Groundhog

How can you say it's laughable? Seriously some of the reactions on this forum are insane. I used to love reading it, it made me feel connected to the club and the fans, but now it just depresses me even more than watching us piss around at the back. Knee jerk to say the least. I get it's frustrating watching us flail around for scraps in the market, our rivals splashing the cash, but what can we do? We can't play football manager like so many want us do. We live in an age where everything is commented or reported on, how do you know what dealings were going on in the past that went unreported? When we signed the aformentioned Dahlin or Grabbi, or I don't know: Robbie Slater, pick any name - there could have been 4-5 failed deals that went close before a signing was made. It's only because we're hearing about it through mass media that we can actually pass judgement on it. The Venky's and upper management are the laughing stock, they deserve our ire - not the manager and the recruitment. FFS one of our lads died in pre-season. For me their new ownership explains the new year slump under Mowbray and those disastrous 2nd halfs of seasons, and what we're seeing now. Imagine being in that dressing room knowing you need bodies in and the owners are stalling on getting deals done, it breads discontent for me, knowing that players want to leave. At lot of the criticism Broughton and co are getting is unwarranted - if he came into another club we'd be jealous and saying "they're doing ti right" - he's identified the poor recruitment setup and the contracts - trying to tie people down, he can't do anything about BBD either - he had already gone in his head. What more do we want? For once we actually have a recruitment team and a process, not Tony Mowbray's spreadsheet. It's hard to be a Rovers fan currently but a sense of realism needed. I also think the way JDT has managed JRC and Dack should be applauded.

I think he downplayed it, and Kompany did the opposite. You could tell by the way there were goading us at the end, they knew. Both approaches could have backfired, but it's a lot easier when you have the stronger squad to pull it off. I think he left the Whartons out as he could see either some nerves, some extra aggression or he thinks he is somehow "protecting" them from a potentially "damaging" game? (I don't agree if this is the case). What am I worried about is it shows some arrogance to JDT. After 5 similar defeats in the same vein without any visible learnings being shown, he is a world class goal poacher after all, and it is "his way" only. This worries me.

I can't agree with this more, I can't get angry towards our players to be honest in hindsight, yes of course I'd have liked to have seen more direction and a real leader on the pitch to emerge (Trav) - but we can't suddenly expect Morton to start bullying the Burnley midfield or Ayala to start moving the ball forward out of defense or Hedges to take the ball up the pitch from his full back position and link up with Diaz and threaten their last third can we? For me, it's simple: I think they're over-coached. He wants them to move it forward with two - three touches, this seems to take priority over what is actually happening in front of them, when it works, great, but when it doesn't and there's no plan B, no Flitcroft/Sherwood, christ, even Billy McKinlay if you want, no one to override it and drag the team forward. It's like with any job, you get into a rut and repeat things over and over again and find it hard to see the bigger picture. The game has got too professional for a lot of players. But, call me in 2 years when we're a great team in the JDT mould, I don't know...

I'm still seething, next level anger, finding it hard to concentrate at work etc, and starting to wonder whether the anger will ever subside, be it this week, month, year whatever. One of the main reasons I'm so angry is I'm still angry after the Wigan and Coventry games, those games did me in...and to see it repeated in that game just knocks it out of you. The famous Einstein quote "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results" comes to mind. I like Tomasson, I really want him to succeed, regardless of the inconsistency he has lifted my mood this season and got me back loving match days again, if we come back fighting after the WC then fair enough, but I can't see it - I think there is a modern trend for football managers to imprint their own mark/brand on teams above all else as a vanity project, a step on the career ladder. If JDT steps down and changes it now he's almost admitting to himself, the fans, the team that he was wrong and I'm not sure he can do that - we'll keep mining this furrow until he gets sacked (unlikely) or gets lucky and lands a squad that can play his way (highly unlikely). I think his stance on Dack is example of this. He can't be seen to back down and is using him as an example of the kind of discipline he wants in the squad, "no one is bigger than the team". I appreciate this is just pure speculation. I live over the dark side and am surrounded by Burnley fans. I'd got my mind prepped in the build up for a hard fought defeat, getting my little spiel ready for Monday morning, but nothing could prepare me for the fact we lost in the same manner as those recent poor away games. They're loving how poor we were on Sunday, it adds to it. There's an extra smugness to them lot now which is hard to stomach, they're rubbing it in from every direction, from our failing ground to our declining fanbase - this coupled with the media love-in for that thug Barnes, and the queue of people round the block waiting to fellate Kompany, it's all getting a bit nauseous. Social media doesn't help, I'm sure back in 2001 we'd have all rubbed it in online too if it had existed, but it just adds that extra dimension that makes it hard to escape from, I remember having a laugh at the game, celebrating with the team, then going home. It seems all the Carrots are looking to outdo each other with superlatives. My one hope is that after some of their antics in the game they've gone too far, but I'm clinging on here... Sorry just wanted to rant, none of my family understand it (half are Burnley fans anyway), can't talk about it at work, need to let off steam...

I'm still buzzing from last night, couldn't help but get emotional last night watching our young side grind out that win, there's something about these types of games at Ewood that stays with you. So proud, not felt like that for years. The crowd cheering that block from Gally in the second half like a goal, the one that went out for Boro throw, just summed up the night.

He looked immense last night when he came on, absolute animal - unlucky not to score with that run and shot. It was hard to tell but did he have shin pads on? Seemed to have that low sock look made popular by a certain Steve Claridge.

Best wishes to your Dad - great to hear he's doing OK. He broke up an intense period of pressure from Boro, he was our 12th man last night! Get well soon.

Hello! Been lurking on BRFCS for a while now, the only way I've found to find out what is going on at my beloved club. Thought I better join as the frustration is getting the better of me and need somewhere to vent while at work...I am constantly surrounded by Burnley fans so this site helps trust me... Currently not a season ticket holder due to my job but have been on and off for the last 17 years in the Riverside. Now try and get to as many games as I can. Great site and great work being done by the people on here. thanks, Joe