Excellent again

[cricketfieldclarets]

Fantastic performance.

Thought Wood, McNeil, Westwood and Barnes in particular were excellent.

We moved the ball quick and at pace. And on the counter attack we were very positive if not always clinical. We showed great patience too at 1-0 down when heads could've dropped.

In a game we had to win, we did. Its the sort of game we often struggle in, especially when at ten men the onus is then on us to open the team up.

Wood and Barnes worked so well together and they really do look a partnership at times.

McNeil constantly putting the ball in the box. I don't want to expect too much of him yet. But his performances and return this season for a lad of his age have been exceptional - especially in the last two games when the pressure is on the whole team. Looks technically very good and composed.

Westwood - once again. Lovely passing. Always has his head up and has excellent energy.

We are still in the ****, no doubt about that. But we are showing fight, desire and no little skill!

Hopefully we can keep this up and then learn from this season in summer.

Forget Moyes. Or Allerdyce. Or anyone else for that matter. Dyche has got this.

[CoolClaret]

Westy MOM for me, tidy player... A proper ball winner next to him and we'd be sound

[Bosscat]

CFC spot on with your analysis fellah.....

Dyche has got people back on side with his post Everton Boxing Day team meeting.

Bloody hell doesn't McNeill look good wide left like he was born for it

[Blyclaret]

Sorry but for me far from excellent
Far too many mistakes
Misplaced passes
Yes we won great result but not a patch on the west ham performance

[CoolClaret]

Westy MOM for me, tidy player... A proper ball winner next to him and we'd be sound

[cricketfieldclarets]

Sorry but for me far from excellent
Far too many mistakes
Misplaced passes
Yes we won great result but not a patch on the west ham performance

I thought we were brilliant on the counter. As good as I have seen since this time last year. Just lacking the clinical edge on one or two chances.

[SussexDon1inIreland]

Thought Cork was good too.

UTC

[SGr]

Massive result, impressed with a few individual performances, especially second half

[MACCA]

More "job done" than excellent for me, but that's ok, let's save excellent for another game.

[criminalclaret]

Compared with Palace, Everton and Brighton (even though we won) games, it was an excellent performance.

The West Ham performance was the benchmark of what we should be playing at all season, and we have to strive for that.

Fulham a massive, massive game at the Turf. Let's get the place rocking!

[AngleseyClaret]

For me Jack Cork never put a foot wrong, our poorest player today was Charlie Taylor who gave the ball away far too often, also thought young McNeil scared their defense with his pace just what we need. All in all a decent performance except the last scary 6 or 7 minutes.

[SandyLaneClaret]

Let's be honest please. An OK performance that got us over the line in a massive game. Huddersfield are nowhere near Premier League quality and we struggled to beat them with 10 men. We did beat them though so fair play to the lads. Long way to go yet though.

[AlargeClaret]

We were ok,but bearing in mind we played the worst( and poorest) team in the league with 10 men for over half the game we just about did enough . I still think we’d have beat them with 11 v 11 but we were scrappy . Heaton barely touched the ball as they offered virtually nowt . McNeil seems a talent ,shame about Brady sending off but all in all not a bad night and a vital 3 points with another 6 pointer against a very beatable side next up

[A.Claret.Fan]

Not quite excellent, but a win is a win and it is a hard won result.

Technically, I thought we were poor, with lots of misplaced passes and lax defending.

Midfield were stronger and Woods/Barnes partnership seems to be progressing well.

[Richardsbfc]

Westwood MOM

[4:20]

Huge credit to both Dyche and the team for that sustained period of pressure in the second half which eventually led to the goal. The blood was there and they all smelt it. Huddersfield, despite their lack of top division quality were fighting as hard as their fans were for it. A tough game under the circumstances, we took advantage of them being down to ten men where it mattered. Chuffed to bits at that massively important result.

[diamondpocket]

I have to agree with the opening post by CC; think he has summarised it well tonight.
After being pretty poor overall this season, bar a few games, we have suddenly come out and started playing; pushed up our play 10 yards and subsequently got our midfield players supporting better, especially Westwood whose quality has started to show.
McNeil has been a revelation, too, and looks a real star, with a surprise turn of pace once in his stride, and has great footwork, as well as good technique.
Well done to Sean and the players for such bravery. After that Everton game, I had seriously started to doubt us but we have shown these last 2 games what we can do, albeit against two poor sides. West Ham didnt show up and tonight showed why Udds will go down; good start but cant play for 90 mins.
Come on you Clarets

[diamondpocket]

Let's be honest please. An OK performance that got us over the line in a massive game. Huddersfield are nowhere near Premier League quality and we struggled to beat them with 10 men. We did beat them though so fair play to the lads. Long way to go yet though.

No way did we struggle; we dominated that second half; did Heats have anything to do'? We didnt take our chances as we had a couple of decent ones before Barnesy put one away but I don't think we struggled; we were in control and kept our nerve and patience.

[SandyLaneClaret]

How many goalscoring opportunities did we have? I'm not meaning to be negative, we were excellent vs West Ham, just not tonight. We won, that's impressive enough in a game like this.

[Murger]

Amazing what you can do when you don't launch it aimlessly.

[cricketfieldclarets]

Really enjoyed that game. Thought we played as well as we have in a long time, especially on the counter. And while it looks tight at 2-1 I thought we absolutely controlled it.

People are saying it should have been easy with playing ten men but how often is it not? Especially when they defend?

The thing that said it all for me was when they got the red card. Wagner brought off their only attacking, creative player for a defensive one. Paid us a huge compliment with that sub. And also probably gave us real confidence as the away side!

I thought the patience we showed was brilliant. And we didnt look too shabby on the counter.

[Goodclaret]

Some of our play going forward was excellent. Quick passing, good link play with midfield and the strikers. McNeil really is something different and I love his direct play. A goal and an assist in two must win games is a great return from the young lad.

Brady's red is the dampener; I assume he was planning on taking a yellow for the team then got his tackle all wrong! Shame as we need his creativity too.

[Richardsbfc]

Really enjoyed that game. Thought we played as well as we have in a long time, especially on the counter. And while it looks tight at 2-1 I thought we absolutely controlled it.

People are saying it should have been easy with playing ten men but how often is it not? Especially when they defend?

The thing that said it all for me was when they got the red card. Wagner brought off their only attacking, creative player for a defensive one. Paid us a huge compliment with that sub. And also probably gave us real confidence as the away side!

I thought the patience we showed was brilliant. And we didnt look too shabby on the counter.

Were surprised by that sub to be fair. Probably their only in play threat.

Good to see the fight back in Cork too. Went into some challenges and come out the right side of them.

[cricketfieldclarets]

Were surprised by that sub to be fair. Probably their only in play threat.

Good to see the fight back in Cork too. Went into some challenges and come out the right side of them.

Very negative change.

[diamondpocket]

How many goalscoring opportunities did we have? I'm not meaning to be negative, we were excellent vs West Ham, just not tonight. We won, that's impressive enough in a game like this.

Will have to wait and see for the highlights to be sure but I remember shouting and getting excited waking the house up at least 3/4 times where we had good opportunities to score.

[EarbyClaret]

Never going to be the spectacle Sunday was - West Ham let us play, Huddersfield didn't.

Thought we stuck to the task well and showed good patience in the second half. Eventually worked the opening that mattered after a sustained period of control. There never looked like being more than a goal between the teams even at 11 v 10

There were some really pleasing individual performances too - especially in CM where Cork and Westwood look like completely different players in the last couple of games.

[Vino blanco]

It was far from excellent. We gave the ball away too much as usual. It was however a good performance under difficult circumstances. I thought the so called 'plank', by some on here, had a great game.

[Vegas Claret]

just a very professional performance and no more - delighted with the win, absolutely huge for us

[strayclaret]

Massive win, but got away with Tarkowski, Mee and then Lowton being sloppy in their distribution, a better team would have punished us.

[Ooogeorgeorgeoghani]

Massive win, but got away with Tarkowski, Mee and then Lowton being sloppy in their distribution, a better team would have punished us.

Luckily tarks is fairly quick to Get back and tackle as he gave a few away on Sunday too but got back to avoid embarrassment