Who starts next week, wood or vydra.??

[alwaysaclaret]

Just curious what people's thoughts are, and reason's for their choice.

[Silkyskills1]

Be very surprised if it wasn't Wood.

[dougcollins]

If the line up that finishes the game hasn't lost, that regularly tends to be the starting line-up next time.

Wood's place to lose.

[Lord Beamish]

If fit, it would be foolish to start without our leading goal scorer.

[Rileybobs]

I’d go for Wood. I suspect Dyche will too.

[Tall Paul]

Wood, because he's our best striker.

[ClaretTony]

Wood, because he's our best striker.

Totally agree with that

[thatdberight]

Just curious what people's thoughts are, and reason's for their choice.

Dyche will carefully think about how they train this week, what formation he plays, any niggles they're carrying, who else is playing up front, the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition and their different physiques and abilities.

And then he'll pick Wood.

[ksrclaret]

Mourinho tends to have our number at the Turf, and usually sits a big DCM on our target man to completely negate our threat. If Wood does play, I'd expect Eric Dier to never be more than 5 yards away from him.

I think Wood will be brought back in, but I do think Rodriguez and Vydra might just be the way to go. We'll see.

[CombatClaret]

Wood.
But hopefully Vydra has proven himself and we'll see him coming off the bench as a genuine option to help effect the game.

[Bosscat]

Wood will start .... but Vydra to come off the bench and get the winner

[Quickenthetempo]

To say Vydra got hooked when he was playing far better than Jay Rod, I would be amazed if he plays instead of Wood next week.

[FactualFrank]

I expect it will be Wood and think we may be forced to go long more vs Spurs, so probably the best option.

Had it been a weaker side at home, I'd have stuck with Vydra for another game.

[IWOODLOVETT]

What about JRod? Is he a certainty and should he be?
Just throwing it into the mix.

[Gordaleman]

So what happened to all the previous comments about giving Vydra a decent run in the team?

To judge Vydra's performance as poor yesterday, when our midfield was none existent is rather harsh. In his previous two games he's breathed a breath of fresh air and a little class into the team.

Let's be honest, JayRod was no better than Vydra, so why pick on Vydra?

Do we really want to go back to 'Lump it up and see what happens' ? I'd much prefer to watch a bit of football.

Next week, I'd like to see Vyds and JayRod retain their places but with Brownhill in central midfield instead of Corky and Gudders (If fit) out wide, instead of Hendrick. That would be a very interesting line up.

[Colburn_Claret]

I'd go with Wood and bring Vydra on if we need to change the game. We play better football with the ball on the deck, which suits Vydra, but he'd probably benefit for coming on against a tiring defence.
I just hope he would get enough time to influence the game, 10 minutes would be a waste of time. We've fallen into an ideal way of improving the team, we need to utilise it. In the long haul I think the forward line should be picked depending on the opposition.

[FactualFrank]

I can't see Brownhill starting before a subs appearance first.

[ksrclaret]

What about JRod? Is he a certainty and should he be?
Just throwing it into the mix.

All day long for me. He's our best forward with the ball, and the work he does between the lines linking midfield with attack has been a gigantic reason for our upturn in form in my opinion. That'll be even more crucial against Spurs because they'll block the space Wood uses.

He's also bagged a few, and whilst he'll feel he should have had a few more in the last 5-6 games, he can be pleased with his return.

[TheFamilyCat]

Mourinho tends to have our number at the Turf, and usually sits a big DCM on our target man to completely negate our threat. If Wood does play, I'd expect Eric Dier to never be more than 5 yards away from him.

I think Wood will be brought back in, but I do think Rodriguez and Vydra might just be the way to go. We'll see.

Fortunately for us, Eric Dier is absolute dogshit.

[Vino blanco]

In spite of Vydra's good performances and well taken goals, I would prefer Wood to start. As has been said above, he is our best striker. I would also like Brownhill to come on at some stage.

[ksrclaret]

Fortunately for us, Eric Dier is absolute dogshit.

I don't think that's quite true, is it?

[IWOODLOVETT]

The priority is getting to that 40 points target - quite rightly as the weekends results proved. We are in the Dragons Den not Burnley’s got Talent so points make prizes.
Once we’ve reached that magic number you will see some experiments and changes.

[claretspice]

Mourinho tends to have our number at the Turf, and usually sits a big DCM on our target man to completely negate our threat. If Wood does play, I'd expect Eric Dier to never be more than 5 yards away from him.

I think Wood will be brought back in, but I do think Rodriguez and Vydra might just be the way to go. We'll see.

The DCM has generally sat on the space that Barnes occupies as the "second striker" - not that which Wood occupies, which tends to be further forwards. Regardless of the combination we go for, at least one of Vydra and Wood looks certain to play, and either of them is better suited than Barnes to dealing with that tactic. In fact we saw this in the two games against United, where we had vastly more options in the 1.5 games that Rodriguez played alongside Wood, than in the first half at Turf Moor which saw Matic (Jose's previous executioner) dominate Barnes.

It's a great problem to have. I too suspect it is Jay plus one, because he's added so much more to our armoury since he came into the side - but he's missed gilt edged chances in three of the last four games (we've got to assume he was onside yesterday) and if he doesn't correct this, he's going to come under pressure for his place.

I think I'd probably start with Vydra and Rodriguez, with Wood a superb option from the bench. My suspicion remains that Vydra isn't quite quick enough to make the most of his strengths in the Premier League - he carries the ball quite quickly and is tricky, but my guess is that chasing a ball 40 yards in behind he's about the same pace as Wood, which is mobile but not out and out fast at this level, and he lacks the power to compensate, or the physical strength to really hold the ball under pressure when dropping deep but its well worth checking this out against a proper Premier League defence whilst he's got the extra half yard that always comes with confidence (with all due respect to Southampton and Bournemouth, they're two of the weaker defences in the league, so they don't really prove this point either way, and it's probably no accident his two most impressive performances have come against Bournemouth at home).

However if Dyche goes with the partnership which has done so well since New Years' Day, no-one can really argue, and Vydra then becomes the option from the bench - with every chance of getting another chance to influence the game and prove his point from there.

[alwaysaclaret]

Aside from the dilemma of choice between vydra and wood, I feel that if brownhill is not played soon dyche will turn a match fit player into being not match fit, as you could arguably say about vydra ! But to come back to the thread itself, imo vydra has done nothing wrong, that's not to say he's a better striker than wood or vice versa, but given he's goals tally and link up play with jrod which has enabled us to play better football higher up the pitch I feel vydra should be give more of a chance or certainly utilised more. However yesterday's game was poor from both sides and needed a change but for me it was no fault of vydra's, as has been said on another thread brownhill could have come on for any one of 3 midfielders, which could have given both jrod and vydra a lift, in summary I wait in anticipation to see what Mr dyche comes up with. But just just food for thought should we be 0-0 on 57 minutes should wood start, would he be hooked off, if I were to hazard a guess I think not.

[Iloveyoubrady]

Wood and Vydra for me. Biggest goal scorers we have.

[tim_noone]

Vydra from the start.... Wood in the Peter crouch role with10 minutes to go if its 0..0

[Stayingup]

Wood. Has to be

[No Ney Never]

Vydra.

[alwaysaclaret]

Wood and Vydra for me. Biggest goal scorers we have.

Interesting post this, which is quite valid, but then I feel jrod has given us so much in terms of playing better football, however there is an argument that periodically players need a bit of a rest which brings about the horses for courses thing, which in turn utilises the squad and I think we should be doing this a bit more. Yes don't change a winning team but make changes much earlier when it's not working, not when we're 3-0 down and 10 to go and consequently stick the sub back on the bench to rot, this is exactly what kills a players confidence, Vydra and jrod for me next week, and possibly introduce brownhill to keep him match fit on 60mins utc's.

[taio]

Rodriguez has to start for me - cant imagine there could be a strong case for him to be dropped. A close call between Vydra and Wood but I'd start Vydra with Wood ready and waiting to reclaim his place.

[FactualFrank]

I guess it just goes to show what an available trio we have to pick from. Any of them deserve to start and would do a good job. Jay and Vydra because of how they have been playing. And Wood because he only lost his place due to injury plus he's our leading scorer.

And when Barnes returns, he'll soon be in with a shout of deserving to start as well.

If we keep the 4 of them in the summer it's one position we won't be in any rush to improve.

[IanMcL]

Vydra and Rodriguez gor me, to start and then, if an aerial assault is needed later, Wood can join the fray.

Not likely to be what the manager does though!

[Dinks]

Vydra has probably made his last start for us yesterday,Dyche couldn't get Wood back into the frame quick enough yesterday I'm surprised he didn't surprise us all by pulling Vydra off at half time.

[beddie]

I'd like to go Jay and Vydra as Vyd was so clever in and around the box against Bournemouth, something we haven't seen for a long time. He'll go with Wood though because that's the style he (SD) wants to play. It'll be Wood and Jay. I think Moanio will be expecting us to start with Wood, maybe by starting with Vydra we could get one over Moanio, fingers crossed.

[Dinks]

I guess it just goes to show what an available trio we have to pick from. Any of them deserve to start and would do a good job. Jay and Vydra because of how they have been playing. And Wood because he only lost his place due to injury plus he's our leading scorer.

And when Barnes returns, he'll soon be in with a shout of deserving to start as well.

If we keep the 4 of them in the summer it's one position we won't be in any rush to improve.

I think Barnes has fallen to the bottom of the Wood,Jay,Vydra list

[FactualFrank]

I think Barnes has fallen to the bottom of the Wood,Jay,Vydra list

At the moment, of course, but he and Wood showed earlier in the season how good they can work together.

[claretandy]

It should by Vydra and Wood, but it won't be.

[MT03ALG]

Vydra and Rodriguez for me. Give them a chance to develop their partnership.

[Darnhill Claret]

Anyone for 4, 3, 3 ?

[bobinho]

If the line up that finishes the game hasn't lost, that regularly tends to be the starting line-up next time.

Wood's place to lose.

No. If that was the general rule of thumb, then Brownhill would’ve started yesterday. And there have been plenty of opportunities to start players in the past as they have finished the game and we haven’t lost. It may however be used to justify Wood starting.

I have a feeling Wood will start. Has he earned his place back in the starting line up? Has Vydra shown so little in the last three games that he should sit down again? We have a manager who has a singular vision. It won’t come down to who the opposition players are. It won’t come down to how the opposition set up.

Wood will start.

I’m reasonably ok with that, as I like Wood, but it does seem to look like certain players are cut more slack than others.... so much so that the mantra “if you are playing well, the shirt is yours” doesn’t seem to fit that well anymore.

[ElectroClaret]

Jrod/Wood.

[warksclaret]

SD is a cunning old fox. He could not drop Vydra yesterday as it would have gone against "the shirt is there for you to keep" once you are in the team and doing the business. Having brought Wood on so early in the second half he has paved the way to go Wood

Its a difficult one and in fairness Wood usually does well against Spurs. On a positive if Vydra does not start and we are playing poorly he now deserves 30/35 minutes rather than 3 or 4 now that we know whats in his locker

[Sarum]

People define "best striker at the club" in different ways. Chris Wood is usually pretty lethal in the six yard box (usually, not always, as he can be surprisingly wasteful). But for a side that scores a lot of goals from set pieces he's probably going to get the nod over a player like Matej Vydra every time.

Yesterday Burnley played right into the Newcastle defence's hands: in the first half we played too many high balls to Matej: almost as soon as he brought it down from his chest they had the numbers to crowd Matej out, or out-muscle him. MV is a skilful player looking to lay it off to team mates quickly, but that link up play depends on a good first ball and colleagues being near/ready to receive it from him. Yesterday that didn't happen sufficiently well to persevere with. So it was inevitable that CW would be brought into the game. I have to say though that I was very surprised to see a few fans give CW get 7s in the ratings. He looked very average to me.

[dougcollins]

No. If that was the general rule of thumb, then Brownhill would’ve started yesterday. And there have been plenty of opportunities to start players in the past as they have finished the game and we haven’t lost. It may however be used to justify Wood starting.

Check out the word 'regularly'? Though to be honest, Wood will start and SD won't think he needs any justification.

[Iloveyoubrady]

Wood is our most all round striker. Very good in the air and strong, but reasonably quick and a good finisher. However, Barnes offers the most with long balls, and jay and Vydra are very similar with more trickery. Vydra and wood are the two most natural goal scorers/finishers, while jay is great from distance, and Barnes can pop of with important goals. I would like to see wood and Vydra together, as they would put away chances like jay rods yesterday, while I think Vydra offers the trickery and link up that jay does to an extent. Good problem to have, but one that needs to be done properly to not drive Vydra away

[Safron]

I can't see Brownhill starting before a subs appearance first.

I really think we should be integrating brownhill in to the team now are virtually safe,and see how good the boy is

[Claret-On-A-T-Rex]

I really think we should be integrating brownhill in to the team now are virtually safe,and see how good the boy is

Won't Dyche and his staff be doing that in training?

[Claret-On-A-T-Rex]

I really think we should be integrating brownhill in to the team now are virtually safe,and see how good the boy is

And for who?
Cork? Westwood? Hendrick? McNeil?
Who deserves dropping from our midfield?
It's the same situation with Gibson, it isn't that he isn't any good, he hasn't justified replacing anyone.
I think the "wait your turn and make it yours" tactic is very fair and consistent.

[ElectroClaret]

...I'm surprised he didn't surprise us all by pulling Vydra off at half time.

Lucky lad. I can remember when they just got half an orange.

[Safron]

Nobody needs dropping,sub appearances,it doesn't do players any good knowing they are only going to play when injuries occur.