Burnley looking for home rule

Last updated : 17 November 2012 By Tony Scholes

Three home wins in succession. It's the first time that's happened since the opening three league games of the 2010/11 season, the first three home games after relegation from the Premier League.

Then, we beat Nottingham Forest, Leicester and Preston and having won the last home game of the previous season against Spurs, it is also the last time we won four successive home games.

Our next game will be a tough one for us. Charlton are a side in form and they will provide a more formidable test than they would have done a few weeks ago.

Then again, our home form is better than for some time. For a time last season Eddie Howe had certainly found the knack of winning away from home but he'd never sorted out the home form. His last home game was the 3-3 draw against Sheffield Wednesday and that had left us with a run of only 11 wins in the 35 home league games.

We need a positive change in home form. Last season saw only seven wins at Turf Moor in the league and we really do have to do much better than that. The signs in recent weeks have been positive and hopefully that can continue.

Michael Duff - every team wants to be hard to beat

Speaking to the Burnley Express this week, central defender Michael Duff spoke of the changes with the arrival of the new manager. "It's a slight change," he said. "It's the way it should be played.

"Every team wants to be hard to beat, and with the goals we've got in the team we've always got a chance to win a game. It became silly when Charlie was having to score more than two or three goals to get a point. It just couldn't carry on like that.

"Hopefully we've recognised that we need to be a little harder to beat and that will in turn help people like Charlie, that one goal might win a game."

Duff will line up in a back four that might be unchanged from the one that played at Ipswich or we could see the return of Ben Mee. He was forced off during the win against Leeds and replaced by Danny Lafferty and it was Lafferty who played at Ipswich.

'Touch and go' was how Dyche rated Mee's chances of being fit so Lafferty, who won his second cap for Northern Ireland this week, is on standby to come in again.

I don't envisage many other changes although one has been forced on us with Ross Wallace suspended after collecting his fifth yellow card of the season at Portman Road. I would think the most likely replacement is Junior Stanislas who came on for him in that game.

Dyche has been impressed with the performances of Sam Vokes, coming off the bench. He could opt to start with him but I think Martin Paterson will got the nod ahead of him.

If Mee is passed fit, I'd expect us to line up: Lee Grant, Kieran Trippier, Michael Duff, Jason Shackell, Ben Mee, Brian Stock, Dean Marney, Chris McCann, Martin Paterson, Charlie Austin, Junior Stanislas. Subs from: Brian Jensen, David Edgar, Danny Lafferty, Joseph Mills, Marvin Bartley, Cameron Stewart, Danny Ings, Sam Vokes.

Charlton rejoined the Championship this season having won the League One title last season, and in some style. They finished the season with 101 points, eight more than Sheffield Wednesday who were runners up.

They've picked up after a difficult start that saw them win just once in their first six games. At the beginning of October they sneaked into the top half of the league after a 2-0 win at Blackpool but then another difficult run saw them drop to fourth from bottom.

They have, however, won their last two games and that's seen them climb to 16th. That's three points behind us and if they were to beat us they would go above us on goal difference.

The second of those wins was a comfortable 2-0 victory against Bristol City at Ashton Gate but the previous win was something of a shock result against league leaders Cardiff.

When the Welsh club went a goal up after four minutes, and doubled that advantage midway through the first half it looked as though it was going to be a comfortable win, but Charlton came back.

By half time it was 2-2 and when Rob Hulse scored twenty minutes into the second half it gave them a 5-2 lead. Only two stoppage time goals made it look close with Charlton winning it 5-4.

Their away record is better than their home record. They've only one twice at the Valley, the other coming against Leicester, but besides Blackpool and Bristol City they've also won at Ipswich.

A Turf Moor return for Leon Cort

Their goals have been spread around with Johnnie Jackson leading the way with four league goals with another five players having netted twice and a further seven players with one goal each.

Danny Haynes and Michael Morrison scored in the win at Bristol City and for Haynes it is a welcome back with two goals after a long term injury, the last two games providing him with his first starts since April.

Haynes is expected to start against the Clarets, probably alongside Rob Hulse and that will mean a substitute berth for Ricardo Fuller who was signed from Stoke. Bradley Wright-Phillips is pushing for a recall and Yann Kermogant is back in training after a fractured foot but is still not ready to be considered.

Last week they signed Eggert Jonsson and Dan Seaborne on loan from Wolves and Southampton. Jonsson, however, was ruled out with an injury in the win at Bristol City but could make his Addicks debut at Turf Moor.

One player who was on the bench last week, Danny Hollands, has this week moved on loan to Swindon but there will be a Turf Moor return for Leon Cort who signed permanently for Charlton in January after an earlier loan spell.

At Ashton Gate they lined up: 1. Ben Hamer, 20. Chris Solly, 25. Dan Seaborne, 5. Michael Morrison, 28. Leon Cort, 14. Bradley Pritchard, 8. Dale Stephens, 4. Johnnie Jackson, 12. Salim Kerkar (6. Matthew Taylor), 9. Danny Haynes (44. Dorian Dervite), 29. Rob Hulse (19. Ricardo Fuller). Subs not used: 27. David Button, 22. Danny Hollands, 7. Danny Green, 10. Bradley Wright-Phillips.

 

Last Time They Were Here

All wins are important in a promotion season but perhaps the victory over Charlton in 2008/09, on their last visit to Turf Moor, was one of the most important of the season.

After winning 2-1 at Bristol City on the Saturday before Christmas we were fourth in the table with 43 points from 24 games. By the time Charlton arrived at Turf Moor we'd played another five league games and not picked up a single point.

That run had taken us down to ninth in the table and whilst still in touch with the play off places we were now a massive 14 points behind second place Reading. If ever we needed a win then this was it. We got it but had to thank our lucky stars and striker Steven Thompson for securing the three points.

Two goals for Steven Thompson

In the previous game we'd suffered a horrible 3-0 defeat at Watford. The result of that was Michael Duff coming in for the very much out of form Clarke Carlisle and there was one other significant change.

Rhys Williams had arrived from Middlesbrough on loan and slotted in at right back, thus allowing Graham Alexander to return to the holding role in midfield at the expense of Joey Gudjonsson. We always looked a much better side with Alexander in that position than at right back.

We started well, showing no loss of confidence despite the poor league run, but we just couldn't get a breakthrough against a very disappointing Charlton side. Things eased off during the first half but in the closing period we again got very much on top.

But there was a big shock in store when, four minutes from the break, Nicky Bailey gave Charlton the lead.

The feature of the second half was the appalling attitude of Charlton. The time wasting was something of a joke but at no time did the equally appalling referee Richard Beeby do much about it.

We should have had a penalty for handball. It was seen by the assistant who put his flag across his chest only for Beeby to wave it away. It wasn't looking good but then a double change helped things.

In a big switch, Kevin McDonald and Steven Thompson replaced Christian Kalvenes and Chris Eagles with Alexander now going to left back and with just under a quarter of an hour remaining we got an equaliser.

Alexander and Blake linked up down the left, Alexander's cross was met by Martin Paterson at the far post. He headed it back and Thompson swept it in.

We kept going and in stoppage time we got a winner. McDonald did ever so well as he got forward, brushed off defenders and crossed for Thompson who beat Elliot to get his and Burnley's second and all three points.

The promotion chase was back on course.

The teams were;

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Rhys Williams, Michael Duff, Steven Caldwell, Christian Kalvenes (Kevin McDonald 58), Graham Alexander, Chris Eagles (Steven Thompson 63), Wade Elliott, Chris McCann (Joey Gudjonsson 85), Robbie Blake, Martin Paterson. Subs not used: Diego Penny, Jay Rodriguez.

Charlton: Rob Elliot, Graeme Murty, Matt Holland, Darren Ward, Kelly Youga, Lloyd Sam (Grant Basey 85), Matthew Spring, Nicky Bailey, Tom Soares, Chris Dickson (Tresor Kandol 70), Deon Burton. Subs not used: Darren Randolph, Therry Racon, Darren Ambrose.

 

Previous Games against Charlton

 

Last 20 Years
Season Comp Ven Res Att  Scorers
1993/94 FA Cup a 0-3 8,336  
1994/95 Division One a 2-1 9,436 Davis, Robinson
    h 2-0 10,045 Eyres, Shaw
1996/97 Coca-Cola Cup a 1-4 4,874 Eyres
    h 1-2 2,281 Nogan
2007/08 Championship a 3-1 21,122 Gray(2 1pen), McCann
    h 1-0 10,780 Elliott
2008/09 Championship a 1-1 21,884 Thompson
    h 2-1 14,404 Thompson(2)

 

Click HERE to see all previous results against Charlton