Strong jaw returns
Plus: Signings needed fast
Hi everyone - Burnley have finally played a football match! And we didn’t lose it!
Strong jaw returns
After what has felt like an eternity, Burnley returned to Premier League action on Sunday, with a 0-0 draw at Arsenal just what was needed after bad results elsewhere.
It was a good time to face the Gunners with their first-choice midfield pair both suspended, even though the Clarets are coming out of their own selection crisis.
The team virtually picked itself with a bench packed by defenders, though there was a little surprise with Connor Roberts coming into the back line in place of Matt Lowton.
Roberts put it an enterprising shift, perhaps lacking a bit in attacking impact, and was part of a titanic effort at the back. Erik Pieters was excellent deputising for Charlie Taylor, while neither centre-back put a foot (or head) wrong. It was especially pleasing to see James Tarkowski back to his very best after the recent ridiculous suggestions he should follow Chris Wood out of the door, while Nick Pope also made one huge save.
Arsenal dominated possession, as would be expected, but they did very little with it, preferring to stroll around in their own half playing pretty, pointless sideways passes and throwing themselves to the ground if an opposition player breathed on them.
Ahead of a critical clash with Watford - the game having been moved again after it was postponed for the second time - it was what Burnley needed to get back on track.
Clean sheets have been lacking this season but a strong defensive foundation is going to be key if Burnley have any chance of hauling themselves out of the mire by May.
Signings needed fast
While there were plenty of positives to take from Sunday’s game, the lack of attacking threat was clear. Burnley created almost nothing, with Dwight McNeil wasteful on a couple of late breaks and Aaron Lennon struggling to back up his recent resurgence.
With Wood gone, Maxwel Cornet at AFCON and Ashley Barnes still not fit, all Sean Dyche could do was pick his two fit strikers and throw on Johann Gudmundsson late.
It isn’t going to be enough. I love Jay Rodriguez as much as any Claret but he just isn’t going to score goals regularly and, although Matej Vydra always tries his heart out, he is not really the man we want to be in place if a crucial chance arrives in front of goal.
Burnley will look stronger when Cornet returns and the likes of Taylor are fit again, but Alan Pace has to help Dyche out in the transfer market over the next week or so.
The January window has been slow to get going around the league, with clubs finding it hard to get deals done. Even Newcastle United, who have unlimited funds, have not been able to sign as many reinforcements in their fight against the drop as they would like. And it is stating the obvious to say if it is at all hard for them, it is harder for us.
But Dyche and his squad needed help before Wood left, with the Kiwi’s departure just increasing the need to add quality in the final third to supplement Cornet’s threat.
The rumour mill appears to have gone quite quiet too, but things usually crank into gear as the days drip away. The winter break offers some rare breathing space as well.
No signings three weeks into the window is not good enough. Time is running out.
Birthdays and anniversaries
Michael Kightly is 36 today, with the ex-winger part of two promotion campaigns.
Kightly was never my favourite (<3 Junior) but he was a key cog in that machine.
Burnley are unbeaten in their last four games #OnThisDay, including a 3-0 win at Fulham exactly a year ago with Jay Rodriguez on target with another cup strike:
Tweet of the week
That’s it for this week - feel free to leave a comment below with your views. Cheers!