Dyche focuses on reality game
SEAN DYCHE is happy to keep on taking the flak for Burnley’s tactics if he gets them out of trouble.
Dyche takes his side to Arsenal this lunchtime mulling over whether to go with the defensive strategy that almost earned a point last Saturday at Tottenham.
The Burnley boss set up with a flat back five at Wembley and saw his team have only 30 per cent of the ball, with two of his players – Phil Bardsley and Robbie Brady – booked for time-wasting.
In the end it was all for nothing as Christian Eriksen’s injury-time winner left the Clarets in the drop zone.
Dyche said he has to find a way to get his team up the table, whatever it takes. He said: “It’s reality tactics. If you think every team in the Premier League is going to play the beautiful game at the moment there’s only one winner, Manchester City.
“If everyone decides they’re all going to roll it out from the back and play 600 passes, then Manchester City win. End of story. You’ve got to find a way. That’s what we’ve done well here.”
Dyche believes his side are fighting the odds in the top flight – not just against the big six, but even when it comes to clubs who were recently in the Championship, such as Brighton Huddersfield.
He said: “We’ve not got the spending power of many other clubs, including ones like us.
“Brighton and Huddersfield over the past three windows, they’ve spent fortunes.
“When you play these big clubs it’s difficult. If you go pound for pound on money spent and quality, it’s difficult.
“So it’s more reality tactics than negative tactics for me.” and