Club commentator Phil Bird returns with his weekly look at the world of football...
Everyone is disappointed after our home defeat to Portsmouth on Saturday. At least we still have eleven Barclays Premier League games to put it right.
I firmly believe it was the wrong time to play Pompey. It reminded me of our trip to St Mary's last season when Southampton had been handed a points deduction a couple of days before the match.
Portsmouth's players and fans were angry - they have every right to be. Will we ever know exactly what has gone on at Fratton Park?
The game gave them a one off outlet for that frustration and anger.
Having said that we defended poorly and shot ourselves in the foot but you have to give some credit to Avram Grant's side.
They didn't look like a bottom of the table team. Let's hope it acts as a massive wake up call just like the Sheffield Wednesday game did at the same stage last season.
Steven Fletcher's chance on the hour was the turning point. If we had scored then I'm certain we would have collected the points.
We were on top at that stage, and a goal then would have taken away the anxiety. It's unfair to pick out individuals.
Fletcher (and Clarke Carlisle for that matter) have been magnificent for us this season. There should be no recriminations. We must back our manager and team 100%. March is a massive month.
The one big plus point was the return of Martin Paterson. It's been a long way back from the knee injury sustained at Oakwell in September.
Pato looked in great nick and his finish was top class. His energy is infectious and it's a big plus to have him back for the run-in.
Likewise Graham Alexander has been badly missed in midfield. Hopefully, he will be back at Arsenal on Saturday.
Alan Hansen's comments on Match of the Day on Saturday were unnecessary. Carlisle's appearance on Countdown was filmed on one day back in January it had no bearing whatsoever on Saturday's game.
Likewise I'm not impressed by Gary Lineker's attitude towards administration in football. He questioned why Portsmouth should get a points deduction? He obviously thinks it's fair for sides to spend, spend and spend some more to attract players others can't afford.
And then once the debts have become unmanageable just enter administration without fulfilling their commitments to creditors. Silly me, I was forgetting that's exactly how Leicester got back in the top flight in 2003!
The Emirates on Saturday is a big test. Back in December we were so unfortunate not to beat the Gunners at Turf Moor.
We were cruelly denied when Steven Fletcher late "winner" was wrongly ruled out for offside.
We can compete with the top teams. We have shown that at various times over the last two seasons.
We will probably have to pack the midfield to have any chance of being successful on Saturday.
You have to deny Arsenal space and time on the ball. Sides have got shock results at the Emirates. Hull's win there last season ultimately kept them in the top flight.
Referee Howler:
I don't think many Burnley fans will have been too surprised to see Phil Dowd not send Manchester United's Nemanja Vidic off in last Sunday's prestigious Carling Cup final.
Dowd gave two poor penalty decisions against Burnley in the Everton and Portsmouth games earlier this season.
Graham Poll's assessment was interesting "he would have looked for any reason he could not to send that player off because of the occasion". Poll also tried to defend the hapless official by claiming Gabriel Agbonlahor "wasn't moving towards goal".
Absolute garbage on both counts, it was a sending off and the official influenced the result of a major cup final.
Even Sir Alex knew he had got away with the equivalent of running away with the crown jewels in a rucksack!
The views expressed in this article are those of Mr P Bird and do not necessarily represent those of Burnley Football Club.
