I've been thinking this too - I think it's pretty accurate, the similarities are eerie. On another note, has anyone watched Boro recently? I've no idea how he's doing as a manager really, must be doing OK obviously, but any failings with Carrick are masked by having a 28 goal striker. All JDT's tactical decisions, post-match, his subs, etc are all under the microscope without goals. It's all about bloody goals, that's it - with goals the fine, fine margins in the Preston, Coventry, Hull and Wigan games are gone and we're 8 points better off, same as Boro. With more goals SS's shot against Luton is to make it 3-1 not 2-1. Swap our managers around and are we frustrated with him and looking enviously at JDT?

Exactofuckingmundo Travis, Wharton and Buckley as a 3, JPvH and Hyam in the back, Undav up front, Nisbett running his socks off EASY Then I woke up

I do remember him dropping in form, but to be expected with the nature of his experience and the state of the team and the fact that early on this season I think they were suffering from being "over coached" (did you hear about that 4-5 second rule in training they do?). I also remember other midfielders dropping in form too, again I think the job of midfielder has been the most thankless task this season. Definitely, but cannot bring myself to criticise Travis. Get O'Brien and watch Buckley and AW thrive. I'll give the award for "most obvious statement ever made on the forum" to myself.

Agreed 100% - the main issue this season with the new way of playing from JDT is no outball, basically asking inexperienced lads who play on confidence to get the ball from the back 4 who have spent 20mins passing it back and forth, then play a killer Hollywood pass up front. AW is an anomaly, the only lad who can come short, collect the ball under pressure from Hyam, drop the shoulder, beat his man and get the team moving forward. Morton can't do that, Buckley is somewhere inbetween, they need some movement. As much as I detest players like B*rnes and Russell Martin, having someone who can hold the ball up and chest down a lay off to buy some breathing space is worth its weight in gold. You can just fire the ball at them. Buckley got much better, stats are meaningless in this case for any of our midfield, they're playing with nothing up front to aim at. If we don't get a striker and a decent attacking mid or winger Wharton's stats won't look any better either. Seems to be the argument with Burnley fans after Tuesday, they appreciate AW looked good but he couldn't affect the game as we are so blunt in attack, SS offering the only movement. AW played some amazing first time through balls but Diaz and Thomas always strayed offside. That pass for Hedges attempt chip on 94mins against PNE comes to mind too.

Yeah our set plays are shocking, if we win a free kick in a dangerous position we might as well just give them the ball back, can't remember the last time I felt excitement for a set piece.

I've got that feeling that we're totally down and out, but we're not are we, and it's still on - that game last night could be the making of them, you can't get any lower than that (OK yeah you can but..) COYB

I want to forget last night but had to rewatch some of the game to see what JRC was up too in the first half as couldn't see from the BE side of the Walkersteel - love the guy even more, the bit from 20mins onward where he's getting stuck into Barnes and having a laugh at him, Barnes the self declared Mr Shithouse not being able to take it, brilliant to see. The two tackles he made to regain possession and lead an attack are what he's all about. He's got that extra something on top of being skilful.

Shocker

I'm regret posting that fans who reckon he should have played every game as "armchair supporters" earlier, I just get frustrated at people using it as a stick to to beat JDT with, I wanted him to play more too, but it's a hypothetical situation, who knows what went on, maybe he did need a word and him being out of the team sorted him out. His interview in the past week is an interesting watch. JDT recognises his ability, but AW is a unique position where he's a fan and an academy graduate, he needs to be phased in carefully - otherwise he's almost playing with no pressure he can do no wrong in the fans eyes. The real frustration is that the only reason I think Morton was picked ahead of him was down to fitness, he could last a full game compared to others, OR some contract issue. Couldn't see from where I was sat so have had to rewatch, the tackles on him by Cork and Brownhill last night were both proper nasty, and indicative of AW's class and growing stature - love watching him laugh on the floor as Brownhill goes through him. All they could was to kick him. At times, think there was one moment where he sent two of them out of the ground with a drop of the shoulder, one of them bouncing off him, had everyone on their feet, he's only going to get stronger next season.

Rewatching the melee at the end, nice to see JDT getting stuck in. I enjoy his passion and he's a winner, he might be calm and charismatic but I'd love to know what he's like behind the scenes. That comment about Hedges v PNE "I'd have put it in" - class. Bankrupt Bellamy can feck right off an 'all, nice to see a security guard giving him some stick back too. JDT needs to drop mentioning the referees though, still going on about the Coventry equaliser, unless he's just taking the attention away from the players. Those incidents don't matter if we put the ball in the net.

WTF? I can get wound up by what I want - lads slagging the team off who gave everything as we suffer one of our worst nights at Ewood is pretty high up on the list. But I agree on the whole the support was excellent and the rendition of Rovers Til I Die at the end brought a tear to my eye. If anything hardens supporters and brings them together, it's stuff like that.

Felt for Sammie here, we all felt that frustration. Woeful performance, back to his Bambi on ice days. He's got the one move out on the wing, that's it.

Daft kids running amock wanting selfies in the centre circle, got mistaken for Burnley fans outside as they were shouting "we got in". Lad at the end running on with his hand in his pocket, who knows what he's carrying. Does your head in. Special mention to the lad near me who had to ask where the bogs where and then spent the second half shouting obscenities at his own team about how bad they were in his eyes, absolute tool. Kids throwing chips at my Dad. Hate part time supporters. Where were you when we were a little bit shitter than we are/were?

Some fair, some pretty obscene - and they say we lack in "class". Can't have their precious Barnesy getting wound up can they?

I remember the Bristol City 45 too, it was always going to happen, but everything happens for a reason and I'll say it again, the reason we're seeing the AW we see now is down to the decisions made this season. We're just assuming we would take the lad now and put him back in all our league games and be second in the table. Against Blackpool he was up against nowt, against Pearson's side he got outmuscled. He would still be playing next to Morton or Travis and he'd still have nothing up front to pass too. JDT may have dropped the ball, who knows. But I do trust JDT, someone who's been in many, many high profile dressing rooms all over Europe, to know what needs to happen with certain players over what we think. Anyway, we shouldn't be squabbling over Wharton, he's the one ray of light in these dark times and we should all unite around him and be proud he's ours.

If you want your blood boiling even more, read this: https://www.uptheclarets.com/messageboard/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=69323 Entitled set of pricks. Loved watching JRC last night. Gone up a few more notches in my estimation.

Because it's an armchair attitude, players who don't play seem to get better on the bench. He is levels above, but he did struggle at times, so do you really, really think he should have been run into the ground this season every game regardless of form? You don't know what goes on behind the scenes. Just be patient. The team and Wharton are a season ahead of where they should be, I hate that phrase but I do understand it. I'm as frustrated as you are, seeing Morton starting every week ahead of him, but blimey, I totally get why he's been managed the way he has.

I agree with the comments that although we looked like we were turning the screw and starting to dominate, we never laid a glove on them, and it was all a load of bluster, but I admire the effort and desire and was proud of my team. How much Burnley were playing in 2nd gear I don't know, for 30-40 mins they really didn't seem settled on the ball, a lot of panicked play from them, mainly down to us harrying and Wharton providing that calmness. It was only through going hard on Wharton that they started to get some joy, he's going to have to learn that. The one mistake we made got punished, they've got the players to do it. The one crumb of bitter comfort I have is that compared to some promoted teams we've seen at Ewood in recent years, notably that Bournemouth side last season, and previously Fulham, Norwich and even further back that Palace side, Burnley don't look as totally dominant, you can just tell a Prem ready team - it will be interesting to see how they recruit. Bournemouth last season looked streets ahead in terms of physique and just all round being able to wipe teams off the pitch. And for all the Burnley chat on I've read on their forum, they really seem to perpetuate this idea that they are somehow full of "class" and we are totally "class-less" - if it was the other way round how would your team/fans behave? Give your heads a wobble. I'm glad our lads showed some bitterness, JRC has gone up in my estimation for his antics, good on him. And if, at the final whistle, you've got a local rival running full pelt at you celebrating, you're not going to leave a bit in? That's football and local rivalry summed up, fuck it. The line that we're trying to deny them they're "amazing day" and they have a right to do whatever they want on our turf is insane. They somehow admonish Barnes from any behaviour, but any of our lads do it and they all start bleating. The only thing class about their team is their manager. I get it, we gave it out in 2001, they're getting their own back, it's been a tough morning living in bandit country for me, but just got to take our medicine and bottle it for when we're back, and then give it back twice as hard. The more they go on about the tickets, our "tin pot" club, our fans, the more entitled they sound. The higher you go the further you fall etc. Enjoy it while it lasts. I need a fucking drink.

He's possibly one of the most naturally gifted players on the ball I've ever seen, the way he takes the ball with that outstretched leg, already shielding from his opponent and dropping his shoulder, it's like "watching the fucking ballet or summat" as my mate said 😂 However I'm getting a bit fed up of these comments from "fans" saying JDT has frozen him out, and "if we had played Wharton all season we'd be up" - that is utter post-event hindsight bullshit. He played really well at Blackpool, then had a tough few games after that, it was too soon to play him week-in week-out and it would have done him no good at all. He's incredible, but he's only 18, he tires easily (for now), and gets targeted. Those same armchair fans I imagine would be criticising JDT for over playing him if it was the other way round. The reason we're seeing the Adam Wharton we see now is down to the lad himself and JDT's man management. It's all about next season, and always was. Work on his upper body strength a bit, phase him in and slowly build a team around him, get him some support. ...oh and to all the Carrots saying "that lad in midfield who's he? we should put a bid in for him" fuck off and do your research 😂

I think it's why we've been so poor up front recently, Dolan's chance against Hull, he thought he was more central as he glanced up and subconsciously lined himself up with the middle of the V. It's got into their heads, they've got the yips. I blame our failure to remain in the top 6 solely on whoever did this and the person or persons should be fired immediately 🤣

This is torture, bring on 8pm

Amen

Diaz, if you're reading this me old mate me old lad, give us one last performance, one last world-class showing, and then you may go and feast on tapas and sangria and enjoy your life, wherever you may roam, be it at the top of La Liga or warming the bench at Wrexham in 2 years. Just do what you need to do to be forever immortalised in our history. COYB!

Bit harsh, see the winning goal against Reading. He was one of our best players on the pitch 2nd half against Preston, that's what made his soft chip even harder to stomach. I think he's typical of a few players in our squad, age is right but just not experienced enough in the big pressure games, the week by week toughness of the championship, where you need that calmness of thought when it matters, he's not played that much football in relative terms. There's a lot of players like this nowadays, just drifted through football and never been in the thick of it. I bet this season has been a shock to the system, it's intense. Putting my positive hat on, moments like Preston will hopefully stick with him and make him a better player.

I agree, I worry about his fitness, like many Burnley fans they seem to enjoy telling us how they "pass teams to death", but yes, if any fixture was made for him to cement his legend at Rovers then this is it.