I have been waiting for a thread on this subject as I quite like reading other supporters views. So I may as well start it off, I presume Defour is not fit yet.

Heaton

Lowton, Keane, Mee, Ward

surely the above is a given?

Then it gets tricky! The following is potentially 4 4 1 1 or 4 5 1

................Barton, Westwood........

Arfield..............Brady...................Boyd

....................Barnes

I was going to type `either 3-0 to Hull or a 2-1 win for Burnley` but then in came my 6-month old adorned with her Burnley FC bib SO it`s a 2-1 win for the Clarets!!!

I really don`t think Westwood is up to speed yet so he won`t work in a 4-4-2. Dyche will definitely play him though so gonna have to be a 4-5-1...

Heaton

Lowton (alleluia!) Keane Mee (alleluia!) Ward (alleluia!)

Boyd Barton Tarkowski (wait for it!) Westwood Brady

Barnes (just over Gray...he`s often far too isolated especially away from home)

vinrogue wrote:I have been waiting for a thread on this subject as I quite like reading other supporters views. So I may as well start it off, I presume Defour is not fit yet.

Heaton

Lowton, Keane, Mee, Ward

surely the above is a given?

Then it gets tricky! The following is potentially 4 4 1 1 or 4 5 1

................Barton, Westwood........

Arfield..............Brady...................Boyd

....................Barnes

Same except for Gray in place of Arfield

Heaton
Lowton Keane Mee Ward
Boyd Barton Westwood Brady
Barnes Gray

Hopefully

Heaton
Lowton Keane Mee Ward
Boyd Westwood Barton Brady
Barnes Gray

Surely Flanagan is pushing for a start???

Heaton
Lowton Keane mee Ward
Boyd Barton Tark Westwood Brady
Gray

Heston
Darikwa - Keane-Mee-Ward
Boyd-D4-Westwood-Arfield
Vokes-Gray

Heaton
Lowton Keane Mee Ward
Boyd Barton Westwood Brady
Barnes Gray

Subs: Agent Robbo, Derek, Tark, Flanagan, Arfield, JBG, Vokes

KippaxFifaHD wrote:Heaton
Lowton Keane Mee Ward
Boyd Barton Westwood Brady
Barnes Gray

Subs: Agent Robbo, Derek, Tark, Flanagan, Arfield, JBG, Vokes

Sorry, Hendrick is back, so:

Heaton
Lowton, Keane, Mee, Ward
Boyd, Hendrick, Westwood, Brady
Barnes, Gray

Subs: Robbo, Flanagan, Tark, Hendrick, Arfield, JBG, Vokes

KippaxFifaHD wrote:Sorry, Hendrick is back, so:

Heaton
Lowton, Keane, Mee, Ward
Boyd, Hendrick, Westwood, Brady
Barnes, Gray

Subs: Robbo, Flanagan, Tark, Hendrick, Arfield, JBG, Vokes

Sorry, no he isn't, ignore me!

Heaton
Lowton Keane Mee Ward
Darikwa Barton Westwood Brady
Gray Barnes

Yes. Darikwa right midfield.

Heaton
Lowton
Keane
Mee
Ward
Boyd
Barton
Westwood
Brady
Barnes
Gray

I think 9 names are given
Heaton
Lowton
Keane
Mee
Ward
Brady
Boyd
Westwood
Barton

Then 2 from 3 of the following
Barnes
Gray
Farms

For me Gray would be the one to miss out. But really it could be any of them. I would like option to bring Vokes and Gray on after 70 mins.

It does feel like we are down to the bare bones. But with hopefully Hendrick and Defour available the week after this may be as bad as it gets.

Be surprised if it's not

Heaton
Lowton Keane Mee Ward
Boyd Barton Westwood Brady
Barnes Gray

Burnley will be playing 4-4-*******-2.
The four workhorses in midfield last week had not an ounce of creativity in them.
The re-introduction of Robbie Brady helps in this regard.
We need Barnes, for Brady's delicious crosses and Grays pace to drag their two CHs around.

It will be:

Heaton
Lowton Keane Mee Ward
Boyd Barton Westwood Brady
Barnes Gray

Something different would be:

..................Heaton......................

...Tarks.........Keane.......Mee...........

Lowton...........Barton.............Ward..

.......Arfield..................Brady........

...............Gray......Barnes............

I would go (assuming Defour isn't fit):

Heaton
Lowton Keane Mee Ward
Boyd Arfield Barton Brady
-------Barnes Gray

Arfield in the centre will always be controversial, but I think he's better suited to partnering either Barton or Westwood than they are to partnering each other, except in a game where (like Chelsea) we are happy to be passive. They both sit too deep, both use the ball in a similar way, and generally are too similar to be an ideal partnership. Arfield presses better, passes forwards more and whilst he had an indifferent game last week, with Barton along side him to talk him through defensively, I think he's a better bet, certainly to start the game. Of course, if Defour is fit, he should play, and Arfield would drop to the bench.

Whilst not keen on Arfield in the centre I'm not convinced Westwood and Barton are a good pairing either. They don't really compliment each other.

So far we have only seen one Brady left foot corner at Watford, it was amazing and deserved a head on it. Given that left foot and that kind of corner with Mee, Keane and others able to get to the back post it could be an effective goal threat. UTC

ClaretTony wrote:Hopefully

Heaton
Lowton Keane Mee Ward
Boyd Westwood Barton Brady
Barnes Gray

Dont always agree with CT but I think he is correct with his selection.

FCBurnley wrote:Dont always agree with CT but I think he is correct with his selection.

CT's team is almost certainly right.

Hopefully starting X1 will be:
Heaton

Lowton Keane Tarkowski Ward

Boyd Barton Westwood Brady

Gray Barnes

Adrianthepostman wrote:Hopefully starting X1 will be:
Heaton

Lowton Keane Tarkowski Ward

Boyd Barton Westwood Brady

Gray Barnes

Tarkowski in front of our most consistent player so far this season? Have you seen the player of the season rankings, as determined by several hundred people after each game!

Going to put it out there and probably get shot down for this but for me it has to be
Heaton
Lowton Keane mee ward
Boyd Westwood Barton arfield
Barnes
Gray

Brady looked simply awful v Chelsea and we can't risk that id bring him on late in the game to add pace but would stick with arfield for now. Just a gut feeling but had to put it out there guys.

Arfield actually being suggested to play in the middle is spine tingling.

CFS wrote:Going to put it out there and probably get shot down for this but for me it has to be


Brady looked simply awful v Chelsea and we can't risk that id bring him on late in the game to add pace but would stick with arfield for now. Just a gut feeling but had to put it out there guys.

He's had some time to settle in now, he'll be fine.
Although I doubt this will happen I like:
Heaton,
Lowton, Keane, Mee, Ward,
Boyd, Barton, Tarkowski, Westwood, Brady,
Barnes.

A draw would be a good result at Hull, we should "park the bus"

Blackrod wrote:Whilst not keen on Arfield in the centre I'm not convinced Westwood and Barton are a good pairing either. They don't really compliment each other.

I thought they were brilliant Vs Chelsea.

I can't see Gray getting the nod for the start tbh - think he will be
used later in the game when their back four begin to tire after Barnes
has battered them.

RVclaret wrote:Arfield actually being suggested to play in the middle is spine tingling.

Not quite as spine tingling as Barnes playing up front on his own.

Funkydrummer wrote:I can't see Gray getting the nod for the start tbh - think he will be
used later in the game when their back four begin to tire after Barnes
has battered them.

I was waiting for Gray to spring into life against a tiring non league outfit last week......................I'm still waiting

Heaton
Lowton Keane Mee Ward
Boyd Barton Westwood Brady
Barnes Gray

bfccrazy wrote:Heston
Darikwa - Keane-Mee-Ward
Boyd-D4-Westwood-Arfield
Vokes-Gray

Charlton Hestons dead
Lowton is a cert
D4 is crocked
Barton a cert
Brady is our best hope
Barnes is a cert

RVclaret wrote:Arfield actually being suggested to play in the middle is spine tingling.

HuncoatClaret wrote:
I thought they were brilliant Vs Chelsea.

Westwood and Barton were excellent together against Chelsea, but in many respects that was a perfect game for them to be paired together. Our game plan was to sit deep, press Chelsea through the front 2 and wide players and with the midfielders only really pressing within our own half. Their job was to stay close to the centre backs and make sure there was no space in front of the back 4 and after the first 20 minutes, they did it well.

Last weekend was clearly a completely different game and they were found wanting in a game where we needed to be more assertive, and this weekend will be somewhere in between. We ought to be content to keep our shape and hit Hull on the counter attack, but equally we should be willing to press them and prevent them getting into their rhythm, and we should be looking to pass forwards and get attacks built quickly and decisively. Arfield is better at these things than Westwoos and to a large extent Barton.

There is something of a myth about Arfield in the centre. We didn't have a great record in the period in which he was in the centre 2 years ago, but I think our record of 3 wins, 3 draws and 7 defeats was pretty much in keeping with our general record over the season; certainly its impossible to say from the evidence that we were worse in those games. Those games include a draw and Chelsea and a win over City, and of the defeats only two (at United, when were outstanding and should have won), and at Liverpool were by more than one goal. Arfield's general partner in the centre of midfield was David Jones, who has his detractors. This season, he's played central midfield very effectively against Everton at home (albeit in a 3), in a game we won, and done half an hour against Liverpool when we more than held our own.

The idea he's an awful option in midfield who should send shudders down the spine is based purely on a negative perception which is probably unfair, rather than evidence. He's not a first choice option, but he's a decent alternative option. Westwood may get the nod tomorrow because we feel we need to get him up to speed and build his morale as much as anything, but Arfield might very well do a better job.