Match Day Thread Norwich vs Burnley

I've decided that this match day thread is going to be totally positive (or, as Robbie would say, 'straw-clutching'), so here are the reasons to be hopeful before the game.

1) If we can win this game, we are off the bottom - FACT, as ColUMike might say. That would be a big, big statement and give all of us, players and fans, a massive boost after such a dispiriting start. Furthermore, if Newcastle, Leeds and/or Southampton fail to win, they are in our sights and one win takes us above them. I know, I know - if, if, if - but I told you I intended this match thread to be positive, and I'm sticking to my guns.

2) We all feel very depressed about 6 games, 6 defeats. But these days, with the top handful of clubs being so superior to the rest, 36 points is generally enough to stay up. 32 games left, so that is 10 wins 6 draws and 16 defeats (or 9-9-14). So we don't need to have the form of a Euro qualifier or even a top half team in order to survive: all we need to do is perform like a lower-mid-table team: i.e. Crystal Palace. Surely we can hope to manage that?

3) Farke's teams of 18/19 and 20/21 started very slowly and got better. Since we have so many new faces to integrate, it's not unlikely that this will happen again and we will get better as the season progresses. The vital thing now is not to get cut off at the bottom. A win against Burnley would prevent that.

4) The Prem always seems to have a team like Burnley: ugly and functional and desperately reliant on set pieces (e.g. Pulis's Stoke), but they always hit a point where they hit the cul-de-sac, and, as Stoke showed, there isn't then the class to change tack and pull free. Maybe Burnley have hit that cul-de-sac and we can benefit from it.

5) If Normann and Williams are fit to play (please God, we deserve a bit of luck!), there are signs that we might at last be able to cope with these streetwise, physical teams. (I know, I have been very sceptical of both players and might have to eat humble pie yet again, but I don't care if they can deliver the goods.) The Everton game gave some hope that we might be on the verge of being a tougher, if less attractive, outfit.

So, let's get behind the team on Saturday, no negativity, and OTBC/COYY!!!

 

Great thread Gozo.

 

No home win in 13 matches for the clarets then........

Along Comes Norwich!!

 

Spoilsport!

 

As the home team, Burnley will of course have an advantage but if we stick with the same players and formation it will be more difficult for them to get at us physically as in the past. McLean, Normann and Lees-Melou offer a solid midfield in both senses and hopefully the Pukki/Sargent pairing will come good up front. They've also had a poor start and will lack confidence, which would make it the ideal time for us to score first.

 

Excellent thread and loving the shameless positivity

 

Burnley have an aging squad of 17 players, 9 of whom are between 30-34.

 

@DUNCAN DONUTS might have a stat for you about what happens if we don't score first

 

Spontaneous combustion?

 

Could Burnley please remember how to defend like this for the weekend?

 

That would do just fine, DH! If only!

 

If only we had Huckerby, we wish

 

My alcohol consumption rises

 

Any news on the Cantwell front? Out of squad for ‘personal reasons’ seems mysterious without even a hint of a reason.

 

My thoughts exactly.
No news. Is it injury or to do with his private life?
Strange, no comment from the club.

 

Looking at our fixtures so far: matches against Liverpool, Man City and Everton would be seen as losing. Matches against Leicester, Watford and Arsenal (as they were playing earlier in the season) would have been seen as at least draws.
The matches against Leicester and Arsenal could have been draws but for our misfortune in terms of decisions against us. The Watford at home result was the biggest disappointment for most of us. We had lost both home and away last season, so they are a side which clearly have our measure (or was it that they had a certain Mr Sarr in their team?). So, for me 2 points at this stage would have been a reasonable start. Burnley away is a game that, on paper, we should get at least a point given the investment in players and the strength of the Burnley side. If we lose then the rot would be well and truly exposed and DF position will be under very close scrutiny even more so than now.

 

It's not good to speculate but I think he may have thrown his toys out the pram and pissed off Farke.

For such a good man manager Farke has form for freezing players out like Oliviera Drmic Leitner etc .

 

My very thoughts DD.

 

I think with the fixtures so far, an exceptionally good start would have been seven points, a extremely good one six points, a very positive one four or five points and par would have been three points (ie in each case a win against Watford and whatever else we picked up would be a bonus). So we remain three points off par, which really isn’t that bad, it’s just the performance against Watford was so disappointing - otherwise the performances have actually been pretty good.