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We just liked the look of it? I'm glad someone did. He was excellent at left back but horrific at centre back. Let's hope nobody likes it anymore and we just get on with signing a centre half.

what was so horrific - clearly missed something..

He was a hundred times better at LB than CB.

Accident waiting to happen (and it did, and he would have been given a red had it not been a friendly) at CB unfortunately.

Well he'd have been sent off after 15 minutes for starters when he started ******* around, lost the ball and pulled their player back who was through on goal.

His positioning was largely dreadful in the first half.

I like him a lot. Got bags of potential and I'd be putting him straight in at left back.

Manager tries something in a friendly

claretdom wrote:Manager tries something in a friendly

Aye. Definitely the place to try it. That isn't the issue. It's that the manager is speaking that he likes it. Does that negate the need for a centre back?

Calm down Mr Wat......

We said to him just to be open-minded. It doesn't mean he's going to play there, but we wanted another look at it.

"There's no story there, we just said we needed to put minutes into him, to get used to what we are, not 'oh, we've found a centre back'.

There are more quotes in that article where he suggests him playing there is a possibility in the future, BOT. The future is next week...

It took Dyche a few years to work out that one left sided defender was a centre back, not a left back.

Let's hope he doesn't muddle it up again this time round.

Let's not forget this might have been an opportunity to show the other clubs we're not 'desperate' for a CB and therefore won't get our pants pulled down. (Although, I would suggest we are)

Playing your left back at central defence shows that we are desperate for a CB, especially after trying the kid from the dev squad a few times and immediately deciding he's not good enough.

Mee @ Tarks for me,we won't sign a CB in this window,Tarks deserves a chance in the team,give him while Xmas and then let's judge him.

MDWat wrote:There are more quotes in that article where he suggests him playing there is a possibility in the future, BOT. The future is next week...

It's to be hoped that it is a possibility in the future,if we have 3/4 injured players in that position then we'll need someone to cover.

It always helps if you have players who can play in other positions.

Bit of an over reaction I think if making one error in a meaningless friendly makes them horrific.

He was easily passed and allowed a winger to get a cross in which could have led to a goal quite easily...

Yet the other 99.9% of his 90 mins was absolutely fine.

I'm pretty sure we wont be seeing Taylor playing at Chelsea as I don't think Dyche will want to put him ahead of Ward and Mee so no need to panic.

Take the performance in context that if you were asked to do a different role in your job, whilst you may have the basic skills to carry out the role, it would take a bit of time to master it. Nothing more to this

I hope it was just to get him some match fitness.

But it could also be to show him the position he likes his full backs to tuck into when defending which is like a 3rd CH.

A major step backwards were this to happen.

UpTheBeehole wrote:It took Dyche a few years to work out that one left sided defender was a centre back, not a left back.

Let's hope he doesn't muddle it up again this time round.

I'm assuming you mean the player who spoke out at the time and said he considered himself a left back rather than a central defender. He was already playing left back at Burnley when Dyche arrived.

Nothing wrong with trying things in pre-season but, as MDWat pointed out, Taylor certainly didn't look very much like a central defender in that first half on Tuesday.

ClaretTony wrote:I'm assuming you mean the player who spoke out at the time and said he considered himself a left back rather than a central defender. He was already playing left back at Burnley when Dyche arrived.

Nothing wrong with trying things in pre-season but, as MDWat pointed out, Taylor certainly didn't look very much like a central defender in that first half on Tuesday.

And why would he when he isn't. He wasn't horrific though and a bit of a harsh criticism on a player thats not been at the club for 2 minutes.

Horrific is a daft description.

Matt Lowton played several games at Centre back for Villa. If we were really desperate we could play him instead of Taylor, but he really wasn't that bad!

A good exercise to see what development would be required to put him in a position where he would be a viable option to cover a left side centre back role should the need arise, in addition to him learning our requirements of a left back. It was an excellent opportunity outside of the training ground environment.
It does also as suggested, send out a message that we may not necessarily be as desperate to sign a centre back as some selling clubs assume, so don't think we will be held to ransom by either the club's transfer valuation or agents wage demands.
If Bardsley and Taylor are capable of covering their side of centre back, it gives us much more flexibility in the squad and the player more opportunities to be involved at some point. Of course we do need a young promising understudy for Mee and Tarkowski, but perhaps together with Long, we create a bit of breathing space allowing us time to wait for the one we want.

Do we think Dyche was being economical with the truth when he said 'there's no story there'. Is Taylor now likely to be back up left back and 4th choice centre half?

I suspect part of the CB idea was to make Charlie play a game where he has to focus first and foremost on defence

PWBFC wrote:Do we think Dyche was being economical with the truth when he said 'there's no story there'. Is Taylor now likely to be back up left back and 4th choice centre half?

Maybe he was. The word coming out of the club all summer has been one of no urgency to bring in a central defender.

Well there should be some urgency now with just over a day to go.

It'll be pretty sh1te if the 4th choice centre back is going to be one that hasn't played there before (not counting glorified kickabouts).

He hasn't even played in the Premier League in his proper position yet.

If we do you end up going with this option, then irrespective of whether it is Dyche's doing or down to budgets, it will be absolutely indefensible - an appalling compromise and gamble for a club of our financial means.

claretspice wrote:If we do you end up going with this option, then irrespective of whether it is Dyche's doing or down to budgets, it will be absolutely indefensible - an appalling compromise and gamble for a club of our financial means.

Seconded.

When the January window "slammed shut" leaving us with Jones and Marney as our only two central midfielders in our first Prem foray under Dyche, I posted on claretsmad that I expected one of our two to fall foul of a serious injury that next game. And lo it came to pass.

If the summer window "slams shut" and we only have Mee, Tarks and Long as our only fit central defenders I hereby predict the exact same thing happens again.

Is that you Mystic Meg?

claretspice wrote:If we do you end up going with this option, then irrespective of whether it is Dyche's doing or down to budgets, it will be absolutely indefensible - an appalling compromise and gamble for a club of our financial means.

Couldn't have put it better myself. Completely Agree

Why are people getting so worked up about what could happen? Calm down.

What if mee and tarks score 68 goals between them by Christmas?

For you stattos out there do we know how many games our 4th choice centre half has played in each of the last 8 seasons through necessity. I do think we worry about what might happen, personally I'd be happier with ANY new player that is a shoe in to the starting 11 than worry about buying someone who may well not spend a single minute on the pitch. (Obviously if the new player is a wide player or centre half then it adds depth as well) but for me quality over quantity. Before the obvious reponses I know we had a run of games last year where 4th choice played.

Socrates wrote:Seconded.

When the January window "slammed shut" leaving us with Jones and Marney as our only two central midfielders in our first Prem foray under Dyche, I posted on claretsmad that I expected one of our two to fall foul of a serious injury that next game. And lo it came to pass.

If the summer window "slams shut" and we only have Mee, Tarks and Long as our only fit central defenders I hereby predict the exact same thing happens again.

Most likely to Mee, leaving us with two centre backs with a total of less than 1000 minutes of top flight experience in their careers. I still can't believe we'll put ourselves at risk of that madness.

We have Tom Anderson don't forget.

claretspice wrote:If we do you end up going with this option, then irrespective of whether it is Dyche's doing or down to budgets, it will be absolutely indefensible - an appalling compromise and gamble for a club of our financial means.

I have been positive all summer about our recruitment. I think it's been decent. However as you say if come Friday morning we only have the options above at centre back then it is a complete shambles.

claretspice wrote:Most likely to Mee, leaving us with two centre backs with a total of less than 1000 minutes of top flight experience in their careers. I still can't believe we'll put ourselves at risk of that madness.

So we get someone with vast PL experience who's happy to sit on the bench?

Or we tell Tarks he's back on the bench after his great start to the season?

MACCA wrote:We have Tom Anderson don't forget.

He got decent reviews at chesterfield last season.

Anderson can't be considered an option. Wasn't considered for the cup tie at Rovers. If there was any confidence in him, he'd have been in the squad.

Oh right. I was called mad for suggesting he wasn't up to being on our bench/4th choice.

Thought it was just me

Nothing wrong with experimenting with players in pre-season. So can't read anything into it. He's not a centre half though. He may be able to do a job there but we need to exploit his talents on the left. Regards Mee. He isn't a left back and it is far from his best position. As far as I was aware, he wasn't a left back at City. He may well have been moved to left back prior to Dyche but I am pretty certain he was a centre half at City.

"A club of our financial means". claretspice? We're one of the top 40 richest clubs in the world.

Celtic bod in January, they'll be out of the Champions League by then. It will cost but we're saving our pennies up aren't we ?
Just got to hope Mee and Tarkowski don't pick up any injuries/suspensions before then.

andyh wrote:For you stattos out there do we know how many games our 4th choice centre half has played in each of the last 8 seasons through necessity. I do think we worry about what might happen, personally I'd be happier with ANY new player that is a shoe in to the starting 11 than worry about buying someone who may well not spend a single minute on the pitch. (Obviously if the new player is a wide player or centre half then it adds depth as well) but for me quality over quantity. Before the obvious reponses I know we had a run of games last year where 4th choice played.

Fair point.

Until you realise our third choice centre half is Kevin Long and one of our first choice is the massively unproven at this level Tarks.

Long as 4th choice? No problem.

Long as 3rd choice? Real issue.

Tarks as first choice with experienced back up? No problem.

Tarks as first choice with Long next up? Real issue.

Second time in three years we'll make a profit in the tens of millions. We should not be taking this risk.

Dyched wrote:So we get someone with vast PL experience who's happy to sit on the bench?

Or we tell Tarks he's back on the bench after his great start to the season?

Genuine competition for places - Dyche has said himself we need two for every position. Anderson is a free hit squad wise but won't provide competition for places.

So we've Tarkowski and Mee being pushed by Long.

I think we are in deep sh** if Mee misses a game, we all saw what happened when the Long/Tark partnership was given a go last season.

Socrates wrote:Fair point.

Until you realise our third choice centre half is Kevin Long and one of our first choice is the massively unproven at this level Tarks.

Long as 4th choice? No problem.

Long as 3rd choice? Real issue.

Tarks as first choice with experienced back up? No problem.

Tarks as first choice with Long next up? Real issue.

Second time in three years we'll make a profit in the tens of millions. We should not be taking this risk.

Fair point from you too. I guess it depends on how good Long and Tarks actually are.
Neither has had a run of games at this level.
If they are ok then we are worrying over nothing, but I'm not an ex league centre half who has worked with them for a couple of years so I don't really know.

I still think that we'll have one in before the end of the window.

We do our better business on the quiet.

Long appears to be another of those who is gradually improving the more he doesn't play.

If we were looking to sign a backup centre half who, at 27, had just over 100 games to his name (with only about a quarter of them being at Championship or higher level) most people wouldn't be impressed.

Time to send Long back to Mansfield.

I watched long I pre season and his distribution was immense, as was his defensive side, so not sure why the big downer on him. He hit a driven ball frombrighf wing to left with absolute precision and start an attack where most CB launch if up top in 1 direction, yes just 1 moment and pre season is not as competitive but give the guy a break.

I too am staggered we look likely to leave ourselves in this position.

It seems Dyche may be relaxed about it which is baffling. Clearly he's somebody that plans meticulously so I'd love to know his reasoning.