2023/24 Sean Dyche

[Marius57]

Previous two seasons. 13th and 15th in the league for goals conceded. The jump to 4th is i'd say pretty much manager orientated.

Crazy that as we actually only conceded 6 less than last year. So everyone else has weakened defensively.

14 teams conceded less than 60 last season. Only 6 managed it this season.

 

[twoblue]

We’re not great, but we’re far from awful.

Fair to middling you might say.

Some of Dyche's biggest supporters on here have adopted this absolutist view. They have to, because if the squad isn't the "worst squad in the known universe" then the steady improvement we've seen in results isn't "a miracle", the awful spectacle of how we play is a choice and not a necessity and their whole schtick just falls apart.
Dyche does what Dyche has always done. It's effective, fair enough, but it's not the only way these players could play, no matter what some people might say. Dyche is the very expensive, low risk option. I get why people are cool with that but I don't agree that it's our only option with these "terrible" players. That is a nonsense.

What season in the last decade did we have a worse squad, with less pace and less creatitivity?
We have been selling to buy every season.

 

[Gilbert..]

Crazy that as we actually only conceded 6 less than last year. So everyone else has weakened defensively.

14 teams conceded less than 60 last season. Only 6 managed it this season.

Yeah did notice that when looking at the two previous season. Was a bit bizare.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Too nuanced mate. You are dealing with people that will never give credit and some that are just enjoying stirring the debate.
School play ground territory now

Yeah, nuance on the internet

What was I thinking? lol

 

[windymiller]

One on here 2 months ago was telling me we have one of the three worst squads in be league

Yes, which is not grounded in any sort of reality.

 

[windymiller]

What season in the last decade did we have a worse squad, with less pace and less creatitivity?
We have been selling to buy every season.

Nobody is saying that our squad is getting better, I agree that it is getting worse and that it will likely get worse again this summer. However, that is not the argument here. The argument posted by many, I think including yourself, is that our squad is close to being the worst in the league and, therefore, that Dyche is defying gravity by keeping it in the league. That is not true. Yet.

 

[GrandOldTeam]

Ugh, im sick of reading about how bad the squad is.

The squad on the main is awful, but our first 11, which Dyche had for the majority of the season really isnt bad.

Our defence was 4th best in the league, which of course the manager takes credit for, but so do the players.

The results over 3 seasons are what they are.

It's a poor, threadbare squad.

It's a squad that desperately needs some depth, pace, creativity/attacking ability otherwise it's fighting relegation next season.

There's a reason we're Bet365's 2nd favourite to go down right now.

 

[twoblue]

Nobody is saying that our squad is getting better, I agree that it is getting worse and that it will likely get worse again this summer. However, that is not the argument here. The argument posted by many, I think including yourself, is that our squad is close to being the worst in the league and, therefore, that Dyche is defying gravity by keeping it in the league. That is not true. Yet.

No one has said it’s the worst in the league. I would likely swap our team for most squads outside the bottom three.

 

[GrandOldTeam]

Last three year premier league;

Games: 114
Won: 32
Drawn: 27
Lost: 55
Goals Scored: 117
Goals Against: 174

From 342 points - we've earned 123.

We score 39 per season - an average of 1.03 per game.
We concede 58 per season - an average of 1.53 per game.

For 3 years, we've averaged 41 points.

We're having to renew Ashley Youngs contract. We're desperately hoping Leeds don't get promoted so we can retain Jack Harrison. We need to sell key players - expect at least 2 of Pickford, Onana, Branthwaite or Calvert-Lewin to be sold.

Make no mistake, we're relegation fodder.

 

[Neiler]

The results over 3 seasons are what they are.

It's a poor, threadbare squad.

It's a squad that desperately needs some depth, pace, creativity/attacking ability otherwise it's fighting relegation next season.

There's a reason we're Bet365's 2nd favourite to go down right now.

Yeah we are largely muck quality wise in advanced areas, the vultures have picked the forward and creative positions off season on season, we've a really good defence, they will be circling that now.

 

[MACCA75]

Crazy that as we actually only conceded 6 less than last year. So everyone else has weakened defensively.

14 teams conceded less than 60 last season. Only 6 managed it this season.

Because most teams play attacking rather than defensive football these days.

 

[GrandOldTeam]

Yeah we are largely muck quality wise in advanced areas, the vultures have picked the forward and creative positions off season on season, we've a really good defence, they will be circling that now.

A lot of that is driven from being defensive as a side - pragmatic/% football too.

Michael Keane looked better than he was at Burnley under Dyche for the same reason.

 

[brian labone]

We are bound to have a reasonably good defence record because we play 11 men in our own half most of the time and make it more difficult for the opponents to get past.

 

[windymiller]

No one has said it’s the worst in the league. I would likely swap our team for most squads outside the bottom three.

It has been referred to, on more than one occasion, as a League One squad. I realise that that was said as a hyperbolic device but that's what we're dealing with. Our first 11 is better than many other teams, Notts Forest, Brentford and Bournemouth spring to mind and obviously the relegated sides. Our squad depth is atrocious but most of our starting 11 are decent, not brilliant, but decent.

 

[Neiler]

A lot of that is driven from being defensive as a side - pragmatic/% football too.

Michael Keane looked better than he was at Burnley under Dyche for the same reason.

Maybe, id argue we have a lot of quality at the back JT, Branthwaite, Pickford are all names to be mentioned when you are talking about the best in their positions in the league in my opinion and Dyche has them humming.

No one else from 5 onwards gets into the conversation - those that would have been in with a shout have been sold.

We've a poor quality forward unit in my opinion.

Sure we may be cutting our cloth accordingly, thats logical, but we have high quality players at the back, but not in advanced positions.