Arfield and Gudmundsson both doubtful

[ClaretTony]

Both Scott Arfield and Johann Berg Gudmundsson are rated doubtful for Saturday's game

[Tribesmen]

Boy I was thinking they could be out for six weeks at least so that's kind of good news .

[ksrclaret]

Is Boyd okay?

We could do with him being fit if those two are out.

[Goobs]

too soon for Ginnelly to get a place on the bench? Kightly to start with Boyd for me if both are out but there are also lots of other options such as push ward forward with Flannagan at full back / play Darikwa out wide or move Hendrick across if needed.

[FactualFrank]

too soon for Ginnelly to get a place on the bench? Kightly to start with Boyd for me if both are out but there are also lots of other options such as push ward forward with Flannagan at full back / play Darikwa out wide or move Hendrick across if needed.

I think I'd prefer Barton and Marney to start in the middle with Hendrick out wide. Certainly not Darikwa, that's for certain sure.

[ecc]

I wasn't expecting either back based on the reports I read about the injuries. Bad news for both lads especially JBG who had only just come back from doing his hamstring in November.

Speedy recovery to ScottyArf and Johann.

[Vegas Claret]

no bother, Pope in goal, Heaton on the right wing and Ian Woan on the left

[minnieclaret]

Is Boyd okay?

We could do with him being fit if those two are out.

SD says Boyd and Flanagan both OUT!!!

[summitclaret]

Boyd will be very much missed. He knows our system so well.

[boatshed bill]

If I was manager (thankfully I'm not) I would do this:
Heaton,
Tarkowski, Keane, Mee,
Lowton, Defour,Barton, Hendrick,Ward,
Barnes, Gray

[FactualFrank]

SD says Boyd and Flanagan both OUT!!!

So that basically means Boyd, Flanagan, Arfield and Gudmundsson are out.

Ouch.

[Claretmatt4]

If I was manager (thankfully I'm not) I would do this:
Heaton,
Tarkowski, Keane, Mee,
Lowton, Defour,Barton, Hendrick,Ward,
Barnes, Gray

+1 to this.

I think we've got a very effective system at home but would be foolish to try and shoehorn players on the wing when we only have one available (kights).

Imagine in if Brady is brought in tomorrow night and starts

[minnieclaret]

If I was manager (thankfully I'm not) I would do this:
Heaton,
Tarkowski, Keane, Mee,
Lowton, Defour,Barton, Hendrick,Ward,
Barnes, Gray

Marney to start instead of Defour. Fetch him on if we need some magic.

[kentonclaret]

Burnley Express and Lancashire Telegraph interviews with Dyche says that both Boyd and Flanagan are fine and should be OK, Flanagan having trained all week with no reaction.

[mkmel]

If they're all missing for Saturday then we're left with only Kightly out wide.

Oh and Robbie Brady of course

[FactualFrank]

If I was manager (thankfully I'm not) I would do this:
Heaton,
Tarkowski, Keane, Mee,
Lowton, Defour,Barton, Hendrick,Ward,
Barnes, Gray

I'll agree with that Bill... thankfully, you're not

Going from a back 4 to a back 3 isn't something you just do off the cuff, unless you're playing football/championship manager.

[HuncoatClaret]

It doesnt matter who is fit, Defour has to start.

[boatshed bill]

I'll agree with that Bill... thankfully, you're not

Going from a back 4 to a back 3 isn't something you just do off the cuff, unless you're playing football/championship manager.

I was really thinking of it as a back 7!

Anyhow, Sean's got my number if he needs it

[summitclaret]

Right, so if Boydy is fit and the rest are not I would go on Saturday with, as 442 seems to be working at home:-

Heaton
Lowton Keane Mee Ward
Boyd Marney Defour Hendrick
Gray Barnes

With Barton to replace Defour around 60 mins.

However, we need to try something different away. The thing with Arsenal etc is that they kill you on the break, so 532 is well worth a try. It would give:-

3 good centre backs, 2 of which are very good on the ball.
the full/wing backs licence to get behind the opposition.
Allow Hendrick, Marney and Defour/Barton to play in their best positions and us to flood the middle
Still give us 2 strikers, with Gray's pace a threat on the break
5 big lads for corners at both ends ( This is how we are mostly likey to score away ). Ditto free kicks.
Defour's delivery/vision, especially for deadballs and to play gray in

[FactualFrank]

Right, so if Boydy is fit

Somebody has posted further up that Dyche has stated that Boyd is out.

[Jambo]

Dyche's comments indicate Boyd will be fine, not sure why an above post says otherwise.

Team in #19 looks good to me, maybe with the wide midfielders swapped over, but they switch mid-game anyway. Hendrick-Ward combo makes sense given their ROI links though.

A 4-3-3 might still be worth a look at some point, but I'm concerned about Redmond's pace and suspect Dyche will want protecttion for his full-backs.

[summitclaret]

Redmond is a threat, so yes Boyd to play on the same side as him.

[minnieclaret]

Burnley Express and Lancashire Telegraph interviews with Dyche says that both Boyd and Flanagan are fine and should be OK, Flanagan having trained all week with no reaction.

Strange as this was on Sky.

14:36
BURNLEY TEAM NEWS

Sean Dyche has been speaking ahead of Burnley's home meeting with Southampton on Saturday and he admits he has injury problems.

Scott Arfield and Johan Berg Gudmundson are both doubts for the weekend.

George Boyd and Jon Flanagan are still out, but scans have revealed there are no major problems and they should return soon.

[boyyanno]

Marney has been doubtful for pretty much every week this season, yet always manages to play. I suspect one of Arfield or Boyd will make the squad.

I think Brady has a suspension to serve, so he'll be ready for the next one

[kentonclaret]

The LET online posted the following at 3.57PM today.

There is better news for the clarets on George Boyd. Jon Flanagan and Ashley Barnes who have all overcome knocks to train today.

On Boyd and Flanagan Dyche added "They're OK, they were both knocks, and Ashley Barnes had a knock, but we're expecting them to be OK, THEY ALL TRAINED TODAY."

[Jambo]

Sky has clearly not read Dyche's quotes properly. From the Express:

“Boydy had a niggle, a bit of tendonitis, so it was common sense to make sure he was fine.

“The rest has sorted it and he has trained all week as well.”

Dyche is rarely clearer than that with injuries.

[summitclaret]

This is very good news.

[IanMcL]

We're so fit, it's unbelievable!

[Goobs]

So does that make the line up:
Heaton
Lowton Keane Mee Ward
Boyd Marney Hendirck Kightly
Barnes Gray

??

[RVclaret]

Yep that or Marney and Defour in the middle with Hendrick slotting out wide (I would prefer this, Defour needs to start).

[HiroshimaClaret]

Have to maintain the back 4 (as much as I`d like to see Tarkowski play)

Heaton (1)
Lowton (9) Keane (3 - hopefully back to his best) Mee (2) Ward (5)
Hendrick (7) (but I`d like Kightly) Marney (4) Defour (10) (don`t think he`ll pick Barton YET) Boyd (6)
Gray (8) Barnes (11)

( ) name on team sheet by Dyche...just popped into my head

[HiroshimaClaret]

If I was manager (thankfully I'm not) I would do this:
Heaton,
Tarkowski, Keane, Mee,
Lowton, Defour,Barton, Hendrick,Ward,
Barnes, Gray

Has potential!!

[SkiptonClaret]

Oh dear, mentions of the inexplicable fans favourite "Kights". Time to be worried.

[HiroshimaClaret]

Oh dear, mentions of the inexplicable fans favourite "Kights". Time to be worried.

I do understand your use of `inexplicable` regards Kightly and the Premier League - not saying he is of that standard at all but neither is Arfield. I, like a few others, like him (Kightly) as he at least runs at defenders and can stretch the opposition, has a good engine, does his defensive responsibilities and `gets` the framework . In the game at St. Mary`s especially, Southampton had a free pass into our half and tore us apart at will (from my recollection anyway). WE re a different monster at home BUT have Gudmundsson out - a huge miss. I just think we need SOMEONE on the wing CAPABLE of forward motion (Gudmundsson pre-injury had answered those prayers).

[SkiptonClaret]

I do understand your use of `inexplicable` regards Kightly and the Premier League - not saying he is of that standard at all but neither is Arfield. I, like a few others, like him (Kightly) as he at least runs at defenders and can stretch the opposition. In the game at St. Mary`s especially, Southampton had a free pass into our half and tore us apart at will (from my recollection anyway). WE re a different monster at home BUT have Gudmundsson out - a huge miss. I just think we need SOMEONE on the wing CAPABLE of forward motion (Gudmundsson pre-injury had answered those prayers).

Oh Kightly will run alright, after all he's a runner, but aside from a few fleeting moments (and yes I admit there have been some) there's zero end product with "Kights". I always think it''s the type of fan that used to give Junior Stanislas dog's abuse that will appreciate the efforts of Kightly.

[HiroshimaClaret]

Oh Kightly will run alright, after all he's a runner, but aside from a few fleeting moments (and yes I admit there have been some) there's zero end product with "Kights". I always think it''s the type of fan that used to give Junior Stanislas dog's abuse that will appreciate the efforts of Kightly.

That`s SOME generalisation, Skipton! Didn`t see enough of Stanislas, to be honest with you, to appraise his worth to Burnley...certainly seems to have found his niche at Bournemouth though. Can we not morph the speed of Francis, with the brilliance of Little and the brain of McMinn? That would be SOME player!!!!

[Foshiznik]

Yep that or Marney and Defour in the middle with Hendrick slotting out wide (I would prefer this, Defour needs to start).

Why play someone out of position (in Hendrick) just to shoehorn Defour in?