Changes for Blackpool match

[Dodobdobodobo]

Not having a go at the way we are playing as I am pleased with our style (even though a tad slow at passing the ball). I think we need to try 3 changes, injuries and transfers dependent.
Roberts has been poor, Charlie is and always will be a left back imo, Maatsen offers too much going forward so I’d push him in front of CT, Mcnally might be the next prominent centre half like Collins was so let’s give him a go there (adding height to the team).
Just a few thoughts. I am there to be shot at lads so don’t hold back

Muric
Vitinho RB
Taylor LB
Mcnally
THB
Cullen
Cork
Brownhill
Maatsen LM
Jay
Churlinov

BPF
Roberts
Tella
Benson
Barnes
Costelloe
Twine

[TheFamilyCat]

I can't see VK making three changes to the back four.

Shame we weren't in the first round of the League cup to try some of these things out.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Muric
Roberts, THB, Taylor, Maatsen
Cork, Cullen
Tella, Brownhill, Costelloe
Jay

Probably another 1-1 draw I imagine

[ClaretTony]

Maatsen offers too much going forward so I’d push him in front of CT

Don't start involving me

[alwaysaclaret]

Not having a go at the way we are playing as I am pleased with our style (even though a tad slow at passing the ball). I think we need to try 3 changes, injuries and transfers dependent.
Roberts has been poor, Charlie is and always will be a left back imo, Maatsen offers too much going forward so I’d push him in front of CT, Mcnally might be the next prominent centre half like Collins was so let’s give him a go there (adding height to the team).
Just a few thoughts. I am there to be shot at lads so don’t hold back

Muric
Vitinho RB
Taylor LB
Mcnally
THB
Cullen
Cork
Brownhill
Maatsen LM
Jay
Churlinov

BPF
Roberts
Tella
Benson
Barnes
Costelloe
Twine

Just 1 problem here dodo, no pun meant, I'm assuming your setting up 442 here, vk has been quite clear he doesn't want that set up

[RVclaret]

Muric
Roberts
THB
Taylor
Maatsen
Cork
Cullen
Benson
Brownhill
Tella
Rodriguez

[ArmchairDetective]

Keep it similar. Let them work it out.

[Dodobdobodobo]

Don't start involving me

just see you flying down the wing Tony

[Dodobdobodobo]

Just 1 problem here dodo, no pun meant, I'm assuming your setting up 442 here, vk has been quite clear he doesn't want that set up

I’m not saying play with full backs I’m just putting the mentioned players in a position on the field. At the moment CT is playing centre half move him to left, bringing McNally to play at the back centrally. Maatsen is playing on lhs behind Tella (as second half), move him in front of Taylor.
As for dodo very uncalled for. Look more it the name and you’ll see an song in there for an ex influential midfielder that we could do we now.
Always a claret for as long as we was in the Premier league

[burnleymik]

Could Roberts do a job as CB? He doesn't really seem to be getting into the role he is playing at the moment and Taylor doesn't seem particularly comfortable at CB.

Or, as you suggest give Mcnally a chance or Egan-Riley as a speed option to cover fast counter attacks.

Up front I though Jay's movement was far better and just gave a few more options, but the support player behind him was Brownhill and although he works hard he lacks a bit of quality. I think Cork might be worth a try swapping with Brownhill in that role.

I'd go for some wholesale changes at the back.

Vitinho for Roberts
Mcnally for Taylor
Swap Brownhill and Cork in their roles.
Benson for Vitinho on the right.
Tella for Bastien on the Left

So:
Muric
THB Mcnally
Vitinho Maatsen
Cullen Brownill
Benson Cork Tella
Jayrod

[ClaretTony]

just see you flying down the wing Tony

Flying is not the word I’d use

[claretandy]

Muric
Vitinho THB McNally Taylor
Cullen cork Brownhill
Tella Jay Maatsen

[BleedingClaret]

............................ Muric.......................
...................THB ............. Mcnally..............
.............................................................
.. Vitinhio (Roberts) .. Cork (Cullen)......... Matsen
............................................................
.....Benson ......Brownhill (Bastien)..... Tella......
.............................................................
....................... Jay Rod (Twine) .................
............................................................
...................... Barnes (Jay Rod) ................

The Square Pegs in round holes thread got me thinking
We are playing just 1 proper centre back THB
A left back at centre back Taylor - need 2 proper Centre backs
a right back as attacking right midfielder Vitinhio - with 2 centre backs he could attack from Right back as Roberts did 2nd Half
a left back as attacking left midfielder Mattsen - He can attack from deep with 2 centre backs - dangerous with the ball at his feet
2 holding midfielders Cork & Cullen - it's 1 or the other for me
2 attacking midfielders Brownhill & Bastien again 1 or the other for me
1 attacker playing 9 & 10 coming deep when we already basically had 4 midfielders
Play a No 10 Twine ideally but Jay rod if Twines not ready
Play a No 9 Jay Rod ideally but Barnes if Twine isn't fit

To me yesterday we played 3 6 1 (when Jay came deep it was 3 7 0 and even 2 8 0 when Roberts pushed up)
which leaves us vulnerable to the break and causes conjestion in midfield with no outlet or cutting edge up front
we need to be more like 4 5 1 (or whispers 442) when defending and 3 5 2 when attacking

IMO of course, and admittedley I haven't played for Man City or Belgium but I have spent around 50 years watching & trying to play this game.

Man City play the way we're trying to play but crucially Debruyne Mahrez Stirling Aguero David Silva Bernard Silva Gundohan Foden Rodri etc etc are all goalscorers even if aguero aside they aren't out and out attackers
I don't see goalscorers, YET, in most of our current players

[Mala591]

Muric
Roberts, THB, Taylor, Maatsen
Cork, Cullen
Tella, Brownhill, Costelloe
Jay

Probably another 1-1 draw I imagine

Costelloe is a much better player on the right wing, can Tella play on the left?

[Roosterbooster]

Tella has to start

[Sleeping Cat]

...............Muric
Roberts - THB - Taylor - Maatsen
...........Cork - Cullen
Costelloe - Brownhill - Bastian
................Jay

[ElectroClaret]

Tella has to start

Indeed.

[Cirrus_Minor]

What's happened to that Twine chap?

[jedi_master]

---------------------------Muric
---------------------THB------Taylor
Vitinho----------Cork---------Cullen-------Maatsen
---------Benson------Brownhill-------Tella
-----------------------Rodriguez

Have Benson and Tella done anything to justify starting? Not really, and nor did Vitinho last night wide right (let's see him in his proper position, as Roberts isn't offering much of anything going forward). I just think it's time to throw a relative kitchen sink at a team and really go for it, see what happens.

If we get the first goal in games I think it could be key.

[ksrclaret]

Muric

McNally___Harwood-Bellis___Maatsen

Cork___Cullen

Vitinho___Brownhill___Bastien___Tella

Rodriguez


Bit of a wacky one from me, there. I watched Brighton towards the end of last season and the beginning of this season playing the formation above, and having thought about it, I reckon we'd be well suited to it as well. The bizarre one there is having Maatsen as part of the back three, which I admit is crazy on first viewing, but he'd be under instruction to really overlap like one of Chris Wilder's centre halves does, and with Tella ahead of him, I think he'd actually get far more room down the left than he does now. Cucurella did that role for Brighton at the end of last season and had great success with it.

Anyway, that's my stab at being a football manager and tactician over with. I'll probably just leave it to VK to sort out.

[KlyBfc]

Muric
Roberts THB Taylor Matsen
Cork Cullen
Tella Brownhill Bastien
Jay

[ClaretAL]

Is Egan Riley a CB or RB ?

[burnleymik]

Egan Riley is a CB I believe, but think he has played RB.

[Vegas Claret]

no changes required, crack on

[AlargeClaret]

Muric
Roberts THB Taylor Matsen
Cork Cullen
Tella Brownhill Bastien
Jay

I’d also say this will be VK’s line up ( barring injury ) with Tella being another piece in the jigsaw. Though Bastien looks like he likes to play deeper maybe .

[Tricky Trevor]

The guys need to get to know each other. We can’t be changing the line up every match. Same starting X1 for half a dozen games and then see who has impressed and who needs bench time.

[AlargeClaret]

The guys need to get to know each other. We can’t be changing the line up every match. Same starting X1 for half a dozen games and then see who has impressed and who needs bench time.

I’d say the line ups have been fairly stable and progressive. Barnes and Costello were never gonna start if Jay /Twine has been fit and as new players come in he’s had to give them a taste as the “best XI” takes shape . I’d say VK has been a bit “sub happy” but it’s a fine line with trying out the new faces and getting stability imo

[Burnley1989]

The guys need to get to know each other. We can’t be changing the line up every match. Same starting X1 for half a dozen games and then see who has impressed and who needs bench time.

That you Sean

[dandeclaret]

Sometimes…. In a quiet moment….. I ponder…… are other club fans as obsessed as Burnley fans at playing full backs as wingers?….

[Kevwando]

Burnley fans love to play our most in form players out of position.
He’s playing really really well, I’ll tell you what, let’s change his position.

[CoolClaret]

This is the team I’d play:

———-——-Muric
Roberts-THB-McNally-Taylor
——————-Cork
————Brownhill-Cullen
Tella——-—Jay———Maatsen

The team id play in the current formation:

—————Muric
Lowton-THB-McNally-Taylor
————-Cork-Cullen
Tella—-Brownhill-Maatsen
——————Jay

Team I think VK will play:

—————Muric
Roberts-THB-Taylor-Maatsen
————-Cork-Cullen
Tella—-Brownhill-Bastien
——————Jay

[warksclaret]

Keep changes to absolute minimum and lets get game time for this new bunch of players so they can start to bond and understand each other on the pitch. VK is not going to do anything radical. Suggestions of moving Maatsen up the field will remove his DNA . He is a brilliant LB. Leave him there

[aggi]

Personally I'd like to see Lowton in. Roberts isn't getting forward that much and is suspect defensively so Lowton would add some needed experience and stability at the back.

Not going to happen though.

[Jambo]

Probably two changes max for me, I don't agree with dropping Roberts or moving Maatsen. Right wing has been a problem and I'm not sure Bastien is justifying his place, but neither have Benson or Vitinho. Tella probably worth a look from the start and take your pick from Benson/Vitinho wide right.

Scott Twine being fit will be a massive boost given he probably improves us in any one of three positions.

[AlargeClaret]

While I don’t think dropping Roberts serves any purpose , though easy to forget that Lowton is a better defender ( certainly at this level ) and he’s also good with the ball at his feet which ,again in the champ would allow him freedom . ML can whip a cross in on the hoof quicker than Roberts too.

[Down_Rover]

I dont think Taylor in particular, or Roberts, to a lesser extent, really understand what is being asked of them. Their relationships with Maatsen and Vitinho seems undefined. I would not make changes here but spend time educating them on their respective roles.

However, time will tell if Taylor can be a CH, I for one doubt it but both Dyche initially and now Kompany disagree with me.

In overall terms the team is too small, how will we ever score from a corner if THB stays back and Taylor and Jayrod are the only targets? the answer may be McNally.

[jojomk1]

Four games in and it is fairly clear that our defensive weakness is down the left hand side
All goals conceded have come from down that line
Maatsen is caught too far upfield leaving Taylor to cover all the area on his own
Same tactics on Sat and can see their guy Josh Bowler having a field day
The idea of a back four with CT at left back and Maatsen wide left in front of him makes sense

[JR1882]

Just need to score first, draw teams out to attack more and pick them off with the quality we have in the spaces left.

Keep going one down and it’s that attack v defence game then and teams will happily sit in and take a point.

[Jakubs Tash]

Until VK mirrors Maatsen's role on the right hand side, I'm not sure the right back role will suit Roberts or Vitinho.

Currently Roberts is spending a lot of time tucking in - almost as a deep lying central midfielder. I understand that he probably does this to expose their fullback up against whichever player of ours (Costelloe/Benson/Vitinho) is playing on the right hand side...but it doesn't seem to be working quite as it probably should at the moment.

[claretonthecoast1882]

Four games in and it is fairly clear that our defensive weakness is down the left hand side
All goals conceded have come from down that line
Maatsen is caught too far upfield leaving Taylor to cover all the area on his own
Same tactics on Sat and can see their guy Josh Bowler having a field day
The idea of a back four with CT at left back and Maatsen wide left in front of him makes sense

All goals ? Luton's wasn't

[claretspice]

Until VK mirrors Maatsen's role on the right hand side, I'm not sure the right back role will suit Roberts or Vitinho.

Currently Roberts is spending a lot of time tucking in - almost as a deep lying central midfielder. I understand that he probably does this to expose their fullback up against whichever player of ours (Costelloe/Benson/Vitinho) is playing on the right hand side...but it doesn't seem to be working quite as it probably should at the moment.

Yep, I think the asymmetrical set up is surprisingly rigid and I'm not sure that is helping us in the final third. I think as time evolves we'll need the right back to be given licence to get forward and be the source of width on the right, with one of Cork and Cullen dropping to complete the back 4. That would in turn allow one of Bastien or Brownhill to tuck into a more orthodox central role (which suits them both better, and especially Bastien I suspect) and free up the roving wide forward to come off the flank more to make runs behind Rodriguez that stretch teams more.

That seems to me a slightly more orthodox set up and it would seem to suit the players more, certainly until we have a bit more trickery in the "dual 10" roles - I'm surprised it's not a variant that we're not adopting at least some of the time during games.

[Jakubs Tash]

Yep, I think the asymmetrical set up is surprisingly rigid and I'm not sure that is helping us in the final third. I think as time evolves we'll need the right back to be given licence to get forward and be the source of width on the right, with one of Cork and Cullen dropping to complete the back 4. That would in turn allow one of Bastien or Brownhill to tuck into a more orthodox central role (which suits them both better, and especially Bastien I suspect) and free up the roving wide forward to come off the flank more to make runs behind Rodriguez that stretch teams more.

That seems to me a slightly more orthodox set up and it would seem to suit the players more, certainly until we have a bit more trickery in the "dual 10" roles - I'm surprised it's not a variant that we're not adopting at least some of the time during games.

I suspect, once fit, that Twine will take the position that Bastien currently holds playing in from the left. But I also think we need more of a modern day No 10 in the role that Brownhill currently plays. Brownhill won't take an opponent on and/or slip a spass through for a teammate - that's just not his game. But it's what we require to improve our creativity - particularly when playing against teams that are sitting in so deep.

[claretspice]

Not sure I agree with that re Brownhill, but you may be right re: Bastien and Twine. Brownhill's athleticism and running and game intelligence are key to this system I think and he makes good third man runs as we've seen this season. If we've got Cork and Cullen, who are excellent technicians at the base of midfield, Jay up front, a technical 10 and a winger charged with stretching teams, then a really good supporting runner like Brownhill may well be the last link in the chain.

It'll all begin to make sense and become more fluid at the time, but I do think Kompany may end up tweaking the system to suit the players a little.

[lucs86]

Struggling to get my head round the asymmetric formation so I'm straightening it up. I want minimum 2 natural forwards on the pitch (at home) so Tella/Benson for Bastien.
____________Muric____________
____Roberts_THB_Taylor_____
Vitinho_Cork_Cullen_Maatsen
__________Brownhill__________
______Rodriguez _Tella_______

[KlyBfc]

I’d also say this will be VK’s line up ( barring injury ) with Tella being another piece in the jigsaw. Though Bastien looks like he likes to play deeper maybe .

Yeah I think he’ll be deeper too, similar to how he has been playing I just couldn’t be bothered faffing about.

[Nonayforever]

Don't know if Mcnally is up to speed and composed enough yet for our playing out from the back style, but saying that I would be trying this team in training to see how it performs ;-
Muric
Roberts THB Mcnally Taylor
Cullen
Brownhill Cork
Vitinho / Benson Jay Maatsen

Bastien is good but isn't clicking just yet.

[alwaysaclaret]

Don't know if Mcnally is up to speed and composed enough yet for our playing out from the back style, but saying that I would be trying this team in training to see how it performs ;-
Muric
Roberts THB Mcnally Taylor
Cullen
Brownhill Cork
Vitinho / Benson Jay Maatsen

Bastien is good but isn't clicking just yet.

Can see Bastien being absolute class as the season progresses, will possibly need a few games to get used to the championship, but I can see him just getting better and better.

[Jakubs Tash]

Can see Bastien being absolute class as the season progresses, will possibly need a few games to get used to the championship, but I can see him just getting better and better.

I hope you’re right! But I am intrigued to know what you’re basing that on? What have you seen so far to suggest that? I’ve seen someone who has been hooked four times in four games.

[Carwin261]

Would definitely try McNally at the back with THB ,looks a lot more than Taylor on the ball,& gives us the extra height at both ends of the pitch.