England’s Dan Burn

[Smal]

He was a very good left back in the system we used. 

 

I know it seems strange given everything that's gone on since, but we had the best defence in the league in 22/23 and Dan was a big part of that, all at left back. 

[The Butcher]

Fantastic character. Hope he stays for a good few more years.

[OverThere]

BDB is living the dream that all of us have. He has been an absolute rock star for the money. The LB thing became an issue last year because we also had a revolving door at LCM and he was exposed for pace as the system began to break down with all of the injuries. I love seeing a good old fashioned BDB tackle, fantastic!!

[Andy]

Think he's had a good season, but not sure I'm quite at the point of gushing over him like others. He's excellent when you're backs to wall and need someone to throw themselves in the way of things, he's questionable if you're playing on the front foot and the other team are fast in transition.

 

His lack of pace is definitely a problem at times, compounded by Schar's lack of pace, and further compounded by Bruno's lack of pace when he's playing deep. 

 

That said, it's hard to argue that he's been an excellent value signing overall. 

[Menace]

20 minutes ago, Andy said:

Think he's had a good season, but not sure I'm quite at the point of gushing over him like others. He's excellent when you're backs to wall and need someone to throw themselves in the way of things, he's questionable if you're playing on the front foot and the other team are fast in transition.

 

His lack of pace is definitely a problem at times, compounded by Schar's lack of pace, and further compounded by Bruno's lack of pace when he's playing deep. 

 

That said, it's hard to argue that he's been an excellent value signing overall. 

 

Aye - how I feel. Been a great signing - but he's not Schar/Demba Ba/Cabaye value wise for me. Still £13M doesn't really get you much now days. As much as I love him, I don't want him here for "years to come". If he's still starting games in a season or two we have bigger issues than we anticipated.

[Holmesy]

2 hours ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

He wasn’t ‘that’ bad at LB really, just limited because of his skillset and looked funny because a 6’7” LB doesn’t really happen. 
 

Of course he should never play there again, ideally. 

 

 

 

Every team we played targeted him down that flank with a pacy winger and we shipped goals for fun. There was a very good reason for that.

[LFEE]

2 hours ago, andycap said:

He fucking was 😂. 

No he wasn’t. He was excellent at LB barring a few games. Also allowed us to convert to 3 at the back most games with Trippier adding a man into midfield and help with our suffocating press which we sorely miss nowadays.

 

Such short memories some people …

[JEToon]

4 minutes ago, Holmesy said:

Every team we played targeted him down that flank with a pacy winger and we shipped goals for fun. There was a very good reason for that.

 

never really happened in 2022/23 to be honest, and if it did teams were a bit shite at it we were excellent at the back that season 

 

and last season when he missed games as a result of injury it isn't like we suddenly stopped conceding goals.

[Cf]

1 hour ago, Andy said:

Think he's had a good season, but not sure I'm quite at the point of gushing over him like others. He's excellent when you're backs to wall and need someone to throw themselves in the way of things, he's questionable if you're playing on the front foot and the other team are fast in transition.

 

His lack of pace is definitely a problem at times, compounded by Schar's lack of pace, and further compounded by Bruno's lack of pace when he's playing deep. 

 

That said, it's hard to argue that he's been an excellent value signing overall. 

 

Basically where I am.

 

Think it's also fair to say, without wanting to be harsh because he's been a model pro for us, that in an ideal world he wouldn't be starting games for us this season, and certainly not next season.

[Conjo]

2 hours ago, Yorkie said:

 

Could be true but personally think it's a bit stupid if so because he's played in that position far, far more than he has CB, and was very good there across basically all of 22/23. He's been exposed more times than you'd like; particularly last season, but ultimately he's been pretty dependable there. 

 

It was really only the two seasons prior to this where he regularly played at LB. Unless you mean that he has played at LB far more than CB for us specifically, in which case disregard this entire post

 

Interestingly enough, he has never lost when playing as a winger (  ). Won 1-0 away against Liverpool in 2021 and drew at home to Burnley in 2019. Can't help but feel Howe has missed a trick here.

[Yorkie]

Naturally I meant for us specifically...

[olliemort]

He’s good when having to mark a taller striker with no pace. If he is up against anyone with pace he has a nightmare, would be a good squad player to fill in when needed. Hoping botman will be able come back and have the  same form when he first broke into the team and replace burn , that would make a massive difference to us 

[SteV]

2 minutes ago, olliemort said:

He’s good when having to mark a taller striker with no pace. If he is up against anyone with pace he has a nightmare, would be a good squad player to fill in when needed. Hoping botman will be able come back and have the  same form when he first broke into the team and replace burn , that would make a massive difference to us 

He did alright against a pace merchant on Saturday…

 

Obviously everyone wants and expects Botman to come back in though. But people need to be patient. It won’t just be a case of ‘right Botman’s fit again, he plays every game’.
 

Alas, he’ll play 90 mins against Bromley then everyone will twist like fuck when he’s back on the bench against Wolves three days later.

[80]

3 hours ago, 54 said:

He wasn't during the 22/23 season like, he was solid as a rock, and while he wasn't great there last year, the fact he came back a month early from a broken back because the team was decimated adds a lot of brownie points for me.

This is roughly it.

 

22/23 he was a pretty respectable LB playing an important role for the team. A clear weak link, but holding his own in the team.

 

23/24 he became awful for LB and was getting run ragged. But in very difficult circumstances, that he clearly wasn't exactly happy about himself. Every opposition manager put a bullseye on his forehead. Arguably it was management's fault for putting him in that situation more than anything he did.

[loki679]

5 hours ago, JEToon said:

 

Liverpool have lost 5 in their last 2, I would take Van Dijk like. 

 

How's that work then?

[duo]

2 hours ago, Andy said:

Think he's had a good season, but not sure I'm quite at the point of gushing over him like others. He's excellent when you're backs to wall and need someone to throw themselves in the way of things, he's questionable if you're playing on the front foot and the other team are fast in transition.

 

His lack of pace is definitely a problem at times, compounded by Schar's lack of pace, and further compounded by Bruno's lack of pace when he's playing deep. 

 

That said, it's hard to argue that he's been an excellent value signing overall. 

He makes up for it in sheer determination and commitment. One thing is a constant with Dan is that he always gives 100%

[buzza]

I can't fault his effort and work-rate, he always gives 100%. He never shies away from a tackle and is always willing. Value for money; yep, one of the best we have had.

BUT:

He is a yard slower than when we signed him, he takes an age to turn due to his size and stature, his control and then pass to whoever is available is the slowest on our team. There are very few progressive passes and he is so easy to read via his body shaping.

We need Botman back or/and an upgrade asap!

Can see the same happening to schar, but his passing and passing speed is on another level.

 

Sorry to be a moaner, but his pace of play really makes it easy for the opposition and it hurts to watch at times.

[Pata]

3 hours ago, LFEE said:

No he wasn’t. He was excellent at LB barring a few games. Also allowed us to convert to 3 at the back most games with Trippier adding a man into midfield and help with our suffocating press which we sorely miss nowadays.

 

Such short memories some people …

 

Aye, history is been re-written here regarding last season. He only had like 3 'bad' games around Christmas and was very solid otherwise even at LB. 

[Pata]

3 hours ago, olliemort said:

If he is up against anyone with pace he has a nightmare

 

These must be really rare nowadays as I can't really remember any mares.

 

Sometimes attackers go past defenders, doesn't mean anyone Isak has skinned is garbage.

[TRon]

4 hours ago, LFEE said:

No he wasn’t. He was excellent at LB barring a few games. Also allowed us to convert to 3 at the back most games with Trippier adding a man into midfield and help with our suffocating press which we sorely miss nowadays.

 

Such short memories some people …

 

Yeah he was defensively very solid at LB for us, only issues was when he got exposed high up the pitch against a pacy forward who got in  behind him, but that didn't happen very often. He was ok going forward as well to a point, obviously not going to provide the quality you get from someone like Hall but then he's probably more solid defensively.

[Andy]

1 hour ago, Pata said:

 

Aye, history is been re-written here regarding last season. He only had like 3 'bad' games around Christmas and was very solid otherwise even at LB. 

 

Disagree with this personally. He got rinsed time and time again last season, hence people clamouring for Hall at left back. He was good at LB the season before but lost a yard of pace between seasons.  

[80]

21 minutes ago, Andy said:

 

Disagree with this personally. He got rinsed time and time again last season, hence people clamouring for Hall at left back. He was good at LB the season before but lost a yard of pace between seasons.  

Yes. He finished the season better once he got shifted to centre back for the final games, which he said he was happy to be back in.

 

He'd not really been there since the beginning of the season - after Brighton away, the received wisdom on here was he couldn't be allowed to play centre back again and it was LB or nothing...

[Nine]

2 hours ago, Andy said:

 

Disagree with this personally. He got rinsed time and time again last season, hence people clamouring for Hall at left back. He was good at LB the season before but lost a yard of pace between seasons.  

There isn’t much chance he lost that much pace over a single summer.

 

It was far more to do with Popes injury and not being protected by Joelinton on that side, and being a mainstay in a largely unchanged back 4 for 22/23.

 

Edit: something I forgot to add that others have mentioned, the back injury was a massive part in him looking like he’d lost something physically.

 

 

Edited December 16, 2024 by Nine

[Andy]

14 minutes ago, Nine said:

There isn’t much chance he lost that much pace over a single summer.

 

I agree there were other factors, but I definitely think he lost a yard of recovery pace between the end of 22/23 and January 24. He was never exactly quick to begin with mind.

 

I didn't say it happened entirely over the summer, but recovery from pre season is where age tends to take its toll. 

[80]

It's probably more on point to say his agility, rather than strictly pace. Everything ended up looking like an effort for him. He was playing with a not fully recovered broken back for a decent portion so it would be a bit weird if he was as nimble as he always was.