Not a good performance at all. Very disappointing indeed. Zeegalaar's lack of Prem experience showed up - it looked like a red to me and if you go sliding in two-footed, you're always going to be in trouble. I'm fed up with our bad attitude. Sometimes we need to get on with the game. Silva wasted about a minute right at the end, no doubt to the delight of Burnley, while he argued with the ref about something he was completely wrong about. He wanted a red for the tackle on Richarlison which looked to be off the pitch anyway and arguably a yellow at best. What bloody difference does it make if they get a man sent off with 2 mins to go? Why waste the time? Why break up the flow of our attacks having a discussion. Get on with the bloody game! Kabasele kept on and on obviously fouling his man. I don't know how he didn't get carded. Cleverley too is winge winge winge at the officials over every single bloody decision. Richarlison wants to man up a bit and stop making such a fuss over every contact - especially holding his face and head. Some of the opposing fans outrage about his behaviour is deserved. It's not a very appealing attribute of his. I would be gutted if the second goal they scored had been one that was ruled out for us. A really marginal decision and I think probably a wrong one from what I could see on the replays. Cleverley was pretty dire. I wish Chalobah was available so we had another option in that position. Janmaat kept on giving the ball away and kept on being slow on playing the ball or telegraphing his passes so they got blocked. Although he will have been rusty and is arguably better defensively, I prefer Kiko in that position. Deeney was really well handled by Tarkowski - I don't think he won a header or knock on all game against him. Richarlison was, let's face it, awful. Did absolutely nothing. Every run he tried to make got quickly snuffed out. Gave the ball away catastrophically for their goal. I was surprised he wasn't replaced by Success for the last 15 or 20 mins. Really hope he finds his mojo soon and that his early fireworks weren't a false impression. Again I thought Mapps did OK and won most of his headers in the air. Always seems to have one dire mistake in him per game though and did so again in this one (slipped over or went to ground too early and got skinned) but fortunately we got away with it. One thing we didn't do well (again) was block crosses coming in - particularly from Holebas/Richarlison side. They had a free reign there. Not good. Well played Burnley and well done Sean Dyche. A deserved win for them.
True. However, he seems very aware that he’s injury prone now. He constantly bottles challenges and doesn’t seem as willing to take defenders on, in case he gets clattered. I can’t really blame him, must be a psychological thing.
I know I know. Not his fault but just when he seems to be back, someone gets sent off and he has to be sacrificed. It’s just frustrating as I believe he can sparkle and you may laugh but I believe he can post close to Eriksen or Sigurdsson numbers but it just isn’t happening.
Makes me laugh when people still slagging him off even when he's dropped. And despite scoring in open play the last time he started. Its been Deeney starting in the current winless streak.
Sometimes you can see the signs. When snow was predicted I feared the worst. I'm not looking forward to Tuesday at all.
I was watching a Canadian channel (English commentators) and they were clearly not impressed with the ref They thought the red was never a red, and thought there was three clear penalties (2 for us 1 for them) , thought the rich incident wasn’t a penalty and the 2nd goal was offside, I know they are pundits - but that’s a lot of disagreements I don’t think it’s fair to say we played badly or they were crap, we just neutralised each other. The sad thing is not sure who would have won, but the ref absoloutly ruined it ,
Gray was 18 million pounds. Even in today's ludicrous market, that is disgusting. Someone should be fired for that decision. I'm sure Burnley were delighted at his introduction. They'll probably be on the phone over the January window, attempting to sell us their stewards/ PA announcers/ stationary for 'only' a few million on top. He does absolutely nothing to enhance our attacking threat. He comes on, offers little movement, doesn't have the pace to get in behind nor the intelligence/ guile/ first touch/ passing to unlock tight defences. He's a complete passenger at this level, hoping that a mistake will play him in. For Gray to go ten minutes without being involved much in play isn't actually that much of a surprise. Which is simply shocking in itself. We've simply come to expect utter mediocrity. When he makes a run down the wing and wins a throw in, we rush to praise his excellent channel running - so desperate are we to find something that he is good at. When he does nothing, but the players around him are doing well, it's because Gray is creating space for them! Well done Andre - your tactical unawareness is carrying the team, and certainly not the other way around. Was he more poor today than he usually was? Perhaps he manufactured enough space to receive a pass, but if so I missed it. Perhaps not touching the ball at all shouldn't be open to criticism - like one of the candidates on The Apprentice that hide out of plain sight and survive the first few sackings. Maybe instead, he should be praised: "wow, Andre didn't give the ball away much today... he's really helping the team by running in circles chasing his own shadow". Or maybe, just maybe, he's been useless and we should hide him away from plain sight, pretend he's been carrying an injury this whole time and scrape back as much money a desperate championship club will offer. I laugh at Watford fans fickle nature and their wish for ex-players to return, but swapping even out-of-form Ighalo for Gray is akin to selling your soul for a kick in the ********. And probably less painful too.
Seems like all of the praise has gone to the heads of both Silva and the players. This isn't the same determined team from the beginning of the season, and Silva's sulky child body language epitomized that change I think. Personally I think we were largely screwed by the officials, but there was no energy or desire to overcome it. In football things sometimes go against you, and you can't sulk about it. We have played with complacency recently and are throwing away a good start to the season for it.
I can’t be bothered to read all of your post, but £18m is nothing for a forward. If you want a really good forward you’re talking £40m+ just look at the league top scorers and look at their transfer fees. We’re in a different league and a different era now. Regardless of how good or bad Gray is, people need to get over the £18m.
That was a really disappointing result to what had been an entertaining end to end game until the sending off. The red card was harsh, and the Burnley player really made the most of it, but you cant challenge like that and its not the first red we've seen for something similar - nor is it totally unexpected with the low standard of officiating in this country. The handball on Jan Maat was never a penalty, it hit his torso as much as his arm and the player was so close to him. Likewise the pen shout for the obstruction on Richarlison was dubious as he probaley wouldnt have got to the cross anyway. The 2nd disallowed goal should have stood though a 2-0 scoreline would really have flattered them. Burnley are well organised and hard working but they really arnt a very good footballing side. Time wasting in the corner against ten men? really? I actually think they suiffer from the same problem as us - the strikers. Wood, Barnes, Deeney etc just arnt premier league players. Speaking of Deeney I really wish he would do something other than running to the back post all the damn time. So many times in that 2nd half when we had the ball down the right and looking to cross Deeney was trying to take up the same spot Richarlison was standing in. Frustrating to say the least.
Was he? Do we know the final fee? I'm pretty sure it'll be £xm plus £ym for something and £zm for something else totalling £18m. And as you rightly point out he's hardly done y or z yet so safe to say the fee isn't that high. As for the rest of what you say I can't help but feel it's a bit harsh. He didn't receive a single playable delivery in his time on the pitch. Of course you're free to feel he deserves a share of the blame for that, by not finding space, but he basically slotted into Carillo's inside right forward position but with less defensive responsibility as Silva went more attacking. Tarkowski came over and man marked him and every ball played to him was aerial.
Clear we need a striker and another wide player in Jan to allow us to kick on. Deeney didn't win a header all game and when Doucoure was running on to the ball to shoot he got in his way. Gray isn't the answer either and will be back in the championship in the next year. However we didn't give up and maybe could have nicked an equaliser. For me never a red, was a pen on Richy and their goal was offside in 2nd half. Burnley are boring but effective and will be top half. They had no intention of taking the game to us and were content to wait for the 1 chance. They are also negative, dirty and play just this side of the law. They cheat and fall over as much as any fancy foreigner like Richardlison. It is this negativity that puts off the bigger clubs from taking a punt on Dyche. Might be unpopular but I really don't like him. Likes a moan and his comments at the Tales from the Vic about Barton and our 'diving' really showed him up. But fair play to him Burnley like us are punching way above their weight. We could do with a win Tuesday, but if we dont Saturday becomes massive. With Huddersfield coming to us having not scored since August away you know what will happen.
Think thats a fair assesment, it had been quite an entertaining game until the sending off. The refs are of such a poor standard its ruining the game. With a fully fit midfield Cleverly wouldnt be in the starting 11 probaley.
Moan, moan, moan, and another thing moan, moan moan. Just thought I would join in with all the happy posters.
7th red card in the Premier League since the start of last season. Only West Ham can match that - no one has more.
Time for a trunk, branch , roots , smaller roots and minsicule roots , emergency surgery of the whole club; from top to bottom.
I thought we might get 6 pts out of these games. I can see us getting out gunned by palace too they have a forward threat and we don’t. Unless Grey has the game of his career. Deeney cannot start Tuesday or Saturday, use him as an impact sub... I love what he has done for Watfordbut he is clearly passed his prime.
Left the house at 5am and a long journey home so feel quite bitter about result especially the red card. Frustrating because we could have done more before the sending off. Key players seemed off and once they had the goal it was clear what they'd do. Can we all now agree Deeney is not fit to start and is best utilised as a battering ram once the defence are tired from Grays movement (even if he can't actually score himself) Should add, did find a really nice Indian restaurant after the game
This argument is actually completely flawed by Richarlison's 5 goals and 3 assists for £11 million. Oumar Niasse 5 league goals. Glen Murray 5 league goals Abdoulaye Doucouré 5 league goals. Tammy Abraham (loan) 4 league goals. Mame Biram Diouf 4 league goals. Mounie, Okazaki, Chris Wood & the list goes on. TWO goals for EIGHTEEN million pounds is not good enough however you look at it!
Also, I don't care if Okaka burnt down a house full of puppies, he really is the best option out of the 3 we have and Silva is hurting himself and the team by being so stubborn.
