Well, first up, very sorry that I didnt make Rileys...got entangled with multi-car pile-up on A3, so thought...today can only get better cant it? So having had a tedious 7 hr round trip to dear old PR my thoughts echo some views, but not others. I enjoyed the game...not too disappointed...same old weaknesses There were moments of quality pretty passing from Town - and pressure, and especially in 1st half...lady luck not going our way Burnley were poor...only showed some confidence last 10 mins...not a top promotion team Got bored with the many passes sideways and backwards...desparately need a playmaker in the middle who can drive and distribute forwards.... Goldilocks did his best but Murph huffed and puffed, but not the man we need alongside to create the moves and angles for Goldilocks Hyam...did his usual in their faces stuff. Scuse good inmparts. We controlled midfield first half...fell away 2nd half. Defense surprisingly solid and beat them to it almost all the time. Not close enough to really see the glancing header goal...was it a mistake...or half hearted cross which all defenders missed and stood watching? Lack of ideas up front...same old bootball and expecting too much from forwards. Not the worst game i have seen this season by any means. MM must stay but needs to re-think his subs strategy. Nouble hopeless but always comes on too late. Loachie I was glad to see him back between the sticks - he did well and grew in confidence. So lets see some more players used...more imagination...more risk and ore adventure. I got the feeling that if we had poked one in...we would have taken all 3 points easily and pushed on from there. Presently, like others, I see a mid-table/top 10 finish...which is a lot better than a year ago! Must Haves & Do's: 1.New Year dosh to get at least 3 new faces in. 2. A midfielder who can be a playmaker...hold the ball and take it from box to box...and do something with it ffs. Yesterday we spoilt numerous chances after good approach work but just making the final touch to a grateful Burnley player! 3. New forward to compliment Goldilocks and someone with real pace & menace. All a bit half-hearted at mo. 4. Give Hewitt a run at RB and try Chambers and Berra at centre back. 5. Youth to come on as subs...given at least 20 mins to make a difference...get some 1st team time under them. So, we have shown we can compete with 5 of the top teams...and should have at least drawn with 2 and beaten 2 of them! What cheered me up apart from really chatty and nice bloke next to me was following a smart white Audi convertible with delicious blonde driving up the A12...with number plate ...ITFC ! Gave thumbs up as i sped past...got flashed a lovely smile!
Thanks for the summary oldgaffer. We have to remember that Burnley are a top side and there's no shame in the result. It's just that thing of reacting after we go behind rather than making positive changes to try to turn a draw into a victory. We are matching every team week after week but we don't seem to be able to add that bit of energy to win points in the final 20-30 minutes.
SCOG Must Haves & Do's: 1.New Year dosh to get at least 3 new faces in. 2. A midfielder who can be a playmaker...hold the ball and take it from box to box...and do something with it ffs. Yesterday we spoilt numerous chances after good approach work but just making the final touch to a grateful Burnley player! 3. New forward to compliment Goldilocks and someone with real pace & menace. All a bit half-hearted at mo. 4. Give Hewitt a run at RB and try Chambers and Berra at centre back. 5. Youth to come on as subs...given at least 20 mins to make a difference...get some 1st team time under them The problem is, we all see these problems whereas Mick................... He will never look for a creative CM, he likes solid but uninspiring CMś, personally i think Mick has served his purpose and gone as far as he can/wants to. He got us out of the mire for which we must be thankfull but he wants pastures new (full of potatoes) and we need someone with more vision!! IMHO!!
Didn't flash you anything else then gaffer. Wordsworth should be our creative midfielder but MM seems to have forgotten about him. Some cash spent in January will be helpful but only on basis that its spent on the right positions. As much as I like MM and what he's done for us he needs to be more adventurous. On the plus side, Tunnicliffe has said he's more than happy to extend his loan for season.
Burnley are a top side! Are they F uc k! They were very ordinary and it amazes me that they are top! Judging by the hoofball they played yesterday they will finish in mid table. We never got going yesterday which is a shame because we would easily have beaten them if we were on our game. The truth is that Burnley came for the draw but got lucky!
Absolutely no pace in the team in any department, we need it especially down the flanks, most of our players are stuck in their own bubble so to speak, they are not multi purpose enough, our defenders can only defend, they can't link up play with midfield, they can't bomb up and down the pitch. Substitutions yesterday were negative, made no sense, should have got them on earlier, and why when we are chasing the game, swop a midfielder for another, surely he should have played three up front at that stage, risky yes, but what would it matter losing 2 nil as opposed to 1 nil, it might just have worked. Tommy Smith jetting off yet again to the other side of the world, to play in a meaningless friendly, was doubtful with an injury, are you telling me he's was in prime condition for yesterday, just remember who pays your wages Mr. Smith, and show a bit of loyalty
What are you talking about, Smith is skipper for his country who have an important play off game for the World Cup next month, of course he is going to play in the last friendly before that game, how you can question his loyalty is beyond me, Smith always gives 100% for both Town & NZ, also he was probably our best defender on Saturday.
Agree with all comments...specially: no pace, need to give Wordsworth a run out at least (for Hyam?), lousy sub tactics, more adventure, fresh funds for new forward, persevere with MM, that Burnley were pretty crap (we were the better team for at least 45) and of course Smith must travel to NZ national team preps. Lets hope our engine really fires up for next 2 winnables...regain the sort of form we show in bursts...and get 6 much needed points!
Tommy's international duties have done nothing but good for his development and confidence! We should be proud to have members of the team playing for their countries.
Lets not forget burnley were in the prem not so long ago,they've got themselves a good young manager who was doing well at Watford before being shipped out by unscrupulous owners. Forget the fact they hadn't won at PR for 40 odd years its history, on the day they had a bloke in the right place at the right time. As fans we're well aware of our weaknesesses. MM either isn't or doesn't have the tactical nous to change things when needed. However lets not also forget he got us out the s h I t big time last season and has us knocking on door of top 10 this so far. So lets move on and look forward to a potentially tricky trip to Bolton Saturday and hope we can right a few wrongs.
