Absence of missing posters

[Anonymous Claret]

It's happened again. We have just celebrated another win at our bitterest rivals yet there is an absence of certain posters who are critical of Scott Parker and his style of play.
Is the need to be proved right even more powerful than the desire to celebrate another amazing win?

I haven't read every thread meticulously so if any of these posters have been lavishing praise on our outstanding resilience and revelling in the Bastards misery I sincerely apologise because due to my euphoric emotions I have missed these comments.

[Bosscat]

Some are still about but definitely some are in hiding .... one even resurrected the "Parker in/out" thread and it backfired spectacularly

[Leisure]

It's happened again. We have just celebrated another win at our bitterest rivals yet there is an absence of certain posters who are critical of Scott Parker and his style of play.
Is the need to be proved right even more powerful than the desire to celebrate another amazing win?

I haven't read every thread meticulously so if any of these posters have been lavishing praise on our outstanding resilience and revelling in the Bastards misery I sincerely apologise because due to my euphoric emotions I have missed these comments.

You mean the non-supporting 'supporters'?

[burnley007]

Still here.

Thoroughly enjoyed yesterday.

I start to think things are improving and I soften a bit, then we have 2 or 3 absolutely turgid performances.
It's a funny season, I can't remember 1 like it.

If we sign 2 or 3 attacking players and start to dominate the lower teams, then I'll join the Parker fan club.

[CoolClaret]

Is the need to be proved right even more powerful than the desire to celebrate another amazing win?

Sadly, for some, yes.

[Elizabeth]

You're fine in my books 007, a bit like an adopted mongrel who isn't used to loving.
People feed of each other and there's simply not enough crumbs about at the moment.

[Rileybobs]

If we sign 2 or 3 attacking players and start to dominate the lower teams, then I'll join the Parker fan club.

I’m not sure you’ll be invited.

[Quickenthetempo]

It's happened again. We have just celebrated another win at our bitterest rivals yet there is an absence of certain posters who are critical of Scott Parker and his style of play.
Is the need to be proved right even more powerful than the desire to celebrate another amazing win?

I haven't read every thread meticulously so if any of these posters have been lavishing praise on our outstanding resilience and revelling in the Bastards misery I sincerely apologise because due to my euphoric emotions I have missed these comments.

So celebrate the win instead of causing arguments on the forum.

[mdd2]

absence of missing
Does that mean Present or found?

[dougcollins]

absence of missing
Does that mean Present or found?

Classic double negative.

[burnley007]

You're fine in my books 007, a bit like an adopted mongrel who isn't used to loving.
People feed of each other and there's simply not enough crumbs about at the moment.

It's just a Parker thing.
I was a fan of VK and bloody loved Dyche.
Not 100% why I find it so difficult to warm to the guy, I think he just seems too nice, a bit soft.

[Wokingclaret]

I think he just seems too nice, a bit soft.

Not the way he was barking at Eustace at the end

[dougcollins]

He was a hard little **** as a player.

[dvalley69]

Still here.

Thoroughly enjoyed yesterday.

I start to think things are improving and I soften a bit, then we have 2 or 3 absolutely turgid performances.
It's a funny season, I can't remember 1 like it.

If we sign 2 or 3 attacking players and start to dominate the lower teams, then I'll join the Parker fan club.

That's called 'getting on the bandwagon', mate!

[agreenwood]

What’s never absent on here is crowing.

Just enjoy the win.

[ISpeds00]

It's happened again. We have just celebrated another win at our bitterest rivals yet there is an absence of certain posters who are critical of Scott Parker and his style of play.
Is the need to be proved right even more powerful than the desire to celebrate another amazing win?

I haven't read every thread meticulously so if any of these posters have been lavishing praise on our outstanding resilience and revelling in the Bastards misery I sincerely apologise because due to my euphoric emotions I have missed these comments.

name em

[IanMcL]

Can you have an 'absence' if 'missing' posters?

It would make everyone present!



However....

An alternative interpretation could be that an 'Absence' is the collective noun for missing posters!

[fidelcastro]

I see the latest Incarnation of Muchacho Frank has gone missing again.

[louieollie]

It's just a Parker thing.
I was a fan of VK and bloody loved Dyche.
Not 100% why I find it so difficult to warm to the guy, I think he just seems too nice, a bit soft.

We all have an opinion and likes/dislikes but you have an annoying tendency to just keep going on and on and on spouting the same shite then apologising when we win then back to form when it drops. Nothing is perfect nor will it ever be but just enjoy the ride and get over the fact VK has gone please.

[Muric Leggings]

Maybe they are not missing maybe they are normal and don't spend their whole life on here 24/7 like some do,just a thought.

[Jakubclaret]

Looking at the title initially I half thought it was referencing late posters who had passed away.

[The Shire Claret]

Maybe they are not missing maybe they are normal and don't spend their whole life on here 24/7 like some do,just a thought.

Unless we lose or draw against apparent lesser opposition then they are never off

So that’s not the case

[Mattster]

It's happened again. We have just celebrated another win at our bitterest rivals yet there is an absence of certain posters who are critical of Scott Parker and his style of play.
Is the need to be proved right even more powerful than the desire to celebrate another amazing win?

I haven't read every thread meticulously so if any of these posters have been lavishing praise on our outstanding resilience and revelling in the Bastards misery I sincerely apologise because due to my euphoric emotions I have missed these comments.

I assume I'm one of the absent missing posters being called out, I have been posting too so fulfill the criteria of the amusing unintentional double negative as well.

My opinion remains unchanged.

I haven't posted anything critical because I enjoyed the result (shock!) and didn't see any point in posting anything and it wouldn't be welcome. Both in the context of the result and because my stance is unchanged.

But since you've created a whole thread practically begging for it, I'll oblige.

Great result, great defensively, some great individual performances and (again) barely any attacking threat. We relied on an individual converting their one chance, as we have too often. Stoke was turgid and is accepted as such by all, but because we won this one you're crowing even though we created less in this game than we did against Stoke - the only difference between the two in terms of performance is Flemming took his chance whilst Laurent didn't. We had 0 shots between Anthony's blocked effort on 5 minutes and Flemming's goal on 60. We can't keep relying on players to convert the one good chance of the game, I hope it continues, I really do but I don't think it will. And if it does, there's no way this method of getting results translates to a higher level but that's by the by.

[Anonymous Claret]

Thanks Mattster. A big thanks to you, mdd2 and dougcollins for the English lesson. I didn't realise I needed a first in English from Cambridge to comment on the board.
I'm only joking folks. I often type what I am thinking aloud and don't always type as I write an essay etc. I often use my phone which leads to the odd typo due to the predictive text and not bothering to prove read it. Anyway that's my misdemeanours explained and hopefully I am forgiven by the Grammar Police.
I respect that you haven't changed your stance regarding SP and our style of play.
I think most fans would love to see a more attacking brand of football similar to Kompany's style during the promotion season or a style similar to Tottenham or Liverpool.
But before that most fans want to see a winning team. I think SP has done an amazing job considering the upheaval he had towards the end of the transfer window plus all the absent players we have had for most of the season.
If we go up whatever style of football we play in the PL it will be difficult because of the teams who we will be playing. If we can keep the core of the team together but add 4 or 5 better players to improve the starting line up we have a slight chance of staying up.
My sarcastic op was that after the Stoke game in which we were awful as you and others have pointed out the board was inundated with criticism of Parker at the team. Yet when we had just won at our fiercest rivals the absence of some posters( not doing another double negative ) was very apparent.

[Foshiznik]

Is the need to be proved right even more powerful than the desire to celebrate another amazing win?

The irony isn’t missed.

[Guller Bull]

I’m another that thinks it’s generally dull and not a fan. Basically what Mattser said!

Game on Saturday was (apart from the goal)par for the course.

This was a game though that before the start, would have taken a 0-0 SP master class. So to moan about a victory at Ewood no matter how dull,would be churlish

[ChorltonCharlie]

It has been a very odd season. There’s a huge amount of credit that goes to Parker and the team for the outstanding defensive record. But the lack of attacking threat is still a concern. Yet it continues to work overall as we approach two thirds of the way into the season. There’s some defensive types out there that don’t like me questioning if Parker is a lucky manager. It’s certainly not meant as a criticism. If it’s all by design then fair play to Parker, but I suspect that he and his coaching staff are scratching their heads why we create so little from having so much of the ball. I don’t want to go back to jumpers for goalposts type football where all we do is keep putting the ball in the box, but I also think one of our biggest issues is trying to score the perfect goal with players that don’t have that ability.

We do look to be heading for another season where 3 or 4 teams are capable of very high points totals and 2 points a game may not be enough. We need to find a way to beat teams like Millwall, Oxford, Luton, etc at home but if we continue playing like we have in the last 2 games it’s difficult to see us doing so. We’re not a long way away, I think we can play some lovely stuff in the middle third. We just need someone like Sarmiento, Koleosho, Foster etc to step up, or maybe an inspired signing. Some of that could just be about Parker encouraging players to take more risks in the final third and move the ball quicker.

[Row x]

It has been a very odd season. There’s a huge amount of credit that goes to Parker and the team for the outstanding defensive record. But the lack of attacking threat is still a concern. Yet it continues to work overall as we approach two thirds of the way into the season. There’s some defensive types out there that don’t like me questioning if Parker is a lucky manager. It’s certainly not meant as a criticism. If it’s all by design then fair play to Parker, but I suspect that he and his coaching staff are scratching their heads why we create so little from having so much of the ball. I don’t want to go back to jumpers for goalposts type football where all we do is keep putting the ball in the box, but I also think one of our biggest issues is trying to score the perfect goal with players that don’t have that ability.

We do look to be heading for another season where 3 or 4 teams are capable of very high points totals and 2 points a game may not be enough. We need to find a way to beat teams like Millwall, Oxford, Luton, etc at home but if we continue playing like we have in the last 2 games it’s difficult to see us doing so. We’re not a long way away, I think we can play some lovely stuff in the middle third. We just need someone like Sarmiento, Koleosho, Foster etc to step up, or maybe an inspired signing. Some of that could just be about Parker encouraging players to take more risks in the final third and move the ball quicker.

If we've no attacking threat, why do teams sit so deep against us, even away?
Somebody must think we're a threat

[RVclaret]

We obviously have attacking threat but we certainly aren’t a high volume chance creating side. People put that down to Parker and how our xG is really low, but when I point out his Bournemouth sides xG p/90 was higher than VK’s Burnley p/90, that does look a bit awkward, as he clearly can get a decent chance creating team. I think there is still a lot more to come from us. Kompany’s side starting looking their best after the World Cup break which he himself said did wonders, allowing more time on the training pitch after a chaotic summer (ring any bells).

On the other hand I think our defensive structure and numbers are by design and Parker has, as good managers do, adapt to circumstances. We’ve built a side with less technicians and more robust, off the ball type players. When teams defend well and deep you need some tight space type players to operate in the areas we try to play in. But even when not playing well, we are still creating at least 1 big chance per match and that always give you a chance, particularly when the defence is so strong. I’m looking forward to seeing us after 2 weeks of decent training time (just Reading in between now and Sunderland), which we haven’t had for what seems like an age.

[Mattster]

We obviously have attacking threat but we certainly aren’t a high volume chance creating side. People put that down to Parker and how our xG is really low, but when I point out his Bournemouth sides xG p/90 was higher than VK’s Burnley p/90, that does look a bit awkward, as he clearly can get a decent chance creating team.

But his Bournemouth side had nothing like our defensive record, structure or numbers. It looks like he can't replicate the attacking threat with the defensive setup (and vice versa presumably) which makes it a choice by Parker.

[Dyched]

But his Bournemouth side had nothing like our defensive record, structure or numbers. It looks like he can't replicate the attacking threat with the defensive setup (and vice versa presumably) which makes it a choice by Parker.

Which is a fabulous thing. He can manage with different squads, with different ways of playing and get results. I doubt there’s many other managers who can do that.

[Mattster]

Which is a fabulous thing. He can manage with different squads, with different ways of playing and get results. I doubt there’s many other managers who can do that.

Agree to disagree there, I've said why I don't rate this approach above and multiple times before but there's no point going round the houses again on it.

[RVclaret]

But his Bournemouth side had nothing like our defensive record, structure or numbers. It looks like he can't replicate the attacking threat with the defensive setup (and vice versa presumably) which makes it a choice by Parker.

It’s possible, another possibility includes the many variables at stake - squad profiles, injury situations, transfer windows, developing ideas as a manager. As well, I’m using the full season for B’mouth while we have only half a season here so far.

[Dyched]

Agree to disagree there, I've said why I don't rate this approach above and multiple times before but there's no point going round the houses again on it.

The alternative would be free flowing, attacking football with no forward, lack of goals and more conceded. Then SP repeatedly saying “Project” after every defeat for 18 months.

[dsr]

If we've no attacking threat, why do teams sit so deep against us, even away?
Somebody must think we're a threat

We have an attacking threat. It involves passing the ball round outside the area until we find a gap which we then exploit. The problem comes with opponents who choose to defend the penalty area in depth and don't leave any gaps - if we don't find a gap, then we don't score.

What we need is an alternative attacking threat for when plan A isn't working. That's what we don't have.

[NottsClaret]

We're going to be swinging wildly with opinions on here all season about Parker, which is odd, as every single game kind of pans out the same.

If we take our one or two chances, it's an absolute masterclass, never looked like losing etc. If we miss those couple of chances, we're the worst team to watch in the league and never look like scoring. Both those reactions are probably valid.

When we're in the top two, all is well and we're on target for another wonderful, successful season. Slip away from the automatic spots for a spell, and you realise we're watching tedious football with impending financial armageddon on the horizon. It's a fine line, and will continue right to the end I imagine.

[Row x]

We have an attacking threat. It involves passing the ball round outside the area until we find a gap which we then exploit. The problem comes with opponents who choose to defend the penalty area in depth and don't leave any gaps - if we don't find a gap, then we don't score.

What we need is an alternative attacking threat for when plan A isn't working. That's what we don't have.

But even the two 0.0 draws recently we created enough to win the game, Brownhill had one cleared off the line, and missed a sitter at boro, and how we missed the two chances at the end against stoke I don't know.

[dsr]

But even the two 0.0 draws recently we created enough to win the game, Brownhill had one cleared off the line, and missed a sitter at boro, and how we missed the two chances at the end against stoke I don't know.

That was Chris Waddle's argument in the first half of his season as manager. We don't let in a goal, we create a chance, we should win.

xG actually has something relevant to say here - even the best of chances, if there is a goalkeeper in the way, have less than 50% chance of scoring. We need to create more chances if we want to score every game. Laurent's chance against Stoke was given an xg of 0.24 (sofascore) which may seem low, but even if it should have been double that, suggests it would go in less than half the time. An average xG of 1 means that in about a third of the games, you won't score.

[ChorltonCharlie]

If we've no attacking threat, why do teams sit so deep against us, even away?
Somebody must think we're a threat

This seems like a recurring myth to me. I don't think teams do sit deep against us. I think the majority of the division know we'll have spells where we'll push them back, but hardly anyone has parked the buss against us. QPR and Oxford are two that spring to mind, but most others have tried to give us a game. But even so, even if you do think they do, then with the budget of our squad we should create more chances. Teams sit very deep against Leeds and they have no problem creating many more chances than us. At the moment, the defensive side of our game means we've kept pace with them, and that may continue. As I said above, we're nearly two thirds of the way through the season and it's working so no reason it can't carry on. But we're up against a decent Leeds side who will likely strengthen and a Sheffield United who have the benefit of the recent takeover and are already about to sign a very good attacker at this level. That's without including Sunderland. So we need to improve in attack, and not recognising that based on how we've played in many games this season would be bonkers. That's not anti-Parker, I'd be amazed if he didn't think the same himself.

[KlyBfc]

Personally have no issue with Parker away from home. I don’t expect us to go away and roll teams over. My concerns / issues remain at home. I want him to be braver with his subs and tactics, especially when its clearly not working/ coming up against stubborn resistance. I accept it won’t always work, but i want us to throw more bodies forward and maintain pressure over sustained periods, espeically the last 30mins of those home games.

Our team is evolving i am hopeful he will too.

[alwaysaclaret]

But even the two 0.0 draws recently we created enough to win the game, Brownhill had one cleared off the line, and missed a sitter at boro, and how we missed the two chances at the end against stoke I don't know.

Whilst it's probably the wrong thread, there's an interesting discussion developing here Row x, and I also agree with your comment earlier that "somebody must think we're a threat".
We have 2 or 3 player's in and around the team that are potentially a threat, and capable, but just don't seem to be showing the desire at the critical time, or consistently enough. Foster is a bit of a mystery for instance, and SP's persistent call that we have to be careful with him, he's either fit or not fit
We also have, player's in the ranks that could also solve the problem imo, the biggest mystery being around tresor. But one other who's becoming a bit of a mystery is Ramsey, by all accounts he's been training since September "on the grass" Parker's word's. While I understand he had a serious injury, he should surely now be around the squad on a matchday for instance, he could be the one to unlock the door in an attacking sense, he's record in he's loan season to m'boro suggests he was a big goal threat. Anyway let's hope 1 way or another we solve it soon.

[BigGaz]

Ramsey will be off back to Villa at some point. He'd have been gone already were it not for the injury. We've helped them massage their Fair Play obligations, hopefully for some benefit later down the line.

[BigGaz]

We're going to be swinging wildly with opinions on here all season about Parker, which is odd, as every single game kind of pans out the same.

If we take our one or two chances, it's an absolute masterclass, never looked like losing etc. If we miss those couple of chances, we're the worst team to watch in the league and never look like scoring. Both those reactions are probably valid.

When we're in the top two, all is well and we're on target for another wonderful, successful season. Slip away from the automatic spots for a spell, and you realise we're watching tedious football with impending financial armageddon on the horizon. It's a fine line, and will continue right to the end I imagine.

This is very good summary and I believe is the source of some consternation.

For people who worship at the altar of "it doesn't matter how we played, as long as we get the result" then there is no problem and I've seen people who don't line up with this view as bedwetters, negative, they go into hiding after a good result and so on.

Then there is a vocal element of our fans however where it's not just the result that is king, they would like to enjoy what's on the pitch also and this results in these two factions butting heads and those that don't line up with this view are happy clappers.

We've had something like 4 shots on target in 4 matches against Sheffield, Boro, Stoke and Rovers. None of those sides bedded in against us for the entire game. So we're entirely reliant as you say on taking the odd chance we get, which is obviously not going to happen every game.

I keep seeing us described by other fans and some of ours as a poor side. We're not a poor side, we're an excellent side and our GA is proof of that, but it is easy to conflate us being so when you sit down and watch us toil away trying to create something offensively.

[Row x]

This is very good summary and I believe is the source of some consternation.

For people who worship at the altar of "it doesn't matter how we played, as long as we get the result" then there is no problem and I've seen people who don't line up with this view as bedwetters, negative, they go into hiding after a good result and so on.

Then there is a vocal element of our fans however where it's not just the result that is king, they would like to enjoy what's on the pitch also and this results in these two factions butting heads and those that don't line up with this view are happy clappers.

We've had something like 4 shots on target in 4 matches against Sheffield, Boro, Stoke and Rovers. None of those sides bedded in against us for the entire game. So we're entirely reliant as you say on taking the odd chance we get, which is obviously not going to happen every game.

I keep seeing us described by other fans and some of ours as a poor side. We're not a poor side, we're an excellent side and our GA is proof of that, but it is easy to conflate us being so when you sit down and watch us toil away trying to create something offensively.

If we take away the freak season under kompany, when was the last time we were fed this open, attacking football some fans seem to crave?

[BigGaz]

That's another fair point. I do think some folk aren't ready to let go of the memory of that season and now that they've had a taste of that they think that's how we should be from now on. See also 'The West Ham way' after they had played some decent football for a couple of years back in 1340 AD.

I don't know. Dyche at his worst was easily as bad, if not as worse as anything we've seen this season in terms of attacking intent but he had a plan, even if it was a bit more of a nuanced version of 'get it in the mixer' and it was largely an effective strategy to create chances for most of his tenure here.

I personally am not asking for anything like the Kompany season, I would just like to see us fashion more openings than what we are doing currently as I find chance creation/shooting more interesting than recycling possession and methodically looking for gaps at a sometimes pedestrian pace. (With an acknowledgement that such a style could harm our shape and defensive prowess)

[ChorltonCharlie]

If we take away the freak season under kompany, when was the last time we were fed this open, attacking football some fans seem to crave?

This sort of thing is just a daft comment. I'm going to ignore this forum, but anecdotally from the many people I talk to who are Burnley fans the vast majority think with the value of players in our squad we should be able to show more in the attacking third. They're not demanding some super tactics that destroy all the opposition. They think we've had the rub of the green more than it's gone against us, and that we've had some turgid games. They're also not calling for Parker's head and they're delighted with our defensive record and game management when it's needed.

This is a football forum for discussion. None of us have a crystal ball and we won't be able to judge until the end of the season. I don't see anything wrong with saying that we need to do more in attack to achieve our goals. We're just the right side of the line, though if you take current points gained and extrapolate over the rest of the season we'd actually finish 3rd due to the nuance of Sheff Ut starting on negative points. So it's very close, despite our attacking deficiencies, which on the basis of probability means that if we can do better in attack then we have an excellent chance of promotion. If you don't think we need to and are happy for performances such as the last 2 to continue then fine. There's just no need to exaggerate what others are saying.

[Row x]

This sort of thing is just a daft comment. I'm going to ignore this forum, but anecdotally from the many people I talk to who are Burnley fans the vast majority think with the value of players in our squad we should be able to show more in the attacking third. They're not demanding some super tactics that destroy all the opposition. They think we've had the rub of the green more than it's gone against us, and that we've had some turgid games. They're also not calling for Parker's head and they're delighted with our defensive record and game management when it's needed.

This is a football forum for discussion. None of us have a crystal ball and we won't be able to judge until the end of the season. I don't see anything wrong with saying that we need to do more in attack to achieve our goals. We're just the right side of the line, though if you take current points gained and extrapolate over the rest of the season we'd actually finish 3rd due to the nuance of Sheff Ut starting on negative points. So it's very close, despite our attacking deficiencies, which on the basis of probability means that if we can do better in attack then we have an excellent chance of promotion. If you don't think we need to and are happy for performances such as the last 2 to continue then fine. There's just no need to exaggerate what others are saying.

I don't think I've said any of the things you seem to be accusing me of, but never mind

[Mattster]

If we take away the freak season under kompany, when was the last time we were fed this open, attacking football some fans seem to crave?

Who is asking for open, attacking football? We created plenty more chances through Dyche's direct style of football. This idea that people who aren't happy with the football are "tiki taka or nothing" is nonsense. We could be route one if we created more chances for all I care about style.

I'm worried we can't get the required number of points for automatic promotion playing like we do. You can point to the points total now and say we can and that would be a fair point, but we've overperformed so much for so long (in both goals for and against) I personally don't think it can last.

[bobinho]

We have an attacking threat. It involves passing the ball round outside the area until we find a gap which we then exploit. The problem comes with opponents who choose to defend the penalty area in depth and don't leave any gaps - if we don't find a gap, then we don't score.

What we need is an alternative attacking threat for when plan A isn't working. That's what we don't have.

We DO have that though… we just don’t use it enough. We used it at Hull. Scored. We used it v the fiddlers. Scored. We have it in our locker, but we don’t deploy it as often as we should. It doesnt have to be one way or the other, it can be mixed up, but we don’t.

Anyway, I’m happy with how things are going. Having said that, I understand how others may be fed up or a little bored of it.

[BigGaz]

I think other than a few fringe wackos I think Bobinhos is the median view, it's just at the other end of the (equally vocal) scale unless you are completely happy and all for it then you are a negative Nancy.