League One Coming Into View....

By CCFC Sid
February 13 2005

Another week, another defeat. Another self-inflicted defeat too. The Arena is getting closer to being finished - as is our stay in the Championship .... just why do CCFC find defending so bloody difficult?

The first question CCFC fans were left asking was: `Why the hell wasn't Claus Jorgensen playing?' (The second being: `Why do CCFC keep dropping MOTM winners?' Isaac Osbourne being another example). His replacement, Graham Barrett, did nothing to suggest the decision was justified, giving a dismal display of `how not to take corners and free-kicks'.

Mickey Adams was quoted as saying his side had spent the week practising defending set-pieces, after a number of howlers over recent weeks/months - obviously practising taking them was off the training menu though....

CCFC also started the game with five out-field players on the bench, with Shearer supposedly injured - though somebody that spoke to CCFC's second choice keeper after the match claims he said he had no idea why he wasn't in the sixteen. "Allegedly", of course....

13,236 turned up for this match, though once again a fair few were given "freebies". As well as those that didn't have to pay to get in, the ticket office, in their infinite wisdom, confused turnstile operators and fans alike by accidentally selling tickets for the Derby match rather than the Burnley game (Or was this done on purpose?! As, if CCFC carry on as they are, the final game of the season being a sell-out looks unlikely - last game at Highfield Road or not....).

An early hoof upfield saw Adebola and Burnley keeper Jensen in a chase for the ball, with the latter winning, and putting the ball out for a throw-in. Soon after, a decent McSheffrey cross was ignored by all, and a possible chance to score was wasted. Minutes later a spot of pin-ball in the Burnley penalty area should have resulted in a CCFC goal, but, rather than just blasting the ball goalwards, players tried to walk the ball in, or pass to somebody else, rather than take responsibility.

As with previous seasons, it was clear from the first few minutes that part of Burnley's game-plan was to try and waste as much time as possible, with their keeper being the biggest culprit - much to the annoyance of the home crowd. With time-wasting being a yellow card offence, it came as a surprise to me that the referee didn't bother trying to get said keeper to speed up proceedings.

With 10 minutes on the clock McSheffrey dribbled through the Burnley defence, but pushed the ball slightly to far in front of himself, and Jensen claimed it. McSheffrey, as any good striker would, did try to latch onto the ball before the keeper got hold of it, with Jensen reacting as if he had been shot. When he got to his feet he pushed his face into McSheffrey's, which despite, as I thought, being a red card offence, he escaped without as much as a warning.

McSheffrey had two more efforts around the 15 minute mark, with his second effort going just wide of the post - though for reasons best known to the linesman, he had already raised his flag. Andrew Whing then raced past Burnley's left-back before delivering a decent cross, which was cleared from a corner by their defence. The corner, as with most (All?) CCFC set-pieces on the day, was wasted....

A cracking run from McSheffrey set up Negouai, whose shot hit the keeper. As Negouai followed up to try and get the rebound he appeared to be clattered, though penalty appeals were turned down. Negouai returned the favour by setting up McSheffrey minutes later, but he shot very high and very wide! Minutes later, a decent bit of control saw McSheffrey create a chance for himself, but once again the effort went very high and very wide....

Barrett's best (And possibly only!) contribution to the game was a first time cross that a defender reached just before Adebola (Who finally looked as if he had added aggression to his game in the first half - though normal(ish) service was resumed in the second half) could get to it, putting the ball out for a corner. Soon after, Barrett was crudely brought to a stop by a challenge from Hyde - for which he was rightly booked.

An excellent effort from McSheffrey was tipped over the bar for a corner by the keeper after 33 minutes, though Jensen claimed he didn't get a touch. From where I was sitting, it looked a fine save, and I would have claimed it!

Hughes went in bravely for a challenge with Jensen just before half-time, and, with the player lying fairly motionless on the ground, Burnley's players rather sportingly continued to play on.

The wind had been with CCFC for the entire first half, yet they failed to capitalise on this, over-hitting the majority of passes, so they went into the half-time interval at 0-0.

The injury to Hughes forced him to be replaced during the break, as was the probably injured Negouai. John and Wood replaced them (It was only at this point I realised CCFC had no substitute keeper), though supporters were mystified as to why Jorgensen wasn't called up to replace one of them (Instead of John would have been the preferred choice - especially after another disappointing display).

A decent CCFC move after 53 minutes saw a Barrett cross headed just slightly to close to Jensen by Neil Wood, and this was about as good as it got for CCFC in the second half....

Steele saved well after 54 minutes, but could only parry the ball to Hyde, who somehow blazed the ball over the bar despite the site of an open goal in front of him. It was a big let-off off for CCFC, but they didn't learn from it.

Giddings was ready to replace Staunton just after the hour mark, with the player and the fourth official ready to make the change for CCFC. Despite the ball going out for a throw-in, the change didn't happen, and seconds later a Staunton error gifted Burnley their first goal (Scored by `alleged' bad-boy John Oster). Giddings made his entrance a minute after the damage was done....

A quality cross from Wood eluded three CCFC players (Including what seemed to be the out-stretched hand of Adebola!!), two defenders and the Burnley keeper, and drifted just wide of the far post.

A clanger of the highest order gifted Burnley their second goal, and victory, with Steele coming out for a ball he failed to win (Though some claim a foul should have been awarded). It seemed an age before the ball actually hit the back of CCFC's net, with a shot that had all the pace of a 101-year-old athlete somehow getting past two CCFC defenders, whose efforts to clear the ball were feeble. Comical, but nobody in Sky Blue seemed to be laughing....

The exits suddenly became busy as CCFC fans realised this was yet another defeat about to happen, with the second half display summed up perfectly by the person sitting behind me: `F***ing awful, isn't it' (No question mark at the end of the sentence, as it wasn't a debateable statement).

A solo effort from McSheffrey was well saved after 80 minutes, and a minute later CCFC came about as close to scoring as they had been thoughout the game, as a back-header from a Burnley defender just missed the far post.

With minutes left on the clock, CCFC won a corner, and, with two Burnley players off the pitch following injuries, this looked a great chance of pulling a goal back, and trying to make a decent game of the last few minutes. Barrett's corner didn't even clear the first player, instead hitting the side netting....

An attempted CCFC attack saw the ball played out to the left side of the pitch, with Stern John easily able to win the ball if he had wanted to - sadly for CCFC, it seems he didn't. To make matter worse, he clattered a Burnley defender and earned a yellow card instead. This was the final straw for a lot of CCFC fans still inside the ground, who confused the away supporters by calling for their own player to be sent off! (Not all CCFC fans, of course....).

Cries of `You're Not Fit To Wear the Shirt!', and `We're Sh*t And We're Sick Of It!' rang around the stadium - though with the first of the two chants, I'm unsure whether this was aimed at John or the entire team.

Adams is attempting to bring in four new players ASAP - on this performance, four might not be enough....

"Set pieces are really important in this league and we have got to improve on it because they haven't been good enough" - Graham Barrett, before the match. He was on about defending them, but making use of the ones you get too is also necessary....