Didn’t SD learn anything from the first game we played?

[sinkov]

Bt, I am now starting to think that the "big Time" for Tarks is now a thing of the past . He is around 29 as well and tactical defence does not look his thing right now. He does not look good enough to play at the higher levels of the PL and the teams that need CB's are looking abroad. Shop windowing is not looking at all great if I were a recruitment director at a top 6 club.

Thinking the same Dave, I'm getting a bit worried about Mr T. Danny Ings skinned him last week for his goal, Saint Maximim this week. I could never understand why Gareth dumped him, I can now. I can't see any top PL club wanting him this summer, which in a way is good news for us, for all his faults he's as good as we're going to get playing for us at this level.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

I often wonder if professional footballers are like the 95% of the UK adult population and are dead from the neck up.

When I was playing, if a player had skinned us the during the previous encounter you can rest assured "Chopper BT" would have instructions to go man-to-man and spoil his afternoon good and proper.

Never failed. Stretcher please?

[Supersub6]

Very true BT and I can think of many defenders in the past who would have nailed Maximin before he got out of the centre circle! However, when you see goals being disallowed because a player 'accidentally' flicks a finger in an opponents face when running and the opponent goes down like he has been poleaxed, VAR needlessly becoming involved, then try to convince me that the days of non-contact football are not just round the corner.

Week in and week out we are seeing players falling around if they lose the ball and trying to convince officials that they have been fouled. If that doesn't happen, they lie around holding their face, knowing that the referee will stop the play because of a head injury, even though no contact whatsoever has been made with the head.

Why did VAR become invovled in the Tarkowski clearance when Longstaff came in from behind him and tried to head the ball even though Tarkowki had already kicked it. It was Longstaff who put himself in danger by his actions, however, the officials who post on the board which I use are all saying that it should have been a penalty because Tarkowski should have looked behind before trying to clear the ball. They all totally ignore the fact that the ball had just bounced up from the keeper and that any defender would kick the ball clear. He only became aware that Longstaff was approaching from behind as he pivoted in the act of kicking the ball.
Obviously, Anthony Taylor, who is an experienced official saw it exactly as I have described and played on --or he would have done --had VAR not become involved! We then had all the pundits shouting penalty.

The modern game at the top level has become a joke and, as I have said for around three years now, the days of non-contact are approaching quicker by the day.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Very true BT and I can think of many defenders in the past who would have nailed Maximin before he got out of the centre circle! However, when you see goals being disallowed because a player 'accidentally' flicks a finger in an opponents face when running and the opponent goes down like he has been poleaxed, VAR needlessly becoming involved, then try to convince me that the days of non-contact football are not just round the corner.

Week in and week out we are seeing players falling around if they lose the ball and trying to convince officials that they have been fouled. If that doesn't happen, they lie around holding their face, knowing that the referee will stop the play because of a head injury, even though no contact whatsoever has been made with the head.

Why did VAR become invovled in the Tarkowski clearance when Longstaff came in from behind him and tried to head the ball even though Tarkowki had already kicked it. It was Longstaff who put himself in danger by his actions, however, the officials who post on the board which I use are all saying that it should have been a penalty because Tarkowski should have looked behind before trying to clear the ball. They all totally ignore the fact that the ball had just bounced up from the keeper and that any defender would kick the ball clear. He only became aware that Longstaff was approaching from behind as he pivoted in the act of kicking the ball.
Obviously, Anthony Taylor, who is an experienced official saw it exactly as I have described and played on --or he would have done --had VAR not become involved! We then had all the pundits shouting penalty.

The modern game at the top level has become a joke and, as I have said for around three years now, the days of non-contact are approaching quicker by the day.

Appreciate your post Supersub6, but VAR or no VAR, Maximin should have been crippled.

[Supersub6]

Appreciate your post Supersub6, but VAR or no VAR, Maximin should have been crippled.

BT --I am sure that John Terry would agree wholeheartedly!

[The Bedlington Terrier]

BT --I am sure that John Terry would agree wholeheartedly!

My sort of guy, and I don't think Joey Barton would have given him 50 yards of space to run into either.

[army88]

My sort of guy, and I don't think Joey Barton would have given him 50 yards of space to run into either.

Exactly right

[army88]

Thinking the same Dave, I'm getting a bit worried about Mr T. Danny Ings skinned him last week for his goal, Saint Maximim this week. I could never understand why Gareth dumped him, I can now. I can't see any top PL club wanting him this summer, which in a way is good news for us, for all his faults he's as good as we're going to get playing for us at this level.

Little unfair to blame him for Mee s misplacings Mee had two chances to stop that goal and did neither Tarky merely tried to get back ( admitted maybe went to ground and shouldn’t have , but to blame him is unfair.

[Norder]

Mcneil didn’t deliver in that instant but he tried on many occasions to get a give and go and create space to make a yard to deliver a quality ball.

If I’m honest the obvious is there for all to see, Bruce saw an opportunity to change the game and he did just that , we chose not to address that situation or even react in any way shape or form , we got punished for it.
Saint maxim is a good player but they peed up his back so much on tv I nearly had to turn it off , my point was I listened to talk sport this morning Jamie O hara on Spurs performance and he said on Man Utd they kept the ball for 6 mins in a corner without a challenge.
He said he’d have cleaned one of them out card or no card to stop what they were doing, I still think the same applies to us we just let players go and it can’t be allowed to happen , cynical- maybe ? But when I played that’s what would have happened.

he did try, on many occasions - army, I just couldn't understand why in that instant he didn't...all I can think of is, that as so many crosses were wasted, he thought he'd try something else, but then, after doing all the work, and geting himself into a crossing position, doesn't make sense either.

as for Bruce...he had potential on the bench, and put them on, what else could he do, Magpee supporters were calling for it , it not rocket science....but as you say, letting him run the full half without even an attempt at a tackle, was laughable, he isn't Messi ffs...but we were dragging our feet just watching the run...I always remember a quote, I think it was from Ferguson in a post match interview, guy says, something like, "you played well today" the response " not really, just that they were crap"....I loved the honesty, no fake pedestals wanted, or needed.

[Vintage Claret]

Over the last two games are defending at times has been pathetic. In both cases Ings & St Maximim should have been brought down especially as there was another of our players between them and the goal so it would have resulted in a yellow card.

But how many times has the opposition made strategic changes, and we have failed to respond to those changes which has cost us points. Dyche does not appear to be able to respond to changes. Any changes are usually forced upon us by injury rather than the manager seeing a need for a tactical change, the other scenario is to bring someone on with little of no time to affect the game.

Undoubtedly the club has neglected the first team squad over the last few transfer window, but being told after every match by our manager, that the oppositions team has cost so many more millions than ours is becoming like a broken record.