Play-offs still a possibility with a clown in goal?

The News of the World led with the headline on Sunday: “Coco Kiraly”. It is hard to disagree with a headline which is particularly apt in describing the Hungarian’s performance on Saturday. It is also hard to disagree that goalkeeping errors are becoming the story of the Claret's season, in a season which sees the most competitive Championship ever.

So, after a great win at home to Charlton on Andy Gray’s Turf Moor return, Burnley were once again within touching distance of the play-offs. Wolves were the visitors to the North West, and it was a Burnley crowd with high expectations. Those expectations were soon quashed, as within fifteen minutes the team from the Black Country were 2-0 up. The first came from comical defending and the second came in even more comical circumstances. Now, to move on to the third and the less said the better.

Ade Akinbiyi did pull a goal back for the Clarets but it wasn’t to be, and Wolves ran out deserved winners. I was particularly impressed with the ability of the Wolves players to shut down and hassle the Clarets at every opportunity.

Naturally, this defeat bought out the usual outcry from some of the Burnley faithful, but without, god forbid, sounding to optimistic, the play-offs are still a definite possibility for our inconsistent side.

In a season where every team has struggled to string together a run of results, it is going to be the team that lifts it for the last few games that sneaks it, and there is no reason that the Clarets cannot be that team. The next to games are vital, a trip to Deepdale to play Lancashire rivals Preston, then a home game with FA Cup giant killers Barnsley. Six from six there and the dream will live on, hopefully the players will realise what a genuine possibility they have of achieving something great.

One thing is for sure, the fans are going to play a pivotal part now. Owen Coyle has spoken about how great they have been already, but now they really need to get behind the team, and breathe confidence into the likes of Kiraly or Jensen.

Kiraly and Jensen… Coyle is now in a very difficult situation, he has constantly switched his keepers, giving one a run of games and the changing when mistakes occur. I believe one thing is needed now, and that is pick a keeper and stick with him. It is no good for the defence having a different keeper behind them each week, and it is no good for the keeper knowing one mistake and he faces the chop.

Finally, something to emerge from the Wolves game is something which has been haunting us all season. Each time we get within striking distance of the play-offs, we lose. I wouldn’t mind seeing the odds for getting within touching distance on the last day and eventually sneaking in! Anyone else fancy that?!

Oh Robbie, Robbie!

I did not think I would be posting again so soon, but after an exciting day at Turf Moor I felt inclined to.

Title chasing Watford were in town, and left with a point, a point which over the course of the game they perhaps didn’t deserve. Owen Coyle certainly felt Burnley did enough to merit maximum points on a miserable day a t’turf.

Kyle Lafferty missed a chance before Akinbiyi missed an open goal, and one suspected it was going to be another disappointing home defeat, where we failed to take our chances. In the end, we twice came back from behind to secure a point, which in all honesty should have been three. We’ve Robbie Blake to thank for saving us today though, and a full match report can be seen here.

Something else emerged from the match today, and it certainly wasn’t something for Burnley Football Club to be proud of. Trouble in the stands saw friction rise between some home fans and stewards, which resulted in a conflict between a fan and a steward.

I can see the point of view of certain Burnley fans at the back who want to stand, sing and create an atmosphere that the Longside was a kin to in years gone by, but the fact is rules are in place now, and stewards, at the end of the day, have to do their job. I like no other would love to stand and sing, but the rules are to sit down, and yes, that is sad, but yes, they are also the rules. It’s just a case of accepting it. I sympathise with the stewards and the fans, but at then end of the day it’s all about respect.

Perhaps if the fans were to be more respectful to the rules and the stewards, then maybe there would be a bit of leeway, but they aren’t. Let’s just try and get atmosphere back at the Turf without aggression.

So, a point it was in a game where it was important not to lose. The point did move us one place up the table to eighth, just one point of the much coveted top six. Now we move on to the KC Stadium and Hull City, in what I will go as far as saying is a MUST win game.

Anyway to go back to the match, here are a couple of open goal misses for Ade to realise he is not on his own! Ronny Rosenthal’s famous miss for Liverpool, and a certain Delroy Facey’s slice when he was on loan with the Clarets…

Play Offs, a real possiblity?

The last time I posted, I think that I and most Burnley fans were looking forward to three points at home to struggling Colchester United, but that was not to be. A deflected free kick sent Colchester back south with a point, and we were left hoping for something from the game at Loftus Road the following Tuesday.

What happened away at QPR is no secret, and was possibly the highlight of an exciting season so far, Andrew Cole’s hat-trick will go down in history, and people who were lucky enough to be there will have fond memories of the night for many a year to come.

A friendly in Ireland, an unfortunate defeat in Plymouth and three more home points against Chris Coleman’s Coventry City and we sit two points of the play-offs with just twelve games remaining.

Owen Coyle has talked about consistency, and although it is obvious, that is the key to finishing in the targeted top six position. Many teams will believe they are capable of a coveted play-off spot, but this season I’m genuinely beginning to believe that we could be that team that sneaks in there, under the radar.

The next five games are key; Watford, Hull, Stoke, Charlton and Wolves. These are teams in and around us, who believe that this could also be their year, so points in these games will be key. I believe if we can come out of these games with three wins, then the top six is well within our reach.

Alan Mahon and Michael Duff return for the reserves tonight, and all the press reports suggest that the players spirit and confidence is high, and that is going to be vital in the run in.

Whether we finish in the top six or not it is great to be going into the last quarter of the season, and still having something to play for. That, coupled with the free flowing football that Coyle has bought to the club, ensure that this will be a season to remember. Lets hope that three points are achieved against Watford at the weekend, and lets hope that this time next week we cant still all be dreaming about a play-off final at Wembley!