I had taken a wee rest from the stress of a relegation dogfight with my beloved Clarets and headed off to the splendid city of Madrid for a week’s sabbatical from football.
The plan failed because I was immediately captivated by the history of Real Madrid and fortunately managed a visit to the quite magnificent football amphitheatre known as the Santiago Bernabeu Football Stadium.
All I can add for any football fan from anywhere across the globe is if you ever get the opportunity to attend a live game there – take it. It really is quite spectacularly glorious. 14 times they have been crowned Champions League Cup winners; I doubt if that can ever be bettered.
While I was being seduced by the men in white Dave Thornley was giving his time to produce a couple of articles which brings my football world crashing back to a dreadful reality.
Dave muses: It is strange isn’t it how Burnley’s last three drawn games have stirred such a wide range of emotions.
Anger after Luton’s outrageous late equaliser was allowed to stand; thrilled and encouraged by the overturning of a two-goal deficit against Fulham; and now disappointment after it was Burnley’s two goal lead which was erased by West Ham at the London Stadium (come up with a better name West Ham, please) on Sunday afternoon.
The disappointment was enhanced by the fact that it was Clarets old boy Danny Ings who came off the bench to inflict the wound of the stoppage time equaliser, this moments after VAR had ruled an earlier effort to be offside and moments before his shot struck the bar.
Since he left Burnley, Ings seems to have made it his personal mission to disrupt his former club. Whether in the colours of Southampton, Aston Villa or now West Ham he always finds a goal or two to compound our misery.
This should not however divert attention from what was otherwise a decent display from Burnley who swept into a 2-0 half time lead through David Datro Fofana’s superb long-range effort and an own goal just before half time.
It was just after half time though that the pattern of the game began to turn when Lucas Paqueta pulled a goal back after the recurring nightmare of squandered possession once again manifested itself.
Burnley then mounted a Dyche-style rear-guard which was almost successful until Ings’ late intervention.
The point did at least lift the Clarets of the bottom of the table, an unwelcome position which they had occupied overnight since Sheffield United also allowed a two-goal lead to slip against Bournemouth the previous afternoon and, like Burnley, had to settle for a point.
Interestingly, in his post-match interview, Blades boss Chris Wilder pointed to the heavy physical demands that playing in the Premier League has placed on his players and the resulting fatigue, both physical and mental, which contributed to their concession of a late equaliser.
It was a pattern mirrored by Burnley the following afternoon and leads one to question whether the players of both clubs are indeed fit enough to withstand the rigours of a Premier League season. A glance at the league table would suggest that they are not.
The Clarets and the Blades both enjoyed the euphoria of automatic promotion from Championship last season.
Both teams are now simultaneously suffering what Dave calls, “The Five Stages of Relegation”.
He wrote this opinion before our visit to the London Stadium.
First stage, Patience and Understanding: it’s a tough league and we’ve had a difficult start, give it time, we’ll get it sorted.
Second stage, Disappointment: things aren’t really improving as quickly as we would like, but there are some signs that we’re playing a bit better and there are some winnable fixtures ahead, so hopefully we’ll turn the corner.
Third stage: Frustration boiling over into Anger: the winnable fixtures were all lost, and the team is worse than ever. Tactics, team selections, the players, the manager, and the ownership all come in for heavy criticism, as do referees and VAR officials. The club circles the wagons and communicates sparingly and tersely with the media which leads to a disconnect with the fans and only makes matters worse.
Fourth stage: Embarrassment, a points tally standing at thir**** after 27 games, only one win and an unprecedented 11 losses at Turf Moor, the latest a limp defeat at the hands of a frankly poor Bournemouth team. Then there are the taunts and snide comments to endure from fans of other teams.
Fifth and Final stage: Acceptance, we’re done for, there’s nothing else for it, see you both back in the Championship.
Even a win on Saturday against Brentford will do little to stop that sinking feeling. I hope Alan Pace and Vincent Kompany can reproduce the miracle of the 2022/23 season, let’s hope so. (TEC).
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