“Different side, different system.”
A simple message, but one which most wouldn’t expect to hear from Sean Dyche. Sometimes
teams become defined by stereotype or are perceived to have just a single style of play,
and those are labels that have been applied to Burnley since they returned to the Premier
League.
But the first three games of this season have shown the shades of variation within Dyche’s
side which challenge the assumptions it’s often subjected to.
Against Southampton on the opening day of the season, Burnley failed to implement any
kind of effective press. Ashley Westwood and Jack Cork struggled in midfield and Burnley
were vulnerable to Southampton’s raiding wing-backs.
The Saints held the initiative and the gap between Burnley’s front-two and the supporting
players was much too wide in the first half. Burnley did eventual get control of that game,
running out comfortable three-nil winners, but the second halves against Wolves and Arsenal
were far tougher, when their primary aim wasn’t about creating opportunities, but holding
on to what they had.
It’s been interesting to observe the tweaks Dyche has made during the opening weeks of
the season. Plenty of work has been done to identify key areas in which his players can
expose the opposition and exert themselves within those games.
Against Southampton the press was less obvious, indicated by the average position of the players
during the course of that 90 minutes. Only three Burnley players spent most of their
time in the opposition half and, perhaps, that was a reaction to the kind of high-paced,
quick transition football that Ralph Hasenhuttl prefers to play. His Southampton remain a
work in progress, but their aim – which Burnley seemingly recognised and denied – is
to force rapid counter-attacks.
The performance against Arsenal was the opposite, with only three of Burnley’s outfield players’
occupying an average position in their own half. They may not have come away with any
points but their pressing, particularly in that first period, was excellent and it kept
them in the game.
Dyche and his coaching staff had evidently identified Arsenal’s passing out from the
back as weakness, and a vulnerability to target. As The Athletic highlighted at the time, it
was a tactic shown best by Erik Pieters’ performance, and in how much further forward
he was, making five of his six tackles in Arsenal’s half.
It was a strategic theme replicated across the side, though, with most of Pieters’
team-mates playing five to 10 yards higher than they had done against Southampton Southampton.
It led to a much higher pressing line and, a week later at Molineux, Dyche employed what
initially looked to be a similar plan against Wolves.
But there were subtle differences and, had it not been for a contentious, 97th minute
penalty, that well-executed gameplan would have been rewarded with three points.
On the Friday before the game, Dyche had spoken about of Wolves’ capacity to vary their
approach, noting that while Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are comfortable playing their
way out of defence, they’re also capable of being more direct, targeting their wing-backs
with diagonals, as well as their front two of Raul Jimenez and Diogo Jota.
It was an observation which was proved correct. In the first half, Wolves deviated from their
associated style, with goalkeeper Rui Patricio repeatedly sending the ball long, looking
for his wing-backs, as Wolves tried to create chances from second-ball opportunities.
But Burnley were prepared, snapping into challenges and winning those fifty-fifty tackles. Time
and again in the opening period they were first to a second ball or quick to capitalise
on errant passes, before breaking with pace and conviction.
It was a clear point of emphasis and an obvious variation on the approach used at Arsenal
the previous weekend. Burnley encouraged Wolves to go long, inviting them to play towards
their own traditional strength.
The high press was still evident though, with Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes splitting the
central defenders. Unlike Arsenal, however, Wolves were reluctant to play intricately
out of their own defensive third, opting instead to go longer. Arsenal played far more passes
around their own area, inviting Burnley further forward and allowing them to seize back possession.
In both games in the first half, Burnley won the ball back high up the pitch. The difference
was the manner in which they did. Instead of intercepting forward passes or not allowing
Arsenal players any time to turn, against Wolves it was about retrieving those second
balls.
It’s effectiveness was shown early in the game, when Matt Lowton stole possession on
Wolves’ left, before snapping forward and creating a chance which Ashley Barnes curled
just wide. And again later, when a turnover ahead of the visiting box was converted into
a swift counter, from which Barnes eventually volleyed Burnley into the lead.
“We try and adjust accordingly” said Dyche, “but much more than people think - because
it’s obviously Sean Dyche, it’s 4-4-2 of course. The idea is we do adapt and twist
it more in-house than people think to go and deliver.”
More performances like this and that ‘in-house’ work may begin to get more credit.