Saw no more of the game than this morning's breakfast News highlights - fantastic ball into the box to earn the corner! - but have since noticed he played 83 minutes; good news provided that he came through it without too much strain/injury. Did anyone see the game, was CR looking happy enough in himself when he came off?

I watched the whole game and was very impressed. He runs and runs and will be a useful addition. He played really well albeit against weak opposition but good news for BFC nonetheless.

I watched the whole game and was very impressed. He runs and runs and will be a useful addition. He played really well albeit against weak opposition but good news for BFC nonetheless.

I watched the game as well. Connor played as a wing-back in the style of Trippier (hugging the line). High energy and made some intelligent runs which went unnoticed by the Wales midfield - Wilson in particular seemed reluctant to use him.

He has a lot of energy and good speed, but on this showing is not one that takes on a man and beat him - preferring safety first. I think that he will fit in well at Burnley and I expect to see him come on at some stage as a direct replacement for JG against City.

We have got some player in Connor..He is going to be a fans favourite without a shadow of doubt.

Could he play in our midfield?

jurek wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 10:28 am

Could he play in our midfield?

I think he could play right midfield, for sure. I watched a lot of the game and he has so much energy - he just keeps on running. I can see him a defensive right-mid for Dyche. Somebody to play there depending on the opposition. I don't think it'll be long though before he replaces Lowton.

Another thing I noticed - he has a very decent left foot. Quick cross-field passes with his left and a very good curling shot with his left that took a very fine save. Certainly looks both-footed, meaning when it does come to crossing the ball he doesn't need to be predictable to the defender. He can cut back onto his left, or curl it in with his right.

IWOODLOVETT wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 9:58 am

High energy and made some intelligent runs which went unnoticed by the Wales midfield - Wilson in particular seemed reluctant to use him.

Wilson seem to be dropping back a lot to where you'd expect a right back to play. I'm not sure he's used to playing with a wing back and based on that display against poor opposition I'm glad we didn't sign him. Strikes me that in his own head he's a Grealish or a Ronaldo but he just isn't as good as he thinks. Didn't see enough of Roberts defensively to get an opinion but he will definitely offer something on the right hand side and his massive throw could be an interesting addition. Good to see him getting some game time.

The national team managers really don't seem to give a f**k about the players long term health do they? Brady rushed to start games for Ireland while recovering from injuries here really didn't do him any good.

A great game Ramsay and Wilson both ignored Connor's runs

Looks a good acquisition. Sooner we get him on OUR grass the better for me.

Him and Maxwel may well give our opposition something to think about other than “it’s Burnley, we know what’s happening today”.

bobinho wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 1:23 pm

Looks a good acquisition. Sooner we get him on OUR grass the better for me.

Him and Maxwel may well give our opposition something to think about other than “it’s Burnley, we know what’s happening today”.

Oh it'll still be 442, just got to hope Roberts gets in asap and doesn't get the Vydra/Gibson treatment.
Keep our fingers crossed if they do get in together and form a partnership, their individual quality gets us some joy, along with Roberts monster throw.

If its framework, framework, framework and all attacking capabilities are trained or saucked out of them , it'll still be "its Burnley, we know what it'll be today"

I like the sound of Roberts having a good throw, as I think our own throw-ins have been perhaps the weakest area of our game for a couple of seasons at least, so any easy escape route for the opposition: hoof it out, tightly mark our two or three players around the throw in and it's 50/50 you'll get it back

AfloatinClaret wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 3:24 pm

I like the sound of Roberts having a good throw, as I think our own throw-ins have been perhaps the weakest area of our game for a couple of seasons at least, so any easy escape route for the opposition: hoof it out, tightly mark our two or three players around the throw in and it's 50/50 you'll get it back

Tbh our throw ins have been cr*p for the last 40 years. Must be a clause in Burnley player contracts that stipulates that you are not allowed to move in order to make space from a throw in, you MUST stand like a statue

From last nights performance i am certain he could play as a right side attacking midfielder.

It's not just our throw-ins either. Most of our players stand still like bowling pins waiting to be knocked over. Movement on the ball is usually pretty awful.

The whole design of our throw-ins is to:

a) not lose territory
b) not set up an attack for the opposition

There has never been any attacking intent from our throws.

Why are people obsessed with trying to change players positions.

He is a right back it’s where he has played his entire career and it’s where he will be stopping

dougcollins wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 7:20 pm

The whole design of our throw-ins is to:

a) not lose territory
b) not set up an attack for the opposition

There has never been any attacking intent from our throws.

Never mind the lack of 'attacking intent'; it'd be a major improvement just to consistently achieve points 1 & 2.

AfloatinClaret wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 7:35 pm

Never mind the lack of 'attacking intent'; it'd be a major improvement just to consistently achieve points 1 & 2.

And therein lies the irony.

Local cricketer wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 7:22 pm

Why are people obsessed with trying to change players positions.

He is a right back it’s where he has played his entire career and it’s where he will be stopping

Indeed. Not everyone is Gareth Bale. It's a very different position playing full back to a winger. It's much easier for a full back to shine offensively because they don't get marked by a defender themselves usually. Although it's also probably the hardest position on the pitch when it comes to decision making and running.

You could argue against bigger teams playing full backs as wingers may add defensive solidarity but we've learned you don't get anything from those games unless you're also good going forward.

For what it's worth Swansea fans seem to rate Roberts in a back 5 as a wing back. Many were saying in their recent playoff games that they would play Naughton instead in a back 4. One or two suggested Roberts on the wing but most were pretty realistic.

Reading the comments I was concerned that Roberts may not be the best defensively but I'm sure we wouldn't have signed him if he wasn't up to the task. We defend as a team and Roberts wouldn't have signed if his work rate, stamina and determination wasn't there (something we clearly focus on in the transfer market).

I think the singing shows real attacking intent and I can't wait to see his debut.

Local cricketer wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 7:22 pm

Why are people obsessed with trying to change players positions.

He is a right back it’s where he has played his entire career and it’s where he will be stopping

Beyond me but he’s always been a full back

Local cricketer wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 7:22 pm

Why are people obsessed with trying to change players positions.

He is a right back it’s where he has played his entire career and it’s where he will be stopping

You mean Cornet isn't going to play up front?

Damnit!

Local cricketer wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 7:22 pm

Why are people obsessed with trying to change players positions.

He is a right back it’s where he has played his entire career and it’s where he will be stopping

Is that a rhetorical question?
I think some of us would like to see Roberts as a right wing-back in a new formation.

boatshed bill wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 8:47 pm

Is that a rhetorical question?
I think some of us would like to see Roberts as a right wing-back in a new formation.

If you would like to see that can I ask why you think that formation would work with our squad?

Looking forward to seeing him going on the reports on this thread.

I think we are in for a treat when he starts to launch his throw ins. With our big lads in the box it will be mayhem.

If he does not feature in some way Saturday, then SD does not deserve a transfer budget

warksclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 8:51 pm

If he does not feature in some way Saturday, then SD does not deserve a transfer budget

????

warksclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 8:51 pm

If he does not feature in some way Saturday, then SD does not deserve a transfer budget

Good grief

warksclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 8:51 pm

If he does not feature in some way Saturday, then SD does not deserve a transfer budget

warksclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 8:51 pm

If he does not feature in some way Saturday, then SD does not deserve a transfer budget

warksclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 8:51 pm

If he does not feature in some way Saturday, then SD does not deserve a transfer budget

Top fisherman

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 8:49 pm

If you would like to see that can I ask why you think that formation would work with our squad?

Yep, No problem.
The current formation isn't doing very well at all, so an experiment with wing-backs: Roberts and Taylor (or even Cornet), with Collins, Mee and Tarkowski as a back 3.
Midfield 3 would be Brownhill, Westwood and McNeil
Front 2: Wood and Vydra (or Rodriguez) or for a slight change Cornet if he's not wing-back.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 8:14 pm

Beyond me but he’s always been a full back

Think he actually play right midfield for Swansea a lot last season.

boatshed bill wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 9:49 pm

Yep, No problem.
The current formation isn't doing very well at all, so an experiment with wing-backs: Roberts and Taylor (or even Cornet), with Collins, Mee and Tarkowski as a back 3.
Midfield 3 would be Brownhill, Westwood and McNeil
Front 2: Wood and Vydra (or Rodriguez) or for a slight change Cornet if he's not wing-back.

Really?

Squad just doesn't have the right depth for 5 at the back or in midfield.
We'd have one backup centre back for 3 positions.
If we play with 3 central midfielders we have one for cover (when fit) in Stevens.
And we'll have 4 strikers for one position.
With 3 up front that will leave Lennon and Gudmundsson redundant.

Manager has to build a team around how he wants to play. Takes time. Right now I'm just glad we've got the squad depth for a 442, but only just.

I guess with 2 right backs already you could argue Roberts could cover the wing but I don't think that's why we bought him.

superdimitri wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 13, 2021 1:49 am

Squad just doesn't have the right depth for 5 at the back or in midfield.

Manager has to build a team around how he wants to play. Takes time. Right now I'm just glad we've got the squad depth for a 442, but only just.

I think that there are many who are broadly in agreement with that, but question why we have to stick with it for every match, and for the full 90 minutes.
One of the issues that we have already seen this season is that other teams change formation and personnel when plan A isn't going to plan. We fail to adapt.
With the players we now have we should have the flexibility to be more fluid in our approach during a game and to throw in the occasional surprise selection or positional change so that we are less predictable.
Some may argue that its our predictability and consistent structure / team selection that's served us well and kept us in the top flight for so many years, but I think an increasing number of us see that this may not be enough this season, and with the players we have we will need to vary our formation and tactics more.

nil_desperandum wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 13, 2021 9:33 am

I think that there are many who are broadly in agreement with that, but question why we have to stick with it for every match, and for the full 90 minutes.
One of the issues that we have already seen this season is that other teams change formation and personnel when plan A isn't going to plan. We fail to adapt.
With the players we now have we should have the flexibility to be more fluid in our approach during a game and to throw in the occasional surprise selection or positional change so that we are less predictable.
Some may argue that its our predictability and consistent structure / team selection that's served us well and kept us in the top flight for so many years, but I think an increasing number of us see that this may not be enough this season, and with the players we have we will need to vary our formation and tactics more.

That's pretty much how I see it.
I am concerned that our rigid 4-4-2 will see us relegated, TBH.

superdimitri wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 13, 2021 1:49 am

Squad just doesn't have the right depth for 5 at the back or in midfield.
We'd have one backup centre back for 3 positions.
If we play with 3 central midfielders we have one for cover (when fit) in Stevens.
And we'll have 4 strikers for one position.
With 3 up front that will leave Lennon and Gudmundsson redundant.

Manager has to build a team around how he wants to play. Takes time. Right now I'm just glad we've got the squad depth for a 442, but only just.

I guess with 2 right backs already you could argue Roberts could cover the wing but I don't think that's why we bought him.

i see where you are coming from, but your assertion that we only have one spare CB, I'd add Thomas as a 2nd. Some on here would also suggest Pieters as an option.
2 strikers starting, 2 spares.
Lennon and Gudmondsson may as well be redundant off the pitch rather than on it

I forget which game it was against (who was it?), when we moved from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3 during the game and it seemed to improve us a lot.

It's not necessarily all about what formation we start with. It's also about what formation we can change to when needed. We need Plan Bs.

warksclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 8:51 pm

If he does not feature in some way Saturday, then SD does not deserve a transfer budget

Surely Dyche and the team will need some time on the training ground with him to figure out how he best fits? Given that he's just back from injury and launched straight into internationals they have not yet had the benefit of that time.

boatshed bill wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:30 pm

That's pretty much how I see it.
I am concerned that our rigid 4-4-2 will see us relegated, TBH.

Like it wasn't in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 13, 2021 4:04 pm

Like it wasn't in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Tony I appreciate the sentiment but just because something used to work doesn’t mean it does now.

4 wins in 28 now isn’t it. Something clearly has to change

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 13, 2021 4:04 pm

Like it wasn't in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.

So because we weren’t relegated then with that formation, we can’t be now?

You don’t believe that I’m sure.

We need help. Maybe Maxwel and Connor will bring enough. I can’t back against SD given what he has achieved but “same same” will only get us so far. We need to be able to adapt and change and to do that we need strength in depth. We don’t have that yet, not sure we ever will either. We have enjoyed a good run at it, but if we don’t do something about how we set up and play, we will end up in trouble at some point. For now, our inability to maintain a lead has forsaken us…. Coupled with how we struggle to find our way back into games once behind, that could be our undoing.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 13, 2021 4:04 pm

Like it wasn't in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Well, not when we played Hendrick in that "No 10" role it wasn't.

I don’t think our 4-4-2 formation is the main problem, the PL moves on every year in pace, power and technical ability. We might be moving forward but at a slower rate, we just can’t keep up.

The only solution imo is a philanthropic multi-billionaire - Michael Dell? - who can be persuaded to adopt a small town but big hitting club.

bobinho wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 13, 2021 4:28 pm

So because we weren’t relegated then with that formation, we can’t be now?

You don’t believe that I’m sure.

We need help. Maybe Maxwel and Connor will bring enough. I can’t back against SD given what he has achieved but “same same” will only get us so far. We need to be able to adapt and change and to do that we need strength in depth. We don’t have that yet, not sure we ever will either. We have enjoyed a good run at it, but if we don’t do something about how we set up and play, we will end up in trouble at some point. For now, our inability to maintain a lead has forsaken us…. Coupled with how we struggle to find our way back into games once behind, that could be our undoing.

You said the formation would get us relegated

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 13, 2021 6:09 pm

You said the formation would get us relegated

No i didn't.

I have however suggested we need something to change and quickly. We need to be able to change dependent on the opposition and their tactics/formation, and we need to be able to change during the game if things clearly aren't working or going our way.

But at no point have i said we will be relegated because of our reliance on 4-4-2.