‘You’re only as good as your last game’ they tell us, in which case City are really not that good, especially defensively.
But we know that’s not true. No one beats Manchester City by not being a good side.
Equally, Turf Moor offered a very different challenge, one that we knew was coming, and there’s no diluting the fact City failed to cope with it, particularly in an opening 15-minute blitz that won the game for Burnley.
It felt like Sean Dyche’s barely-disguised contempt for those who think they’re good enough to play out from the back was unleashed on City, those gravelly tones urging his troops in those moments before leaving the dressing room to unleash hell on those ‘fancy-dan Canaries’.
Unfortunately for City, the Lancastrian legions carried out their Maximus’s instructions to the letter and Ben Godfrey and Ibrahim Amadou, particular, suffered at the hands of a couple of claret-clad gladiators.
It was unedifying to watch, as the high-intensity bombardment was launched and we struggled to match both the physicality and relentlessness of it – the onslaught unravelling in the very way Dyche had dreamt it on Friday night.
Yet Chris Woods’ opener had nothing to do with any of the above. Instead, it was just plain, common-or-garden poor marking that allowed the New Zealander to head in from close range, all the hard work having been done by Ashley Westwood’s fine inswinging, near-post delivery.
But it was soft, really soft, and just as Daniel Farke’s team had identified Man City’s weakness in that same area, we too have been marked down as being fragile from set-pieces. It’s an area that needs addressing if we are serious about staying up.
Woods’ second exposed that same fragility, only this time from open play, and again it looked a little too easy; the cross being ushered in too obligingly in the first place and the striker’s move on Ben Godfrey being completed with minimal resistance.
14 minutes. Game over. Just how Dyche had planned it.
From there it was a case of Burnley stepping off the gas but keeping their defensive shape to nullify our attacking threat – and they did it well.
Yes, we grew into the game and had more of the ball but if was powder-puff stuff for long spells with the greatest threat coming from the right-boot of Mo Leitner, who hit the post and thundered a couple more just wide from distance.
Of course, the margins remain fine and if Leitner’s strike had rebounded to Todd Cantwell instead of just out of his reach, it would have just been the fillip City needed, but there was a solidity about the Burnley defending that right now we can only dream of.
However, the reality is that Burnley are well-drilled, well organised and have a group of players experienced in Premier League football. We have two of those three, but right now are suffering from the lack of PL nous when playing away from home.
And only Premier League game time will give the players that know-how. We need to be patient.
Despite Burnley being one of those games singled out as an opportunity for points, there was an inevitability about the outcome and as unusual and unexpectedly brilliant last Saturday was, yesterday was a bread-and-butter Premier league away day. Over the years we’ve had plenty, and there’ll be more to come.
When you’re Norwich City and you’ve been awarded temporary membership of the elite club, there’ll be no ‘turning the corner’ when it comes to picking up away wins. They’ll be rare and special when they come along – that’s the reality.
So, those who got sniffy over yesterday’s defeat could be in for a tough season. Home is where the heart is and also happens to be where we will be collecting the amounts of points needed to stay in this league. A vibrant Turf Moor was and is key to Dyche’s masterplan, just as a rocking Carrow Road is going to be vital to Farke’s.
Selhurst Park will offer a similar challenge to yesterday, so let’s brace ourselves for another nervy and potentially fraught afternoon, but still go there with a belief that we can get something and that this group will give their everything to the cause. Because they will.
And that’s why, even in those tumultuous opening 15 minutes at Turf Moor, it was impossible to feel even the slightest bit of ire toward this group.
There will be more Burnleys down the road but equally, the ethos won’t change and however red-faced our passing out from the back makes the Dyches and Allardyces of this world, we’ll not be changing our way. And I love that.
Last Saturday was one of those we’ll never forget; yesterday was one we want to.
Welcome to life in the Premier League.
Hi Gary
A very good read
After the Lord Mayor’s show and wasn’t it expected, not many mid table teams get much from Turf Moor and as much a Farke says he will not change his style of play neither will Burnley.
City were slow out of the blocks and gifted the first 15mins to them, Farke said he wanted 20mins of solid football but did he actually give his team the right tools for it.
I was surprised Hanley didn’t start as this was a bread and butter type of game for him then Tettey goes off and Leitner comes on so the midfield lost it’s bite but gained a bit more guile in the passing department.
Swings and roundabouts but pushing Amadou into the Tettey position would have stiffened that area and Hanley just might have helped Godfrey out with his experience, Leitner could have been used as an impact player later.
Sorry to say this is all in hindsight after the door was left open, Dyce has previous in this league and only plays one way all his players will run till they drop and city can match them for that but the physical side we can’t, so let’s look forward to the team having no midweek game and be ready for the next challenge at CP.
Well the good news was Webber signing a new contract but his statement that he will leave at the end of it was unnecessary, the doom mungers will read a lot more into any perceived downturn as his possible lack of long term commitment to the club.
Putting a time limit to anything can have good and bad repercussions lets hope for a good hand over and that this statement has no effect on Farke’ s future at the club.
Onwards and Upwards
OTBC
A very fair report, although, as a Burnley fan, I think I should correct your assumption that Sean Dyche dislikes football played out from the back and it makes him ‘red faced’. He has constantly stated that he would love to play that way, but in order to do that, he needs the players, which we can’t afford. However, check out Burnley’s equaliser at Brighton last week. Played out from the back with slick passing and finished by a superb 20 yard strike.
In the past, during our time in the Premier League, we have beaten Manchester United, who were league champions…and got relegated and we have beaten Manchester City, who were league champions….and got relegated. Your performance against City last week was superb but it doesn’t guarantee anything. Teams will soon learn how to play against you and, if you don’t learn to adapt the play depending upon the opposition, you will struggle to survive.
Best of luck for the rest of the season/
Very fair comment.
Good read Gary.
I agree with Alex that this was a game for Hanley. The Burnley front two are a different sort of challenge to the Man City front three. Hanley has the nous to give them as good as they give out.
Amadou could add a decent shield as defensive midfielder with McLean alongside.
Godfrey needs an old head alongside to help him out. He has had only 9 months playing centre half.
Shame about Tettey but I think he will struggle to play regularly.
We need to keep the faith.
OTBC
Hi Colin B
Tettey in my opinion should have been on the bench for this game, yes he has premiership experience but his legs are not what they use to be the slightest knock and he is out for a couple of weeks but I suppose at the present time we need all able bodies to the pumps to get over this long injury list which didn’t get any better yesterday with Krul’s back problem.
If we hope to remain in this league we need to toughen up. I think we’ll need to buy an experienced central defender and an athletic holding midfielder.
Alternatively we buy two central defenders and play Godfrey as the holding player. I’m afraid Tettey is now showing his age and two of our central defenders are virtually out for the season.
At the moment we are too lightweight and inexperienced to compete with a lot of teams in this league.