Dave Thornley writing for Clarets Mad gives us his thoughts on our opening day defeat against Tottenham Hotspur.
In the end, it didn’t go the way we had hoped, but rather the way most of us had anticipated.
Throughout our various seasons in the Premier League, we have witnessed many other examples of yesterday’s season opener at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium; earnest endeavour undone by technically superior opponents imposing that superiority.
It took a mere ten minutes for Spurs to unlock a Burnley defence so unyielding last season in the Championship; Maxime Esteve being drawn out wide then playing a loose pass which produced a cross and a neat finish from Richarlison. It was an uncharacteristic lapse from Esteve and one which might easily have gone unpunished last season, but not in the rarefied atmosphere of the Premier League.
Despite the early setback, Burnley maintained a strong presence in the game for an hour, but the Richarlison second goal, a spectacular airborne scissor kick, ended the Clarets’ resistance, before Brennan Johnson concluded a slick move to add Spurs’ third.
Previous experience has taught us the folly of raised expectations and if we were under any illusions about the size of the task ahead of Scott Parker and his team, then yesterday’s result will have surely dispelled them.
This does not mean that relegation should be regarded as a pre-ordained outcome; yesterday’s performance showed distinct signs of promise and not all of Burnley’s opponents will be as testing as Spurs, who were out to impress a new manager and in front of their own supporters.
Burnley will, of course, need to do better in key areas; the pace of their play needs to quicken; lapses of concentration must be eradicated, and more chances need to be both created and finished.
Scott Parker does not need me to remind him of this; he and his coaching staff will be acutely aware of the work that needs to be undertaken before a buoyant Sunderland visit Turf Moor next week.
The Black Cats gave Burnley more problems than any other opponent last season and their return to the Premier League yesterday afternoon was, in contrast to Burnley’s, in front of their own fans and against a poor West Ham team. The odds – whilst stacked against Burnley – were lined up in favour of Sunderland. This needs to be reversed next Saturday.
Editor’s note: I have backed us this season in the English Premier League to win ten games, draw ten games and lose 18 I still have a further 17 losses to go. Can we pretty please get Nathan back?