Dave Thornley does a bit of catching up on the Clarets recent games in the hunt for automatic promotion. I hate to say it, but Leeds United are starting to run away with the Championship and a three-horse race is developing to see who can go up with the West Yorkshire outfit.
Dave writes: This is turning out to be a decidedly odd season. As I write, Burnley are third in the Championship table, unbeaten in nine**** games in all competitions, and you have to go back to the 21st of December since the Clarets last conceded a goal in a league game; and never more than one in any game.
Those are mind-boggling statistics, we as fans should be excited at the position the team finds itself in and its prospects for the remainder of the season. So why aren?t we?
The answer, of course lies in the style of play that those statistics fail to reveal; the risk-aversion, the lack of intensity, the predictable, slightly plodding, patterns of play which sucks much of the enjoyment out of watching the Clarets.
In hindsight, it was wrong of me to expect the recent home game against Leeds to be an end-to-end, no holds barred epic between two top-of-the table teams. What we got instead was a cagy, static, moribund encounter, in which neither team could summon up the necessary impulse to break the mould and go for it.
Understandable, perhaps, with so much at stake, but the following game away to lowly Portsmouth was a pretty much exact replica, ending in the same goalless stalemate.
The atmosphere at Turf Moor therefore, during last Tuesday evening?s fixture against Oxford United was understandably subdued, with recent results lowering both expectations and enthusiasm amongst the faithful. Throw in the evening kick off time and foul weather and it is easy to understand the reticence on the part of the fans.
A win was of paramount importance, something to restore a bit of faith, something to keep the Clarets buoyant at the business end of the table. It?s probably accurate to report therefore that Burnley did what they had to do, no more, no less.
For those who appreciate irony, it must have been satisfying that when Burnley at last scored a goal on their home ground, it was an own goal. Oxford defender Mikel Helik turned Josh Cullen?s left wing cross past his own goalkeeper.
The win hoisted Burnley back into second place, after Sunderland?s win the previous evening had nudged them down to fourth. Subsequent results have shunted Sheffield United back ahead of Burnley, whilst the Clarets were busy despatching Premier League strugglers Southampton out of the FA Cup.
Where then, do we go from here? Burnley have added reinforcements to their attacking ranks before the transfer window slammed shut, and that is surely a positive step, but that alone will not make all the difference.
Early signs have however been positive, with one of the new boys, Marcus Edwards, scoring from close range in the cup tie at St Marys.
There were also departures to make way for the arrivals, most notably Jay Rodriguez, who left for upwardly mobile League One Wrexham. It?s a good move for Jay Rod in the twilight of his career, he has served his local team with distinction in his two spells, we wish him well.
We really must put Hull City to the sword tonight at Turf Moor and then the footballing Gods have conspired to send us to Deepdale twice in just over two weeks. Can the Clarets hold their nerve and start putting the ball into the back of the net? A couple of nail-biting months are quickly appearing on the horizon. One last thing, I rather like the look of our latest addition. He may just tip the balance in our favour I reckon. (TEC.)