Back from Burnley, well i have been back for a little while and hes my thoughts

First of all. I was quite pleased with the team and formation. It's a formation that the players are very familiar with and a lot of the players are at optimal in it.

I'm still a little unsure about starting Tomasz Cywka and I think we need another left back in but that's not me saying Kennedy had a bad game. He didn't.

In the first half Bunrley started quite quickly and had a few efforts on goal but nothing really to trouble Butland.

After that Barnsley got in the game more, the midfield trio of Perkins Mellis and McCourt got on top and we started to create problems for a good defence.

They had a couple of half chances or so and we had a couple of half chances and then we got two chances. Not sure who put him through but Tudgay through but all he could do was hit the keeper as he came out and smothered the ball. Then a chance fell to Cywka and he blazed over from 12 yards. The ball was bouncing but he had to do better, he should have at least hit the target in my opinion.

Second half i've seen that they changed their formation and countered McCourt. They defend from the front and press well in important areas.
I really don't think the Reds did a lot wrong, they started to get the ball wide.

I felt Barnsley dealt with it well on Barnsleys right with both Wiseman and Etuhu stopping them. On their right they caused barnsley problems. Kennedy went i'll mark this man and you mark your man and it didn't work. Cywka's got troubles off the ball and Tripper got in behind him and put a good ball in to the box which Wiseman played behind. The next time it happened Kennedy must have thought well we can't let Tripper get in behind again so they doubled up on him and Knightly was smart. Moved in to a areas which made him hard to mark, received the ball and ran towards the box and fired a lovely strike into the top corner.

The Reds had a couple of attempts after that but struggled to really test Heaton although Scotland had a shot from 15 yards blocked in the area which would have at least tested him.

Over all theres a lot of positives to take from the game and the week since Flitcroft left. 3 points also

 

same old then ?

 

What do you mean?
If you mean performance then it's the best i've seen for a while. I don't get to every away game so others would be better to say but positives.

 

My mate went, and he said our full backs were abysmal, and Butland calamitous all day. Worse than Steele on a bad day in terms of kicking.
He was impressed with Cywka and Paddy, but suggested we looked a little bit soft after an hour as Burnley dominated us physically.
Ah well. On we move.

 

If that was their view then fine but i don't agree with that.
Mellis was the best player today and maybe Cranie second.

 

Heard Sean Dyche interviewed on Sky and said its the first time in a long time that he's had to raise his voice at half time.

 

The one in the first half? If so it wasn't very good. He tried to bend it in the top corner and the gap was there but all he did was get it over the wall with little pace and ball and chest high.

Cwyka, good effort but it was very close to Heaton and he just tipped it over the bar.

 

Hemmsy....good lad for getting out there and supporting REDS away from home. Credit to you for that.

My mate went and he said Tom Kennedy and Perkins were awful......both players, for me, need dropping.

 

I wouldn't say that. Some are just on their backs at the moment I think.
they played fine for me. Kennedy blocked a shot that was sure to at least bring the best out of Butland. Doing that he actually got injured.

 

Perkins was alright. People have different opinions on what they like or see. The team is ok and I am starting to believe that Mellon is going to pull us out of trouble. They have to keep him in job to christmas at least

 

That's fair enough Homer.

Form what I see and hear (from Mellon's interviews), he's a sound bloke and appears to know the game. My worry is that we have toiled every single season since getting back into the Championship. And the common factor in this, is that we have not had any Championship experienced manager leading us.

These type of managers know the game, attract players, stand for no ****, generally good with media. I think this is exactly what BFC need at this moment in time.

........and Tom Kennedy is ****