Upon Reflection

[KRBFC]

How do you think the two transfer windows have gone this time around? Definitely much better than last time I'm sure we can all agree and you certainly can't fault the board at all. Anything to work on? I believe so....

Firstly, the players we target, if we're going to play 442 tw*t it to a pair of strikers, surely we should have brought in at least one striker in the Crouch/Kenwyne Jones/John Carew mould? A big clumsy carthorse type just not Juke.
I question the signing of Defour and Westwood, neither seem to fit the framework, neither can get a kick and both cost over £10M combined. I'd guess that both (certainly Defour) will be near the top of the wages list. Some will say Westwood was bought to cover Barton's ban but IMO we should have bought someone capable of taking Barton's place in the team instantly otherwise we're stuck with a player on a 3 year(???) contract for the sake of safeguarding an FA ban to a player. JBG is another, I like him, he's a good player but he doesn't fit the framework either, he's had a few good games but been mostly disappointing or injured.

Secondly, our use of the loan market under Dyche has been pathetic. Bamford and Flanagan, both a complete waste of a wage and a drain on resources. I hate to bang on about Marco Silva, but look at his use of the loan market at Hull... Markovic, Niasse and Ranocchia. What were we doing while these players were allowed to leave on loan? Markovic and Niasse would walk straight into this starting 11 no doubt about it. I don't think Dyche likes the loan market, he certainly didn't bother to give Chalobah a chance when he came here. Certainly an area that needs work.

Overall, 7/10.
Alot of positives but certain areas need work.
I have a suggestion for next season... sell the lot buy an Italian defence, a German midfield and a bunch of Brazilian forwards. We lack the Brazilian flair.

[KateR]

agree much better, signs of improvements are positive and hope to see another level, we should have more to offer for potential players as a PL team rather than nailed on for relegation which we were last summer.

don't agree about front two, surely there are teams with 2 upfront that don't have a big lump? Prefer 2 fast/skillful players personally but maybe what I am thinking of is not an out and out front 2, but more a 1 with 1 behind.

Definitely room for improvement of course, and your score is higher than I would have expected from reading some of your other posts but maybe I am reading to much in to it. I would say 7 or perhaps even a 7.5 but that is nit picking so lets say 7 from me also.

looking forward to the transfer window this time around

[CombatClaret]

On loans has Dyche and/or Burnely ever been great at bringing in international players of the type you mention at Hull.

It's probably in part down to our scouting network but mangers like Silva; a Portuguese national are always happy to import players from the continent because they share a similar background.
'Dyche type players' often seems to include English as a first language, I imagine communication is very high up his list of priorities not just with him but the rest of the team which he talks up their closeness.

I maybe completely wrong but it doesn't seem like coincidence that a chap called Marco from Portugal get in Lazar, Oumar & Andrea on loan while Sean from Kettering gets Patrick and Jon.

[Quickenthetempo]

The players brought in have been fine, the use of them however not so much.

This next one if we stay up is the big one, we need more technical than workhorse to improve. All premier league players need to be comfortable in possession.
A Spanish type midfielder would be nice. A Cazorla or Arteta type.

[Sidney1st]

Personally I'd take a Michu type player on the proviso they have an outstanding season like he did.

[Chester Perry]

I question the signing of Defour and Westwood, neither seem to fit the framework, neither can get a kick and both cost over £10M combined. I'd guess that both (certainly Defour) will be near the top of the wages list. Some will say Westwood was bought to cover Barton's ban but IMO we should have bought someone capable of taking Barton's place in the team instantly otherwise we're stuck with a player on a 3 year(???) contract for the sake of safeguarding an FA ban to a player. JBG is another, I like him, he's a good player but he doesn't fit the framework either, he's had a few good games but been mostly disappointing or injured.

Just a thought but perhaps they were purchased with a hope to be more flexible in our approach of the season - something which we have seen attempted - but not enough for you I agree. the restrictions have I believe been the result of injury - JBG and Marney being the obvious ones that I think has stopped us from going either4-3-3, 3-5-2 or even 4-2-3-1

[Sidney1st]

If Marney was fit and Defour was fully match fit I suspect we would've played other formations more regularly.
Same with Barton joining us late on.

For once we have more than enough personel for the central midfield, they just seem to be injured or not quite fit enough.

[Cleveleys_claret]

A must for me is a genuine holding midfielder. Someone that offers proper protection to our centre halves allowing us to not have to play so narrow with our full backs pulling in. The nucleus of a good footballing side is there I just think with reverting to if you will having 4 centre halves in such a tight space then wingers becoming full backs this is what is hindering us. We struggle with an outlay and end up lumping it Instead of being able to play it out wide.

I think we are in a great state and more midfielders than I can ever remember having but we need a Kante type play. Not saying that is easy but as you say with Silva KRBFC the upturn in their performances has come from playing Huddlestone in that role. Protects the centre halves and able to put his foot on it and pick a pass.....allowing their full backs to stay as full backs and likewise their wide players

[KRBFC]

A must for me is a genuine holding midfielder. Someone that offers proper protection to our centre halves allowing us to not have to play so narrow with our full backs pulling in. The nucleus of a good footballing side is there I just think with reverting to if you will having 4 centre halves in such a tight space then wingers becoming full backs this is what is hindering us. We struggle with an outlay and end up lumping it Instead of being able to play it out wide.

I think we are in a great state and more midfielders than I can ever remember having but we need a Kante type play. Not saying that is easy but as you say with Silva KRBFC the upturn in their performances has come from playing Huddlestone in that role. Protects the centre halves and able to put his foot on it and pick a pass.....allowing their full backs to stay as full backs and likewise their wide players

That other fella they brought in has been immense too, he's been that good I've forgot his name. Big black African fella from Villareal.

Edit: I used google, it was p*ssing me off that I couldn't remember his name. Alfred N'Diaye on loan from Villareal, Senegal international. Another top class loan signing.

[Cleveleys_claret]

N'Diaya yeah he looks good. The players are out there and applying moneyball logic they don't have to do everything. Break up play and give whether short or long dependent on ability. With possibly 2 midfielders in front of the holding mid there should be one with the tactical nous (for us at the mo it would be Defour) to bring in wingers, lone forward or overlapping full backs.

Sounds easy ha ha

[Cleveleys_claret]

In fact N'Diaye might of been the only good thing Poyet did at Sunderland although it was probably a couple of yrs too early for him

[Right_winger]

We have made some decent signings this transfer window nothing more nothing less.

Another one of Dyches issues is certainly his knowledge pool of players appears to be somewhat limited to the English championship.

We greatly need to improve our scouting knowledge but Dyche also needs to adapt and learn to trust Players outwith his knowledge range.

Can we not just appoint Cotterill as DOF?

[Chester Perry]

Thought Cotterill was at Birmingham with Harry

we are already active in the non league area especially for the Dev Squad and have apparently been working on building our European scouting operation over the last year - I think wherever he recruits from Dyche likes to build up a good knowledge of the player and his background/history - this takes time (6 - 12 months on a player) and thus things appear slow on the continental front as we build it up - better than signing from youtube/dvd though in my opinion

[Cleveleys_claret]

Thought Cotterill was at Birmingham with Harry

we are already active in the non league area especially for the Dev Squad and have apparently been working on building our European scouting operation over the last year - I think wherever he recruits from Dyche likes to build up a good knowledge of the player and his background/history - this takes time (6 - 12 months on a player) and thus things appear slow on the continental front as we build it up - better than signing from youtube/dvd though in my opinion

Agree to a point with this. But would hope this summer we are in a position where we can sign from abroad. I believe we should be looking at lower champions league teams such as Genk, the Romanian club (cluj?)that did Utd a couple of yrs ago and the like. Enough footage to not have to constantly scout with all matches televised one way or another.

Know it sounds silly but the guys that do Football Manager are amazing. I know Everton buy stats off them. Would that be an avenue to explore?

[jojomk1]

We failed to bring in a striker anywhere near PL standard to compliment Gray
We failed to bring in any wide men with real pace
Our loan signings have been a complete waste of money - again
We have spent £13m on Defour and Westwood who can't get a game
The starting 11 on Sun had just 3 players (inc Barton) who have signed since the end of last season
Have we really seen good business in the last two transfer windows

[Burnleyareback2]

Our record signing winger seems pretty quick...

[Wile E Coyote]

good post KRBFC, made me laugh . I liked the formation description and the other comments.

[Dark Cloud]

I honestly think that back in January, because of the way things were looking, SD and the board thought we'd probably be safe by now so they bought what was minimal, but necessary and had one eye on the future. Had we achieved that security we'd have been able to mess about with the team/framework/formations and seriously target a number of players for next season and start getting them lined up. BUT it hasn't gone like that and we're plugging away with largely the same players (who are dwindling in number due to injury) and hoping to hell that we avoid a relegation place so that we can make the kinds of signings that could take us to the next level. I'm not actually criticising here because if that was the thinking back in the transfer window, I have to say I would have looked at our form/league position and gone along with it. It's just that now it's all looking a bit dicey.

[CombatClaret]

I did not for one moment think we would be looking at another striker in the summer when we had the Championship top goal scorer.
That's the sort of signing a promoted team might try and make If they didn't have them.
You gamble that they will make the step up and start putting them away in the PL.

[ontario claret]

I see a more reflective side to KRBFC, and I like it.

[Funkydrummer]

Just signed in to like your post jojomk1

[KRBFC]

We failed to bring in a striker anywhere near PL standard to compliment Gray
We failed to bring in any wide men with real pace
Our loan signings have been a complete waste of money - again
We have spent £13m on Defour and Westwood who can't get a game
The starting 11 on Sun had just 3 players (inc Barton) who have signed since the end of last season
Have we really seen good business in the last two transfer windows

I don't know if that's your honest opinion or if you're trying to mock me but I feel like you're trying to mock me so ill call you out on it and apologise if I'm wrong. Where did I mention pace and widemen? Where did I mention needing a striker to compliment Gray? Who moaned about the starting 11?

[Funkydrummer]

I don't know if that's your honest opinion or if you're trying to mock me but I feel like you're trying to mock me so ill call you out on it and apologise if I'm wrong. Where did I mention pace and widemen? Where did I mention needing a striker to compliment Gray? Who moaned about the starting 11?

??????????????

Persecution complex or what ! !

[Chester Perry]

to my understanding we went in for 3 wide men with pace all foreign by the way - 2 chose elsewhere Ajax and Swansea (that is how it goes in the transfer market - Burnley not considered the most attractive club to join) - the other (now at Hull) wanted to come but we ditched because of the baggage that appeared at the last minute - something most on here agreed with at the time

[Jakubclaret]

A must for me is a genuine holding midfielder. Someone that offers proper protection to our centre halves allowing us to not have to play so narrow with our full backs pulling in. The nucleus of a good footballing side is there I just think with reverting to if you will having 4 centre halves in such a tight space then wingers becoming full backs this is what is hindering us. We struggle with an outlay and end up lumping it Instead of being able to play it out wide.

I think we are in a great state and more midfielders than I can ever remember having but we need a Kante type play. Not saying that is easy but as you say with Silva KRBFC the upturn in their performances has come from playing Huddlestone in that role. Protects the centre halves and able to put his foot on it and pick a pass.....allowing their full backs to stay as full backs and likewise their wide players

Agree. Some sort of screen palace were shipping goals when there didn't replace that jedinak fella brought the Serbian in & now there are better Sakho also I think has helped there cause defensively. I think we are ok generally in not conceding but as a result lose alot of attacking impetus as a result of that we are lopsided & really suffer when 1 or 2 key players gets knocks. I'd like to see a holding midfielder to give us more freedom going forward.

[Dark Cloud]

We failed to bring in a striker anywhere near PL standard to compliment Gray
We failed to bring in any wide men with real pace
Our loan signings have been a complete waste of money - again
We have spent £13m on Defour and Westwood who can't get a game
The starting 11 on Sun had just 3 players (inc Barton) who have signed since the end of last season
Have we really seen good business in the last two transfer windows

To be fair I think all that is pretty factual and I didn't see it as anyone mocking anyone else. You might debate whether Brady and JBG really do lack pace, but other than that.....

[KRBFC]

To be fair I think all that is pretty factual and I didn't see it as anyone mocking anyone else. You might debate whether Brady and JBG really do lack pace, but other than that.....

I got the feeling he was trying to mock my OP.

[Dark Cloud]

I got the feeling he was trying to mock my OP.

I realise that, but I don't think he was. (Or I didn't ever consider he was)

[jojomk1]

I don't know if that's your honest opinion or if you're trying to mock me but I feel like you're trying to mock me so ill call you out on it and apologise if I'm wrong. Where did I mention pace and widemen? Where did I mention needing a striker to compliment Gray? Who moaned about the starting 11?

KRBFC

You have your head so far up your own backside you actually thought I was commenting with your post in mind ?

I will accept your apology

[evensteadiereddie]

I see a more reflective side to KRBFC, and I like it.

II think it's more commonly known as "winding yer neck in " but, yes, a welcome change of attitude.