Very similar to the early VK games

[Vegas Claret]

Not quite sure what to do in that final third. Hopefully that will get better with time but today reminded me very much of the early games under VK and not knowing how to break teams down. Happy enough today though given the chaos.

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

Yep my dad said in car on way home similar to the Hull and Stoke home games 2 years ago.

[daveisaclaret]

I think that's fair but all of the creative players today either signed for us yesterday or were hoping not to be here by now. Rovers fixture came at a really bad time for us but this international break is at the perfect moment.

[Dark Cloud]

A number of those players have been at the club less than a week and some barely than 24 hours, so to play pretty well and be the better team was excellent tbh and definitely bodes well. It's absolutely true that under Kompany we didn't really gel and hit the front until around the end of October/early November because bedding in new players takes time. There's more to come from this team/ squad and I'm pretty upbeat! (The beer helps tbf!)

[Belial]

I thought the exact same. Dominating the ball without looking overly dangerous whilst showing some vulnerabilities, but they are still working each other out and I'm confident will come good

[BurnleyFC]

Side to side followed by either losing the ball in midfield or floating a cross into the box just wasn’t working.

Benson was crap when he came on but at least he tried to get a few shots away. It’s inevitable he’s incredibly rusty after hardly playing for twelve months.

[Cajun]

I'm certainly feeling way more positive now than I was after last week's defeat. Glad to get the derby out of the way and now we have two weeks to develop more cohesion within the squad. I really believe we have a squad that can push for promotion - from the foundation of two points more from four games than under VK.

[AfloatinClaret]

Given the additional pressure of it being the Rovers game - someone had made the new boys aware of its importance and significance - and the fact that half the team hadn't met a week ago, I thought they did very well. Our play consistently broke down because the third or fourth quick pass didn't quite get through to/picked up by the recipient. A few weeks from now far more of those passes will get through and we're going to score goals and win games, As noted by others, this is much like the start of 22/23 and I'm very optimistic we'll top this league again

[Quicknick]

Disappointing to only draw with the horse botherers, but we will leave them way behind as the season progresses.

[jlup1980]

Disappointing to only draw with the horse botherers, but we will leave them way behind as the season progresses.

This was my thought after the game. They celebrated like they'd won the league, and fair play to them I suppose. What away fans wouldn't celebrate having held onto a point with 10 men for half an hour. The fact is, they sat on the floor for longer than they had the ball this afternoon. They've started the season well, but will fade. We've started the season ok, but will improve.

[NewClaret]

I feel the same with one exception - I could see what Kompany was trying to achieve but less so Parker

This international break comes at a great time and hopefully we see a better side when we restart

[Goliath]

I feel the same with one exception - I could see what Kompany was trying to achieve but less so Parker

This international break comes at a great time and hopefully we see a better side when we restart

Exactly this. I'm still waiting to understand our patterns of play when playing out from the back. We seem to end up rushed and having to go long which then turns it in to a hectic kick and rush pressing sort of game with a lack of control.

Hopefully something a bit more refined emerges after the international break otherwise the top 2 is beyond us.

[HurstGrangeClaret]

Think the comment from NC is very harsh when you think of all the upheaval SP has had during the last fortnight. Give him time.
Draw was a fair result. Onwards and upwards.UTC.

[Burnley Ace]

Side to side followed by either losing the ball in midfield or floating a cross into the box just wasn’t working.

Benson was crap when he came on but at least he tried to get a few shots away. It’s inevitable he’s incredibly rusty after hardly playing for twelve months.

Calling him crap is an insult to all piles of dog turd left round town!! He was awful, appalling, offered nothing and it comes as no surprise we couldn’t shift him in the transfer window. A one season flat track bully. The last person you want when you need some fight.

[NewClaret]

Exactly this. I'm still waiting to understand our patterns of play when playing out from the back. We seem to end up rushed and having to go long which then turns it in to a hectic kick and rush pressing sort of game with a lack of control.

Hopefully something a bit more refined emerges after the international break otherwise the top 2 is beyond us.

Agree entirely.

The truth is, as much as Kompany seems to be public enemy number one on here, he had a decent system and good patterns of play that broke teams down.

The most worrying thing for me is not the results but the factor CMs never seem to be looking for or want the ball any more.

We seem to pass it around the backs and hoof it up the wing or just go long and lose it.

We need the CM’s creating extra options, running to the ball and moving when the GK, CHs & FBs have the ball. None of that today.

[NewClaret]

Think the comment from NC is very harsh when you think of all the upheaval SP has had during the last fortnight. Give him time.
Draw was a fair result. Onwards and upwards.UTC.

I don’t think it’s harsh really but do acknowledge Kompany had it much easier than Parker has done in terms of his summer window and general mood at the club.

Also think the fixtures have been very harsh on him compared to Kompany.

[HurstGrangeClaret]

I find it so disappointing when posters seem determined to have a go at the manager and players. If they haven’t improved after spending time together as a squad, then maybe then you can voice your concerns. But when you think several of those players weren’t in the building 48 hours ago, some of you need to consider the circumstances before voicing your criticisms.

[Goliath]

Agree entirely.

The truth is, as much as Kompany seems to be public enemy number one on here, he had a decent system and good patterns of play that broke teams down.

The most worrying thing for me is not the results but the factor CMs never seem to be looking for or want the ball any more.

We seem to pass it around the backs and hoof it up the wing or just go long and lose it.

We need the CM’s creating extra options, running to the ball and moving when the GK, CHs & FBs have the ball. None of that today.

Yep there was a very simple pattern where the centre mid came short, received off the keeper and then played it to full back or centre back first time eliminating the risk of losing the ball under pressure.
It was simple but really effective and we seemed to have dropped It already

[NewClaret]

Yep there was a very simple pattern where the centre mid came short, received off the keeper and then played it to full back or centre back first time eliminating the risk of losing the ball under pressure.
It was simple but really effective and we seemed to have dropped It already

Yeah, the CMs just seem completely static now. Walking, like they know they won’t get the ball. Not sure what it’s about to be honest.

We look far less potent going forward and less dominant/confident on the ball.

This isn’t a go, before those who take any form of discussion as negativity, just an observation I’d like us to resolve.

We need an identity and more threat going forward. We’ve been impotent in the last three, although in fairness to Parker he’s had far less time to work with these players.

[NewClaret]

I find it so disappointing when posters seem determined to have a go at the manager and players. If they haven’t improved after spending time together as a squad, then maybe then you can voice your concerns. But when you think several of those players weren’t in the building 48 hours ago, some of you need to consider the circumstances before voicing your criticisms.

I disagree, Kompany was full of criticism on here in the first 10 games. I myself wrote one thread in October entitled “we’re not good enough to go up”. I’m thinking of doing this seasons version after 5 games so we crack on much quicker

It’s okay to discuss and debate what’s working, what’s not, where to improve. Nobody is calling for Parker’s head. We all know he’s had a difficult set of circumstances to navigate and I think all Burnley fans are pretty patient to be honest.

[blatherwickstattoos]

Very true

[Goliath]

Yeah, the CMs just seem completely static now. Walking, like they know they won’t get the ball. Not sure what it’s about to be honest.

We look far less potent going forward and less dominant/confident on the ball.

This isn’t a go, before those who take any form of discussion as negativity, just an observation I’d like us to resolve.

We need an identity and more threat going forward. We’ve been impotent in the last three, although in fairness to Parker he’s had far less time to work with these players.

Yep. We were too predictable today. I thought we'd have been better inverting Roberts and trying to entice them in down the left before switching it out to Koleosho and trying to get him 1v1.

[KRBFC]

Still think we need a striker, I think Foster has an identity crisis (as a footballer) I’m not sure he knows what he is and I don’t think anyone else knows what he is.

I don’t think he’s willing enough to be a runner in behind

I don’t think he’s technical enough to link play, his first touch and passing is generally poor.

He’s not quite good enough in the air to be a target man and loses the ball too easily.

His goal record suggests he isn’t a fox in the box goalscorer

He’s not tricky, quick enough or technical enough to play out wide.

I thought he was quite good today in spells but he kept giving the ball away with poor passes. He clearly has strengths, he’s quite a powerful runner, strong and does generally finish well.

I think he’d be better if he stopped dropping deep trying to play cute passes and fancy flicks, it doesn’t suit him. Instead stand inbetween the goalposts and wrestle with the defenders.

[IAmAClaret]

@ krbfc

Give it a rest.

You insisted Tresor was good.

That's all.

[Aclaret]

That's the best they could throw at us ? Many of our lads hadn't played together.. If this game was 3 weeks ago we'd have battered em. They are a shite team and we will improve.

[KRBFC]

@ krbfc

Give it a rest.

You insisted Tresor was good.

That's all.

I definitely didn’t…..

You made that up

[Superjohnnyfrancis]

No problem with Parker at all, they’ve put him back two months by selling the team from under him. We’re now effectively in pre season again.

[Bowclaret]

When this team clicks we will run riot !

[Vegas Claret]

I definitely didn’t…..

You made that up

quite amusing when you put a well thought out post together you get criticized. I agree with most of what you said. I thought he did well, the only real chance we created for him he converted - that's what needs addressing and I'm sure it will be.

[xxmunkyennuixx]

I think he’d be better if he stopped dropping deep trying to play cute passes and fancy flicks, it doesn’t suit him. Instead stand inbetween the goalposts and wrestle with the defenders.

We need him to come to life in and around the box. He just needs a bit of direction and he will score for fun in this league.

[Stayingup]

Cullen was missed today. But this team will improve. Blackburn, who haven't beaten us for 100 years is it? Missed their chance today. We will surely beat them in the reverse fixture at Deadwood.

[CaptJohn]

I would have taken a point before KO today because of the wholesale changes to the squad. Rovers had a game plan to kick the sh1t out of us and it worked. We couldn't break them down once they defended en-mass. It was a classic derby with two lovely goals, blood and thunder tackles and plenty of endeavour from both teams. Their goal was a wonder strike but I'm old enough to remember a wonderful strike from Terry Cochrane at Ewood that won us all three points after they had absolutely battered us. It happens. Move on.

[BurnleyFC]

Still think we need a striker, I think Foster has an identity crisis (as a footballer) I’m not sure he knows what he is and I don’t think anyone else knows what he is.

I don’t think he’s willing enough to be a runner in behind

I don’t think he’s technical enough to link play, his first touch and passing is generally poor.

He’s not quite good enough in the air to be a target man and loses the ball too easily.

His goal record suggests he isn’t a fox in the box goalscorer

He’s not tricky, quick enough or technical enough to play out wide.

I thought he was quite good today in spells but he kept giving the ball away with poor passes. He clearly has strengths, he’s quite a powerful runner, strong and does generally finish well.

I think he’d be better if he stopped dropping deep trying to play cute passes and fancy flicks, it doesn’t suit him. Instead stand inbetween the goalposts and wrestle with the defenders.

He was trying to be the South African Harry Kane today - little flicks, drifting out wide, dropping deep to collect the ball.

Just stay in and around the box, Lyle and you’ll reap the rewards.

[123EasyasBFC]

Yeah, the CMs just seem completely static now. Walking, like they know they won’t get the ball. Not sure what it’s about to be honest.

We look far less potent going forward and less dominant/confident on the ball.

This isn’t a go, before those who take any form of discussion as negativity, just an observation I’d like us to resolve.

We need an identity and more threat going forward. We’ve been impotent in the last three, although in fairness to Parker he’s had far less time to work with these players.

How can you say the CMs are static? Brownhill has scored 2 goals from running into the space in behind from our wing play. Today he then again ran into space, nice back heel to Anthony that set up the goal

[NewClaret]

How can you say the CMs are static? Brownhill has scored 2 goals from running into the space in behind from our wing play. Today he then again ran into space, nice back heel to Anthony that set up the goal

I’m talking about in the build up. If you watch, the CM’s don’t look for the ball off the GK or, if the CB’s receive the ball, them either.

Cullen & Brownhill used to show for the keeper, moving to receive the pass. Now they don’t do that. So the passes tend to go to the CB’s and then to the FB’s and typically then up the line as the CM’s sometimes don’t show them either.

There was a time today where Trafford received it, he looked up for the pass, Laurent stood still and in doing so became marked, so it went to Esteve and then Pires. Pires looked up and saw Laurent still walking (actually behind another rovers player now) so passed up the line and lost the ball.

Other times Trafford has had so few options showing for him he’s had to go long.

Tbf, today it might’ve been because Laurent was playing the CDM role and he’s new, but I’ve noticed it other games too. We don’t build up in the same way we used to.

This isn’t a pop, more an observation. There must be a tactical reason for it (not wanting to play through the middle, maybe?) as there’s no reason a player would make so little effort to show for the ball otherwise.

But my overall point was that under VK I could see a particular style he was trying to adopt. Parker seems a bit half chips/half rice. Sometimes we build up, sometimes we hit the channels/go long or pump big diags to switch play. Other times we’re very intricate around the box, maybe too intricate.

Maybe this is all about being less one dimensional, which is commendable, but it just doesn’t look like a coherent style yet. And we’re not creating a lot of chances with it.

[Colburn_Claret]

Agree totally with the op, as I said on the player ratings, we dont utilise the ball over the top, or through the channels, as we did against Luton.
Too much passing around at the back for the sake of it. I'm pulling my hair out at the number of times I see players open for the right ball, but it just goes sideways.
No team likes to be turned, or chasing backwards for the ball. I just hope SP learns from VKs mistakes.

[roperclaret]

I think Newclaret and Goliath should be in charge.

[Goliath]

I think Newclaret and Goliath should be in charge.

Haha I knew someone would post something like this. I really question the point of having a forum sometimes if we can't discuss how we play

[NewClaret]

I think Newclaret and Goliath should be in charge.

You up for it Goliath?

[Peacock-Barrel]

Yeah we're missing our best CM Cullen and 3 of the starting 11 today have not even had a training session together yet.

Fluency up front will come, Flemming will be important, Hannibal will find his place. I reckon this team will get 90+ points.

[Commy]

Foster might get more chances when we have Flemming in there as no. 10. Still have Ramsey to come back as well who looked good in this division with Middlesbrough. Plenty to look forward to.

[RVclaret]

Maybe this is all about being less one dimensional, which is commendable, but it just doesn’t look like a coherent style yet. And we’re not creating a lot of chances with it.

It’s quite harsh to say this in my view. As has been mentioned there is basically a new team to blend in. It has been a waste of pre season. The Luton game showed Parker’s football to be dynamic and chance creating (1.85xG). Asking players who have 1) been here literally day(s) or 2) are getting used to new style of play as it is, to be coherent with solid, chance creating (consistent) patterns of play is a bit much. The 1st half was what I hope we will become (Parker also said this), intense pressing and looking to create down the wings.

There’s genuinely not much more to say than ‘let’s give Parker and his new squad time to blend’.

[Goliath]

You up for it Goliath?

Easy..If Owen Coyle can do it with his 5 a sides and cake Fridays then how hard can it be?

[Goliath]

It’s quite harsh to say this in my view. As has been mentioned there is basically a new team to blend in. It has been a waste of pre season. The Luton game showed Parker’s football to be dynamic and chance creating (1.85xG). Asking players who have 1) been here literally day(s) or 2) are getting used to new style of play as it is, to be coherent with solid, chance creating (consistent) patterns of play is a bit much. The 1st half was what I hope we will become (Parker also said this), intense pressing and looking to create down the wings.

There’s genuinely not much more to say than ‘let’s give Parker and his new squad time to blend’.

That Luton game was a one off 'in that sense' though. Parker himself said they'd devised the plan of going direct based on their man to man style for that specific game. I'm still not sure whether he wants to play direct or in a more possession based style. It seems a bit muddled at the minute.

[NewClaret]

It’s quite harsh to say this in my view. As has been mentioned there is basically a new team to blend in. It has been a waste of pre season. The Luton game showed Parker’s football to be dynamic and chance creating (1.85xG). Asking players who have 1) been here literally day(s) or 2) are getting used to new style of play as it is, to be coherent with solid, chance creating (consistent) patterns of play is a bit much. The 1st half was what I hope we will become (Parker also said this), intense pressing and looking to create down the wings.

There’s genuinely not much more to say than ‘let’s give Parker and his new squad time to blend’.

Agree with all, especially the totally wasted pre-season. SP has had one hand tied behind his back there.

These are observations, not criticisms and I think we should be able to discuss them without people getting upset.

Under Kompany we looked much weaker defensively in the first 10 games or so. Fragile. We don’t look that, but equally aren’t creating clear cut chances or breaking teams down as much in the last 3 games.

Parker basically said as much in his interview so I’m agreeing with him really.

[NewClaret]

That Luton game was a one off 'in that sense' though. Parker himself said they'd devised the plan of going direct based on their man to man style for that specific game. I'm still not sure whether he wants to play direct or in a more possession based style. It seems a bit muddled at the minute.

I think he wants to play both as far as I can see. We seem to be mixing it up a lot (positives and negatives to that). Also heard him say we weren’t patient enough in our build up after they went down to 10 men, suggesting he probably is looking for possession as a priority.

At times we have a higher line than I ever saw under Kompany

And I noticed today the backwards FK’s when we could get it in the box. I thought we’d seen the last of them

[NewClaret]

Easy..If Owen Coyle can do it with his 5 a sides and cake Fridays then how hard can it be?

We’ve got 2 weeks international break to sort it too.

I’ll DM Alan

[KRBFC]

He was trying to be the South African Harry Kane today - little flicks, drifting out wide, dropping deep to collect the ball.

Just stay in and around the box, Lyle and you’ll reap the rewards.

Agree completely, doesn’t suit his game, he’s not technically good enough to do that. Also we had enough bodies in the position he was dropping into, we needed him inbetween the posts making clever movements and being a target to aim at.

Like the poster said above, I think he just needs some guidance, simplify his game and stick to his strengths.

[willsclarets]

Agree totally with the op, as I said on the player ratings, we dont utilise the ball over the top, or through the channels, as we did against Luton.
Too much passing around at the back for the sake of it. I'm pulling my hair out at the number of times I see players open for the right ball, but it just goes sideways.
No team likes to be turned, or chasing backwards for the ball. I just hope SP learns from VKs mistakes.

It's hard to do that when the opposition are sat deep. Luton left us huge amounts of space in behind because they pressed high. Rovers were only interested in pressing at the half way line really. They did a very dyche esque job of pushing our play wide and flooding the middle of the pitch. There was zero space in there, and their fullbacks by and large defended their one on one's well.

What we didn't do well was overloading wide, most of the time their fullback was fully focused on Koleosho or Anthony. They weren't worrying about under or overlaps. When we were defensively solid under dyche, I always thought our soft spot was the opposition getting to the byline and cutting balls back. It allows midfielders to make runs into the box and defending your box much more difficult. We very rarely if at all did that, so we rarely gave rovers a positional headache. Everything was in front of them

[Hipper]

I don't think there can be any similarities to VK's first matches, both in style of play and development.

VK's start at Huddersfield was incredible compared to what we'd seen before - a breath of fresh air. It was clear all was not working well though because we only got the one goal against, as it turned out, a very poor team (who were in turmoil themselves having lost two key players and their manager). Nevertheless with a settled squad and a good template he went on with the same style of play with slight adaptations until his way eventually worked. And how!

SP started off brilliantly at Luton after what must have been a good pre-season. But then it started to go wrong. Odobert sold and was clearly missed against Cardiff. And then more departures leading to a very limited choice of players at Sunderland. And yesterday he used players that had hardly stepped through our doors. Of course the style of play had to be adapted. I thought the team looked an ordinary Championship side rather then the exciting style at Luton but I put that down to all this upheaval.

We now have a two week break and the hard work for SP and his coaches starts again. He'll have to adapt the style to what he's now got but there are some talented players in there so I'm expectant. Next game Leeds away - a tough one but let's see.