Cause for optimism after Saturday’s dross draw
Sunday’s away fixture to Tottenham Hotspur sees Burnley grab
a welcome break to the two games a week that they have become accustomed to
recently.
The Clarets weren’t at the races at Turf Moor on Saturday
and were fortunate to come away with a point.
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| Martin Rickett gettyimages |
However, it is important to note the monstrous fixture
schedule they have faced in recent weeks with Burnley fulfilling 13 fixtures in
just 42 days.
Sean Dyche felt that this played a part in the performance
and therefore wasn’t too harsh in his assessment of the players in his post-match
news conference:
I’ve got to be careful not to over criticise these players
because they give us a lot and they continue to give us a lot”. Dyche said. “13
games in 42 days is a big schedule to complete whether you have got injuries or
not.”
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| Visionhaus gettyimages |
Operating on a tight budget with a small squad of players in
this current climate has meant that a performance such as the one on Saturday
was bound to happen at some stage in the season. And yet, we still shared the
points with West Brom and extended our unbeaten run to 3 games.
It is possible that the players have never been under as
much pressure both physically and mentally to perform as they have been over
the past 8 months as the world endures a turbulent period.
Inevitably limited recovery time comes with an increased
risk of injuries which The Clarets have been no stranger to this season.
Ashley Barnes, Chris Wood, Erik Pieters, Matej Vydra, Johann
Berg Gudmundsson, Dale Stephens, and Robbie Brady are all currently on the
sidelines meaning Dyche has limited options available.
This injury crisis resembles the one in which Burnley found themselves
in last June, except this time there is more cause for optimism.
Burnley sit on 28 points with a six-point buffer between
them and the relegation zone and with Fulham hot on the heels of Newcastle it
is The Magpies who look the most likely to be dragged into a relegation scrap.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s fixture at White Hart Lane, there
has perhaps never been a better time to play Tottenham with Jose Mourinho’s men
losing five out of their last six league fixtures.
Mourinho looks like a man bereft of ideas at the moment and
another defeat at the hands of Burnley could see him shown the exit door.
Last season’s trip to Spurs saw Burnley humiliated 5-0 but
if we were able to nick an early goal this time around it could make things interesting.
The summer transfer window may well be a more prosperous one
than in years gone by as Alan Pace and his team at ALK have pledged to invest in
the club both on and off the pitch.
We have already seen the early signs of Pace’s vision unfolding
with the introduction of Ai Scout and the merging of the women’s team under one
banner.
In terms of on the pitch, purchasing another winger would
allow youngster Dwight McNeil to share some of the creativity burden.
McNeil looks to be playing with a lot of pressure on his
young shoulders this season and bringing in someone of a similar ilk would take
the shackles off the England under 21 international.
Millwall winger Jed Wallace would be a good fit for the side.
He is capable of causing opposition defences problems from set-pieces and has
found the net seven times this term which is a respectable return at this stage
of the season for a winger.
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| Naomi Baker gettyimages |
Planning for life after James Tarkowski remains a priority
and you would expect the Burnley hierarchy to go back in for Stoke City’s
Nathan Collins having had a £4 million bid rebuffed in January.
Collins is somebody who would be able to slot straight into Tarkowski’s
place, whilst also offering resale value in the future.
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| James Williamson AMA |
Although Matej Vydra has found himself a place in the
starting lineup of late you would expect that the 28-year-old will be seeking
assurances of regular first-team football come the summer. If Dyche is unable to offer him this, he may
seek to move on.
We would need to replace the Czech Republic international
should this happen and an avid replacement in my opinion would be from dare I
say it, our neighbours down the road Blackburn Rovers.
Their striker Adam Armstrong is second in the championship
top scorers list this season just five goals behind the prolific Ivan Toney and
boasts a 63% shot accuracy which is the third-highest in the league.
At just 24 the forward has time to develop and is able to
combine his eye for goal with an ability to drop off and support the play.
Valued at 9 million on Transfermarkt he could prove to be a shrewd signing should we wish to do business with our rivals who would probably demand a higher fee for his services given his form this season.
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| Rachel Holborn BRFC gettyimages |
I am interested to hear your thoughts on how you think the
season is going. Where do you think we will finish? What areas do we need to
strengthen in? UTC!
Sources
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/championship/top-scorers
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/adam-armstrong/profil/spieler/250426
https://www.premierleague.com/results?co=1&se=363&cl=21
https://www.whoscored.com/Players/107174/Show/Jed-Wall
ace
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