Clarets on the Upward Curve

Last updated : 23 September 2018 By Dave Thornley

“A week”, as the saying goes, “is a long time in politics”; if that is true, then in football a week must be an eternity.

Seven days ago, Burnley’s Premier League plight looked increasingly desperate, as they were systematically dismantled by a vibrant Wolves team. Yesterday, however, against a previously in-form Bournemouth team, it was Burnley who did the dismantling to the tune of a 4-0 victory.

The credit for such an emphatic turnaround in fortunes must go to in no small measure to Sean Dyche, who has clearly said the right things and made the right moves to rejuvenate a squad of players who were unrecognisable yesterday from the sorry bunch who turned up at Molynieux.

Every move Dyche made yesterday came off; from the recalling of Matt Lowton and Ashley Westwood, to his deployment of his four strikers and his decision to switch Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Aaron Lennon to their opposite wings. Such occurrences as yesterday’s are, I imagine, rare in football management and no one should begrudge Dyche a period of quiet satisfaction before the works starts all over again.

The mood music around the supporters all week had questioned whether Dyche had taken this team as far as he could; or even if Burnley had taken Dyche as far as they could. Both questions are laughable and smack of ingratitude. As a fan myself, I humbly apologise for ever having harboured such notions – however fleetingly.

Dyche had clearly reminded his players that they were good enough to finish seventh last season and challenged them to go out and prove it. They responded, the bit was lodged firmly between the teeth and it was refreshing indeed to witness Burnley start a game on the front foot and carry the contest to their opponents.

Those opponents, Bournemouth (who for some reason like to add the pretext “AFC” to their name) arrived at Turf Moor in form and in fifth place in the Premier League. As with Wolves last week, they like to create intricate passing patterns and probe defences for weaknesses; but they lacked Wolves’ precision, pace and incisiveness.

Unlike Wolves too, they found themselves up against a Burnley team unwilling to accommodate them. Burnley’s traditional resolution and organisation had returned to their defence and all of Bournemouth’s attempts to expose a weakness were repelled.

England manager Gareth Southgate visited Turf Moor yesterday reportedly to cast an eye over Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson. If that were the case, Southgate would have had to inspect the contents of James Tarkowski’s back pocket in order to locate him. The most visible sighting of the striker came when he jogged to the touchline after just over an hour in order to be substituted.

At the other end of the field, weeks of frustration at Burnley’s lack of attacking potency were assuaged by some vibrant and thrusting play culminating in the four goals. The old adage about waiting for busses sprang to mind.

Matej Vydra opened the scoring, and his personal Burnley account, finishing neatly at the far post after Westwood’s shot from Vokes’s clever nod-down had been half-blocked. It is important for a

new striker to get off the mark promptly at his new club and Vydra has undoubtedly built up some credit amongst Clarets supporters with his goal and an overall intelligent display of forward play.

It was only a couple of minutes later when Sam Vokes occupied the attention of two Bournemouth defenders, allowing Lennon to slide in at the far post to apply a controlled finish to Gudmundsson’s cleverly flighted cross.

Lennon gave his most impressive and consistent display for the club; rolling back the years to the days when he was a prodigious teenage talent at Spurs. His play was vibrant and pacey, his decision-making was sharp and his delivery precise.

After Vokes and Vydra , Chris wood and Ashley Barnes became the recipients of that service. Lennon eased past the Bournemouth full-back and crossed for Gudmundsson to strike a controlled volley which pinged off the post invitingly into the path of Barnes who gratefully accepted the gift.

As Bournemouth pressed with increasing desperation in an effort to salvage something from the game, they over-committed and a clearing header found Westwood in space on the half way line. He held the ball up and released Lennon down the right wing; Lennon outpaced the recovering defender and found Barnes on the edge of the Bournemouth penalty area. Barnes skilfully slotted the ball into the corner of Begovic’s goal to complete what had turned out to be a rout.

Burnley were as good yesterday as they had been bad last week. Hopefully, this is no flash-in-the-pan; rather an indication that the reset button has been pressed and the mojo relocated. It is of vital importance that the levels of intensity and the surety of decision-making is maintained in the coming weeks.

Written by Dave Thornley.