Dyche Backs Strikers To Fire

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2020-12-16T22:47:42.577Z

Dyche Backs Strikers To Fire

2020-12-16T22:47:42.577Z

Sean Dyche has backed his strikers to fire again as Burnley look to carry on their recent revival at Aston Villa on Thursdsay night.

Chris Wood is the only forward off the mark so far this season, with two goals to his name as the Kiwi eyes a fourth straight season of double figures with the club.

But following just one defeat in five games, which has pulled the Clarets back into the pack of teams jostling for position just outside the relegation positions, Dyche feels the scales are tipping more in the strikers’ favour.

“Our forwards are very close to finding those breakthroughs and when they do they will start to score again,” he insisted.

“In the meantime, we are defending with an edge as a collective and that’s important. We continue to find the balance, which is to defend well and create that better quality of chance.

“As long as we keep the back door shut, I’m sure the strikers will start to take those chances.”

Burnley’s impressive run of recent results has put them back on the coat-tails of the likes of Fulham and Brighton, whose scoreless draw at Craven Cottage on Wednesday nudged Burnley back into bottom three – albeit with two games in hand on both.

And with three clean sheets providing the foundations for that recent upturn in fortunes, Dyche and his players head to Villa Park in confident mood.

The gaffer insisted: “Clean sheets have played a big part in our successes here down the years, whether that is getting promoted from the Championship, or in the Premier League.

“I’ve been mentioning for the last five or six games now that we are getting back to what we can be about again.

There is still some more to go, but coinciding with the injury list lightening, the performances have increased and we are finding a better balance, which enhances our chances of getting results.

“We know it will be a tough game at Villa, who are generally having a good season, but we have never lacked confidence.

“It just enhances it when you are winning games. Two wins, two draws and a defeat from the last five games is a fair reflection of the way we have been performing.

“That’s no easy task in the Premier League, but I think we are finding our form and we have shown, over many seasons now, that we can go and compete in this league.

“We have to turn up and deliver and we have been doing that. Thursday is just another chance to do that.”

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