ThaiFox

Stats do not always show the full picture and can be taken many ways. Albrighton may not score many, but neither do Barnes or Gray. Albrighton's crossing is still better quality than both Barnes or Gray and his defensive contribution is far better than both of them combined. However, I totally agree with you that Barnes looks better on the right, and Chilwell looks uncomfortable playing with Barnes. It is another reason I would go with Albrighton on the left in front of Chilwell. We are so much more solid on the left when they play together and they seem to have a far better understanding of each others play and covering positions. I think the whole team would benefit from having two proper wingers on the pitch rather than playing Perez or Praet on the right. But neither Barnes nor Gray have shown that so far this season they are full match players. Barnes and Gray have to play well for the full match, not just these spells where they look great, but tend to drift out of games for long periods. A point BR made after the Burnley game. I honestly cannot think of one game where Barnes has played well having been involved throughout a full match. In fact I'd say Albrighton has done more in his fleeting games this season that Barnes has in all his matches. I like Barnes and he has great potential. I just think he's still in a development stage and his contribution would be best for us as an impact sub. Whatever failings Albrighton has, there can be no question of him being involved all match, not only his wing play and his defensive contribution, but also his commitment, effort and desire. Something I feel is not quite there yet with Barnes, and certainly not there with Gray.

Whilst I agree our game has moved on since our P/L win, Albrighton still remains our most consistent winger, and certainly more consistent than either Barnes or Gray. He works much better with Chilwell than Barnes does and you can almost see Chilwell's confidence rise if Albrighton is in front of him, because he knows Marc will be there to give him extra cover, and get back quickly if Chilwell is caught out. Barnes just doesn't help Chilwell enough and it's impacting on Chilwell's play. Albrighton still delivers our best crosses, his work rate is superb, and he always seems to be involved in matches, rather than drifting in and out of games like Barnes & Gray. Obviously, Barnes is only going to improve. I really see him more as an impact sub, like Gray, rather than a full match player. Nurture him, bring him along slowly so he knows exactly what is required. At the moment he is just not good enough to play whole matches.

The emotional occasion clearly got to some of the players which resulted in a slow first half with little penetration, followed by a much better second half. BR is spot on with his comments about our wingers who are just not consistent enough throughout the full game. I'd like to see Albrighton given a run in the team as he is more consistent, never gives up, and certainly works better helping Chilwell. Gray & Barnes both look better as impact subs and I think they should be in this role until they can show they can contribute for a full match. Burnley were Burnley. Work so hard, not much quality, well drilled, give nothing for free. Whatever people think about him and his style, Dyche has done a brilliant job there.

The emotional occasion clearly got to some of the players which resulted in a slow first half with little penetration, followed by a much better second half. BR is spot on with his comments about our wingers who are just not consistent enough throughout the full game. I'd like to see Albrighton given a run in the team as he is more consistent, never gives up, and certainly works better helping Chilwell. Gray & Barnes both look better as impact subs and I think they should be in this role until they can show they can contribute for a full match. Kasper -6- Not too much to do. I bet he was disappointed to let the header from Wood in. Ricardo -8- MOTM. Easily our best defender and best player on the day. Evans -6- Lucky to get away with the VAR decision. Partly at fault for the first goal too. Soyuncu -6- Like Evans, I thought him partly at fault for the first goal. OK game otherwise. Chilwell -6- Needs Albrighton in front of him. It gives him so much more confidence. Ndidi -7- Worked as hard as usual against a robust Burnley. Perez -5- Didn't notice him. Still think he should be tried alongside Vardy. Tielemans -7- Some great passes, a well taken goal. Played his best game this season. Maddison -6- Worked hard. Not a lot came off for him. Barnes -6- Must learn to play well for 90 minutes. Should have done better with his chance, but a great cross for Vardy's goal. Vardy -6- Missed another one on one. Great header for his goal. Ran and ran. Gray -7- Thought his cameo was positive. Praet -6- I would give him a run in the team on the right of midfield. Morgan -6- Did what Morgan does. BR -7- Got it right after half time. Officials -6- Just can't understand why Moss didn't use the pitch side monitor on the VAR decision. Burnley -5- Did what Burnley do. Not much quality, very robust and work very hard. Very well drilled by Dyche who is doing a brilliant job there.

Anyone who's followed this thread will know my feelings on the disaster that is VAR. After last weekends decisions, I don't know how anyone can now disagree with me! The quicker VAR is binned the better. Utterly shambolic last weekend.

Until he plays against us....................

I'll be amazed if OGS is still there in January!

Good job there isn't a wallpaper of Iheanacho.........I'd never score then!!!

Agree. Also would add that if a player is caught cheating in a match he should be banned for playing in a fixture against that same team for three matches, or five matches if affects the result. But again, it all comes down to our referees. If they continue to only give penalties if the player goes over, things will never change whatever the punishment, because gaining a penalty is worth the risk of a booking or even a suspension. Referees encourage cheating and diving because it gives them someone else to blame.

Well, I find it even more amazing that monitors are there and switched on, but referees are choosing not to use them??!!! What the hell is the point of them being there, and why are the FA not rollocking referees for not using every bit of help at their disposal? It's utterly mind boggling. As for other countries, I'm not really in the know so I can't comment. However, I'd love to read overseas foxes fans comments on here as to how it's working in other countries. It may help me make sense as to why VAR is needed. At the moment I cannot see any reason for having it. In Italy, the games I watch are so slow anyway, I doubt anyone even knows VAR is being used!

Your question was basically: 'what if Maddison had done the same with Leicester'. For what it's worth, my view is I do like a player supporting his team. It also feels good for supporters to see a close knit squad supporting each other. Yes, I would have been disappointed if Maddison had gone AWOL if LCFC had been playing, but in this day and age, I just don't think players really care as we see time after time on transfers where they just can't wait to grab the cash and go. I think you should support your team if you are a player, but loyalty is now so low on a players priority it's almost expected they will be off the minute they get the chance. It's certainly not unusual for players to go off doing other things if they are injured, dropped or suspended. Finally....... please don't lower my standing in life to that of a politician!! (And even lowing it to England Manger is bad enough!).

I'm sure it's happened loads of times where players who were ill, suspended or dropped didn't bother turning up for matches. And over many years I've heard of many examples where dropped, banned or injured players are actually pleased when their team does badly without them.

After that England performance he made the right decision!

Maddison would certainly have had more excitement and entertainment in a casino, rather than watching a truly dire England performance.

Typical of the FA to install pitch side monitors, and then switch them off or instruct referees not to use them!! Nearly all incidents involving a penalty lead to a debate of some kind, as we've seen again with the Mane penalty. The more officials that become involved the more debatable decisions become. The on field referee should be competent enough to make a proper decision. Obviously there will always be human errors, but the addition of VAR has just added to the confusion and debate. It has not improved the standard of refereeing, or the game in general. There are just as many, if not more, debatable decisions than there were before it was introduced. If VAR is to continue, the pitch side monitor should be switched on and used ASAP. VAR officials sitting in a studio miles away should go. If the can't do that, the FA, if they have any brains (unlikely), should abandon it. VAR just hasn't been thought through properly.

Relevant because of our Thai owners and their relationship with the Thai monarchy. Three years ago today, the King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej died.

I totally agree. I loathe this writhing in agony all over the pitch to gain an advantage, only to get up and run like a gazelle seconds later. Our players are just as guilty as any other teams. Maddison does it on almost every challenge. It is totally the FA and referees fault this situation has developed. Referees rarely give free kicks, and especially penalties, unless the player goes down. Managers encourage players diving (according to Sean Dyche) because the risk of a yellow card is outweighed by the chance of a penalty. The pathetic VAR system should have sorted this out but hasn't because they want to support the referees, as Andy Gray pointed out on the clip on the last page. I agree with Andy Gray it is a crazy situation that referees can't review the incident on a pitch side monitor. Three referees sitting in a studio miles away may always come to different conclusions. Take the Mane penalty, where former referees Keith Hackett said it wasn't, but Dermot Gallagher said it was a penalty. And I go back to my point about retrospective action. VAR could impose some punishment, but what? Ban the player? That does nothing to help the situation of the team who have been wrongly done by. In fact it may hurt them more because that player could miss playing against a team they are in direct competition with, maybe for relegation, or a European place. Deduct points? If retrospective action showed Mane dived do they deduct Liverpool 2 points and give us one? And how would that work if a penalty had been given in the first minute and Liverpool had won 5-0, or we had gone on to win 2-1? Fine the club or player? At 2 million per league place, or survival in the P/L, or a Champions League place, the gamble of diving is worth the gamble of a fine. The only answer is to improve our referees so they are the very highest quality. Plus they must make it clear that they will give free kicks and penalties if a player is fouled, without them having to dive. If we are going to continue with VAR there should be a pitch side monitor and the only person to confirm or change the decision is the on field referee. In it's current format, VAR is a totally pointless addition to our game and is currently badly harming the game. I noticed a report this week that claims live attendances could soon start falling because of spectator dissatisfaction over VAR.

Would have been good if he had either retired or moved to a different position within our club (maybe as a trainee for Birch's position?!) I can understand him managing in Italy again, but I have to question his judgement in managing Fulham. I'd hate it if he became a laughing stock as a manager.

After reading the match reports I'm more than thrilled I didn't stay up until 4am out here watching that rubbish. Mind you, I hardly ever bother watching England now. I don't know what happens to our players when the pull on that shirt. Whether it's the succession of dire managers the FA appoint, fear, they bottle it, or they just don't give a rats ass, I don't know, but it's truly awful most of the time. I don't even like watching our own players anymore. I'm actually pleased now when they don't play. England had no idea how to play the gem that is Jamie Vardy. Have you noticed it's since his England debut, Chilwell seems to have gone backwards? And I'm afraid the same will happen to Maddison. Apart from Iheanacho, our other internationals seem to improve, but not when with England. Even the World Cup, we were really lucky how the draw fell for us, but we still blew the best chance we've had since '66 to win it. Maybe it's just the simple fact that too many Spuds players are in and around the team, who are used to bottling winning situations.

The fact that England had no idea of what a gem of a player Vardy is. They didn't even pass to him when he did actually get those 5 minute cameos! No wonder he quit, and he did the right thing. Lots of extra travelling & training, only to sit on the bench. England's loss, our gain.

Or unless Fergie thought you a disruptive influence. Can you imagine Pogba still being there if Fergie was still in charge?

They are both for more likely to win something with us rather than at Man Utd, a club in total crisis. Man Utd could have trouble attracting top players for a few years. And certainly no-one of real quality will go there if they don't make Europe. I know he's doubled his wages, but I just can't understand why Maguire decided to go there. They have little chance of winning anything, and that may go on for some years. I could have understood it if he'd gone to Man City, or even Arsenal, but to join the worst Man Utd team in P/L history, with an out of his depth manager who'll be out before Xmas, seems strange for a so called ambitious player. Obviously it's the money, because there can't be much glamour being at Man Utd at the moment.

No question it should have been, but VAR in it's current form would have backed the referees decision, given him promotion for an outstanding decision, and retrospectively a red card given to all our defense who argued over the 'fouled' Johnssen!

I'm a little surprised you hate it after some of your replies to my posts! I thought you were in favour of VAR! I must have missed some of your early posts. Sorry about that! Have enjoyed the debate though and you've put points over that have made me think. Totally agree with those coloured lines for offsides. Totally agree about offenses missed during the build up to a goal. Totally agree with things being left to the on field officials. The one bit I can't agree with is yet more officials!! Every extra official is sure to reach different conclusions and just add confusion to the game, so no better than VAR. Totally agree that we must get the referees we have to the highest possible standards to officiate properly, and let them make all the on field decisions.

As I've said in other posts on this forum, cheating has been encouraged by the FA and referees. If a player doesn't go down under contact he doesn't get a penalty. Referees just don't, or vary vary rarely, give a penalty in the event of a player fouled but not falling, or diving. And Managers, I'm sure, tell players to go over. Sean Dyche has said as much. It's worth the risk of a yellow card to gain a penalty, rather than not going over where one won't be given. I totally agree with you that VAR could stamp this out with retrospective action, and I for one would welcome that. It's probably the only thing it's good for. But again, the human element comes into play and one mans dive is another mans foul. Ex referee Hackett (no penalty - a dive) Ex referee Gallagher (penalty - a foul). If VAR looked at that Liverpool penalty with retrospective action and VAR decides it was a dive. What's the punishment? Do they award us a point for a draw and deduct 2 from Liverpool? Do they punish Mane with a ban (which doesn't change the initial unfair decision, or help us, and may in fact go against us because Mane could be banned against teams we are in competition for a league place), do they deduct Liverpool points for their player cheating? Could the match be replayed? Then you'll get the appeals which go to the supreme court and overrule the VAR decision! VAR has opened so many can of worms. It has not been properly thought through.