Agree. Smallwood poor ball, Buckley had no way of dealing with it, Nyambe way out of position. Cant take away from the finish though. Second one; utterly farcical, and seemingly Buckley ended up RWB...

Who said Grayson was crap? Lads got a wand of a left peg for that long diagonal...!

That isn’t true - my main area of gripe with Nyambe is technique, crossing and passing. That’s not to say Benno is a regular MGP with his right peg. One thing I do agree with though is the age suggests one can learn, but also he played Centreback for his country and a few times for us - maybe that’s where he sees himself?

I just think if you’re going to make the assertion a players no experience in a role, it’s probably better to use facts as opposed to opinion. I don’t think it’s as clear cut as Nyambe over Bennett personally either.

It’s funny because much of that thread is exactly the same argument - he obviously shows something to the managers who’ve picked him in the wider defensive positions.

RWB and RB are similar? That’s quite stark relevance in my world MB

https://www.otib.co.uk/index.php?/topic/173858-elliott-bennett-merged/ Some discussion about him leaving BCFC due being used as a RWB. Sounds nonsensical to me, probably just a better contract. Does show he has been used more defensively on the right previously, and with a few years more experience - not unthinkable to suggest that’s his main position now with time against him.

No I meant I checked (roughly and quickly) the last 10 games who played RB - 9x4321’s and 1x352; Bennett started five times in defence, and Nyambe 5 times, albeit one game at RCB. Bennett may have played other positions too but I neglected to check that.

Last 10 games of season, 5 starts at RB or RCB each. Looking at the results, I’d say their impact was mixed but looks as if Nyambe was dropped after a few straight defeats.

I think maybe it’s less straightforward- Nyambe offers that position and also RB. His return from the ACN may have also impacted his pre season compared to Bennett. That’s why I’d save judgement on who is “1st choice” this season till after a lot more games

Why apologise? I’ve never had perfect English, and you’re never too old to learn!

Maybe it’s still up the air? Carrot and stick for the senior players who want it. Graham/Bennett/Mulgrew/Evans phase coming to an end, time for someone else to stand up and take the arm band? It’s one way to inspire a bit more leadership from the Dacks and Williams in our first team.

I think Mark Hughes would be high up my list if it’s a possibility too. Only if he’s bringing Eddie N (if you can spell his name, crack on) and Mark Bowen though. I think it would be a good fit - less money than he’s been allowed to spend (waste) in his previous few places. Lots to fix for him and us. The common expectation is someone with a broken reputation or a novice. Hughes or Johnson sounds something similar to that.

To be fair though JHR, you listed three things people should be looking at to judge him; 1. Poor transfer business 2. Set high targets 3. Poor football. I wouldn’t call that balanced or open minded personally. It’s very easy to expect more from something, it’s a bit more difficult to try and see both good and bad. For instance for 1; I’d say our squad is light years in front of the one he inherited. I’m not just talking new players, but individuals are better. Equally, he’s blooded a few kids in that scenario too. Cue; he was lucky, he had a top academy, Smallwood for suspended etc etc etc. For two; I wouldn’t say you’re “that guy” but I know that many here would’ve been outraged should this years “intention” been to consolidate. He/we all wanted new/better players. I’m sure TMs aspirations outweighed his chances this summer - Whilst I’m convinced a better manager/setup would’ve done better, I don’t think we’ve done too bad. Equally - it’s far too early to judge any of them. (New signings Cue; either “defenders are coming” or “defensively were fine” since that’s an easy way to sweep any argument or justification away. As for 3 - I’m sure you know as well as I do the importance of “functional” football, results etc. Whilst TM is in no way comparable to the Allardyces or Pulis’s for setting teams up, he found a “style” or system that basically achieved the minimum target. The difficulty now is changing to to be more effective against teams that can defend set pieces/long plays. Cue; we’ve stumbled and managed to come up through league one “in spite of the manager” purely down to wage bill! Finally on the point of judging this into last season. I agree that our form in 2019 could be better, but the improvement in performances and results in April/May shouldn’t be ignored as “dead Rubbers” because it suits a POV.

I’m talking about Dyche inherited a complete different animal to our club. Different job entirely. 2 of those windows are also League 1. I’m not convinced that did the best we could mind, but at least 3 windows of TM would’ve been tinged with discussions about being or recently being league 1. Wages massively impacted. I also felt we had a criminal shortage of quality wingers and attackers after two league one windows. So whilst hindsight now points me in a “fuck Brereton, should’ve signed a CB”, I’m not sure it was as obvious at the time. Equally I’m not convinced there are simple fixes to any position - let alone a defender to come in and be instantly a top 6 level fixture. Our veteran surely can’t be staying around for too much longer. The same dissenting voices pointed out how weak without Graham we would’ve been last season. We needed recruitment upfront AND defence and whilst I’m quite sure we will all fall into “tosin fans”, it’s not difficult to see why the criticism has turned to defensive recruits! Especially when all momentum was thrown away last season on allowing Downing out, and a Lenihan injury!

I don’t think we are far off that. Bar centre backs that is. He also inerited a club that had been run in particular direction for a few years previous. Its no coincidence their previous manager was also extremely well successful since. For all the Mowbray out stuff, I’ll never be convinced our setup can find such success. That will always impact the context. Maybe with Waggot, things might be different?

That’s 7 seasons at a club. I probably admire Sean Dyche more than the average Burnley fan, but let’s not forget that their stature and wage bill have made them piss from a selective pot Dyche for me has a talent in setting up a 442 that’s almost impossible to dominate. Nothing to do with personnel or transfer business; just a well oiled machine designed for resilience

Vinny m8 - I’m the guy who baulks at people using more than the last 2.5 years, or TMs tenure when looking at our immediate direction. Therefore, even though I agree that the trust negligently sold us via agents, I’m not sure what it has to do with Fulham away, Mowbray out! Or anything bar our whole ownership scenario.

I am aware of that, I was referencing that my only ever recollection of a manager leaving so quickly was Hudds. The rationale (funnily enough) was the poor run the previous season. My point with our context was we have no “Dean Hoyle”. We have the disconnected, unpredictable at best Rao family.

Didn’t we have Rigg as DOFnot so long ago? Judging by his impact at Burnley, I’d say cold hard cash for wages is a problem both clubs face. I know, I know, 15m on strikers... the point with wages, they can only be recouped by performances!

Also the best headed chance I remember Gallagher getting yesterday was a Bennett on the overlap cross. About a yard wide though, looping across the keeper from about 10 yards out

I watched Raya for a few seasons and I never thought he was that bad, however he did put one in the stand every game. Waltons kicking from hand/GKs have looked on target so far to me, albeit in two games only.

I fall into this category - although one think I would say about Walton; 1. Very early days, still finding his feet/voice in the squad. 2. His kicking is a huge upgrade on Raya. Overall - yesterday is another example that simplifying football down to sweeping arguments like “we can’t defend” has no value. We are now two games into the season without creating a single clear cut chance, and yesterday I don’t think anyone can argue that it wasn’t our best front 6. (Maybe Graham for Sam, but you can’t press like we did with a 34 year old up front). The reasoning comes down to a few key things for me; 1. Couple of new players, time to bed in. This also combined with new pressing/passing system as opposed to hitting graham with a diagonal to play Dack off 2. Substitutions. Both games I’m convinced TM got it completely wrong. Charlton we looking in the ascendancy until he changed it. More specifically Fulham; The minute he took Travis off, we couldn’t put a glove on them in the centre. You could almost tell from Bradley Johnson’s instant dip, what Travis gives us - pure energy and action in centre mid. Finally - on the TM out stuff. The notion behind sacking any manager after 2 games into a season will never seem right to me. Doesn’t matter if people’s justification stretches back to last summer; the current context is we are 2 games into a season. Sacking a manager at that point would (in my view) be pretty much akin to blowing your own brains out. Huddersfield did it with Robins. He left after 1 game I think, they finished 17th the season before. It took them 3 weeks or so to find Chris Powell (who then left 12 months later) who led them to finish 16th... This is a club ran by a millionaire Huddersfield fan (Dean Hoyle). Imagine how long it would take, and who we might get too.

He and Nyambe injured apparently

100% stopped us in our tracks both games. Baffling.