Still have to question the starting 11 though

[NRC]

Amazing tweak for the 2nd half, Benson inspired and a fabulous outcome….. but what was with that starting 11?

[4midable]

Long season
Great switch up. Best players on 2nd half with fresh legs
Sunderland had no legs from 30.mins onwards

[Nori1958]

Amazing tweak for the 2nd half, Benson inspired and a fabulous outcome….. but what was with that starting 11?

Trying to have best team available for 3 home games...

[RVclaret]

Got 3 big home games on the spin, can absolutely see why the changes were made, Cork on 4 bookings too. It’s just Jay Rod’s replacement is nowhere near good enough and Cork is the glue for our team in general.

[ksrclaret]

Clearly resting some with a punishing schedule ahead.

I hope today has taught VK though that Barnes must never play for us again. Might as well have had 10 men on in that first half. Woeful player.

[gandhisflipflop]

Two words Ashley Barnes

[Pickles]

Got 3 big home games on the spin, can absolutely see why the changes were made, Cork on 4 bookings too. It’s just Jay Rod’s replacement is nowhere near good enough and Cork is the glue for our team in general.

That's exactly it. Unfortunate that two vitally important players to us were rested at the same time, with not an adequate replacement for either.

[Bin Ont Turf]

Don't worry, we won't be seeing Guddy at 10 with Barnes a lone forward, ever ever again. Guaranteed.

[NRC]

Clearly resting some with a punishing schedule ahead.

I hope today has taught VK though that Barnes must never play for us again. Might as well have had 10 men on in that first half. Woeful player.

It also showed that JBG cannot play through the middle

[agreenwood]

Got the selection wrong, but tweaked it to perfection. As an added bonus he still barely used the two important pairs of ageing legs in the side.

On we go.

[NRC]

do you think it was rotation, or he wanted to see what Barnes could do from the start? If the latter he got his answer

[RVclaret]

do you think it was rotation, or he wanted to see what Barnes could do from the start? If the latter he got his answer

Clearly rotation

[NoFixedAbode_Claret]

Jay will need managing through the fixtures. We have to rotate. Maybe next time Dervis gets the nod over Ash.

[jen1066]

do you think it was rotation, or he wanted to see what Barnes could do from the start? If the latter he got his answer

Come on, you must know that Jay was rested due to the number of games

[Big Vinny K]

Resting Cork and Jay was obviously rotation. However, he still got the starting eleven wrong.
But that’s all fine as he is going to make mistakes and the fact that he reacted to this so quickly and fixed things bodes well. Even better was that his original intention of giving Cork and Jay a rest also worked out for us.

The strength of our bench and the amount of players we have that can change things in a positive way is also largely down to VK. His skill in recruiting players gives him the option and flexibility to change things round when he is rotating or experimenting. We have already seen that lots of times this season.

[Roosterbooster]

It also showed that JBG cannot play through the middle

I thought he was superb down the middle. Just as soon as the player ahead of him bothered to show any kind of movement

[Silkyskills1]

Ashley Barnes did have a poor half demonstrating his inability to play the system that VK wants and JBG probably lacks the drive as a centre midfielder but we shouldn't overlook the almost non-existent tackles by our defenders in that first 45 mins. nor the lack of positional play from some of them also. They all rallied in the second half and it was a.joy to see but as good as it was then, it was feeble and unacceptable in the first half and not just the fault of those already singled out.

[dsr]

Resting Cork and Jay was obviously rotation. However, he still got the starting eleven wrong.

That depends on what the purpose of picking that XI was. If it was to be in front at half time, then clearly it didn't work. But he may have had other reasons, such as seeing if this XI would work, or giving players a rest, or bringing subs on as required to win the game, or risking loss because the longer game of the whole season would be better served that way.

This much is certain. If given the chance to go back ini time to 3 pm yesterday and play the match again with a different starting XI, we would unanimously not take it. So that means Kompany got it right.

[SouthLondonexile]

No need to question it at all. We found a way yesterday to overcome a two nil deficit and win away 4 - 2. We’ve lost just once this season.

[jen1066]

We’ve lost just once this season.

And that was in a game we shouldn't have lost. I'm enjoying this season, even though we're 3rd and are clearly the best team.

[Somethingfishy]

He will also have a better idea of knowing where we still need to recruit as he tests out replacements and the depth of the squad. Playing JBG in Bownhills role clearly didn't work. Maybe we will be looking for another 10? Or does Twine fit in there rather than at 9?
His shopping list will be taking shape.

[jen1066]

He will also have a better idea of knowing where we still need to recruit as he tests out replacements and the depth of the squad. Playing JBG in Bownhills role clearly didn't work. Maybe we will be looking for another 10? Or does Twine fit in there rather than at 9?
His shopping list will be taking shape.

Twine is certainly more a number 10 than 9. But he's a bonus if he ever comes back and plays. He aint coming back in 2022 so he'll be a new signing in January.

[Big Vinny K]

That depends on what the purpose of picking that XI was. If it was to be in front at half time, then clearly it didn't work. But he may have had other reasons, such as seeing if this XI would work, or giving players a rest, or bringing subs on as required to win the game, or risking loss because the longer game of the whole season would be better served that way.

This much is certain. If given the chance to go back ini time to 3 pm yesterday and play the match again with a different starting XI, we would unanimously not take it. So that means Kompany got it right.

Firstly - what you said is definitely not “certain” !!

IMHO you are over complicating the point that he got the first half selection wrong and fixed it at half time.

I suppose in theory he could have planned it all to tire Sunderland out, go 2 goals behind (and they could easily have been more up at half time), bring off Ashley Barnes at half time (bit embarrassing for any player to be hooked after 45 minutes) and then unleash Benson in second half to destroy their left back.

But feels a lot more believable that the first half did not go as planned.

You can still get things wrong in a match and win the game. You just need to get more or the bigger decisions right and that’s what VK did yesterday

[Ampth7]

When resting Jay we appear much better off playing Tella through the middle with pace out wide on both sides. I do wonder if we might see Tella more often now through the middle instead of Jay because having a lightning quick front 3 such as Tella, Zaroury, Benson etc… is going to be hard to stop!

In reference to Barnes, he just doesn’t suit the way we now play and the only role I can see for him is if we are chasing a game and sending crosses into the box which we don’t do that often nowadays. Suspect he may be gone in January if a transfer can be arranged.

[jen1066]

When resting Jay we appear much better off playing Tella through the middle with pace out wide on both sides. I do wonder if we might see Tella more often now through the middle instead of Jay because having a lightning quick front 3 such as Tella, Zaroury, Benson etc… is going to be hard to stop!

In reference to Barnes, he just doesn’t suit the way we now play and the only role I can see for him is if we are chasing a game and sending crosses into the box which we don’t do that often nowadays. Suspect he may be gone in January if a transfer can be arranged.

Zaroury is also an option through the middle.

[Ampth7]

Zaroury is also an option through the middle.

Same with Churlinov and Twine. One of the real benefits of having so many attackers who are good on the ball means we have numerous options.

[jen1066]

Same with Churlinov and Twine. One of the real benefits of having so many attackers who are good on the ball means we have numerous options.

Absolutely. This is the best football I've ever seen as a Burnley fan.

[Burnley1989]

Love Barnes and don’t want to see him playing and tarnishing the memories. He looks like an amateur these days

[jen1066]

He extended his contract, we'd have let him go otherwise. But yeah we know he's not good enough for this team. Come January, I see 3 impressive signings.

[MT03ALG]

How did we start the second half ? With a false 9?

[Ampth7]

How did we start the second half ? With a false 9?

No mate. Tella up top in place of Barnes.

[bobinho]

No issue with rotation. I’d just be happy if we rotated square pegs into square holes.

[TopCat]

We certainly have to manage JRod and Cork minutes.
VK would have learnt hell of a lot from Saturday.
Not sure why Bastien is not featuring more.
Up front Costelloe needs to be on the bench.