Too Many Sloppy Goals - Burley
Monday, 17th Sep 2001 10:15

George Burley felt his side drifted after a good start on Sunday against Blackburn and gave another bad goal away. The Town manager thought that the goal disallowed late on was one which refs sometimes give and sometimes don't.

Burley said: "I thought we started brightly today, created one or two good chances, scored a good goal but then our passing went astray. All credit to Blackburn, they played with two wingers and caused us problems. In every game this season we have given away a bad goal and today was no exception, that is an area we have got to get batter. If you give away goals like that you will lose valuable Premiership points and we have to stop doing it."

Defender Hermann Hreidarsson agreed with his manager: "Hopefully we will get that right. We haven't conceded many goals but it has been one in each game and that isn't good enough. We want to start keeping clean sheets. It is difficult to pinpoint why we don't have the same rhythm as last season. We seem to be doing well and clicking in patches, then not doing so well and giving away goals."

Of Stewart's 'goal' Burley said: "I think that it could have gone either way. Pablo was using his body and the referee felt that was unfair. At the moment decisions are going against us, but it will level itself out over over the season I am sure."

The striker himself agreed with his manager: "Sometimes they are given and sometimes they are not. I obviously didn't hear the whistle but that's the way it goes."

Alun Armstrong is definitely out of Thursday's UEFA Cup game with Torpedo Moscow and is rated as doubtful for Saturday's game at Old Trafford.

Armstrong clashed heads with Alan Mahon during the second half of Sunday's game and was unconscious for several minutes. Town manager George Burley said of Armstrong: "Alun will not be available on Thursday, he suffered concussion. He feels OK but he will not return to training until Friday. He is only 50/50 for next Saturday's match against Manchester United."

Town's U17s won their game 4-2 against Charlton at the weekend. The scorers for the U17s were Sam Morrow (2), Stuart Boardley and Dean Bowditch.

Photo: Action Images

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