15 April 2008

H v Barnsley 2-1, A v Norwich 0-2, H v Sheff. Utd 1-2  (3 pts from 9)

7 points from 21 is relegation form, good job we were near the top when we started to play like this. The Barnsley result gave us a dog's chance of a play off place provided we won the last 5 so Norwich was a must win. Someone forgot to tell the Burnley players. I hate to see Glenn Roeder happy. Sheffield United at home should have been a win for the fans but another lacklustre performance saw us get nothing apart from an Andy Cole goal. 13th on 58 points with 3 to go. Last year we finished 15th on 57 points so a marginal improvement.

The drum or no drum debate. I went to a Bolton match (free ticket) a few seasons ago and was behind the goals where the Bolton drummer was. It did get the fans going and created an atmosphere. When I've been to away matches with the Clarets I always hated them (drummers that is) as they are very irritating when they're not yours. So overall I've voted 'Drummer yes' to info@burnleyfc.com.

28 March 2008

A v Stoke 1-1, H v Charlton 1-0, H v Wolves 1-3, A v PNE 1-2 (4 pts from 12)

Just when you think you're getting there they pull the rug from under your feet, well that's Burnley for you. They can stun a good Arsenal side then make mediocre sides look good. A player can have a blinder one match then play like a clown the next. So what have we had since Hull? A good start at the Britannia Stadium, the Stokies were lucky to get a 90th minute equalizer via the penalty spot and the back of Kiraly's head which my mates in Trent Vale acknowledged. A decent win against Charlton and the play offs were looming until.... 2 crap performances against mediocre opposition (sorry Tim). Both games for the taking but the Clarets on a bad day could make Scooby Doo and Shaggy ouze confidence. So, played 40, won 14, drawn 13 and lost 13. Mid table beckons. Clarets Mad also point out that we've had 30 different players and 3 managers this season. As to the goalkeepers, they've certainly been entertaining in their inconsistency. We need a good stopper, someone who the defence can rely on so they can concentrate on their own play. Ah well, let's hope Barnsley have their sights on the FA Cup and don't try too hard.
p.s. Another red card puts us in 2nd place in the red card league, 8 to date, Scunthorpe top with 10 and only Wolves with none!

7 March 2008

A v Hull 0-2

Speaking of debacles... The first half performance here was supposed to be worst than at Blackpool, mauled by the Tigers then savaged by the referree in the second half. Enough said.

4 March 2008

Since the Blackpool debacle, played 9 won 5 drawn 2 and lost 2 (and should have won one of these!).

H v Plymouth 1-0, A v Coventry 2-1, H v Scunthorpe 2-0, A v WBA 1-2, H v Colchester 1-1, A v QPR 4-2 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A v Plymouth 1-3, H v Coventry 2-0, and H v Watford 2-2

The West Brom defeat was fair, honours even but Plymouth were lucky by all accounts. Andy Cole playing for the Clarets!. With all respect to Andy Cooke we can now chant the real thing, and he does give goals. Wish I'd been at QPR, coming from 2 down to win away from home is a rare treat and seeing an Andy Cole hat trick must have been the icing on the cake. A nice double over Coventry and a well fought draw against Watford, congrats to Robbie Blake for his brace and to the rest of the lads for their never say die attitude. A toughie tonight at Hull and at Stoke on Saturday, both the proverbial '6 pointers' as far as the play-offs are concerned. 

H  v Arsenal 0-2 FAC

I managed to catch this on telly whilst en route to France staying at a friend's house in Brummie land. A game of 'what ifs' in which the lads did us proud, the scoreline flattering Arsenal. Shame about the sending off but refs are clamping down on these sliding tackles where studs are shown even if you make contact wth the ball. Still seemed harsh on Kyle though. After the sending off we played our best football and you would never have guessed it was a 10 man Championship side playing against the cream of the Premiership. Proud to be a Claret!

3 January 2008

H v Bristol City 0-1, A v Blackpool 0-3 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I should never have said anything, still no home win. We were unlucky in the first half with lots of chances created but only the woodwork being rattled as a result. Having said that Bristol City were playing good football (ours was more route 1 to Ade) and they had their fair share of chances too. Conditions were atrocious with wind and rain. The 2nd half belonged to BC though Ade did manage to hit the post again. Can't argue with the result though some players didn't even seem to try, Steve Jones in particular seemed to be hiding from the ball in the 2nd half.
Luckily I didn't go to the 'pool match, family commitments took precedence thank god. By all accounts this is the worst a Burnley team has played in recent years (must have been similar to the game at Oxford (Manor Ground) when we got shafted 5-0. I don't think there was a Clarets supporter on the ground at the final whistle, I wasn't!). If the players were saving themselves for Arsenal they don't deserve to play. It's a pity our squad is so small otherwise more could be dropped. I also feel Ade should have started given his performance against Bristol. I'll be watching the Arsenal match in South Brummie land as we make our way back to France.

27 December

Lots of results since I was last on line (see Notice Board from Home page):-
H v Norwich 2-1, H v Southampton 2-3 (on Sky :-(), A v Sheff Utd., H v Hull 0-1 (end of Steve Cotterill as we slump to 15th)
A v Leicester 1-0 (good win for Steve Davis)
H v Stoke 0-0, A v Watford 2-1, A v Charlton 3-1, H v Leicester 1-1, A v Wolves 3-2 (on Sky!), H v QPR 0-2, H v Preston 2-3 (bummer!), A v Ipswich 0-0, H v Sheff Wed 1-1

The last 9 games were under the direction of Owen Coyle, taking us initially up to 7th before the disastrous games against QPR and PNE and currently placing us 10th. 3 red cards in the 2 games prior to Sheff Wed haven't helped matters but all credit for the performance against Ipswich. I should have been at the PNE match but a strained back and a trashed cylinder head meant otherwise. I should be at the Bristol City match tomorrow which should be a toughie but given recent performances we have done better in the harder games. Here's to Owen's first home win (perhaps he's saved it for me?). The play offs are still in reach as we pass the half way stage in the season so everything to play for (cliche no. 27 from the Football Commentators' Guidebook)


23 October


H v Ipswich 2-2, A v Cardiff 1-2, A v Barnsley 1-1


Three more disappointing results though coming back from 2-0 down against Ipswich was a point gained. A draw would have been a fair result at Cardiff but we haven't had much luck there in recent seasons. Barnsley is a simlar away venue where we can't seem to get a result. We should have been 3 up by half time and killed the game but we didn't and paid for it in the second half, 2 points lost! We're having too many draws at the moment which is a worrying trend. We need to win tonight against Norwich to give the fans something to shout about. Weren't England poor? Even against Estonia we did nothing in the 2nd half. I don't know why Maclaren was mystified by the Russia defeat, we're never going to win anything sat on our own 18 yard line. At least the rugby lads redeemed themselves, cracking wins against Australia and Les Bleus and a hard fought game against the 'boks. That's the fighting spirit our footballers need.

30 September

H v Portsmouth 0-1, H v Crystal Palace 1-1

Two disappointing results although by all acounts we didn't play too badly. I'd only just sat down in the Malibu when the Palace goal came up on Gillette Soccer Saturday. At least I didn't suffer too long (7 mins) as Duff equalised (or was it Blake?). Ipswich on Tuesday evening (they got battered 3-1 by Hull (fishy joke :-)) on Saturday so let's hope we do the same to the tractor boys. I enjoyed the rugby on Friday, though we are getting better each match there's still room for improvement. Looking forward to Australia next Saturday, allez les Rosbifs!

25 September

H v Blackpool 2-2, A v Sheff. Wed. 2-0, A v Bristol C. 2-2

I was gutted when the Pool got that last minute injury time equaliser after Ade had scored in the 86th Min but then we went and did the same to Bristol City after they had taken an 86th minute lead (thank u Clark Carlisle - he impressed me when I watched us play Oldham). A steady win at the Owls, their 6th straight defeat (and last as they beat Hull on Saturday). The good start continues and sees us in 6th place with a game in hand. A difficult match tonight v Portsmouth. I'll be watching Reading and Liverpool at the Malibu and hopefully getting the other scores too. Come on you Clarets!!!!


5 September

H v West Brom 2-1, A v Grimsby (LC) 1-1 aet won 4-2 on pens, A v Scunthorpe 0-2, H v Oldham (LC) 3-0, A v Colchester 3-2

What a start, beating the Baggies and coming from behind and a deserved win by all accounts even tho W. Brom dominated the first half. We even got and scored a penalty (Gray). Grimsby was a bit dour but we did the business in the shoot out. Again we came from behind showing fighting spirit. Apparently at sunny Scunny for 20 mins we dominated but didn't create any real chances, then they took over, banged in 2 and sat back while we dominated the last 15 mins but again not troubling their goalkeeper. My first league match for over a year was postponed (due to young QPR player Ray Jones being killed in a car crash) but I did have the satisfaction of seeing the lads beat Oldham. The scoreline flattered us as Oldham had loads of chances which were either wasted or saved brilliantly by the Beast. His palms must have been stinging that night. When we got our first goal (Gray on 59) things settled down and we looked in control, Robbie hitting the post with a screaming free kick before scoring a cracker in the 76th. Ade coming on as sub pounced on a through ball and finished clinically on the 90th min to add to the Latics' woes. Finally, now back in Crete I watched the scores come through on Sky's soccer Saturday. When Colchester got their 2nd in the 88th min I was on pins until the FT score was declared. Clarets Mad reports assure me it was a deserved victory with the scoreline flattering Colchester. Two more goals from Gray including another penalty. Bring on the Pool.

Good luck to England for next Saturday (Israel) and Wednesday (Russia). Being the eternal pessimist I think we'll need it!


18 July

Accy Stanley 1-1,  Wrexham 2-5 to us..

Lots of interesting and promising signings, surprised to see Robbie back; thought he had burnt his bridges but money talks. Accy was a struggle but it came together at Wrexham although at one point it was 2-2. It's good to see strikers score as last season a lot of the goals were coming from midfield and even further back. Smog monsters on Saturday. I'll be back in the UK soon and should catch QPR game, am looking forward too it. keep the faith, Longside forever! Despite new signings Ade is for me.

I'll be archiving last season soon so it will be viewed on a separate page tho I suspect it is only me that views it anyway!!

21 June

Looks like some good signings being made and hanging on to our key players. Steve Cotterill must have read my previous comment and decided to sign Besart Berisha who is really a Kosovan (Kosovo don't have a national team at the moment). The opener against the Baggies should be a good test of our new squad and give us an idea of where we are going. Unfortunately I won't be in the UK then but I should make the QPR game on the 25th August (it's my mum's birthday but I'm sure she won't mind not being taken out for a change). Just got over our U21 defeat to Holland. It was a hell of a penalty shoot out. We could have done with a young Marlon Beresford in goal. All credit to Scott Carson though, he goalkeeped well in all the matches.

27 May

Nice to see Turf Moor on the telly again, especially with an impressive crowd (22500). A comfortable 3-1 win for a makeshift England side with Berisha being the only Albanian who looked a threat, but an impressive one at that.  Owen had a low key game, Alan Smith looked more threatening (in more ways than one, as usual) and Downing's 2 goals stole the limelight.

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