Pope: The Season Starts Here

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Goalkeeper sees first point as something to build on after clean sheet at the Hawthorns

2020-10-19T19:29:00.000Z

Pope: The Season Starts Here

Goalkeeper sees first point as something to build on after clean sheet at the Hawthorns

2020-10-19T19:29:00.000Z

Dyche Happy With Hawthorns Point - Image 2

Nick Pope says the Clarets’ season starts here after they got their first Premier League point on the board.

A 0-0 draw at West Bromwich Albion opened Burnley’s account at the fourth time of asking and lifted them off the foot of the table.

And even though Sean Dyche’s men left the Hawthorns feeling it could have been even better after hitting the woodwork through Chris Wood and passing up a number of other decent chances, Pope feels a platform has been put in place.

“Although it wasn’t the win we wanted and I felt we deserved, it’s a step in the right direction,” said the Clarets’ goalkeeper, who kept his first clean sheet in the top-flight’s first goalless draw of the season.

“We haven’t been great so far. We can’t hide that. We’ve spoken about it and we knew tonight was a big game and we came here and delivered a good performance.

“It’s a start. The season starts today and we’re off and running.

“It’s good to have a starting point and take the positives into next week.

“To have the first clean sheet on the board is another building block and a good marker, so it’s something we can move forward with.”

West Brom are still to win on their return to the Premier League and were denied a couple of times themselves by fine saves from Pope after the break.

But the best openings came the Clarets’ way in their best performance of the campaign so far ahead of back-to-back home games against Tottenham and Chelsea.

“I felt like we played well enough and created enough to get a goal and with the clean sheet that would have got us over the line,” added Pope.

“It’s disappointing in that regard, but for ourselves moving forward it’s a lot better than we’ve been this season and we need to build on that now.

“You could tell the intensity was much better and I think we probably ran more than we have done this season.

“I thought we looked really sharp and really fit, so there were a few positive signs moving forward. What we have done here is a good start.”