Tactics and Excuses

[Vintage Claret]

While the reluctance of the previous owner to provide finances to improve the first team cannot be overstated and have left our team in a perilous situation.
However, I still would question if the manager is making the best use of the resources he has available. We have seen at the start of this season Barnes and JBG have to say the least been ineffective, but are in the starting line up every game so far. Last Monday at Everton they were replaced by R-Rod and Lennon which saw no improvement. To his credit Sean Dyche did react yesterday bringing on Cornet and Vydra and we looked a far better side for the last 33 minutes.
If I remember correctly at the end of last season we looked a better side with Wood and Vydra as our striking partnership, but at the start of this season we reverted to Wood and Barnes.
The only thing I see that Barnes brings to the game is a nuisance value but he as the appearance of a red card waiting to happen, he was very lucky in the Leeds game the tackle on Dallas was completely unjustified.
At present I am hoping that the teams fortunes will turn around but if we revert to starting Barnes and JBG at Leicester next weekend then I would certainly question the managers loyalty to players who have been good for us in the past but who are presently not up to standard over younger players who may need game time to reach their potential, without question Cornet and Vydra must be in the starting eleven over Barnes and JBG.

[Swissclaret]

Whilst I agree with sincov that SD has not been supported over the years, I do not think it is “nit - picking” to question his team selections.

Like many on this auspicious website, I question his loyalty to certain players who consistently, at present, do not deliver. My heart sank when I saw the team selection for the Arse match. We were predictable until the introduction of Cornet and Vydra.

Just as everyone could see the need to react to change when Brighton changed in the second half and Benitez changed Everton, everyone is calling out for Cornet and Vydra to start because they can see that the current favoured 11 is not working and will not work.

If we stick with the same team, we will lose at Leicester. If we start with Cornet and Vydra, we may still lose but surely it is worth giving it a go. I would also think about playing Pieters in midfield. Can tackle, can pass, has a good shot on him.

We simply cannot continue with the mantra about fine details, taking positives etc. We have one point from 5 matches and have not won at the Turf for 13 matches. It is not going to change without changes.