An Absolute Pleasure to Watch - Notes for Burnley Friday, 18th Oct 2013 12:00 by HarryfromBath HarryfromBath assesses the mood in the opposition camp ahead of Saturday's game by delving into their forums. "Well, how good was that? This team just continue to outdo themselves every week. The spirit and determination is almost tangible. Make no bones about it. This is one excellent Burnley team we have right now." Burnley arrive at Portman Road on Saturday unbeaten in nine games, and having won six league and cup games in a row. Their supporters were euphoric after their 2-1 home victory over Reading before the international break, a game in which everything came together perfectly. "I have been watching Burnley since the seventies, and I can't remember much better than that. Our passing and movement, and our ability to play through the middle as well as out wide have been outstanding", "This really is brilliant stuff". "I have been sat here scratching my head for half an hour. How can you pick a man of the match? It would be unfair on the other 10. That was the most complete team performance I have seen from Burnley in many a year." "We have got the best balanced team I have seen for years. The real strength is ‘team', working for each other, grafting at training, getting the results against lower clubs where we have struggled in the past and looking very good." Sean Dyche"If we got promoted, it would be one of football's greatest miracles, and it would be mainly down to one man, Sean Dyche", "I don't think that Sean Dyche is one for getting carried away but he must be beaming inside". "I am starting to run out of superlatives for the job Dyche is doing here this season", "He is an absolute marvel to take this group of players so far in his first full season with us. Nobody is misfiring". "In terms of team dynamics Sean has got us way ahead of the others at present." Many supporters have put their success down to many of the key relationships in the team working perfectly at present. "It's too early to make predictions, but we have made an unbelievable start, beyond all of our wildest expectations", "They seem to be enjoying their football, so let's all go with the flow and see where it takes us". Playing without the ball"It is great to watch a Burnley team that is so comfortable without the ball. Don't panic. Get organised. When we get the ball, within three passes we are in the final third and committing defenders. Who cares about possession?" "Our pressing and carrying is the difference between us and many of our competitors in this league. We are absolutely sensational without the ball." The Clarets play a traditional 4-4-2 formation, operating at a high tempo and ferociously pressing opponents when out of possession. "We play as if it is a cup game against Premier League opponents. We harassed Reading whenever they had the ball, forcing them into quick decisions and to make mistakes. It is great to watch", "Reading had more possession, but it was mostly passing along their back line in their own half". "I lost count of the times that Reading, a team of such quality, was restricted to passing the ball sideways across the midfield, only to pass it back to their keeper because we restricted their options so much", "Every Reading player was suffocated by three Burnley players." Defence"Our defence this season is awesome", "A good few people think we are better off the ball than on it, and it is hard to disagree. Our defence and keeper are rock solid. Opponents have possession without any penetration". "The impressive thing about this team is the decision-making. No gambles are taken apart from when we are in the final third. When allied to our organisation without the ball, we are very difficult to break down." "Even though Tom Heaton doesn't have much to do, his influence and commanding from the back means he is absolutely a key part of the team", "He has great composure and you can tell he is an organiser".
"Heaton is constantly talking to his defence." The former Bristol City keeper is "a good communicator with the team", "His decision making and communication are critical to how solid we look at the back right now", "How he gets so high for headers, I haven't got a clue". Right-back Kieran Trippier "offers so much. He makes quality runs and overlaps", "He is imperious, solid at the back and dangerous going forward". "Trippier made an outstanding cross into Sir Geoffrey Boycott's corridor of uncertainty for our opener (against Reading)." The former Manchester City youth player is "dominant in the air and is supporting Kightly superbly". "That Reading left-back is going to see Kightly and Trippier in his nightmares for weeks. Normally you see a good winger give a left-back a roasting. I have never seen both the winger and full-back taking turns." "I think that anyone can see with their eyes that Trippier hasn't missed Wallace at all." With former Preston winger Ross Wallace on the sidelines for months with a knee injury, many Clarets feared that Trippier's form would be affected. "Mee is never going to be Roberto Carlos going forward, but more than plays his part in reducing dangerous attacks to scraps", "Mee always gives an outlet and doesn't mind putting himself in where it hurts". Fellow former Manchester City youth player Ben Mee is "outstanding defensively at left-back. He played some great cross field passes to Kightly on the right-wing (against Reading)." The 24-year-old "is not as good as Trippier when attacking, but makes up for it by being better defensively". "Jason Shackell was a significant part of the reason that Reading had 60% of possession but only 25% of goal attempts", "His distribution has not been what we have come to expect in the last couple of games, but his leadership from the back sets the tone". "Captain Fantastic", the former Derby player "had a great battle with the big Russian bloke (Pogrebnyak) and made one great tackle to deny him", "Shackell works his socks off and is a leader on the pitch". "Michael Duff was nigh on immaculate. He uses all of his experience, and produced the tackle of the season to deny Reading a certain goal in the first half", "His 203rd performance was one of his best", "He has such a good partnership at centre-half with Shackell". Midfield"The midfield hunts as a pack, giving opponents no time to build anything of quality, and the front two close down defenders tirelessly", "For anyone looking to play through the middle, our pack of dogs must be a nightmare". Former Wolves right-winger Michael Kightly has joined the Clarets on loan from Stoke. The 27-year-old "works his nads off. There's more to come from him going forward". A lack of match fitness has seen him substituted in recent game, but he played for a full 90 minutes against Reading.
"Kightly is starting to look dangerous, like the old player who terrorised this division a few years ago", "You can see the quality and confidence this lad has", "For opponents with the ball, the best word to describe Kightly must be ‘horrible'. We are hunting in packs but he is the ringleader". "Eight crosses but only two on target spoiled an otherwise excellent performance", "Kightly wasted so much ball, but ran his legs off and his work in defence was brilliant", "He won us a goal due to his workrate and commitment to the cause". Twenty-four-year-old Scott Arfield joined Burnley from Huddersfield this summer: "He is integral to the team shape, and always seems to find a Claret shirt", "He covers well behind Ben Mee out of possession", "What a steal this lad is". "Arfield is not as penetrative as other attacking midfielders or wingers, but he is a great team player who can pick a decent pass out", "He doesn't offer as much going forward as (wingers) Junior Stanislas or Keith Treacy, but by Christ, he bottles up one side of the midfield a lot better". "Arfield and the rest of the midfield are much quicker to support our strikers than was the case last season", "Arfield is an unsung hero. His play is neat and tidy, and he has been our extra man everywhere on the left half of the pitch". "When Dean Marney focuses his great energy, he is a talent at this level." The former Hull central midfielder "seems to be finding extra time on the ball over and above his usual bustling performances". "For once (against Reading) there was no stupid booking." The 29-year-old gets regularly criticised for this. "He picks up a lot of unfair bookings, but Marney is also our finest exponent of the stupid booking." "Marney has been one of our best and most consistent players", "He has been superb all season", "His passing game is brilliant", "He clearly enjoys playing alongside Jones. He is getting forward a lot more and to better effect". David Jones"We have dominated the midfield in almost every game, thanks in part to the even more impressive Jones." David Jones joined from Wigan this summer, and the 28-year-old has transformed the Clarets midfield. "What a signing", "So much better than Chris McCann". "Jones makes an enormous difference to our midfield. He is always available and is a great passer", "Jones dictates everything we do and is our pivot. Some of his first touches are sublime", "His ball retention is crucial to much of our best play". "Jones has real nous, and vital in making the team tick", "This fellow pulls all the right strings", "Jones covers every blade of grass and is absolutely everywhere", "We have Marney not giving opponents a moments peace, and Jones running the show". Strikers"What a brilliant couple of strikers we have on our hands in Danny Ings and Sam Vokes. I'm praying that they both can stay fit. If they do, we can witness something special this season", "Ings and Vokes are a lethal strike partnership". Many Clarets fear that the lack of an established back-up striker could be the difference between promotion and just missing out: "We are goosed if big Sam and Ingsy are out for any length of time." "Last season there was too much reliance of Charlie Austin, but strangely we are better for it now he has gone. The whole chemistry of the side feels right and I don't see that in many other Championship teams." The sale of last season's leading striker to QPR may have unexpectedly benefitted the team: "Our record was actually better without Charlie Austin playing last season, which wasn't something you would have expected with the goals he scored." Danny Ings"Oh, Danny boy!", "Ings is ripping up this division along with his partner", "He sticks the ball to his feet in the way Robbie Blake used to. What a player! Effort and work rate are all bundled into one mercurial talent", "He is almost unplayable at the minute".
"Ings has the potential to go to the very top of the game. He's strong, quick, has a great touch, is a good finisher, can spot a pass holds the ball well and seems to be level headed", "It's not just his goals, but his movement and approach play are so much improved on last season". The 21-year-old former Bournemouth striker has been a revelation this season. "Defenders give up trying to beat him in the sir, as he brings the ball down with great touches", "He is playing with supreme confidence". Sam Vokes"I always believe that Danny Ings would be as good as he has been this season with an extended run, but I never saw big Sam turning into this star." A good number of supporters are holding their hands up for misjudging the 23-year-old former Wolves player and Welsh international. "I regret how badly I wrote off big Sam. I honestly thought at the beginning of the season that he just wasn't up to the task of leading our front line, and we needed to get someone else in", "Some of his flick on to Burnley players have been fantastic, and he‘s pretty handy with his feet". "Vokes is the most improved player I have ever seen, because when he arrived I thought he was a total donkey", "How badly has he proved me wrong, and I have to say that I absolutely love it. You cannot but be totally made up for the guy". "I was concerned by his finishing and general lumpiness. This season he seems to be fighting weight and mobile. He's quite quick and powerful when he gets into his stride. His hold up play is much improved and his flicks are creating chances. Most importantly, he's hitting the back of the net." Clarets' Views on ITFC and the Game"I am sure the Tractor Boys will not be looking forward to their next home match." While the team's outstanding form has given most fans great confidence, some fans have highlighted Burnley's record of just one victory in 19 games played at Portman Road. "I have never seen us win at Portman Road. Let's hope that changes on Saturday", "Have we ever won?", "I have been 14 times and seen seven draws and seven defeats", "I have been to every game there since then, and have seen so many late goals cost us". "The one and only occasion we won there was in January 1970, a 1-0 win with Frank Casper scoring", "The season after that, we lost 3-0 and went bottom of the league. We never lifted ourselves off the bottom all season". "It would be great to go there and win but a draw at a place where we rarely come home with anything would be fine." Many fans would be delighted to get out of Portman Road with their unbeaten run intact: "I would be over the moon with a 1-1 draw." I will update the forum on Saturday morning with their more immediate matchday thoughts. Next Saturday's Game against QPR"I think we all need to settle down. We have a tricky fixture at Ipswich before we play QPR." Many Clarets are viewing this weekend's game as a prelude to their hugely anticipated top of the table game at home to QPR next Saturday. "It does look like a cracking game indeed", "It will be our unstoppable force against their immovable object", "It would be nice if we could win at Ipswich and Rangers maintain their clean sheet record at Millwall. It would set us up for a classic". "My only real concern is whether or not we will boo Charlie Austin. The rest is fairly academic. It will be another three points for the league leaders because in the meantime we will have turned Ipswich over at Portman Road." WebsiteThe best Burnley message board is Clarets Mad .
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Tom Heaton
Michael Kightly
Danny Ings and Sam Vokes
