Anybody still optimistic about this season?

[oldcolner]

So far this 'season' I have watched the Clarets 4 times on the TV and once live at Southampton. Having watched the Palace - Liverpool match last night it highlighted to me the level that we are actually at. Based on our performances so far and the way the two teams performed last night we are in for some serious spankings this season.

Thought we were ok at Southampton their keeper made some good saves. We seem to struggle against two strikers though when Danny came on and again against Watford. Off to Fulham Sunday hoping we manage a win. At least we won’t have had a two hour game Thursday!

[edlea]

"Steven Defour is a few weeks behind that, we’ll see how he goes over the next 10 days to two weeks.


"A few weeks" ?? 3 or 5 or 7 ?? Touch and go?

Further to my previous post, I've gone through this calendar year's results.

After beating Stoke (rather fortuitously imo) on the 12 December, we went on an 11-game winless run (12 if you include Man C in the Cup) until we beat Everton on 3rd March.

We then had our golden 5-win run which saved us imo.

We then finished the season with another 5 game winless run and tacked on to that is our 2 game no-win start this term.

So we've won 5 out of the last 22 games. I don't care how you dress that up, it's poor form over an alarmingly long period - certainly not a blip imo. The blip if there is one, is the 5-win run.
Yes, we finally overcame the mighty Aberdeen and Istanbul in the Europa but it's certainly a cause for concern.

Back to Defour and Brady - both are big losses in that they are the only really class productive players we have.
Brady may or may not be the player he was and it will certainly take time to get him to real match fitness.
As for Defour, you certainly can't rely on him being fit and ready to be on any given team sheet. Not just with this injury but his record with us. He certainly can be a great match-winning player but he's no good to the team if he's in the treatment room every week.

I'm not a gloom and doom merchant but anyone not wearing claret-tinted specs can surely see the writing on the wall if things don't change pretty sharpish.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

I've almost decided after listening to most of you lot on here, to just slash my wrists while lying in a bath of whisky and get the thing over with. I'll bet you lot are good fun at a day at the races?

[Altobelli]

I've almost decided after listening to most of you lot on here, to just slash my wrists while lying in a bath of whisky and get the thing over with. I'll bet you lot are good fun at a day at the races?

The feeling could be mutual BT.

I'm not a doom and gloom merchant as I try and make a joke out of most things when out in company and on here, as I see it you only live once and its my Philosophy to have a laugh whenever possible, it drives Matron spare, but I can get deep when it is needed.

We all want the best for our Club regardless of different opinions, You believe Brady and D4 coming back will make everything O.K. you also say that the Europa games have an impact, I value your thoughts BT and everyone else's, I just don't agree we have enough depth in the squad, enough good players anyway with many weak links, the Europa agenda was on the cards last season but has hardly been addressed.

Its good we have differences, no one is right or wrong, but its good to air our views regardless, some will be left with egg on their faces and I really hope it will be me, but in the meantime I'll keep venting, not for the sake of it but because I love my Club like everyone else.

[Supersub6]

It is only a game of football and, unless they are very unlucky, nobody will suffer any long term damage because of a football season.

Edlea is quoting only 5 wins in 22 matches, however, he ignores the fact that those 22 matches would have yielded 23 points which is an average of 1.04 points per game. This would give 39 points in a season which, last season would have seen us finish in 16th place and 6 points above the drop.
Statistics from last season are not important at all because it is the present that matters. So far this season we have played 6 competitive matches in which we have won 2, drawn 3 and lost 1.
BT --drink your whisky instead of bathing in it and save your razor blades ---it is 21 August in a season which lasts until 12 May ---only 37 weeks to go with all its ups and downs!

[sinkov]

I've almost decided after listening to most of you lot on here, to just slash my wrists while lying in a bath of whisky and get the thing over with. I'll bet you lot are good fun at a day at the races?

Come with me they'd be alright BT, Champagne, Sea Food platter, Members bar and viewing balcony, plenty of winners.

[sinkov]

It is only a game of football and, unless they are very unlucky, nobody will suffer any long term damage because of a football season.

Edlea is quoting only 5 wins in 22 matches, however, he ignores the fact that those 22 matches would have yielded 23 points which is an average of 1.04 points per game. This would give 39 points in a season which, last season would have seen us finish in 16th place and 6 points above the drop.
Statistics from last season are not important at all because it is the present that matters. So far this season we have played 6 competitive matches in which we have won 2, drawn 3 and lost 1.
BT --drink your whisky instead of bathing in it and save your razor blades ---it is 21 August in a season which lasts until 12 May ---only 37 weeks to go with all its ups and downs!

I can't take 37 weeks of this Sub, tell me it's going to get better.

[Supersub6]

I can't take 37 weeks of this Sub, tell me it's going to get better.

sinkov--I can't promise you anything, as you know, however, there are 37 weeks to go and I shall enjoy them come what may.
It's only a game

[1959_60]

I fully understand the excitement of the Clarets playing in Europe. Even though the Europa league is very much a second class competition.

What should be self evident is the extreme pressure these extra fixtures are placing on Sean and his staff, the players and the whole club.
I reckon that we have a decent squad for the Prem, but nowhere near strong enough to take the Europa cup seriously.

Take this week as an example. We fly out to Greece on Wednesday, prepare for the game and play on Thursday.
We will arrive back sometime on Friday. We then have to travel to London for the Sunday game.
Sean is well know for his intense preparation for each game - but when will he, or the team and staff, be able to fit this in?

We are two key players down in midfield and realistically Hendrick, Westwood, Cork and JBG will HAVE to feature in both games.
We are one injury away from a very under par midfield.

And the pressure of the extra games is bound to take it's toll - no matter what Sean says.

So far we have outplayed Southampton and Watford in the first halves, only to seemingly to hit the wall in the second halves.
This is just not usual for our team.

With Southampton and Watford having free weeks in the build up it does not surprise me at all.

I will be very surprised if we pick up any points in our next two league games (Fulham away, Man Utd at home) because we will not have had time to prepare for the games in our usual way. And we will not have had a full week to rest up in readiness as Fulham and Man Utd will.

If we had a deeper squad then great. But in my opinion we are two years away from being able to cope with these extra demands.

And if as a result we get relegated then how will you look back on this season? Relegation worth it because you saw Burnley back in Europe or biting off more than we are ready for.

I would be VERY optimistic for the season if we weren't playing in Europe. But I am worried about our season at the moment.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

I'm returning to sinkov's theme. Travelling back from Athens early Friday and turning around to go to London for Sunday leaves no time for preparation and that does not matter how big a squad you have. EUFA are bonkers!