Long as 3rd choice CB?

[Guller Bull]

Does he do enough for him to be behind Mee and Tarks or do we need to splash the cash (assuming we keep hold of Ben and Tarks)

For me it's a yes but what about you?

[DCWat]

Very poor on the goal today but generally speaking, he’s been steady away. We could certainly improve on him but it can’t be easy to find someone happy to regularly play second fiddle.

[randomclaret2]

Presumably in normal circumstances Gibson would have been playing

[BabylonClaret]

No. Hes back up only. He cost us a point today. Connelly should never had chance to get the shot off.

[Im_not_Robbie_Blake]

With one more centre back of quality to come in, Kevin and the new signing will compete for who gets the nod.

[MDWat]

He’s fine as 4th choice. Not 3rd

[matttheclaret]

I'd be very concerned if we end the transfer window with Long as 3rd choice. If Gibson goes, he needs replacing

[Silkyskills1]

A no for me.

[Tim hale49]

Here we go again eaten bread soon forgotten slate long again outside the one mistake major I accept it was.i though he had a fine game unlucky not to score

[FactualFrank]

We definitely need an additional CB.

[Devils_Advocate]

He’s fine as 4th choice. Not 3rd

This, perfect 4th choice for our club with our budget but we need to have a 3rd CB who can challenge the other two and be a potential replacement should either leave

Gibson looked the perfect missing piece when we signed him but just didnt work out

[warksclaret]

A no for me. It only takes one mistake in the PL to lose the points. He got turned today plus he did not react to the run down the wing prior to it.In fairness he has been very competent, but performances are really analised when you lose

[Woodleyclaret]

Never mind Kevs error where was our right back Bardsley?

[Rileybobs]

Nothing against Kev, he rarely lets us down - but we are noticeable weaker defensively with him. As such, we need to bring in a CB who will begin push Mee and Tarks. I would be happy to take a young player from the Championship with a view to them developing over the course of next season. Similar to when we signed Tarks.

[MACCA]

Fine as 4th choice and/or only needing to play a couple of games at best. Can't expect him to play a string of successive games.
He got undone today far too easily, and not by any sort of real premier league quality or experience.

He gives his all, but was only a back up championship defender if we are being honest.

Let's not dog him too much though, he's been steady enough.

[BabylonClaret]

Here we go again eaten bread soon forgotten slate long again outside the one mistake major I accept it was.i though he had a fine game unlucky not to score

Its a poor poor mistake (and not the only one) but in fact its 3 - loses the ball sloppily, doesn't take one if 2 or 3 chances to kill the game with a foul, stops to out his arm up giving Cinnelly the yard start. He's OK for back up but generally we look way weaker at the back with him there. Plus Tarks has to play Left CB which weakens 2 positions

[Cirrus_Minor]

Generally did ok but was running through treacle for Brightons second.

[Quickenthetempo]

Both centre backs out of position for that goal.

One has to stay free in the centre as the covering defender. Especially when they only play one up top.

[BabylonClaret]

He's been pretty solid since stepping in but we've conceded too many 'poor' goals. It means we have 2 weeks options in the middle. That's not his fault but it shows why we need someone who can back up L CB without needing to also back up R CB.

For the second he stopped which gave connelly all the space he needed.

[Vegas Claret]

Dyche said weeks ago that Long is seriously struggling with an injury (back i think) and that he just battles through. Been superb, like the rest, pretty crap today

[Leisure]

Both centre backs out of position for that goal.

One has to stay free in the centre as the covering defender. Especially when they only play one up top.

Correct. Tarkowski was caught out on the touchline in front of their dug-out!

[Devils_Advocate]

Correct. Tarkowski was caught out on the touchline in front of their dug-out!

To be fair Long is carrying an injury and Tarks is having to carry three lower league defenders

[JohnMac]

How was it Long's fault?

He was behind the ball when Maupay played it past Tarkowski who was on the right touchline (left centre back) and was off balance as he caught up to Connelly.

We were sucked in with no cover and Pope started it by belting the ball 20 yards too far and out of play.

[Colburn_Claret]

He's been an excellent back up.
One goal against him and suddenly he's not good enough.
What about putting his head where it hurt when Connolly went for the overhead kick.
Some real muppets about.

[Tim hale49]

Couldn't agree more

[Tribesmen]

And so close to scoring at the other end also

[SalisburyClaret]

It would be amazing to find someone as good as Big Kev who’d be content to sit on the bench for years, then when called upon, to produce such excellent performances.

Very happy with him as 3rd or 4th choice

As for yesterday, he was narrowly caught out whilst covering for the mistakes of 3 others and got nothing in the way of help

[jedi_master]

He wasn't fantastic, but nor was anyone really in that game.

He has stepped in and performed, as he always does for the most part. We are very lucky to have a lad in Kevin Long who knows he is no world beater and seemingly is just happy to be involved at a Premier League club when he is needed. We have seen with Gibson what it is like to have to deal with an ego who thinks he deserves to be ahead of the regulars, with nothing to back it up.

Long can stay here in his current bench/cover role as long as he wants to for me.

[SonofPog]

"As such, we need to bring in a CB who will begin push Mee and Tarks."

Trouble with any sentiment like this is we have / had a CB that we all thought could push them. Dyche never played him, they've had a falling out and he now trains with another club. Its a fine, fine balance.

And with the knowledge that KL is also carrying an injury I think we should thank him for some pretty decent performances.

[Sheedyclaret]

He's not good enough for this level but that 2nd goal the team got done off a throwing... we need a few new players through the door this summer one being a CH..

[Devils_Advocate]

"As such, we need to bring in a CB who will begin push Mee and Tarks."

Trouble with any sentiment like this is we have / had a CB that we all thought could push them. Dyche never played him, they've had a falling out and he now trains with another club. Its a fine, fine balance.

It is a fine balancing act and also a skill and quality the very top managers need to possess.

If Dyche wants to manager bigger and better clubs than Burnley with bigger budgets then you need to be able to manager the ego's and challenges that comes with having a full team of good players who expect to be first choice and playing regularly

Maybe managers like Guardiola, Klopp and Mourinho dont have it quite so easy after all

[Woonderbah]

It would be amazing to find someone as good as Big Kev who’d be content to sit on the bench for years, then when called upon, to produce such excellent performances.

That there's the crux.
How do you sell the idea to a decent CH of coming to sit on the bench ?
Kevin Long may not be the most talented CH on the books but he doesn't moan and doesn't cry to the papers about wanting first team football or else.
He's a valuable squad member and done really well when called upon.
David Luiz makes more gaffs than our Kev.

[buzzclarets79]

Long will be here until he hangs up his boots, you don't stay at a club for as long ashe has without playing unless you really want to. He will be 4th choice CB again next year and thats good, one mistake doesn't take away that he's been quailty since he stepped in for Mee.

[gawthorpe_view]

Never mind Kevs error where was our right back Bardsley?

We'd lost our 'shape' and Kev was beaten for pace.
But like you said, where was the right-back?

[Down_Rover]

I like Kev, cant fault his attitude and loyalty.

for 90+% of games he plays well but you can expect at least one mistake a game. If we could confidently predict that Tarks and Mee would only miss a handful of games next season then I would be more than happy to have Kev as third choice. But we cant.

I think the difficulty is finding a CB who is content to sit on the bench. If he is a player good enough to start in the Prem then why would he sit on our bench? That was the Gibson predicament (in his head). So we are only likely to recruit someone of lesser ability than Gibson. Which brings us back to Kev, the ultimate team player

Tough one to sort. Perhaps a young regular championship starter. But everyone wants to sign them

[gtclaret]

Nothing against Kev, he rarely lets us down - but we are noticeable weaker defensively with him. As such, we need to bring in a CB who will begin push Mee and Tarks. I would be happy to take a young player from the Championship with a view to them developing over the course of next season. Similar to when we signed Tarks.

He has played in 7 of the remaining 9 games and we've hardly been shipping in goals have we. Apart from yesterday when all the back line and midfield were poor, where have we looked weaker?

[Rileybobs]

He has played in 7 of the remaining 9 games and we've hardly been shipping in goals have we. Apart from yesterday when all the back line and midfield were poor, where have we looked weaker?

I would say that we look more disjointed defensively when Long plays in place of Mee. He gets caught out of position, high up the field, more often. Tarkowski has to make more covering challenges to compensate. Not a huge criticism of Long, like I say, he doesn't let us down. But I don't think we look as strong at the back when he plays in place of Mee.

[ksrclaret]

He seems to do really well when he first comes in, but after a run in the side his performances dip and costly mistakes creep in. Yesterday was a good example of this, as was the last game of the season two years ago against Bournemouth when his error allowed them to win the game.

I don't wish to unduly criticise him as he's been a faithful servant to the club and always gives his best when called upon, but I would very much like to see another CB recruited. The link to someone like Dael Fry makes sense as he's young and will expect to come in as 3rd choice, but appears to have real potential for future development. Fry might turn out to be too expensive, but someone with that profile is needed.

[JTClaret]

If we signed another player who is as good as I consider Long to be then I'd be happy. He's good enough for 3rd for me - A step up from him is Mee. For me an ideal scenario is we sign a young player who is currently as good as Long with potential to learn and become better.

Rarely makes a mistake and always surprises people with how he steps up. Long makes a mistake and it's said he should be forth choice, Mee makes a mistake and it's just that and should still be considered for England. Long has played games in quick succession with an injury and on the whole done very well.

[BOYSIE31]

The second goal yesterday showed why he will be 4th choice although done superb in these last few games so all credit to him