The Burnley 'Got of jail' Verdict thread

[Johnny75]

Nuno got the team selection wrong yesterday - that meant he had to use 2 of his subs (Adama and Dendoncker) to correct it.

It is a concern that once again vs a team like this we could only muster 2 shots on target. Too many players below par all that same time yesterday.

Whilst I agree that Nuno got his selection wrong I think he was hampered by the Torino tie. It is clear we have prioritised this tie and picked players with that in mind, hence Adama and Donck were rested. It was a planned sub with Moutinho and Gibbs-White played in Donck's role. And it didn't work.

To add to this Nuno got his tactics wrong, it was almost as though the scouting reports were ignored or shockingly bad and with the recordings of games being available I think it's more the former.

Playing such a lightweight midfield against a team that likes to lump it up front and win second balls should be negated by putting Saiss/ Donck in the holding role and when Donck came on that's exactly what happened.

I'm slowly coming to the conclusion we are not getting the best out of Neves with him so deep. Our midfield axis of Donck/ Moutinho/ Neves works because all 3 are interchangeable and move so well. Yesterday we looked turgid and lacked that fluidity meaning Burnley could easily pick up our players.

At the moment we're not taking care of the ball well enough and the front two aren't doing enough with the ball when we have it. I thought Raul, whilst being our best goal threat was atrocious in his decisions in the final third.

I did welcome the change of formation to the old 3-4-3 when Neto came on and the combination of a functioning RWB (Doc isn't right at all) made all the difference. I was surprised how well Neves and Donck worked as a pair and do wonder if the long term is having the option to switch between the two shapes.

We have to get sharper in our passing and movement off the ball and maybe a spell with Neves further forward and a rest for Moutinho is a good option to get a bit of a different shape to the team.

Yesterday was a mistake but we got away with it.

 

[The Bion]

MGW was the catalyst for our turnaround in form last year after that disastrous run of no wins. To say he can't play at this level, at all, is demonstrably false.

Can he do it consistently, is another issue. Can he do it in any other role than just behind the front 2 is another. On current evidence you'd lean towards no.

 

[StuardoWulf]

Neves is wasted being so deep but who would we have sitting? With long ball teams you need this function.

I am starting to think that the system has its limits, but we did finish seventh last year. Have we even got the personel to play 433.

It ain't easy this football in the best league in the world thing. I like the smallish squad thinking but 60+ games is pushing it a bit.

 

[StuardoWulf]

MGW was the catalyst for our turnaround in form last year after that disastrous run of no wins. To say he can't play at this level, at all, is demonstrably false.

Can he do it consistently, is another issue. Can he do it in any other role than just behind the front 2 is another. On current evidence you'd lean towards no.

Yeah MGW had a bit of a mare and over elaborated a bit yesterday but lets not throw the baby out with the bath water.

 

[Johnny75]

Neves is wasted being so deep but who would we have sitting? With long ball teams you need this function.

I am starting to think that the system has its limits, but we did finish seventh last year. Have we even got the personel to play 433.

It ain't easy this football in the best league in the world thing. I like the smallish squad thinking but 60+ games is pushing it a bit.

I don't think we need to change from 3 at the back and Saiss sitting in front of the back 4 is the obvious option against long ball teams. If he's borked though we have a problem against those teams as Donck is the only back up.

 

[b3h]

What's going on with Doherty? Is it just fitness?

Looked pretty pointless him being on the pitch tbh. And I'm not scapegoating, there were plenty of poor performances, but it just didn't feel right. Other ways to get fitness right?

 

[Tony Towner]

Its almost as if gibbs white and vinagre arent good enough for the first team yet, and we should have signed an experienced cm and lb to allow jonny and mou to rotate and rest, seeing how well have 60+ games this season. If only there was someone to point this out every fucking thread only to be insulted again and again

We know how you feel about this but using yesterdays game to try and make this point though is demonstrably rubbish. Moutinho and MGW both played so on that basis your new midfielder would have been in the side alongside Moutinho, not instead of him and Vinagre's or anyone who would have played instead of him on Thursday performance had no bearing on Jonny's poor game. As I said previously I think Nuno picked them for the incorrect games and Vinagre would have been the better option.

 

[playtheace]

Don't get the MGW reaction.
First half he was probably the only one who DIDN'T give the ball away.
Alan moaned about the United match being Neves worst game....No..Yesterday was by far his worst game,everything was just off for him,even the simplest of passes went astray.
Crossing into the box was abysmal from every party.
Never mind Bennett, Boly was a mess for 50 odd minutes...both Burnley forwards stood just behind him for long balls and it threw him umpteen times.

Also, when we do knock crosses along the floor into the box, our forwards never seem to gamble on it.
Perhaps when we finally see Curtone he might be the sort to get on the end of these types of balls.
Doherty looked ok the first ten minutes but we stopped using him and he drifted completely out the game.

 

[Johnny75]

MGW didn't give the ball away?

You must've been watching a different game to me. He played an odd position for him and he gave the ball away plenty. He was by no means our worst player though.

You highlight Burnley's forwards getting in behind Bennett and Boly but this is what they do, it hasn't changed suddenly and we should be prepared for that. We weren't and did nothing to adjust. Maybe Coady covering across would be a difference or let Coady track the forward and let Bennett/ Boly challenge for the second ball. What we continued to do wasn't working and I'm surprised we didn't change it.

I was surprised that when Neto was on neither he or Jota didn't go across the keeper on the low crosses particularly the Jiminez one.

It all looks a bit off at the moment.

 

[Boozad]

Awful showing yesterday, we were never really at the races. Passing was bad, movement was bad, ball control was bad... But none of it was as bad as Burnley's time wasting antics which were absolutely disgraceful. Did we deserve a point? Probably not but I'll take that penalty so late on as a 'fuck you' to their time wasting, if they hadn't done it the game wouldn't have gone on for so long so suck on that Dyche you ballbag.

 

[Boozad]

MGW didn't give the ball away?

You must've been watching a different game to me. He played an odd position for him and he gave the ball away plenty. He was by no means our worst player though.

The one that stands out in the first half was when he'd got into a great position just by the edge of the box and instead of making the pass he tried to pirouette round their player and just ended up knocking it to them. He did give the ball away but like you say he wasn't our worst player.

Doherty is really concerning though, he's nowhere near the levels of last season and it's hampering us drastically.

 

[Hereford Wolf]

Dyche with his arms out wide appealing everything to the ref and the 4th official.

That's not managing - that's being a ridiculous twat.

 

[sycophantia]

Is Vinagre getting it in the neck? he's had one poor game and his general defending/final ball is questionable, people just stating this, we all realise he's young and not quite ready yet and needs games to improve.
I think I'm the only person who thinks Jonby was ok yesterday, yes he overhit a couple of crosses, they all do that every game, but personally think he was the only defender that wasn't all over the place, including Boly first half

 

[The Bear]

Every time his goalkeeper caught the ball and wasted 20s he'd start swinging and windmill his arms round and round as if trying to gee his players up for more timewasting. Prick.

 

[prawnking]

He's more annoying than Pulis. Would be lovely to play them off the park at Turf Moor later in the season

 

[jd1981]

Seems some talksport reporters have taken exception to Nunos lack of notes in yesterday’s programme.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Bless

Who gives a shit what they think?

 

[jd1981]

No surprise the one who started the moaning is a big Albion fan to

 

[NicholasG1973]

MGW was the catalyst for our turnaround in form last year after that disastrous run of no wins. To say he can't play at this level, at all, is demonstrably false.

Can he do it consistently, is another issue. Can he do it in any other role than just behind the front 2 is another. On current evidence you'd lean towards no.

I’m not sure it’s “demonstrably false”.

Aside from the Chelsea game last year, MGW has done nothing in a top level game other than look hopelessly out of place.

There is no way, currently, he is a Premier League player......he is literally light years away.

His local-boy status gets him games because we all want him to do well.

Truth is, he’s absolutely nowhere near good enough.

 

[Gonby's Games Gone By]

How does our wanting a local boy to do well force Nuno's hand into picking him?

He's had more than one good game in a Wolves shirt -- Arsenal away springs to mind but there have been others.

He is among world-class footballers, who all rate him highly. He's not a MOTM at this stage and I would have hoped for his development to come on a little quicker over the last eight months but to write him off is a bit silly at this stage, iMO.