Majority of players in that list are strikers not wing backs plus in terms of minutes per goal he's ahead of a number of those players on that list. Since the Bolton game where we lost 5-2 we've lost 8 games, Burns has only played 2 of them. Since that same game we've also won 13 games, Burns has played in 11 of them. Whilst yes there are important players like Morsey and Walton, Burns would certainly get my vote of player of the season so far. I don't think I've seen a wide player for Town be such a consistent threat but also pretty sound defensively since when Jon Walters had that outstanding season. The thing that surprises me is that it seems teams have been unable to stop him, because game after game he gets in on goal from that right hand side. Like you say though if teams do start double marking him it leaves space for others so it's a win win
Precisely. And he’s not a striker. He’s even been wingback for a few games. Why would you compare him to strikers. Perhaps we could see where he ranks against fellow right wingers or wing backs for tackles, passes, assists and goals…
Double marking burns is something of a misnomer; he will always have at least a left midfielder and a left back in front of him as he’s deployed deep on the right. I don’t think a third player could be assigned to him even if we had 9 other donkeys out there as they’d be so open elsewhere. the opposition have to hope they have a pacey defender as he won’t take them on if he can’t get past them. Instead he’ll wait for inter play with JD to pass around them at speed. the issue we have is our chance creation rate is so low. We were 5th bottom last I looked. But for our forwards needing few chances to score we’d be in dire straits. if we can improve the chances from other areas of the pitch, ie through Bakinson and the new guy from Brentford who looks first class for how we play, the whole team has a powerful set of options across the pitch that is very problematic for any opposition. And burns can keep doing what he’s doing making me and Spanish look like the best talent scouts never to get a job from anyone employing talent scouts…
It doesn’t surprise me that nobody has been able to stop him. It’s League One level and most of the managers will not have any idea how to. Nevermind the players then having the ability to execute a plan. I rate Burns, I really do. Not as a wing back but has a winger. I love wingers. McCarthy preferred to play midfielders so we were starved of the energy and pace for years. The reason I want to bring you all down to Earth is because if Walton doesn’t keep us in the game and if it’s not for all the work of his team mates executing the final pass then Burns doesn’t even get a chance to win the game. A week ago he had never done that. Never scored the deciding goal in a win for us. He is not the only one scoring goals and certainly not the only one creating them. It’s the first time in years we’ve been able to have any kind of debate about good players. Makes a wonderful change from who is the most culpable for another **** show!
Why wouldn’t you? Mo Salah is not a striker either. Wes Burns is an abysmal defender. He gets caught out of position constantly. When he should be playing wing back he doesn’t do the job. He’s 100% an attacking player.
I suppose because regardless of the ‘type of player’ salah might be he is deployed as a striker in a front three where he’s not required to occupy any other position other than one that is advanced up the pitch and in front of goal. He does the press, they win it high and with the defence in a attacking shape and they score like lightning. It’s very different to burns and we don’t press like Liverpool who are the best at it so in terms of position, role and shape to my eyes they are very different. He’s not the best defender and JD covers him well but overall, and I’d need to look at the stats , I’d be pretty confident he’s the most effective player in the position he’s deployed in in the division. I wouldn’t want another burns on the left because I think we’d be too exposed defensively on each flank. But a route to goal down that side (which I think Brentford guy can offer) and from the middle (Bakinson?) would make the opposition unable to simply pile in on burns to stop a major source of supply and goals. you’re a big lover of Walton after making a strong case for not signing him. I’d agree he’s a major player for us with Morsy Chaplin and Bonne. I think Bonne is every bit as crafty and nasty as Norwood; he never goes down he’s hard as nails and gives the defence a big physical challenge without all the gnashing and flashy anger Norwood displays. what we missing is the clear chances from the middle and left side they would hoover up, along with Chaplin who is an excellent goal getter. I just don’t see Edward’s ever offering them that and km must have it low on his list of ‘things to try’ given he’s drafted in another left back instead of giving him a go.
Gerrard, Lampard. Always up there in the scoring charts. By any definition midfielders. Mahrez. Bale. Ronaldo for much of his career. Our own John Wark of course! It’s an endless list of non strikers. Burns is 18th in the third tier. I hope he climbs the ladder! On Walton and I’ve said it before. He constantly put us in trouble with his distribution, but now that we’re playing out from the back it’s not an issue.I think he’s worked on it too or gained more confidence as the season has gone on. The way Cook played though the distribution was costing us points. As a shot stopper and a keeper in command of his area I never had an issue. it’s obvious that there will be one or two times in every game when he stops a goal that Holy would have conceded. What’s really impressive is how quick he is at reading danger.
I can't believe you responded seriously to a comment where Hampy used Salah as a yard stick. I've always been relatively impressed with Burns defensively (bar today), I thought he looked pretty solid when he has played RB this season. I would be ecstatic if we signed a left sided player like Burns on the left. We don't have anyone at the moment who has shown the consistency from both an attacking and defensive sense on the left. I'd agree with you on Bonne in terms of work rate and doing the nasty stuff but he doesn't hold the ball up enough for long enough, when he's upfront by himself particularly with players like Celina and Chaplin around him the ball doesn't spend enough time at the top end of the pitch. We need a better focal point and currently the best striker for that in our squad is Norwood. Although I do partly think the bigger issue is the supply to the strikers/striker.
Well given the players we've had in the past 15 years it's lucky he's on a list. Agree with regards to Walton, he's potentially the best GK we've had in a while, not just a good shot stopper (like Bart) but in control of the whole box and reads the game well. I actually have thought his distribution was okay but maybe that was because I didn't see him in too many games earlier on in the season
It’s a bit of a strange one. His distribution did improve - there was clearly an instruction to go short again at half time - but for the first half an hour yesterday it was absolutely horrible. There were a lot of nerves at the back with the exception of Woolfy who was born to play it on the deck. Thompson got us out of an awful lot of trouble - had it been Penney it might have been a cricket score.
