TURF AT THE TOP

We may not be a Barca, says Dyche, but we sure can play

SEAN DYCHE admits Burnley will never be Barcelona – but have proved they are more than just a long-ball team.

The Clarets have been described as direct but manager Dyche says they have evolved into a side that can play in different ways.

Burnley put together a 24pass move for their winner at Everton a fortnight ago to lift them to sixth and Dyche says they have shown they can mix styles. “I’m a great believer in mixed football. If you’ve only got one way to play, it can make life difficult,” he said.

“We’re not talking Barcelona here but can we flex our muscles slightly differently? Can we use the ball wisely?

“That’s something we are still trying to find and that passing move at Everton was just a little sliver.”

The stats back up Dyche’s claims – Burnley have completed more short passes and fewer long ones this season than last. Last season they were 19th in the Premier League in terms of possession but this time round they have enjoyed more of the ball in games against Huddersfield and West Brom.

Dyche said midfielders Steven Defour and Jack Cork are helping Burnley control games by retaining possession.

“I think we’ve got more strings to our bow,” said Dyche, who clocks up five years at Burnley at the end of this month. “There have been moments in games where we’ve been more controlled.

“Steven Defour is terrific at that. He’s been around the block and knows when it needs a bit of calmness. Corky also knows when to keep the ball and calm the game down.”

Despite this, Burnley will still play the ball forward early when they think the time is right, with Dyche insisting he is a pragmatist rather than a zealot, like Pep Guardiola, when it comes to styles.

“I don’t go for all this long ball or short ball,” he said. “It’s about playing the right ball.

“Two of the best passers of the ball I have seen in my time were Glenn Hoddle and Ronald Koeman and you wouldn’t call them long-ball.

“Let’s lose this idea that there’s only one way to play football – the game would be so boring if everyone played the same way.”

Dyche is delighted with Burnley’s fine start, especially the way they have turned around last season’s poor away form to take eight points at Chelsea, Spurs, Liverpool and then Everton.

As pleased as Dyche is, he says no one at Turf Moor is getting carried away.

“We’ve made a good start, a solid start, but that’s all it is – a start,” he said.

Dyche’s stock has never been higher, and Ian Wright claimed he could succeed Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, while Crystal Palace’s decision not to pursue him looks more foolish with every defeat.

Dyche, 46, is flattered by Wright’s praise and says it makes a change from brickbats. “I’m human and it’s nice when people say nice things about you,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of not-nice things said about me in the past.”