2024/25 Sean Dyche

Perhaps I'm just more realistic about where we are as a club and our limitations whereas some loonies on here were talking about a European push.

Perhaps also I don't pump worth into things like possession stats when they're absolutely redundant without context and analysing the wider spectrum of the game.
You’ve just literally said “how many are expected to win”

The answer is you expect to win every game; you have the mindset to win every game and you do everything possible to win every game.

Then you can walk off the pitch with your head held high

You, and our manager, are going into games defeated before a ball is kicked. Retreating into the “if we get a draw it’s marvellous result”

It’s shocking and embarrassing to hear people say things like this. No wonder this club is in the dumps.

I’m sure you’d happily accept relegation, shrug the shoulders and blame the players whilst protecting the utter dross which he serves up every week
 
Jesus Christ, I know what Southampton “try to do” and what they can’t do. The same as Bournemouth?? Yes, and did we approach the game the same a Bournemouth??

No we did not. We sat with 9 men behind the ball, allowed them to play into our half, we pressed them half heartedly and forced them back and then retreated into a flat back 9

Southampton are an awful side and everyone in that ground could see it, could see that if we would have played 20 yards up the pitch we would have hounded them into mistakes and would have won easily.

So intent is the optimal word here. And Dyche has none

Intending counter attacking football against them is the right thing, but it's what we didn't do unlike against Bournemouth. They could calmly move the ball around no press visible, as you said sitting back.

You got to press them and you will force them to mistakes, because they play a stupid football for their quality and punish them, it's like they almost lost all the games this season this way.
 
Possession helps in the control of a game, Utd are a much better side than Barnsley so it won't be a given.

Fair enough having less possession than Arsenal as they are a very good side and to play defensive with a counter attack is he right thing to do.

But to let every side we play have the ball and chase them all game is exhausting for the players and awful to watch.

There's a balance too, Southampton were aimlessly passing it around at the back which is also awful to watch, I just think Dyche should have been working on us being able to keep the ball for more than a couple of passes and the team being able to mix it up.
It doesn't always help you have control of the game. You can have control of a game but not have more possession. Football isn't as black and white as that which is the point I'm trying to make when people keep bringing possession up without any context of a wider game.
 

You’ve just literally said “how many are expected to win”

The answer is you expect to win every game; you have the mindset to win every game and you do everything possible to win every game.

Then you can walk off the pitch with your head held high

You, and our manager, are going into games defeated before a ball is kicked. Retreating into the “if we get a draw it’s marvellous result”

It’s shocking and embarrassing to hear people say things like this. No wonder this club is in the dumps.

I’m sure you’d happily accept relegation, shrug the shoulders and blame the players whilst protecting the utter dross which he serves up every week

No. You don't expect to win every game. You want and should try to win every game as a fan, but if you take tribalism and fandom out of it and put your neutral hat on and assess a game and sides for each of their qualities you can expect one of the sides to win over the other.

You can also do that in game. Prior to the Bournemouth game I would say it is a game we should be expected to win, and during the game we should have been expected to win. That's the biggest stain.

Spurs and Villa away you would certainly not expect to win. Brighton is a bit of a 50-50. Last night we should be expected to win but then after the lineups were announced that also changes.

I think the manager, players and club management are all to blame for where we are at, for different reasons and moments during this and last season (club management goes back further than that). It's not a one man is to blame for everything rule that some posters (seemingly you are part of that) adhere to.
 
The clubs post match interviewer sounds petrified to ask Dyche any serious questions about current form.

"Sean. You've got 8 injured. 4 ill. We were playing uphill tonight against the wind. I thought we were brilliant. How do you do it Sean. We're so lucky to have you here. Can i polish your shoes before we leave tonight Sean"

Btw Southampton made 10 changes last night.
 

Intending counter attacking football against them is the right thing, but it's what we didn't do unlike against Bournemouth. They could calmly move the ball around no press visible, as you said sitting back.

You got to press them and you will force them to mistakes, because they play a stupid football for their quality and punish them, it's like they almost lost all the games this season this way.
They would have bricked themselves if our front 3 played in their final third. They’re not good players, but Dyche had no intention of forcing mistakes he was happy to watch Southampton just pass the ball around aimlessly and for us to wait for the odd counter or set piece
 
Why is that embarrassing? Did possession help Barnsley win that game?

We had 29.5% possession against Arsenal when we beat them in the first game under Dyche. Did possession help Arsenal win?

Possession as a base stat is utterly useless.
Are you seriously comparing playing on the counter against the second best team in the country to playing at home against probably the worst team in the league?

If we can’t exert any degree of control over a game against Southampton then what game can we?

I would wager over the course of a season that there is a big correlation between possession stats and league placement.
 
Are you seriously comparing playing on the counter against the second best team in the country to playing at home against probably the worst team in the league?

If we can’t exert any degree of control over a game against Southampton then what game can we?

I would wager over the course of a season that there is a big correlation between possession stats and league placement.
I'm pointing out that football isn't as black and white as just plucking possession as a base stat without assessing the wider context of a game and club play styles.
 
I feel sorry for Thelwell mate, don't believe he's got anybody above giving him the authority to act.


Truly is a ship without a captain.
I wouldn’t feel sorry for a man that’s signed us players like Beto, McNeil and Harrison personally.

Our biggest problem is goals and those three do not produce enough of them even if they put sweat on the shirt like the manager seems to want more than anything.

If Dyche wants sweat on the shirt, he should get a job teaching hot yoga or something instead
 

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