Burnley
2 Sheffield Wednesday 7, Saturday 26th April
If you all hate Neil Warnock, clap your hands
The statistics said...
We
lost 7-2 at home to already-relegated Sheffield Wednesday, though any neutral
watching the game would surely have thought that Burnley were the relegated
side.
The Clarets' goals
were both scored by Robbie Blake - a 42nd-minute penalty, and a 53rd-minute
effort which a mistake from Wednesday's Chris Stringer helped into
the net.
The Owls' goalscorers
were as follows:
- McLaren (3) - a shot from distance, which Nik Michopoulos should have
saved.
- Westwood (5) - Gnohere failed to clear the ball, leaving Westwood
unmarked on the far post for an easy tap-in.
- Wood (32) - general defensive / goalkeeping inadequacy leading to an
easy goal.
- Richard Evans (47) - a cross-cum-shot which Marlon Beresford should have
dealt with.
- Haslam (66) - poor defending after a (questionable) free kick, leading
to an easy chance for Haslam.
- Gnohere (73 - o.g.) - unfortunate for Arthur, who had no chance but
to try to clear a dangerous cross.
- Quinn (80) - a super long-distance
effort.
The
game was unusual in that both sides had to subsitute
their keepers during the first half. Kevin Pressman was replaced
by Stringer
shortly before the half-hour mark, and then an injury to
Michopoulos saw him replaced by Beresford in the 37th minute.
The match also saw
Ian Moore sent off in the 21st minute following a clash with Brian
Barry-Murphy.
Our
survey said...
Becko:
How many more inept, pathetic home performances do we have to endure? Fortunately, no more until next season.
There were only three players playing today who should start next season:
Taylor, Blake, and Branch. If we don't sign at least five new players
before
next season, including a goalkeeper, we'll be in Division Two this time
next year.
John
W:
OK,
Stan, I accept the restrictions that you've been working under, but
the team's recent form has been appalling. Your team selections have
been somewhat bizarre, and at the end of the day the buck stops with
you.
Also,
why have you got rid of Paul Cook when you are bringing through two
young midfield players? Paul Cook is good for at least another half
a season, and he could guide these kids along.
Lee
F:
I never
want to see these players again:
Nik the Greek - he isn't really injured, he's gutless.
Marlon
Beresford - he's been shell-shocked since the second goal in the Cup
quarter final
at Watford.
Mark McGregor - he didn't do anything
today, and he's not good enough.
Gordon
Armstrong.
Brad Maylett.
Alan Moore.
It's
been a shit season, and now it's over.
Woody:
We stank.
I think that when the Board loaned out our best player (Glen Little) four weeks ago, it sent a message to all the players that the season
was over. But I don't get £80 back on my season ticket.
In all
the years I've been watching Burnley, this is the most bizarre season
I've witnessed. When I saw the 6-5 defeat at Grimsby, I thought it
would be a one-off, but we followed that with two horrible 7-goal home
defeats.
If Burnley
Football Club is to continue at this level (this is the best team I've
seen in twenty-five years), then it needs to base judgments around
our best players, especially as we'll be operating with a small squad.
If we keep Glen Little, he has to be the fulcrum of the side.
There
have to be midfield players available who can win the ball, and we
have to stop the opposition scoring goals - we've let in nearly ninety
this season. I believe that Stan can do this, because he's the best
manager I've seen at Turf Moor, but I think next season will be a crucial
one for the Club.
Anyway...113
days before a beer with a head on it.
Pauline:
A shocking
display. We made Sheffield Wednesday look like a top Premiership side,
rather than one that'll be in Division Two next season.
This
is more than just fallout from the ITV Digital collapse,
though I'm sure that will be first on the list of excuses.
In my view, this is about a lack of morale amongst the playing staff
- we have some decent players, but for whatever reason they're not
performing. We need the manager to sort this out, and soon. If he can't,
or won't, then we need to get in someone who can.
I was
sorry to see Payton and (especially) Cooky go. Two of Burnley's best
players in recent years.
Fantastic
away support, but then I suppose they did have lots to cheer
about on the day. The referee was a real prima donna, all theatrical
gestures. Once again, Taylor got booked for nothing.
Finally,
I'd like to thank all the selfish assholes who
invaded the pitch at the end of the game. Thanks to you, the rest of
us didn't get to see the team,
and I for one would like to have shown my appreciation for their efforts
over the season - it hasn't all been bad.
Razor:
Today
was so bad that even if I had got the pies in at half time, it wouldn't
have made any difference.
Firmo:
Tonight,
I fervently hope that I have seen Nik Michopoulos's last game for Burnley.
He should not play for us again. While we're about it, here's a few
others on the list: Gordon Armstrong, Marlon Beresford, Steve Davis,
Brad Maylett, Tony Grant, Alan Moore, Dean West.
For the first time,
I am seriously worried about getting relegated next season. If we carry
on like this, we're one year behind Sheffield Wednesday.
It's not about "chucking
one in" every so often any more. It's week in, week out now. These
aren't proper football scores. When people ask us how Burnley got on,
and we tell them, they laugh. Here are some scores from this season:
6-5, 6-2, 7-4, 7-2. All ludicrously high-scoring games, and all Burnley
defeats.
Radical change is needed,
or we will go down next season.
Thank fuck the season
is over. Today was pretty much like the Brighton game in August. Nothing
seems to have changed. I'm only glad that I'm boycotting the Franchise
game, so I don't have to watch Burnley again until August.
PS Stan:
for fuck's sake, sign a goalkeeper.
John
H:
Luckily,
I got the "home defeat" bear before the match! I have
named him Sventoo...
Paddy:
As I
said last week, if NTG plays for Burnley ever again it will be too
soon. My backside is (apart from enormous) a better keeper. NTG
was however surpassed by our other keeper, who gifted further goals.
This
summer will be the most important of Stan's reign. He has got to turn
around a very poor team by making some good signings. If he doesn't,
then Division Two football is very much on the horizon.
Roger:
As soon
as I saw that Grant and Maylett were playing, I knew we were going
to lose.
Stan:
time to go. We need fresh blood, and some new players.
Michael:
I am
the only living person to have seen Burnley concede seven goals at
home on three occasions. The first time was over a hundred
years ago, when I was only a teenager - but at least we had an excuse
then,
as
we didn't have a goalkeeper and had to play a
striker in goal. The other two occasions
were this season. I am very, very old.
Matthew
(Sheffield Wednesday):
I was
pleased with how Wednesday went about the game. They looked like
they really wanted to win it, more than Burnley did. The players did
really well, trying to impress the manager and get a good finish to
the season.
I think
our best player was Grant Holt. Before the game, I thought that Gareth
Taylor would pose us a problem, but it turned out not to be the case.
Actually, I thought he was quite a dirty player.
Paul
(Sheffield Wednesday):
The
referee wasn't bad, and it was a good view from the away end.
The
drains in the away end really need sorting out. We were paddling in
piss in the gents. The hot food ran out before half time, and they
put the shutters down on the bar as we were waiting to order a drink.
We'd
like to thank Matthew and Paul for contributing to our vox pop.
Poll of the day
How it works: Our Chairman
highlights a key issue, and each London Claret present at the post-match
inquest casts one vote. Today's poll saw 7 votes cast.
Question: If you could
pay money to see someone NOT play for Burnley, who would
that someone be?
The result: Five
London
Clarets voted for NTG. Alan Moore and Brad
Maylett brought up the rear with one vote each.
PS Message to Andrew Watson:
this isn't a serious suggestion, OK?
Quote of the day
We have two
contenders for this honour. The runner-up is Mr Stan Ternent,
who after, erm, five years in charge had this to say after the game:
"It's worse than
five years ago".
The winner, however,
is Mr Shaggy Dog, with this gem: "Beer - the only drink of the day".
Pic
of the day
We were disgusted at the amount of rubbish
on the pitch yesterday. It's about time that somebody cleared it away,
or it won't be long before one of those bits of paper gets injured
by it.
As with all articles on the site, the views expressed in the vox pop section are those of the individual contributors, and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Burnley FC London Supporters Club.
