Lee Burge (2 Viewers)

Adge

Well-Known Member
I'd add two other attributes and despite that I actually quite liked him, he was severely lacking in these too - ability to catch and commanding the area!
Yes-I’d put that in the decision making catagory, ie when to come and when to stay etc.
 

pastythegreat

Well-Known Member
Nah, disagree entirely, it was due to the fact we couldn't put the ball in the back of the net.
Apart from the times we did put the ball in the back of the net only to gift away goals by his incompetence (See Walsall away for one example)
 

Sky_Blue_Dreamer

Well-Known Member
Not putting the ball in the net didnt lose us points, Burges flaps, fumbles and poor clearances lost us quite a few points over the course of the season.

Not putting the ball in the net did cost us quite a lot of points last year. Games we should have won comfortably we didn't due to poor finishing. Luke Thomas alone could have had 20 last season if he was a clinical finisher. 15 if he was half decent.

That's not to say that Burge errors (along with other defensive clangers) didn't also cost us some points but on balance the lack of scoring was more responsible than the poor defending/keeping.

Check the league table. Look at the goals scored and goals conceded and see which one we're more lacking in compared to the other teams chasing promotion.
 

Sky_Blue_Dreamer

Well-Known Member
Apart from the times we did put the ball in the back of the net only to gift away goals by his incompetence (See Walsall away for one example)

What about the times Burge made good saves that gained us points because the strikers hadn't put their chances away? Towards the end of the season it was more likely that Burge would cost us points but earlier on he was responsible for us gaining quite a few.
 

Liquid Gold

Well-Known Member
The errors Burge made were so fundamental it wasn't like a striker missing a chance it was like a striker having the ball dead on the goal line while no position players were in the same half but missing the goal and somehow conceding a penalty.
 

Sky_Blue_Dreamer

Well-Known Member
The errors Burge made were so fundamental it wasn't like a striker missing a chance it was like a striker having the ball dead on the goal line while no position players were in the same half but missing the goal and somehow conceding a penalty.

Why isn't missing a chance 'fundamental' but catching a ball apparently is? The outfield players spend every day training just like the keepers do so why do they get more leeway? For me, missing a one-on-one is just as fundamental as catching a cross. I know I'd back myself to score a one-on-one more than catching the ball - the goals massive and it's not moving.
 

AStonesThrow

Well-Known Member
Not putting the ball in the net did cost us quite a lot of points last year. Games we should have won comfortably we didn't due to poor finishing. Luke Thomas alone could have had 20 last season if he was a clinical finisher. 15 if he was half decent.

That's not to say that Burge errors (along with other defensive clangers) didn't also cost us some points but on balance the lack of scoring was more responsible than the poor defending/keeping.

Check the league table. Look at the goals scored and goals conceded and see which one we're more lacking in compared to the other teams chasing promotion.

Couldn't this strength in lack of goals conceded also be credited to the strong defensive work done this season? Yes Lee did pull off some crucial saves and gained us vital points, but the back line was hugely responsible for containing the amount of shots taken from good areas
 

Sky_Blue_Dreamer

Well-Known Member
Couldn't this strength in lack of goals conceded also be credited to the strong defensive work done this season? Yes Lee did pull off some crucial saves and gained us vital points, but the back line was hugely responsible for containing the amount of shots taken from good areas

Of course it's a collective effort, but let's not forget there were also times when defenders and midfielders gave the ball away through poor passing that left Burge exposed and he dug them out of a hole with a save.

Burge had a lot of faults but I really don't get this need to make him the scapegoat and blame him for everything. Attackers miss chances and that's OK. We don't concede and it's due to a solid defence. We do concede and Burge is at fault regardless. It is OK to say Burge was capable of doing his job occasionally, because it's true.
 

Adge

Well-Known Member
Hang on, didn't you finish runner up to that pink dralon sofa we occasionally wheeled out?
I think the goalkeeper was more akin to Keiran Westwood than Lee Burge to be fair. The left back though some where saying more Greg Downs than Stuart Pearce.....:emoji_stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:
 

sw88

Chief Commentator!
Rumour was he was going to reject any contract offered so he could play in the championship. MR then realised how shit he is, didn’t offer him a deal, made a point about saying how a loan keeper could do the basics and now poor Lee could be on the bench in this league.

Wouldn’t say he’ll definitely be a bench warmer; depends on who he is up against. Just look at his last 3 seasons for us; started back up but (somehow) won the number 1 shirt! Albeit he did look half decent in league two and justified his selection that one season
 

pastythegreat

Well-Known Member
What about the times Burge made good saves that gained us points because the strikers hadn't put their chances away? Towards the end of the season it was more likely that Burge would cost us points but earlier on he was responsible for us gaining quite a few.
Tomato - Tomato.
 

Sick Boy

Well-Known Member
What about the times Burge made good saves that gained us points because the strikers hadn't put their chances away? Towards the end of the season it was more likely that Burge would cost us points but earlier on he was responsible for us gaining quite a few.

Towards the end of the league 2 season and start of last season he definitely won me over. However he then went back to his old ways, if not worse, it was time for a change and I’m glad he’s gone, he’s a decent League 2 keeper but not up to it at our level, especially if we want to progress.
 

Sky_Blue_Dreamer

Well-Known Member
Towards the end of the league 2 season and start of last season he definitely won me over. However he then went back to his old ways, if not worse, it was time for a change and I’m glad he’s gone, he’s a decent League 2 keeper but not up to it at our level, especially if we want to progress.

I agree it was probably time for him to move on, but that doesn't mean he was solely responsible for us not making the play-offs last year, which is what some people seem to think is the case. You'd think he hadn't caught a single cross all season the way some people go on. He had faults, but we've also had much worse.
 

Liquid Gold

Well-Known Member
I agree it was probably time for him to move on, but that doesn't mean he was solely responsible for us not making the play-offs last year, which is what some people seem to think is the case. You'd think he hadn't caught a single cross all season the way some people go on. He had faults, but we've also had much worse.
I'd say Burge is the worst player to have ever made more than 100 appearances for us.
 

Sky_Blue_Dreamer

Well-Known Member
I'd say Burge is the worst player to have ever made more than 100 appearances for us.

I guess that's subjective. Others would disagree based on what was expected of them, transfer fee etc. and the level of football. Burge did have some very good games and was a worthy MoM on a few occasions and got us points with some decent saves. Maybe it was a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day, but he did have good games as well as very poor ones.

Other contenders in the last 15-20 years:
Eastwood?
The crab duo of Hughes and Clingan (bar a couple of free kicks) were disappointing.
Osbourne?
Conor Thomas?
 
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Mr Panda

Well-Known Member
Conor Thomas didn't turn out how some people had hoped but he was part of a Coventry team that arguably played the most entertaining football we had seen for a while at that point in time
 

Adge

Well-Known Member
Conor Thomas didn't turn out how some people had hoped but he was part of a Coventry team that arguably played the most entertaining football we had seen for a while at that point in time
He turned out exactly as I thought he would.
 

skyblueeyesrevisited

Well-Known Member
The biggest problem for Burge is he never learned from his mistakes. Anyone can see he is poor when coming for crosses and his kicking is not up to standard. Surely as a pro you should work on your weaknesses. It’s the only way to improve.
 

LastGarrison

Well-Known Member
Made some brilliant saves - we should all be eternally grateful for *that* stop at Meadow Lane in the play-off semi-final - but as others have said his confidence took a beating after a series of bad decisions last season. Hope he prospers wherever he ends up but it was right for all sides that he moved on.
And let’s not forget his last gasp save against Oxford at Wembley.

I honestly thought they had scored. The buzz I got off that save was almost as much as I got off the goals.

However, for comedy value I do hope he goes to Sunderland.
 

HuckerbyDublinWhelan

Well-Known Member
I guess that's subjective. Others would disagree based on what was expected of them, transfer fee etc. and the level of football. Burge did have some very good games and was a worthy MoM on a few occasions and got us points with some decent saves. Maybe it was a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day, but he did have good games as well as very poor ones.

Other contenders in the last 15-20 years:
Eastwood?
The crab duo of Hughes and Clingan (bar a couple of free kicks) were disappointing.
Osbourne?
Conor Thomas?
All played for us at a higher level.

Hughes and Clingan were criminally underrated by our fans because they didn’t run around like headless chickens like their midfield partner who incidentally couldn’t pass or tackle,
 

Sky Blue Harry H

Well-Known Member
All played for us at a higher level.

Hughes and Clingan were criminally underrated by our fans because they didn’t run around like headless chickens like their midfield partner who incidentally couldn’t pass or tackle,

He'll be playing for a CCFC eleven if you want to turn out against him for l&wccfc supporters?
 

ccfc_ukr

Well-Known Member
Made some brilliant saves - we should all be eternally grateful for *that* stop at Meadow Lane in the play-off semi-final - but as others have said his confidence took a beating after a series of bad decisions last season. Hope he prospers wherever he ends up but it was right for all sides that he moved on.

coincidentally I saw Lee Burge in my local shop over the weekend, got a lovely white Merc. Just thought I'd let you all know.
 

Magwitch

Well-Known Member
Burge’s weakness was he never commanded his 6 yard area with any consistency, I’ve seen him make a number of worldly saves, remember the late one v Oxford at Wembley but I was never confident with him with crosses etc. and I’m certain his defence felt the same.
 

Great_Expectations

Well-Known Member
All played for us at a higher level.

Hughes and Clingan were criminally underrated by our fans because they didn’t run around like headless chickens like their midfield partner who incidentally couldn’t pass or tackle,

I agree, I always liked Clingan. You wouldn’t want him as your sole play maker ideally, but he was tidy on the ball and could keep things ticking.
 

Sky_Blue_Dreamer

Well-Known Member
All played for us at a higher level.

Hughes and Clingan were criminally underrated by our fans because they didn’t run around like headless chickens like their midfield partner who incidentally couldn’t pass or tackle,

As I said subjective depending on standard expected of them. I didn't think Burge would ever make the first team so for him to have been here for as long as he was and make L2 team of the year he turned out better than I expected. Similarly Osbourne who was poor I feel is judged harshly because he spent the vast majority of it at right back which didn't suit him at all.

Hughes and Clingan I felt were extremely underwhelming because they so often stifled an attack by putting their foot on the ball and passing it sideways or backwards, allowing the defence to get back - at times it felt like they were a double agent. Their passing stats look good %wise but it was to the detriment of the team.
 

Sky_Blue_Dreamer

Well-Known Member
Always a matter of opinion, but I liked Richard Shaw.

Liked him, but he was kept here because no-one else wanted him and he didn't rock the boat. The amount of times he annoyed me by jockeying a player backwards for 20-30 yards only to the tackle and foul them inside the area infuriated me. But we've definitely had worse.
 

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