I wasn't at the game today and didn't have a stream.

How did Kevin Long perform? Have we got another Michael Duff in our squad?

How many Premier League starts as Kevin had? And how many has played full 90 mins?

How did Long and Tarkowski look together? A good pairing?

Long was outstanding considering it was his first start in years. Tarky was fantastic - again

They did ok, but obv that we missed our usual two.
Can't really judge KL on one game, but did ok.

Long looked ok
Wasn't really tested and I don't think he was at fault for any of the goals.

Don't think he'll be first choice for a premier team but not a bad backup option

he did more than OK

Both were quality. The surge from Tarkowski was very impressive.

Long was very very quick.

Ok? He played well. The fact that Keane and Mee didn't play yet we looked so comfortable for large parts of the game shows how well Long and Tarkowski did. Really pleasing that your 4th choice centre half who we haven't seen anything of for so long can come in cold and fit right in.

Thought he did very well, alot on here have doubted him and I don't recall him ever letting us down, dependable.

They both did very well

did very well imho, one thing that was impressive was his sprint to keep up with James Mclean

We almost didn't miss our central pairing. I've thought of Tarks since we bought him that he and Keane could be a future England pairing. That said, Tarks was at fault for one of the goals. He lost his man

very capable today. tarks looked superb as well.

He's very good backup to have, in my opinion. Sounds like he did well today.

KRBFC wrote:Thought he did very well, alot on here have doubted him and I don't recall him ever letting us down, dependable.

Can't think he's played enough games with regards to ever 'letting us down'. He did well today but if/when Keane leaves we need to seriously upgrade.

Who was at fault for the goals? Not a pointing finger, a genuine question as I wasn't sure.

DCWat wrote:Who was at fault for the goals? Not a pointing finger, a genuine question as I wasn't sure.

Think some people mentioned Lowton for the first and Tarkowski for the second. Not 100% sure though.

All sounds very promising.

So, when Michael Keane gets his well deserved upwards move he isn't leaving us vulnerable to the wrong signing to re-build our defence. I expect - I'm sure we all do - that Sean Dyche will be in the transfer market to strengthen the team and that will include a new CD. But, it sounds like we aren't desperate for a 1st team starter in CD.

UTC

Think Lowton got caught between "stick or twist" for the first goal, but other than that had another great game

Couldn't tell for the second

Heaton at fault for the corner, he doesn't command his box enough which separates him from the best. Tark let his man go but tough to blame him the delivery was excellent.

How much will he get from the 'bonus pot' now? Would it have been better, financially, not playing him today perhaps?

To say he's played hardly any football over the past couple of years, I thought Kevin Long did really well. He was up against a real beast in Rondon but held his own and was generally very solid.

We'll certainly be looking for another CB when Keane goes, but it's encouraging to know our fourth choice can come in and perform so well in the PL.

Lowton for one - watching the ball waiting for it to arrive rather than playing them man when it did. Tarks for the other - lost his man. Should have been "touching" him to feel where he was. He wasn't, and Dawson was in front of him before he knew it. He'll learn from that though - in fact both will

Diesel wrote:How much will he get from the 'bonus pot' now? Would it have been better, financially, not playing him today perhaps?

it's a pot. one total divided by x.

Diesel wrote:How much will he get from the 'bonus pot' now? Would it have been better, financially, not playing him today perhaps?

How can it cost us more? As I read it the pot to be divided ìs a % of the amount we receive on final league position. This total wouldnt go up or down on appearances of certain players.

Also what else would you have done? Played a full back at centre half at one of the best set piece teams in the league. Leaving us short on height and knowhow in the position?

Diesel wrote:How much will he get from the 'bonus pot' now? Would it have been better, financially, not playing him today perhaps?

If what was reported in Mail (?) is anywhere near correct, I imagine that every game a player starts receives £x from the pot and everyone that they come on as sub there is a smaller share - and again for being on the bench but not coming on. It may also be that players in the squad who don't even make the bench get a smaller share again. It's how you keep a squad together and all pulling for the same result.

We all know that wages will be different for each player. I don't know whether the same bonus share will be available to all the squad, or whether there is some tiering amongst the bonus structure.

One thing we should be sure of, it would not have been financially better to leave out a member of the team: another point gained, not just staying up but moving up the table - all adds to the payout to Burnley. The bonus pot will only be a share of the payout.

Felt the goal was Tarks fault although if the man on the back post (Arfield) stayed on the back post instead of stepping in a yard he would have stopped it

Good performance given it must have been his first competitive peformance for some time.

Reading the early player ratings it's really impressive how Kevin Long, James Tarkowski, Jeff Hendrick and Ashley Westwood have been rated. Some great transfer business over the last 3 windows for the JT, JH and AW - and KL kept in the squad (plus loans) and building for when we need him.

I'm sure Sean Dyche and the Board are already planning how we will build on this season's performance for the seasons ahead.

A great time to be a Claret.

UTC

minnieclaret wrote:it's a pot. one total divided by x.

He won't be popular with the rest of the squad now then, that appearance today has cost them all a % of that pot.

I thought they were a bit frosty with him at the end.

Diesel wrote:He won't be popular with the rest of the squad now then, that appearance today has cost them all a % of that pot.

I thought they were a bit frosty with him at the end.

Hi Diesel, sorry, you've got something confused. If Kevin Long hadn't played and Keane or Mee was fit, then the one that played would have got that 1 match share (for 1 player) of the pot. It doesn't matter to any of the other players who is playing - so long as the team gets the points and moves up the table.

If a player plays every game then they will receive 38 shares of the pot, and the same goes for all the other players in the team and squad.

UTC

Diesel wrote:He won't be popular with the rest of the squad now then, that appearance today has cost them all a % of that pot.

I thought they were a bit frosty with him at the end.

Do you try to come across as a tool on purpose?

Vegas Claret wrote:did very well imho, one thing that was impressive was his sprint to keep up with James Mclean

That's what caught my eye- didn't think he'd be able to keep up with JM, when that unfolded. Thought he looked sharp and composed- his performance was a big positive, today.

He did OK. He coped fine physically, just got caught out positionally a couple of times, including for their first goal when he ended up in no mans land a yard beyond the near post rather than standing his ground.

Overall, he can be really pleased considering how little game time he's had, but im not sure he was as flawless as many have suggested.

I'm with Claretspice on this, thought he was ok when there wasn't much pressure on him but ended up on his backside for the first goal when he should have been Lowton's cover, and was stood doing nothing for their 2nd. Seemed to neither pick up a man nor attack the ball on what was a relatively low cross. I'd be worried if he was our 4th choice CB next season, especially as we've been pretty lucky with injuries and suspensions this season

Neither center backs were "flawless" but considering how little first team football either of them has played ( actually playing time as opposed to being a sub), they both played pretty well. There have been some on here in the past questioning why Long was still a Burnley player - maybe he answered a few critics today. I accept that seeing a match on TV, isn't the same as being there but he didn't give the impression of not being good enough to be part of the group.

How did flawless come into your judgement
IMMENSE was what you were looking for

We were up against it today without Mee and Keane and always new that set pieces would be a problem. But to be fair Kevin had a reasonable game. It was tough for him and Tarks has they have never played together before.

All in all a good point, under the circumstances

pure bellendery to say anything critical or dismissive of a lad who's on his first start for years and since a bloody nasty injury...and a lad who's been happy to sit on the bench on the odd occasions he has made the squad...

...he then gets a start..doesnt bottle it..sharp as a tack and clearly managed to be match fit..and does ok in a vital prem match...what were people expecting beyond that?

..he'll be part of our squad next year and fully deserves to be...when he's had a dozen starts some of the instant judging will stop.

Chill out. The question the OP asked is how did he play. To which the answer is, i think, Ok but not perfectly. Which is absolutely fine and as you say, about as good as could be fairly expected in the circumstances.

I don't think anyone is judging him as a long term option on that evidence alone, that wouldnt be fair. It will be interesting to see what happens this summer - if Long wants to stick around as cover then great, but I suspect in reality he will be best off moving somewhere else in search of regular first team football and for his own benefit, i hope burnley help make that happen of he wants it.

But he did a job for us yesterday.

cricketfieldclarets wrote:Both were quality. The surge from Tarkowski was very impressive.

Long was very very quick.

Like a young Steve Davis

His volley wasn't bad either

Diesel wrote:How much will he get from the 'bonus pot' now? Would it have been better, financially, not playing him today perhaps?

As others have posted, in or out matters little. Even if the pot were split evenly amongst 25 players it is about £9k per game. Not bad at all that.

A reasonable sense of how he played can be taken from the played ratings thread. Most people scored him 7 or 8 which is certainly better than 'ok'.

DCWat wrote:Who was at fault for the goals? Not a pointing finger, a genuine question as I wasn't sure.

Lowton (who otherwise was very good) for the first and Tarks (who otherwise was very good) for the second. In the end Dawson has headed in without even needing to jump which form a corner is a bit poor to say the least. Shame, as our makeshift central paring did very well overall.

fatboy47 wrote:pure bellendery to say anything critical or dismissive of a lad who's on his first start for years and since a bloody nasty injury...and a lad who's been happy to sit on the bench on the odd occasions he has made the squad...

...he then gets a start..doesnt bottle it..sharp as a tack and clearly managed to be match fit..and does ok in a vital prem match...what were people expecting beyond that?

..he'll be part of our squad next year and fully deserves to be...when he's had a dozen starts some of the instant judging will stop.

Brilliant post fatboy, brilliant. Couldn't have put it better myself.

Well done that man.

Long was 'neat and tidy'.........great effort after so long without a game.

I have to ask why we have a 'Tarky love in' though'? He was on his ar*e for the first goal and left his man for the second!!!

Long's always been a decent player and can double up at right back, but will he want to hang around?

wilks_bfc wrote:Think Lowton got caught between "stick or twist" for the first goal, but other than that had another great game

Couldn't tell for the second

From replays it looks like Lowton misjudged the flight of the ball and got caught underneath it.

Tarks lost his man for the second.

ablueclaret wrote:Long's always been a decent player and can double up at right back, but will he want to hang around?

Well he signed in Jan 2010 so he has stuck around for some time and is contracted until 2018 and due a testimonial in 2020 if he sticks it until then. Thus far he's played about 30 games for us.

Always rated Kevin Long. Strong quick good in the air. Fits the Dyche model of a CH perfectly

I don't often post on here but its interesting to read some coaching/positioning assessments that would make SD and his coaching staff cringe.

I suppose that's what a forum is all about.

Kevin Long was outstanding yesterday, that's without taking the mitigating circumstances into consideration.