknowledged that Traffords distribution was too slow and was a massive influencing factor on why we have struggled.

[KRBFC]

Agree. To drop your championship winning captain was a massive call from VK and no doubt disrupted the dressing room. He’s head and shoulders over Brownhill as muric is over Trafford. Vk has to take the blame for a pretty dire season. Stil learning on the job so hope he’s seeing the light now . UTC

To be fair Cullen was seriously bad in the first 15 games or so, he deserved dropping. Since that Spurs away game something has changed with him, he was brilliant that night and maybe it gave him the self confidence that he can play at this level. Been unbelievably good the last few games.

[taio]

hence the sum of parts comment - the pace at which Muric gives him the ball gives him more time on the ball to do things correctly, pretty sure everyone has acknowledged that Traffords distribution was too slow and was a massive influencing factor on why we have struggled.

I don't disagree with any of that. I'd have had Muric starting months ago. And glad to see Cullen back in too. I just think the '40+ years of watching football' comment is way over the top, especially when you go on to make valid comments about similarities in relation to Dyche's reluctance to play Cork. Another example would be Dyche initially persisting with Mee at left back when most of us could see that it wasn't right.

[Vegas Claret]

I don't disagree with any of that. I'd have had Muric starting months ago. And glad to see Cullen back in too. I just think the '40+ years of watching football' comment is way over the top, especially when you go on to make valid comments about similarities in relation to Dyche's reluctance to play Cork. Another example would be Dyche initially persisting with Mee at left back when most of us could see that it wasn't right.

With respect Taio, I genuinely can't think of two more baffling decisions (But I readily admit on here that my memory isn't that great). It's just a comment and you are reading way too much into it

[elwaclaret]

yep, we know Cullen was injured so maybe that had something to do with it. Strange all the same though, do we think Kompany puts Cullen and Muric back in if Trafford doesn't play that pass at Palace ? I'm not so sure. These are just my observations, I back the management team 100%, they are learning as they go and I'd expect plenty of mistakes or mis-steps but as I mentioned yesterday I believe the future for us is very bright.

Absolutely understand and agree with your logic, just looking at possible mitigations for what on the face of it seem some bizarre calls by the manager.

[123EasyasBFC]

To be fair Cullen was seriously bad in the first 15 games or so, he deserved dropping. Since that Spurs away game something has changed with him, he was brilliant that night and maybe it gave him the self confidence that he can play at this level. Been unbelievably good the last few games.

Don’t think Cullen was seriously bad at the start of the season, the tactics of having Cullen sitting whilst 5 other players pressed was the issue. Villa, spurs and Chelsea at home in particular

[Vegas Claret]

Absolutely understand and agree with your logic, just looking at possible mitigations for what on the face of it seem some bizarre calls by the manager.

yep and maybe there were some, we don't know though as they never really let us know about injuries etc (as is their right).

[Funkydrummer]

Good name for a detective series.

[equinox]

I don't know what kind of shape Jack Cork is in lately but a midfield of Cork, Cullen Berge would be interesting, Brownhill for all his huff and puff offers little at either end of the pitch.

[Beckm0]

Don’t think Cullen was seriously bad at the start of the season, the tactics of having Cullen sitting whilst 5 other players pressed was the issue. Villa, spurs and Chelsea at home in particular

That was in part an issue but there was Brentford away, Onyeka ran off him for the third like he wasn’t there. That incident was one that really exposed his lack of mobility.

[123EasyasBFC]

That was in part an issue but there was Brentford away, Onyeka ran off him for the third like he wasn’t there. That incident was one that really exposed his lack of mobility.

That was still in the stage of the season where we played criminal football.

Palace at home was the first game we looked to of changed the style and we absolutely dominated the game and would have won the game comfortably if Beyer hadn’t gifted them a goal.

I do hear what you’re saying about his mobility that’s clear to see, that’s been a problem in our midfield in the premier league for a while. Brownhill has an engine but isn’t the most mobile. Westwood was never the most mobile either. Cork used to glide across the pitch but wasn’t used as much in dyche final season and we haven’t seen much of him this season either

[Dark Cloud]

I honestly felt that when Cullen lost his place, (following suspension?) it was warranted because he'd been struggling with the step up in leagues and although the whole team were tbf, he was looking a very weak link in an absolutely pivotal position. Having said that, it seemed daft to take so long to give him another try when we were getting pumped every week and nobody else was doing anything anyway. That was compounded when he was superb in the Spurs cup tie and suddenly looked well capable of holding his own in this league, yet still wasn't getting picked. He's grabbing his chance alright now and I'm extremely glad to see it.

[KateR]

I think VK is also very new and learning as he goes, he tries things and doesn't just change if it fails once, he gives it time to see if there is improvement, he has made minor changes to our style, Cullen wasn't playing great or even good in one style, now he's so much more comfortable, the confidence can be seen in the last few games.

I can easily remember B Mee at LB, J Cork not playing, J Hart at GK; where a large number of fans were calling for the change's week after week. They all finally happened and proved beneficial, but took far too long, J Trafford just another name to add to that list, and I'm sure there will be more in the future.