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This Tiny Little Club is Simply Brilliant - Notes for Burton
Thursday, 13th Apr 2017 11:08 by HarryFromBath

HarryfromBath assesses the mood in the opposition camp ahead of Friday evening’s game at the Pirelli Stadium by delving into their forums.

“Hasn’t this season been great?”, “The finishing line is close but there is still work to do”, “We are really punching above our weight and I feel confident we will get the points to stay up. Our mentality and attitude are stronger than any of our relegation rivals”, “Whatever happens, what a season.”

“We could be safe next week with back-to-back wins. Let’s hope so.” Brewers are happy with the way their team has held their nerve in a relegation-threatened run-in. Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home to Villa moved them five points clear of third-bottom Blackburn with a healthier goal difference.

“It’s all eyes on Blackburn really. Their fans seem resigned to them getting relegated now”, “I said Blackburn would go down looking at their run-in a few weeks ago. Take three points against Ipswich and it could be all but over”, “We have had a decent run of results, other teams are falling behind.”

“This team surprises us every time they play”, “We are playing FA Cup games every week”, “This is our time in the sun”, “Getting into this league was a massive achievement. Staying in it should be the football story of the decade”, “Fourth-bottom will happily do me on the last day of the season.”

“Teams cannot come to terms with losing to Burton Albion. Fans can’t believe that a club with a fanbase of 3,000 can compete with their multi-million pound squads”, “Teams talk about expecting a tough match and our remarkable story but you know that their fans expect to beat us comfortably.”

“Please, please let us stay up. It’s going to be really exciting to see Nigel Clough add to this squad this summer. They will have to be very decent players to be better than what we currently have”, “Get us another season or two in the Championship and Nigel Clough will walk away from here a legend.”

Nigel Clough

“Nigel continues to perform miracles with Burton Albion”, “Anyone sat near the dugout can see how much he wants results. Nobody else of his stature would have worked with our budget constraints”, “I wouldn’t swap him for Jose Mourinho or Pep Guardiola in this situation, horses for courses.”

Nigel Clough imageNigel Clough

The 51-year-old steered Burton from the Southern Premier League to League Two in a successful 11-year spell in charge from 1998 to 2009. He returned to replace Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in December 2015 and guided the Brewers to a second-place finish in League One and promotion to the Championship.

“Nigel is willing to go looking in lower leagues for players and gives youth a chance.” He has been praised for his player recruitment on very limited funds and for building a strong spirit within his squad. “He finds players of character and quality with our small budget so we are able to compete.”

“He would have been off his rocker if went to Forest.” Clough had talks with Forest owner Fawaz Al-Hasawi about the vacant manager post in January but decided to remain at the Pirelli. “A yardstick for how far this club has come is that our manager turns down Nottingham Forest to stay with us.”

A Good January Window

“It turned out to be a very good window indeed”, “I have a feeling the two Fulham boys will be the key”, “The Fulham two have made all the difference since they arrived just as we were starting to go a little stale. They have sort of invigorated us.” Clough was praised for acting decisively in January.

Nottingham Forest recalled striker Jamie Ward from his loan spell with the Brewers, but their attack was strengthened by the arrival of strikers Marvin Sordell (from Coventry), Luke Varney (from Town) and the loan signings from Fulham of striker Cauley Woodrow and midfielder Lars Vigen Christensen.

Two further loan additions galvanised the squad for the second half of the season. Winger Michael Kightly joined the squad from Burnley and midfielder Luke Murphy arrived from Leeds United. “The players who have come into the squad are not green youths, they are very experienced.”

Work Rate and Industry

“Villa won’t have faced anyone as hard working and in your face as us and they definitely won’t be able to ping the ball around”, “Everybody put a shift in again. We matched them player for player, coming out on top in our duels because of our work rate, effort and desire to win the game.”

Brewers highlight the team’s industry as the key to their ability to compete. “Anything we get is a result of our work rate”, “They all put in a massive shift and some are visibly exhausted at full time”, “The football we play is very tiring. We do a lot of running as we don’t have the ball so much.”

“Wear the shirt and do your best. That’s enough for me”, “We have created a tall, muscular athletic team and have toughened up too. We play a high-tempo game, not giving opponents a moment’s rest when we lose possession”, “We can upset some teams we face who don’t like the physicality.”

McLaughlinBrayfordMcFadzeanTurnerFlanaganMurphyIrvineKightlyDyerSordellWoodrow

Burton have preferred using a midfield three recently but have switched between a three-man and four-man defence depending on the circumstances of the game. Saturday’s starting XI against Villa (above) struck a familiar balance between defensive solidity with pace and experience in attack.

Goals have not been plentiful for Burton spectators lately. In a sequence of binary 1-0, 0-1, 1-1 and 0-0 score lines, neither they nor their opponents have managed to score twice in eight of their last nine games, the only exception being last month’s remarkable 5-3 defeat at home to Brentford.

Brewers have now proudly dubbed their backline ‘The Yellow Brick Wall’. “Our defence in the win at Huddersfield was five centre-halves and all six-foot plus players in an impenetrable barrier in front of Jon McLaughlin. John Brayford, John Mousinho, Kyle McFadzean, Ben Turner and Tom Flanagan,”

“I love Jackson Irvine and Luke Murphy bossing the midfield.” Lars Vigen Christensen and top scorer Jackson Irvine have added creativity to central midfield. Michael Kightly has played centrally or on the wing while Lloyd Dyer, Marvin Sordell and Lucas Akins are a threat as wingers or wing-backs.

Most of Burton’s goals have come from midfield. Striker Chris O’Grady was praised for his hold-up play but has struggled to find the net. Cauley Woodrow’s four goals have made him the side’s most prolific striker. Luke Varney has mostly featured from the bench but has yet to score for Burton.

Burton 1 — 1 Aston Villa

“How can you not like that?”, “A fantastic performance. To go behind after three minutes was the worst possible start but we competed with a side littered with top players”, “A good display, happy with a point but we could have had three given how we bossed the second half. Well done Burton.”

“We equalled Villa and should have won.” Jonathan Kodjia gave the visitors the perfect start after capitalising on a Ben Turner error to score in the third minute. Former Villa youth player Lloyd Dyer levelled on 61 minutes when he latched on to Kyle McFazdean’s angled pass to rifle the ball home.

“I was very disappointed with Villa. They had the quality but didn’t seem to have the grit or fight to turn that quality into goals or the threat of goals”, “At one point in the second half I thought ‘We’re playing Aston Villa and they are hanging on for dear life, another incredible moment this season’.”

Newcastle 1 — 0 Burton

“I’m proud of each and every one of the players tonight. They gave a great account of themselves. If we battle like that for the remaining games we will have no problems staying up”, “A great effort by the lads and at least the goal difference didn’t take a hammering, which it had the potential to do.”

Matt Ritchie scored the winning goal when he curled home a shot on 68 minutes but the game will be remembered for referee Keith Stroud’s award of a freekick to Albion in error when Newcastle players encroached after Ritchie’s 29th minute penalty had beaten Brewers’ keeper Jon McLaughlin.

Albion fans commenting on their matchday thread were as baffled as everyone else. “Strange goings on at St James’ Park, a penalty awarded to Newcastle and scored but it’s still nil-all. Figure that one out. The referee awards a freekick to Brewers instead to the side of the penalty area, what the hell?”


McLaughlinBrayfordMousinhoTurnerAkinsMurphyIrvineChristensenFlanaganSordellVarney

Clough lined up with a back three (above) including two wing-backs who Brewers described as being “defensively-minded during the game”, “Yet another gritty performance. I hoped we might have held out. Great support tonight in huge numbers”, “Around 700 Brewers made the 300-mile round trip.”

Huddersfield 0 — 1 Burton

“Wow, wow”, “Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant, what a great performance from them all. Great to snatch three points at the end”, “Oh, my goodness. I think we might be staying up. This will destroy teams around us who have been banking on us being the third relegated team”, “Happy days, I love it.”

Substitute Jackson Irvine scored in stoppage time to give Burton a famous win over the high-flying Terriers. The hosts dominated possession but could not break Albion’s defence down and they were also reduced to 10 men when Dean Whitehead picked up a second yellow card on 88 minutes.

“A bolt out of the blue”, “A fantastic smash-and-grab, we worked very hard, defended stubbornly and created when we could”, “I’m going to go and recover now.” The performance and outcome were Burton’s ‘Watford’ moment in this campaign. “That was such a humungous win, excellent.”

McLaughlinBrayfordMousinhoTurnerFlanaganMcFadzeanMurphyChristensenSordellKightlyWoodrow

Fans praised Clough for starting with a solid defensive line-up (above) and for making vital changes when he spotted the opportunity to win the game. “It was important not to start Irvine but to use him as a substitute. The final counter-attack and his run to be there for Sordell’s pass was fantastic.”

Goalkeepers and Defenders

“Jon McLaughlin is a fantastic keeper who has made some stunning saves.” The 29-year-old former Bradford man “is a club legend. Some of the saves I have seen him make have been extraordinary, not so much this season to be fair”, “He was exceptional last season behind a very mean defence.”

Jon McLaughlin imageJon McLaughlin

“McLaughlin is good at making saves and has been brilliant for us but his decision-making on when to come for a cross or not this season has been questionable and cost us dearly in some games”, “His flapping at crosses does creep into his game, but he has been magnificent for the past two years.”

“It was great to see John Mousinho throwing himself about when he came on against Villa. I’m old school.” The 30-year-old ex-Preston centre-back “has managed to deal successfully with a series of excellent Championship strikers this season”, “He hasn’t looked out of place so far at this level.”

“Mousinho has been brilliant at the back”, “He battles away and looks like the old ‘Moose’ we’re accustomed to seeing. He has found his feet in this league”, “Some of his tackles have been crucial but he can be just a bog boot in possession and many of his clearances are simply sliced out of play.”

“Kyle McFadzean chases every ball and is on the end of every high ball into the box.” The 30-year-old summer addition from Milton Keynes “lives on the edge with his holding in the box but he will throw himself in front of shots and make skilful tackles and crucial blocks whenever danger materialises.”

Kyle McFadzean imageLeon Best shields the ball from Kyle McFadzean of Burton Albion

“The defence is always better with McFadzean in it”, “He shows excellent leadership qualities when organising his team-mates at the back”, “He’s a very highly-rated big strong centre-back”, “He can be pretty stupid and thoughtless with his ill-discipline but he’s so significant in our three-man defence.”

“Tom Flanagan can do a job stopping a threat on our left and allowing the wide player space to put pressure on opposition defenders.” The 25-year-old former Milton Keynes man “is in the thick of it”, “He shows for everything and battles hard, winning the ball and running with it through midfield.”

“Flanagan tackles superbly and makes decent crosses as well but it visibly affects his confidence if fans boo him even if they are in reality booing the tactics”, “The problem is than just one mistake and we are laying into him”, “His attitude and contribution change when fans have cheered him.”

“We need two John Brayfords because he’s our best defender but has also been involved in some of the goals we have scored.” The 29-year-old one-time Ram is on loan from Sheffield United and plays on the right side of defence or as a wing-back. “He has given us creativity and assists from out wide.”

John Brayford imageJohn Brayford playing for former club Cardiff City

“Brayford throws himself at everything, wins his headers and gets his blocks in but he also doesn’t get booked doing it”, “He makes good runs as a full-back and links with midfield, serving up some great crosses”, “Most teams forget what a marauding full-back he is given a chance to get forward.”

Ben Turner

“We need Turner in the side for as long as possible. He has been brilliant”, “He has always had a gentle giant vibe. When he goes through someone it is always done somewhat politely”, “He is an absolute rock”, “Magnificent”, “Head, head, head, clear, clear, clear, he is so calm at the back.”

“Turner is essential for us. We need him for the Ipswich game to get a win under our belts.” The club are appealing a five-game ban handed to the 29-year-old former Bluebird for allegedly using abusive and/or insulting words in a December game at Brentford. “We are so lucky to have him in our side.”

Central Midfielders

“Tom Naylor is very underrated. He nearly always makes a difference. We are more solid in defence when he comes on and wherever he plays he adds value. He also has a goal in him.” The 25-year-old ex-Ram is primarily a holding midfielder but covers across the backline, especially on the right side.

“Matt Palmer has been a real eye-opener this season.” The 22-year-old youth product “has to realise that apart from the typical midfield duties like winning tackles and headers, he needs to be the one driving and dictating the pace of our passing game. He is wasted without the ball when he plays.”

Matt Palmer imageMatt Palmer v Kevin Bru

“I like the look of Luke Murphy.” The 27-year-old January loan signing from Leeds “is a thoughtful and energetic player”, “A busy, bustling midfielder who has got an eye for the spectacular as well”, “He’s the type of player that stands out in difficult games, winning the ball and completing passes.”

“Murphy’s defensive contributions are very good. He has stopped teams getting through a fair few times”, “A big tall lad which is helpful in this league, very good at winning the ball back”, “He needs to be better with his decision-making in terms of when to play it, when to hold and when to hoof it.”

“Lasse Vigen Christensen is a decent midfielder at this level.” The 22-year-old Fulham loan signing “is always involved and works hard. He looks tidy on the ball and is very good when he drifts out to the left and plays clever little passes”, “He looks comfortable on the ball and does the basics really well.”

Lasse Vigen Christensen imageFulham loanee Lasse Vigen Christensen

“Christensen is efficient, not too much razzle and dazzle but he consistently works hard getting balls in the box and creating opportunities”, “He needs to remember that in a Nigel Clough side he has to track back as well”, “He is not flash, but is a very good passer of the ball who keeps moves flowing.”

Jackson Irvine

“The difference Jackson makes is incredible. Having someone with a quick-thinking football brain in the middle of the pitch transforms us into a different team.” The 24-year-old July arrival from Ross County “is still an unknown player to most clubs but value-wise he is the best signing in the league”.

“I’s great to see a passionate footballer who doesn’t just show it by ploughing through opponents”, “It’s no coincidence we struggle when he’s out”, “Jackson starts some games holding but as soon as he gets his foot on the ball he really gives the team confidence to push on and take the initiative.”

Wide Midfielders and Wingers

“Nigel Clough said he would like to have another Lucas Akins, a player who runs up and down the wing tirelessly and can play up front if needed as well.” The 28-year-old right-sided ex-Stevenage man “has no airs and few graces but he has power, passion and belief in himself and team-mates”.

Lucas Akins imageLucas Akins of Burton Albion v Adam Webster

“Let’s add Ipswich away to the Lucas ‘Blazes Over’ Akins archive”, “I have got a lot of time for Akins but he has to be more clinical”, “He seems to miss a number of big chances, one per game it seems”, “His crossing is not perfect but he puts pressure on opposition defences as an out-and-out winger.”

“Goodness me, Michael Kightly is rather fab, isn’t he?” The 31-year-old Burnley loan signing “adds a bit of class to the hard work we display”, “He helps keep the high tempo that was missing earlier in the season”, “Some of his touches and play are different class and he is a great outlet on the left.”

“Kightly is up and down the wing when out wide, causing defences problems with his quick feet”, “He has goals and fire power in him. He is on the spot when it matters, something we have missed this season”, “He’s way too good for the bottom of the Championship, so fair play to his attitude.”

Lloyd Dyer

“Dyer is a veteran really but he still has the pace and never stops running the whole match.” The 34-year-old summer addition from Burnley, who came close to joining the Blues last season, “is amazing. He’s really rapid and still gets a head of steam late into games”, “He gets the crowd going and is rejuvenated on the wing in the 3-5-2 formation.”

Lloyd Dyer imageLuke Chambers v Lloyd Dyer

“As for Dyer’s wonder goal against Villa, wow!”, “He needed a breather in January but Nigel’s clever use of him has helped keep his sharpness”, “He’s a winger first and foremost but is such an honest lad that he always looks to defend as well”, “He’s up and down all game and takes his goals well.”

Strikers

“Chris O’Grady is a centre forward who doesn’t score. He is mobile and holds the ball up for the side but goals win games and he cannot score.” The 31-year-old Brighton loanee has not featured lately. “We have changed the way we are playing and the players starting are better suited to our system.”

Chris O'Grady imageChris O'Grady holds back Skuse and Chambers

“Marvin Sordell is a typical Nigel Clough signing who works his socks off.” The 26-year-old January arrival from Coventry “wins many headers, battles for every ball and makes some good passes but he looks lost as a lone striker”, “He is ineffective on his own and needs more support up front.”

“Sordell’s first touch is good and he uses the ball well”, “He is more effective on the right wing”, “His work rate is phenomenal plus his touch and runs are very intelligent”, “He picks up yellow cards but I like to see some of that grit that we lack”, “His job chasing lost causes is a thankless task at times.”

Cauley Woodrow

“We do like hard-working men up front”, “Woodrow works his socks off and leaves everything on the pitch. That is all Burton fans ask of players.” The 22-year-old Fulham loanee “looks like someone who has the belief that he can get us a goal”, “He looks sharper as his game time is increasing.”

Cauley Woodrow imageFulham loanee Cauley Woodrow

“The right place at the right time”, “One of the reasons we brought Woodrow in was because we had no predators in the team who have the instinct to follow shots in. He is on the spot when it matters”, “He’s a good battler and has looked absolutely knackered at the end of most games.”

Luke Varney

“Varney has taken time to find his feet. When he came on from the bench for 10 minutes against Norwich he looked really good and hungry.” The 34-year-old signed an 18-month contract with the Brewers after leaving Portman Road in January. “He looks a handful coming on from the bench.”

Luke Varney imageLuke Varney

“At 34 years old, an 18-month contract sounds good to finish his career and he’s a good fit with our budget. If relegated he’s a good player for League One”, “He’s an experienced Championship player and capable of getting goals. I might describe him as a less aggressive version of Jamie Ward.”

“Varney is ideal in a role leading the line and harassing opposition defences. He feeds off long balls into the channels”, “Boy can he jump, he cleanly wins his headers”, “He has great experience and the right attitude”, “I personally would put Varney in to get a goal against his former employers.”

Brewers’ Views on ITFC and the Game

“If we can take three points against Ipswich it could be all but over”, “We're all hoping for two wins on Friday and Monday”, “It would be a nice time to put two wins together for the first time this season. I think this is a good opportunity for it too although it is out of hope than expectation.”

“Of the two games over Easter, I'm more worried about Ipswich than Birmingham [who Burton play at St Andrew’s on Easter Monday].”

Brewers are approaching Friday evening’s game with great caution and are taking nothing for granted. “Ipswich eat teams who expect three points off them.”

“I have to admit I'm a bit wary of this one. Any side with David McGoldrick, Freddie Sears and Brett Pitman (I might be wrong but I think he has scored against us every time he has played against us) have to be approached cautiously regardless of recent form or where they are in the table.

“At Portman Road, we dominated the first 10 or 15 minutes, fluffed a load of chances and then went behind to their first attack. It was a game we really should have won but individual errors cost us.”

“Ipswich are a dangerous animal. They bore you all game and then strike a winning goal. On Friday night there will be about 800 Ipswich fans and the Brewers hoping for a breakthrough. McCarthy’s style of play will try to keep the crowd quiet even though Burton try to play on the front foot.

“The game plan for Ipswich should be to keep the Yellow Brick Wall and keep a quiet crowd. Take a valuable point as we can play Ipswich at their game. The must be no discontent or boos in our fans, be patient and believe a point is good. We know McCarthy’s game plan will be to bore the crowd.”

“We should keep doing what we're doing. It's much more enjoyable grinding results out than having people saying we're playing brilliantly but we come away with nothing points-wise.”

“I would keep the same team as we had against Villa. Keep it as tight as a duck's rear end and treat it like we're playing Newcastle or Brighton. Don't give anything daft away and the chances will come. All we have to do then is take the said chances!”

Websites

The busiest Brewers’ message board is the polite and friendly Cloughthemagicdragon.


Photo: Action Images



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yogiblue added 11:29 - Apr 13
Wonderful and insightful as always Harry!
4

GeoffSentence added 11:34 - Apr 13
"We know McCarthy's game plan will be to bore the crowd.”

hahahahahahaha

I'm not sure it is a plan as such but it is how it is.

This one has 0-0 written all over it.
7

Radlett_blue added 11:39 - Apr 13
Most Town fans will be expecting us to get a result at Burton, but if you look at the type of players they have been signing, it seems they are trawling the same segment of the player market as us, even though I'm sure our wage bill is higher. Going to be a tough game - a draw might suit both sides.
3

Swailsey added 11:41 - Apr 13
How refreshing to hear from a set of fans who are universally happy!
6

Kitman added 11:41 - Apr 13
predictable assessment from the home side I guess and slightly refreshing (almost) to be classed as bores and not Mick McCarthy's team of thugs...
3

LankHenners added 12:31 - Apr 13
Thanks Harry - neither set of fans seem to think this will be a rip-roaring affair and probably rightly so. They've done very well have Burton and we'll need to be prepared for the physical battle but I'm hoping we have the extra quality to shine through.

Get these two Easter games out of the way and we could be mathematically safe. Hopefully then we'll have a bit more clarity about off the pitch plans for next season.
3

greenkingtone added 13:48 - Apr 13
Harry you're a bloody beaut! Thanks for your effort throughout the season.
7

BobbyBell added 13:59 - Apr 13
Micks style of play won't just keep their crowd quite, it keeps everyone quite.
5

therein61 added 15:18 - Apr 13
Well done Harry another great read
5

carlo88 added 15:19 - Apr 13
^
@chrisswailes

Just what I was going to post!
1

Ftnfwest added 19:05 - Apr 13
That's funny, it seems to be his game plan for us as well
1

wayway added 20:36 - Apr 13
A club run and managed properly, doesn't that make you jealous
4

Sam added 06:05 - Apr 14
I actually think we might win tonight. Come on Town and DON'T UNDERESTIMATE BURTON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1

shakytown added 15:41 - Apr 14
Once again we will get the thrilling spectacle o Bart defenders and a couple of headless chooks running around after hoofs from the likes of chambers. At best 0-0. Sod off Mick.
1


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