No CB?

[quoonbeatz]

With £100m+ in the bank, why are we still looking to take chances?

Just go and buy a proper defender with the £30m we've just got for one. Don't try and fudge it on the cheap.

like who?

who is a 'proper defender' who wants to come and wait for their chance in the team? bear in mind there's a good chance they will hardly play this season.

[UpTheBeehole]

We should be signing players who go straight into the first team. If Tarkowski doesn't like it he can go back to the Championship.

[quoonbeatz]

but then we'd only have kevin long as back up.

[NottsClaret]

With £100m+ in the bank, why are we still looking to take chances?

We don't have £100m+ in the bank.

[UpTheBeehole]

If a player is genuinely unhappy at our club improving, then they're not of the right mental fortitude to be at this club, or even be a professional footballer.

We should sign players better than those we have in order to continually improve.

[JarrowClaret]

There is a fundamental difference between now with CB and 3 years ago with the CM which people seem to be missing. 3 Years ago we tried to sign a number of Centre Midfielders Bryson, Lansbury and Dorrans are just 3 names that come to mind but failed for a variety of reasons. This year we haven't really tried to sign any Centre Halves so I guess the CM issue was noticed and they attempted to rectify. The CD issue I don't think within the Club is seen as such that can only mean that they know something we don't my best guess is.

1. Free transfer coming in.
2. Our Full Backs are better at CD than any of the people that are moaning about it can see.
3. 1 or both of Flowers/ Younger in the Development Squad are seen as capable of doing a job.

I'm quite happy to trust in Dyche and the board we have rarely been let down recently.

[Lancasterclaret]

So we are not continuing improving now?

[quoonbeatz]

If a player is genuinely unhappy at our club improving, then they're not of the right mental fortitude to be at this club, or even be a professional footballer.

agreed. not sure what that's got to do with this discussion though.

We should sign players better or with the potential to be better than those we have in order to continually improve.

fixed that for you.

[BleedingClaret]

Tarks or Mee suspended or injured Long comes in
Both out Long and Ward in as CB Taylor goes to left back
Both out & Long out Ward & Lowton centre backs Taylor & Bardsley full backs
Tarks Mee Ward & Lowton out
Bardsley & Taylor CB with JBG and Brady as wing backs Wells & Westwood fill in as wide midfield men
We still have Hendrick Cork & Defour as first choice centre 3 in 451
We have Walters & Barnes as deep midfield or attacking replacements
Vokes and Wood sharing the front 1
5 defenders out we can cope
So the whole 4 current defence out we can cope
3 out we still have a defence full of defenders
2 out we have Long and Ward with Taylor in
1 out Long is capable
UTC

[UpTheBeehole]

Tarks or Mee suspended or injured Long comes in
Both out Long and Ward in as CB Taylor goes to left back
Both out & Long out Ward & Lowton centre backs Taylor & Bardsley full backs
Tarks Mee Ward & Lowton out
Bardsley & Taylor CB with JBG and Brady as wing backs Wells & Westwood fill in as wide midfield men
We still have Hendrick Cork & Defour as first choice centre 3 in 451
We have Walters & Barnes as deep midfield or attacking replacements
Vokes and Wood sharing the front 1
5 defenders out we can cope
So the whole 4 current defence out we can cope
3 out we still have a defence full of defenders
2 out we have Long and Ward with Taylor in
1 out Long is capable
UTC

Fast track to relegation

[BleedingClaret]

Fast track to relegation

Having Squad depth and versatility is a fair shout at survival

[UpTheBeehole]

Having 3 centre backs for 2 positions is the opposite of squad depth.

[BleedingClaret]

Many would be creaming themselves if we'd signed Dawson for 10 or 15 million and yet he was part of a defensive performance at the Turf that should have conceded 3 minimum, only bad finishing prevented this, and would be ripped apart against Chelsea or Spurs away.

[BleedingClaret]

Having 3 centre backs for 2 positions is the opposite of squad depth.

Are you suggesting we didn't want to sign a CB of quality?

[Thirteen]

What would a first choice CB cost? My estimation £15 million? Bear in mind Jonny Evans was touted at £20+ million. I think he'd have been great for us by the way, but that's the going rate for someone of his quality. Do I think we should be paying that? Not sure we should be breaking the record for a CB personally.

So what are we left with? A cheap 4th choice happy to sit on the bench, with premier league experience and quality. I don't think one is out there. Bearing in mind we'd be talking about someone who wasnt really playing any competitive football, he'd be a much bigger gamble than using a full back who's likely to be playing every week in the premier league. You could argue that the player stepping in would be off the pace a bit, but that's the same for everyone coming off the bench.

Lastly Chelsea played with three at the back last season, I don't think they used 3 CB's a lot of the time. My point being that a defender is a defender. I accept the rest of the team were all internationals, but we've a few ourselves now.

Come on, have faith in our squad.

UTC NNN

[summitclaret]

A defender is a defender. Wow have you ever played football? A cb is the next most specialist role after a keeper. Do you know how many specialists Stanley have. I don't but it will be more than 3.

[quoonbeatz]

A defender is a defender. Wow have you ever played football? A cb is the next most specialist role after a keeper.

i've played centre half for the vast majority of my glittering career and i can confirm its definitely not the most specialist role after keeper.

[UpTheBeehole]

i've played centre half for the vast majority of my glittering career and i can confirm its definitely not the most specialist role after keeper.

Not at playing with your mates level, no.

At Premier League level, it most certainly is.

[ExistentialWanderer]

I'd personally hope, nay expect that all eleven players are defenders when we don't have the ball!

[cricketfieldclarets]

i've played centre half for the vast majority of my glittering career and i can confirm its definitely not the most specialist role after keeper.

Try telling that to Cannavaro, Baresi, Maldini, Pique, Puyol, Vidic, Terry, Ferdinand, Campbell, Dessailly, Adams, Blanc, Lucio, Hummells, Beckenbauer, Stam, Thuram, Moore, Costacurta, Koeman, Passarella, Nesta, Ramos, Ferrara, Bergomi... Or any of the strikers they faced for that matter!

[quoonbeatz]

Not at playing with your mates level, no.

At Premier League level, it most certainly is.

it isn't. its no more specialist than most other positions.

[quoonbeatz]

Try telling that to Cannavaro, Baresi, Maldini, Pique, Puyol, Vidic, Terry, Ferdinand, Campbell, Dessailly, Adams, Blanc, Lucio, Hummells, Beckenbauer, Stam, Thuram, Moore, Costacurta, Koeman, Passarella, Nesta, Ramos, Ferrara, Bergomi... Or any of the strikers they faced for that matter!

they'd agree. as above, its no more specialist than most other positions.

[lucs86]

Ward's spent a good amount of time in our back 4 now, he knows the shape and the tactics and he's decent in the air so I'm sure if needed he could come central and Taylor could come in at LB. I'm sure Bardsley's played CB before, he's uncompromising and I can't see him getting flustered about covering CB for a run of games if needed. And before both of them is Long, I've not seen anything that warrants serious concern about him coming in for a few games since he's re-emerged. Dyche clearly sees something in him as he's given him 2 new contracts.

I don't think it's panic stations, we're going to need a proper helping of bad luck before we're there.

It would have been nice to see someone come in but I'd have liked it to have been a younger CB that we maybe sent out back on loan with an emergency recall clause (not sure if they exist in real life now or just Footy Manager 5 years ago...). I'd like to see the next one in the Keane-Tarkowski train. I'm more than happy for Tarkowski to play this season, to make a mistake or 2 and improve for it. If he progresses this year he could be brilliant for us, like £30M good. I wouldn't have liked us spending a load on someone to step over him. I'm glad Dyche is playing it this way, I reckon it's good for the squad and those on the fringes, we need that morale high.

So if there's a young CB out there with good potential, prepared to bench or go out on loan and bide their time for when Tarks moves on then sign them up. Until then put faith in Tarks and Long and the sports science/physio team.

[Thirteen]

Yes. I have played football. At semi professional level. Which I believe allows me a slightly informed opinion. I was defender, I played full back and centre half. A lot of full backs, with height and who can head a ball can do a job there. Which is the point I was trying to make. The key thing is to do a job there, which is what we'd be hoping a 4th choice centre half could do. As a full back you often sweep and cover when one the centre halves gets pulled out of position, how often do we see this with Ward and Lowton?

But if it helps you to ridicule me and you enjoyed posting your response, crack on.

[kentonclaret]

With all of the pundits pre-season and many of the supporters pointing out that Burnley needed to strengthen in the CB area following the sale of Michael Keane, perhaps there is a stubborn streak in Sean Dyche that refuses to accept what to many others (fans and pundits alike) is glaringly obvious.

Could be his Achilles heel.

As the season progresses only time will tell.

[quoonbeatz]

Yes. I have played football. At semi professional level. Which I believe allows me a slightly informed opinion. I was defender, I played full back and centre half. A lot of full backs, with height and who can head a ball can do a job there. Which is the point I was trying to make. The key thing is to do a job there, which is what we'd be hoping a 4th choice centre half could do. As a full back you often sweep and cover when one the centre halves gets pulled out of position, how often do we see this with Ward and Lowton?

But if it helps you to ridicule me and you enjoyed posting your response, crack on.

spot on.

[lucs86]

With all of the pundits pre-season and many of the supporters pointing out that Burnley needed to strengthen in the CB area following the sale of Michael Keane, perhaps there is a stubborn streak in Sean Dyche that refuses to accept what to many others (fans and pundits alike) is glaringly obvious.

Could be his Achilles heel.

As the season progresses only time will tell.

I wouldn't pay attention to the pundits, all they've seen is £30M out, no-one in, and concluded it's a disaster. Every one I've seen has been the same. No concept of whether Tarkowski or Long can do the job, they've never heard of them because neither cost £10M+. Tarkowski will be the next big thing by the end of the season and they'll be falling allover themselves with 'expert' endorsements.

[claretspice]

like who?

who is a 'proper defender' who wants to come and wait for their chance in the team? bear in mind there's a good chance they will hardly play this season.

Still, in my opinion, the wrong premise. The centre half we should have signed would have been arriving to have a straight fight with Tarks and Mee for a place in the first eleven. Tarks might have been the man in possession, but the idea he should have a virtually guaranteed role this season seems to me flawed.

Centre back may not be the most specialist outfield position, but it is the one in which errors are punished the most, and its fiwr that reason that inexperienced players, or players playing out of position, represents such a risk.

[quoonbeatz]

Still, in my opinion, the wrong premise. The centre half we should have signed would have been arriving to have a straight fight with Tarks and Mee for a place in the first eleven. Tarks might have been the man in possession, but the idea he should have a virtually guaranteed role this season seems to me flawed.

again, you're missing the point though. nobody should have a virtually guaranteed role in the team, in this or any season. that would be silly.

but barring injury or a dramatic loss of form, that player is going to have to wait some time to get in the side. that's how dyche works and, as the defence is the area you really want to maintain consistency in selection, its the right way.

thats how it was for tarkowski, same for keane and to an extent, the same for mee (at CB). it was also the same for ward, for lowton, and as it now is for taylor.

[fidelcastro]

Haven't read all the thread, but my simple response to the people complaining about us not signing a CB is...

GET OVER IT!

[quoonbeatz]

apologies, i missed a comma in that last post.

namaste.