Dave's take on the Anfield disappointment...

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Dave Thornley adds his thoughts to yet another Clarets defeat in what has become a very chastening season for Burnley Football Club and its supporters.

Whilst it is no disgrace to be defeated by an in-form and title-chasing Liverpool at their formidable Anfield home, and defeated by a margin which brought no disgrace whatsoever to the club.

It is nevertheless galling that the goals which Burnley conceded in yesterday’s Premier League match were largely a reoccurrence of the defensive problems which have haunted the Clarets throughout this miserable and traumatic season.

In many ways, yesterday’s match followed very similar lines to the two teams’ previous meeting on Boxing Day; Burnley conceded early but worked their way back into the game to an extent which caused Liverpool some inconvenience, but in the end the Reds’ superior class won out.

Annoyingly however, it was the recurring nightmare of set-piece defending which allowed Liverpool’s Diogo Jota an easy header at the far post. James Trafford flapping at Alexander-Arnold’s corner and colliding with Dara O’Shea in the process. Burnley don’t concede from every corner they are obliged to defend, it just seems like it.

With a goal under their belt, it would be safe to assume that Liverpool would ease their way through to a comfortable win. They did, but not before O’Shea planted a superb header from Josh Brownhill’s corner, into the Liverpool goal from pretty much on the penalty spot.

It was good while it lasted but as ever, it’s the hope that kills you. After 52 minutes, more tragi-comic defending, this time trying to play out from the back another recurring theme of the season, and an un-punished foul on Aaron Ramsey combined to allow Luis Diaz to score at the near post with a diving header.

The brains trust at VAR HQ at Stockley Park pored over the footage at length before concluding that Diaz’s forehead had not strayed offside but didn’t bother looking at the foul on Ramsey.

Burnley, though, did carve out two good chances at 2-1 down; both to Fofana, the first blocked by Kelleher in the Liverpool goal, with Wilson Odobert snatching at the rebound and sending it high into the stands; and the second an angled shot which went narrowly wide of the post.

Darwin Nunez’s skilful header wrapped up the points for Liverpool late in the game.

Vincent Kompany received a yellow card, which will cause him the watch next week’s home game with Arsenal from the stands, but before that, he has a lot of work to do to try and mend the holes in his defensive bucket.

As with Burnley’s visit to Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium at the end of last month, this was a defeat which Clarets fans expected, but wasn’t the hammering we feared and, in a season, where any comfort, however miniscule, is seized upon, that is probably as much as we could have hoped for.

Next up it is Arsenal at Turf Moor. Does not get any easier, does it? (TEC.)

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[sinkov]

Dave mentions Diogo Jota's easy header at the far post, while Jimmy clearly got it wrong and should have stopped the ball getting to Jota, it's alarming that he was allowed an easy header. We had all eleven players back in the penalty area, Jota at 5ft 9 ins is one of the smallest players on the pitch, but he headed it in completely unmarked. Not just Jimmy who has questions to answer.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Dave mentions Diogo Jota's easy header at the far post, while Jimmy clearly got it wrong and should have stopped the ball getting to Jota, it's alarming that he was allowed an easy header. We had all eleven players back in the penalty area, Jota at 5ft 9 ins is one of the smallest players on the pitch, but he headed it in completely unmarked. Not just Jimmy who has questions to answer.

I watched Arsenal dismantle the Hammers yesterday, the Irons 'keeper made young Jimmy look like Lev Yashin. The quality of the Gunners crosses will ruin my Saturday afternoon that is for sure.

[sinkov]

I watched Arsenal dismantle the Hammers yesterday, the Irons 'keeper made young Jimmy look like Lev Yashin. The quality of the Gunners crosses will ruin my Saturday afternoon that is for sure.

Indeed mon ami, see my post 34 on the Trafford thread, and Areola is an experienced keeper who's actually played for Real Madrid. One thing I noticed at Anfield is that they left Jimmy completely alone at corners, not a Liverpool player near him. Although I must have seen hundreds of Liverpool corners, I can't remember if this is their usual corner routine or one they chose specifically for Jimmy, on the basis of give him enough rope and he'll hang himself. Surely not ?

[army88]

Dave mentions Diogo Jota's easy header at the far post, while Jimmy clearly got it wrong and should have stopped the ball getting to Jota, it's alarming that he was allowed an easy header. We had all eleven players back in the penalty area, Jota at 5ft 9 ins is one of the smallest players on the pitch, but he headed it in completely unmarked. Not just Jimmy who has questions to answer.

Exactly Sinkov - it’s literally a record with a scratch in it over and over we continue to let too much ball be delivered into our box.

The problem is teams have real quality in this league and do not need several opportunities to take a chance - they are presented with one take it and we are then chasing the game- we struggle to score goals anyway and the process continues.

The reality is keepers do make mistakes and the doom and gloomers believe that the keeper is to blame for all our woes but reality is it’s much deeper than that.

[sinkov]

The quality of the Gunners crosses will ruin my Saturday afternoon that is for sure.

It's not just the crosses, for their first goal Ben White snuck up behind Areola and quite deliberately gave him a nudge, taking him out of the equation. I'm not sure he could have got to the ball anyway but White made sure he didn't. Neither the ref, liner, VAR or comms picked up on it, so it worked a treat and no doubt they'll employ the same tactic with Jimmy. Hopefully our coaches will have spotted it and will be working on ways to counteract it, we'll see.

[sinkov]

Dave mentions Diogo Jota's easy header at the far post, while Jimmy clearly got it wrong and should have stopped the ball getting to Jota, it's alarming that he was allowed an easy header. We had all eleven players back in the penalty area, Jota at 5ft 9 ins is one of the smallest players on the pitch, but he headed it in completely unmarked. Not just Jimmy who has questions to answer.

Vinni thinking on the same lines.


"When asked if Trafford could have done better for the goal, Kompany said: “I don’t know.

“The first thing I saw when I watched it back, and I only watched it on the bench, was that one of our players dropped early who is normally in that position to go and head it.

“It would be a bit harsh with the performance he’s put in again to highlight this as a position that dropped, but it’s no secret it’s a player we signed in January. He’s only been here for two weeks.

“But these teams at this level, they have the quality to punish your every mistake.”

I wouldn't have expected Esteve to be at the back post marking Jota, so I assume he's talking about Assignon.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

We reportedly paid £15 million for Beyer who I hoped would be the crucial pivot in our defensive block this season. We can hardly describe him as "Knallhart" can we?

I have watched as many of the goals we have conceded this season as often as possible and I can absolutely testify with my hand on my heart if we still had Tarkowski and Mee young Jimmy would not be getting anywhere near the stick he is getting right across social media platforms from Burnley fans.

He is not getting any protection whatsoever from his defenders when crosses are coming in.

You don't know what you have gone until it is gone.

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[sinkov]

We reportedly paid £15 million for Beyer who I hoped would be the crucial pivot in our defensive block this season. We can hardly describe him as "Knallhart" can we?

I have watched as many of the goals we have conceded this season as often as possible and I can absolutely testify with my hand on my heart if we still had Tarkowski and Mee young Jimmy would not be getting anywhere near the stick he is getting right across social media platforms from Burnley fans.

He is not getting any protection whatsoever from his defenders when crosses are coming in.

You don't know what you have gone until it is gone.

Attachment 25719

As I recall mon ami, you couldn't wait to get Ben Mee out of the club, are you now changing your tune ?

[The Bedlington Terrier]

As I recall mon ami, you couldn't wait to get Ben Mee out of the club, are you now changing your tune ?

Not at all mon ami. I felt let a rejected lover when he left the club. Heartbroken hardly covered it.