5 things on Burnley fans minds ahead of Monday’s West Brom clash

With a quarter of the 2016/17 season gone, Burnley currently sit ninth in the English Premier League.

The Clarets, who travel to The Hawthorns to take on West Bromwich Albion on Monday night football (20:00pm), were buoyed by their last-gasp 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace last time out.

After establishing a two-goal lead inside 14 minutes through Sam Vokes (Pictured) and Johann Berg Gudmundsson at Turf Moor, it looked as if Sean Dyche’s men threw away a precious league win when Christian Benteke equalised from the penalty spot with just nine minutes remaining, after Connor Wickham had pulled one back for The Eagles.

However, there was just enough time for substitute Ashley Barnes to net a stunning strike in the fourth minute of added time to send the home crowd into raptures.

That result extended Burnley’s unbeaten run to three games, having also defeated Everton, plus drew 0-0 at Old Trafford against Manchester United – form that will bode the newly promoted club well during their first campaign back in the top-flight.

So, with the international break having broken up The Clarets’ domestic schedule for a fortnight, Shoot!’s Jordan Neary looks at five things that are currently in the Burnley Football Club vernacular….

Fortress Turf Moor?

Burnley currently sit third in the home form table behind the top two, Chelsea and Liverpool, having accrued 13 of their 14 points at home – however it is a slightly false economy.

The Clarets have played seven home games, due to a fixture switch with Liverpool and many teams in the Premier League have only played five at home.

That is not taking anything away from the results at Turf Moor; however you would surmise that the next batch of clubs to come to Burnley will offer a sterner test to Sean Dyche and his men, as teams will only underestimate the Clarets for so long.

Together Stronger

Kamil Grosicki, the signing that never was, reared his head this weekend as the winger scored for Poland in their World Cup qualifier away to Romania.

Sean Dyche and Mike Garlick infamously pulled the plug on a deal for the Rennes winger, after he had tweeted a picture of himself boarding a private jet on deadline day to join the Clarets; in what would have been one the most un-Burnley transfers of all-time.

Chairman Garlick, who has overseen three promotions to the Premier League since he took the post in 2006, raised questions of Grosicki’s character; and that he wouldn’t sit right in the blend of the Burnley squad.

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, this is Burnley’s mantra, and they are sticking to it.

Joey Barton

Joey Barton swaggered into Rangers like a wild-west gunslinger and after a mere eight games has slinked out again.

Sean Dyche can handle Barton and the player loved his time at Burnley, saying it was the ‘best dressing room’ he’s ever been in, so it makes his decision to leave all the more baffling.

I personally, wouldn’t take him back as he turned down the option of a new deal for the lure of Rangers and the Scottish Premier League.

Although the former Manchester City man was a standout performer for the Clarets’ last campaign, I think he knows he is not cut out for the Premier League and his displays for Rangers in a sub-standard Scottish league have not been awe inspiring.

They say, the further down you go, the harder it is to play, so maybe being surrounded by better players would bring out the best in Barton after his messy divorce with the Glasgow club.

It is a tough call for Dyche and one that could define the season if he was to bring him back in.

Johann Berg Gudmundsson

What a steal this man is proving to be. The Iceland international is rapidly becoming one of the first names on the team sheet and is undoubtedly one of the success stories of the first quarter of the season.

It is his running off the ball, in key attacking areas, which has been most impressive; time and time again he makes intelligent runs beyond the most advanced man on the ball, and is invariably Burnley’s man from midfield who supports the front man.

Exhibit A, B and C of this came in the win over Crystal Palace, where his forward running and superb delivery had a hand in each goal.

The former Charlton Athletic man has a natural spur to press and a knack for the unexpected.

Not since the Joey Gudjonsson days have the Clarets seen such power in a left foot, there must be something in the water up in Iceland.

Premier League Loans

Gone are the days where Burnley had more loans than Wonga, but a couple of decent temporary additions can add some serious weight to a squad.

The Clarets are only allowed two Premier League loan signings at once and are currently using them on Patrick Bamford (Pictured – Right) and Jon Flanagan.

Bamford has played 31 minutes of league football spaced over four substitute appearances so far, and is at best fourth choice striker at Turf Moor.

The club can only get rid of any players in transfer windows, and I’d be tempted to keep Flanagan and pack Bamford back off to Chelsea.

I believe there are better loan options out there, where the player would improve the team and provide genuine competition for places.