After seeing Burnley win again today to take their tally to 7 points from 4 games, it, again, makes me wonder what the point was in playing a clearly half fit 34 year old in two games in 72 hours when he hasn't started a league game all season; not even in his best position to boot.
When a player admits he was selected in a squad for an International tournament, and started the first game, despite being unfit to participate, and the same mistake repeats itself a year later, and you have a manager publicly saying he will let one player decide himself if he wants to play, I am surprised more isn't made of it; especially when you consider the criticism players like Shay Given received in the past.
James McCarthy, too, was selected in the starting line up not long before this despite carrying an injury and was injured in the prematch warm-up.
Now if Walters was as important to us someone like Mkhitaryan would be to Armenia it would be understandable but we're a sum of our parts team.
The decision was made to look all the more ridiculous when you had Daryl Murphy come on and win a free kick right outside the box, get a player sent off, (almost) win a penalty and do something that Walters failed to do over two games and test the goalkeeper.
Long had absolutely no support up front and had to constantly run the channels; despite this, over the two games, he set one up on a plate for McClean, almost scored from outside the box against Serbia and tested the goalkeeper on several other occasions.
Yet, he will continue to carry the can and everyone will look to the next Folan/Best/Cox in Scott Hogan - despite 1 goal in his last 18 league games.
Which leads me to my next complaint..
Another complaint I have is that if players were selected on merit instead of hype then Meyler would've been in the team ahead of Arter against Georgia.
