Signs of Life, Even in a Bad Result

Not every poor result needs the full meltdown treatment. The performance matters, and against Burnley there were finally signs of braver football, better tempo and a team starting to knit together.

I can’t be the only one watching that and thinking: hang on, that wasn’t actually as bad as the scoreline or the mood afterwards will make it feel.

I’ve always been more worried about the performance and the style than the result when things go stale. Results can swing on a bounce, a decision, a moment. Style tells you whether there’s anything to build on. And to be fair, I’ve been on Arne Slot’s case for months, even during spells when we’ve managed to win games again. So if I’m going to dish it out, I’ve got to be honest when there’s something there.

The football looked more like football

For me, the biggest difference was we played with a bit of courage. Braver on the ball, more willing to take responsibility in possession, and more intent to move it through the middle rather than just shuffling it around the edges waiting for something to happen.

There were more penetrating passes, more moments where someone actually tried to break a line instead of taking the safe option, and more willingness to shoot when it opened up. That matters. It’s not always about creating the perfect chance, it’s about asking questions, making defenders turn, forcing reactions. You could see players taking on their man instead of playing like they were afraid of losing it.

And honestly, we looked the better side. It wasn’t one of those days where you come away thinking we were second best and got what we deserved. It felt like a game we controlled for long spells, which is why it’s frustrating it ends up as “a bad result” rather than a turning point.

Perspective: we’ve seen worse, even in wins

The truth is, it shows how low the bar’s been at times that I’m clinging to positives here. But I’ll take them. I’d rather see a team trying to play the right way and fall short than watch us stumble through another ninety minutes hoping for a late moment.

It also puts the reverse fixture into context. We’ve all seen games where you nick it late and pretend the performance was fine because the points went on the board. This felt the other way round: a performance with more to like, but without the reward at the end.

Play that match again with the same balance of play and you’d fancy us most weeks. Not because it’s guaranteed, but because it finally looked repeatable.

One problem Slot has to deal with

My one big criticism is simple: there’s no excuse left for the defensive lapse stuff to keep costing us without consequences. If Konate’s making the kind of mistake that swings a game, then Slot has to act. It can’t just be shrugged off as “one of those”.

For me, you put Gomez in there and it’s the sort of game you manage out and win 1-0. That’s not being dramatic, it’s just being ruthless. If we’re serious about tightening up, selection has to reflect it.

So no, I’m not saying everything’s fixed. But for the first time in a while, it looked like a team trying to become something again. And that’s worth noting.

Written by Westwood666: 21 January 2026