Character

[Inchy]

That was a Dyche like performance. I didn’t think we had that in us.

Sometimes you have to win ugly and defend with everything you have got.

Great character shown

And nice to have a few nutters in the team. Hannibal is crackers

[ecc]

Balls of steel.

We need to finetune but the atmosphere in the dressing room will be huge for bonding.

UTC

P.S. Fck you, DL.

[Goliath]

Brilliant in terms of showing everyone's now pulling together and they are all working hard for the manager.
Incredibly worrying in terms of the ability some of our players are showing technically. Worrall, Laurent, maybe Pires, Massengo, Houtandji and Egan Riley out of the squad from today all lack basic technical levels for a team to play football under high pressure.
Laurent in particular should be a last resort. Hopefully we can get a few new signings in Jan where we need to upgrade and we can stay in contention until then.

[TsarBomba]

10 points from 5 comprising of 2 of the hardest away games of the season and a local derby is excellent. No-one had a harder start than we had.

Add to that the turmoil off the pitch and Parker is working a minor miracle.

Looking at our next 6 fixtures there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be comfortably top.

[ClaretLoup]

Clean sheets are going to be vital this season as going off showings vs Sunderland and Rovers we are pretty lightweight up top. Hopefully Flemming will give us more edge.

[CardyTheClaret]

Brilliant in terms of showing everyone's now pulling together and they are all working hard for the manager.
Incredibly worrying in terms of the ability some of our players are showing technically. Worrall, Laurent, maybe Pires, Massengo, Houtandji and Egan Riley out of the squad from today all lack basic technical levels for a team to play football under high pressure.
Laurent in particular should be a last resort. Hopefully we can get a few new signings in Jan where we need to upgrade and we can stay in contention until then.

I'm stunned you feel the need to highlight any negatives after that performance.

[NL Claret]

Here’s me thinking Laurent had a good game, broke play up well and provided a physical presence to protect the back 4. Almost unlocked the Leeds defence in 1st half to set up an opportunity for Flemming. Played well against Blackburn too, you need that type of player/character in the championship.

That was a difficult test which we stood up to, no worries from me.

[Elizabeth]

I'm stunned you feel the need to highlight any negatives after that performance.

The thing is he is as right on the whole as is the OP’s tribute to our character today

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

I also thought Laurent had another good game today.

[Goliath]

I'm stunned you feel the need to highlight any negatives after that performance.

Why? It wasn't a great performance. Can we not discuss that?

[Silkyskills1]

Team spirit. Togetherness. We had it in spadefuls two seasons ago. My main concern over the summer was that we had lost it. So, very refreshing today to see players playing for each other and knuckling down to do the 'ugly' bits. Here's hoping it continues.

[leelad]

In view of the season we have had so far and the amount of transition which has had to be done at this football club, that was a fantastic win. A Dyche like performance most definitely. A win is a win, that must give the squad lots of confidence and a inner belief that they can compete and stay the course in tight games such as this one.

[agreenwood]

Fantastic defensive display and clinical when it mattered.

I don’t want to see us play like that regularly, but happy to
watch them do it where necessary.

[Big Vinny K]

Brilliant in terms of showing everyone's now pulling together and they are all working hard for the manager.
Incredibly worrying in terms of the ability some of our players are showing technically. Worrall, Laurent, maybe Pires, Massengo, Houtandji and Egan Riley out of the squad from today all lack basic technical levels for a team to play football under high pressure.
Laurent in particular should be a last resort. Hopefully we can get a few new signings in Jan where we need to upgrade and we can stay in contention until then.

Just won away at Leeds United and you are “incredibly worried” ?

Laurent has played well both games and looks more than fine in both games.

[helmclaret]

Brilliant in terms of showing everyone's now pulling together and they are all working hard for the manager.
Incredibly worrying in terms of the ability some of our players are showing technically. Worrall, Laurent, maybe Pires, Massengo, Houtandji and Egan Riley out of the squad from today all lack basic technical levels for a team to play football under high pressure.
Laurent in particular should be a last resort. Hopefully we can get a few new signings in Jan where we need to upgrade and we can stay in contention until then.

Incredibly worrying? We will be one of the few teams that grab anything there this season. It’s a brand new team to the one that started the season, so much more to come.

I think Laurent will be one of the first names on the team sheet this season.

[CardyTheClaret]

The thing is he is as right on the whole as is the OP’s tribute to our character today

Really? You thought Laurent and Worrall struggled under pressure today?

[CardyTheClaret]

Why? It wasn't a great performance. Can we not discuss that?

Of course we can. I can also disagree with you - I thought it was a great performance today.

[Safron]

I looked at the team sheet and said there are only 3 players who played together last season so fair play absolutely fantastic result today, can't believe their are fans criticising certain players utc

[martin_p]

The thing is he is as right on the whole as is the OP’s tribute to our character today

He’s not right about it being incredibly worrying. Most of the players he mentions have played twice in this team. It’s a developing team, but one that has ten points from five games while developing.

[Goliath]

Not going to reply to everyone individually but yes their ability to show for the ball and retain it under pressure was incredibly worrying. Laurent wasn't even trying to and didn't against Rovers either. He wants the whole game infront of him at which point he's fine.

Worrall is what he is, a good championship centre half without much in terms of technical ability.

We will probably be fine in the most part because teams don't press as well as in the PL or punish teams as much for losing possession in this division.
I'm just waiting to see some patterns of play to emerge and it hasn't really happened as of yet.

Regardless that was not a good performance. It was a battling display but not something I'd say was good bar half an hour in the first half

[CardyTheClaret]

I think you're getting good performance getting mixed up with silky, attacking football.

[Elizabeth]

He’s not right about it being incredibly worrying. Most of the players he mentions have played twice in this team. It’s a developing team, but one that has ten points from five games while developing.

Incredibly worrying is dramatic but he is right that most of the players he mentions are not technically gifted for the Championship. All the rest of your post is irrelevant to the point he made.

[Goliath]

I think you're getting good performance getting mixed up with silky, attacking football.

I'm not. There's a balance to be found and we didn't find it today. But we defended well 2nd half. First half I thought we were a bit ropey defensively and Leeds should have had 2 goals and a possible penalty.

[helmclaret]

Parker said it’s not how he what’s us to play. Give him a chance FFS.

[Goliath]

Parker said it’s not how he what’s us to play. Give him a chance FFS.

We agree then that it wasn't ideal. Who isn't giving him a chance?

[SouthLondonexile]

That’s a very fitting word for todays performance.
Everyone got stuck in with Trafford playing without fear being assertive at the right time. It was an abosolute master class in goalkeeping. Well done Traffs.

[TsarBomba]

I said it during the match day thread, but we were never going to rock up at Leeds today and control the play.

This Leeds team is far better than anything we played 2 years ago. They still have ridiculously good players for this league and have a largely settled first 11.

We went with a game plan that worked first half but didn’t so much in the second. But still, I can’t remember Leeds creating too much after the 60th minute despite all their possession.

There’s a lot more to come from this team, and Parker alluded to it after the game. He wouldn’t have been happy with that second half, but by god he would’ve learnt a lot about their character and togetherness.

Had VK still been here, we would’ve needed 3 goals just to grab a draw, and I find it incredible that after all the spineless performances of last year that we’re being so critical. Some people have short memories.

[louieollie]

Incredibly worrying is dramatic but he is right that most of the players he mentions are not technically gifted for the Championship. All the resf your post is irrelevant to the point he made.

But is that relevant if said players are part of a TEAM that's working hard for eachother and equally adapt and appreciate the differing levels of ability within that collective?.




From a personal perspective I'd much rather see an honest hardworking team than individuals with a higher ability.

[Vegas Claret]

Give me 25 lads that may not technically be the best but have a backbone over anything we saw last season.

[Elizabeth]

But is that relevant if said players are part of a TEAM that's working hard for eachother and equally adapt and appreciate the differing levels of ability within that collective?.




From a personal perspective I'd much rather see an honest hardworking team than individuals with a higher ability.

The players mentioned are the squad fillers and I think that's where the misunderstanding is. There's no shame in that especially if they come in and do well, which has been the case. What we have seen in the last 2-3 games is not our first team. They have done well though to help get us points

[louieollie]

The players mentioned are the squad fillers and I think that's where the misunderstanding is. There's no shame in that especially if they come in and do well, which has been the case. What we have seen in the last 2-3 games is not our first team. They have done well though to help get us points

But in who's eyes are they squad fillers and surely that's being somewhat disrespectful to the players that are putting in a real shift for the team, they obviously feel and maybe Scott does too that they could fight their way into the starting 11.

Let's be honest if we just looked at the " individual ability" you mention and take Tresor for example, bags of ability but to date lacks any fight or in fact perception he's a team player. I know he's just one example but again I'd prefer any of your so called squad fillers over him .........so far.

[CardyTheClaret]

The players mentioned are the squad fillers and I think that's where the misunderstanding is. There's no shame in that especially if they come in and do well, which has been the case. What we have seen in the last 2-3 games is not our first team. They have done well though to help get us points

if we are winning away at Leeds with "squad fillers" then there's **** all to be worrying about, wouldn't you agree? (Probably not)

[xxmunkyennuixx]

We rarely get results there. We've had good Dyche sides go there and get nothing. It's a big step in the right direction today. We have a team filled with desire and character now and it is better to watch than the passion less **** last year.

[NL Claret]

A performance full of character, how would Benson and Zaroury fitted in today?

[Elizabeth]

Really? You thought Laurent and Worrall struggled under pressure today?

He listed a number of players he thinks don't have the technical ability to help us play good football when the opposition pressure us. He's right about that as today proved.
That wasn't a win as a result of a good technical performance , more a gritty performance. We have more technical performers in the squad to come in. I do like Worrall and while he isn't the most technically gifted he'll do me any day

[ecc]

I said it during the match day thread, but we were never going to rock up at Leeds today and control the play.

This Leeds team is far better than anything we played 2 years ago. They still have ridiculously good players for this league and have a largely settled first 11.

We went with a game plan that worked first half but didn’t so much in the second. But still, I can’t remember Leeds creating too much after the 60th minute despite all their possession.

There’s a lot more to come from this team, and Parker alluded to it after the game. He wouldn’t have been happy with that second half, but by god he would’ve learnt a lot about their character and togetherness.

Had VK still been here, we would’ve needed 3 goals just to grab a draw, and I find it incredible that after all the spineless performances of last year that we’re being so critical. Some people have short memories.

I think virtually everybody said Laurent was very good against Rovers but some have said today he's dire. It's worse than binary.

You have to be an older fan to realise how much a win at Elland Road means. After Rovers, they're the team I dislike the most.

I didn't see today's match but the result is what matters combined with the effort and togetherness behind it. Let's see how many teams go there and win this season.

[claret2018]

If it was a Dyche-like performance we’d have lost that 2-1!

[Ric_C]

Could easily have lost that in the last 20 with a mixture of poor passing in dangerous situations, and defending way too deep. Lose that 2-1 and the player ratings thread would be full of 4s and 5s guaranteed.

Having said that, you cannot argue with the character the lads showed today. I'm not too worried about styles at this stage as we need to get a settled side and our best players back in the team.

A lot of the bookies had Luton and Leeds to be in the top 3 this season and we've beaten them both on their own patches.

[Belial]

First half was pleasing on the whole. Second we struggled a bit at times but got stuck in and our organisation was impresive. DL are favourites to win the league and we went to their ground and came away with 3 points, with a completely new squad and manager

Thought Laurent was a bit 'rabbit in the headlights' at times and yet to be convinced by Pires but let's be fair, they are coming into something completely new to them.

I'd have taken a draw at kick off so to get 3 points under the circumstances (and after our Sunderland performance) offers a lot of optimism