I guess on the surface it's easy for anyone to assume that, I would. But 38 goals conceded in 24 games says otherwise, it's the fourth worst record in the league. Next is Southampton on 42 and considering they conceded 9 goals in one game Burnley having the third-worst defence in the league, suggests maybe Dyche being a great defensive coach is a bit of a cliche? They've kept 8 clean sheets, the same as us and I wouldn't say we're a great defensive side by any stretch of the imagination. It just means we both (us more so under QSF) play incredibly dull and negative football.
Seen a few reports suggesting a loan deal is actually pretty likely if Burnley can get that replacement in. The reason the bid has been rejected and not just left in limbo is because Burnley didn’t like the value of the optional transfer fee we offered - or so SSN say. I think we’ll likely go back in for him.
Would be an extra body in the defensive unit. Even if he is only on a par with existing options it is much needed as we are so short.
Journalist Alan Nixon on Twitter (seems fairly on the ball with a lot of things) seems to be suggesting the sticking point is the optional fee at the end of the loan deal. Not agreed yet but talks ongoing.
So sad to see us scrambling around for reserve players from clubs to likely not even sit on our bench. We'll be putting in bids for Tom Ince and Ravel Morrison soon.
Not sure if this is a genuine update or a bit of guesswork, but they seem confident we'll be signing Gibson. https://www.teamtalk.com/news/exclusive-watford-confident-of-getting-gibson-deal-done
Is he the long term upgrade we need? I’m not sure at all but the fact it’d be a loan allows us to explore that so I’m not concerned. If this was our big summer defensive upgrade I’d be pretty let down - much the same as Dawson. But this allows us to look at him. Once highly rated, left footed, leadership qualities - if Pearson can get him back to where he was 18 months ago, then it’s a good signing. I think at his best, he’d be our best CB. It’s whether we can get him to that point again. I just hope if he proves to do well, that the club don’t think it’s ‘job done’. Add another one in the summer and keep moving. It’s January. And we are 19th. Getting the definite upgrade we need was always going to be difficult so I think this is about as decent as we’d be able to do.
Celtic enter the race, but it looks likes he's going to us. Interesting to note, that his only Premier League Burnley appearance came in the 5-1 home defeat to Everton in 2018...….hmmmm If the fee is anything like £15m, then we're just crazy. Burnley paid £15m for him because his reputation was high and he was only 25. Since then his career has stalled, he's hardly played and he's now 27. It would be nuts if we reimbursed Burnley their money, when his value has clearly diminished since they signed him. Just think, if the fee is £15m, then we'd have given Burnley £33.5m for Gray and Gibson. Wow. https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/01/...onfident-of-beating-celtic-to-the-signing-of/
Difficult one to understand. Gibson's stock is falling and he'd be so far off match fit we'd get no benefit for at least two months, by which time we could be sunk. Baffling.
Anything less than 10 would be fine. He's a leader and we're lacking them at the back. Surely he can't be any worse that what we've got...
Why does Gibson want out? Does he also date a member of a girl 'band' that the Proper Lad Dychey doesn't want in the laughably called 'executive area' at their dump of a ground?
Choosing between Watford and Burnley is the equivalent of choosing between heaven and an eternity of torture in hell. And that's despite Watford being a bit a **** hole.
He was very highly rated when he went to Burnley but what's happened to him? How has he played so few games?
I've just looked at his record since he's been at Burnley This season he's been an unused sub for 11 games out of 24. Of the other 13 matches he didn't even make the match-day squad although he has not been injured. His only appearance this season was in the 1-3 home defeat to League One Sunderland. Going back to season 2018-19, he played just once, in the 1-5 home defeat to Everton. He was taken off after 63 minutes in that game. He played in a couple of cup games though. He played in the Europa cup qualifying 1-0 win over Basaksehir and also in 1-3 defeat to Olympiacos but taken off after 60 minutes. He played in two FA Cup matches. One was a 1-0 home win against Barnsley and also the other was a 0-5 defeat to Man City. He did pick up one injury, a hernia which kept him out from 2/9/18 until 15/12/18, so has only missed 3 months due to injury. He rest of the time he's been available but has only made the Burnley bench once in the past 8 EPL matches….and that's his entire career at Burnley. It looks terrible to me.
Yes, it's really odd how far he has fallen. I can only assume something has happened off the pitch. Any gossip in the red-tops? If it's psychological, maybe a loan to Watford and a different gaffer might do the trick.
But he’ll be coming in on loan? Why the hang-up on the fee? If he comes in and does brilliantly, then I’m sure none of us will begrudge paying the money. If he comes in and does badly, we send him back. All the reports say it’ll be a loan with an option to buy so the finances don’t really matter this month.
We need to see what the terms of the deal actually is. If it is just an option to sign, that's one thing, but I suspect Burnley will insist on a compulsory purchase, which would be the big risk. There is clearly something not quite right with him or the situation he finds himself in at Burnley. Only 63 minutes of Premier League football for Burnley since he signed for them over 18 months ago!! There has to be a reason for it. How can't he break through at a club like Burnley? Surely he has all the attributes to do well there. His career has completely collapsed at Burnley and Watford should in no way pay the price for Burnley's apparent overspend. Gibson, with what he's done over the past 18 months is no longer a £15m player, nowhere near. Also, why would Burnley be happy to sell/loan to a rival at this stage of the season? Lots of red flags as far as I'm concerned. If it's a loan with an option, then that's fine, we've not got as much to lose in the deal, but it all depends on how the deal is structured.
