Sean Dyche was once one of England’s top managers. But other managers have risen up, like Chelsea’s Frank Lampard, and have left Burnley in the past.
For a long time, saying the words “English manager” made someone think of Sam Allardyce. Or maybe not specifically Allardyce but the style associated with him: incredibly defensive with the only attacks coming through long balls.
That is of course an over simplification but as the rest of the world advocated the virtues of possession and pressing, England felt a bit left behind. The only English managers in the Premier League were the ones that were promoted from lower divisions or the same ones that had been bouncing about since the invention of the game.
Sean Dyche is very stereotypical English in a football sense. But recent seasons have shown that the old fashioned style did not have to be an English one. The likes of Eddie Howe, Gareth Southgate, Graham Potter, Chris Wilder, and even Chelsea’s own Frank Lampard have shown that there is another way. And because others have proven it is possible, the light that was once on Dyche, Burnley, and their tactics has faded.
Burnley will line up in a 4-4-2. Maybe they will go into a 4-4-1-1 if they are feeling really wild on the day but it would be unlikely. Wingers and fullbacks will be expected to have chalk on their boots as the big strikers wait in the box.
And maybe even keeping it that simple does Burnley a disservice. Though the last memory many will have of Burnley will be them crashing out of an already improbable Europa League run, they sit eighth in the table. That could be their big secret; no one expects their inquisitions.
Burnley has no players that really grab headlines. They do not play in a way that attracts attention. They simply go out and get things done. And for the most part, it works. They may not be able to keep hold of the ball but when they have it they make it count.
Burnley’s greatest strength is seemingly the simple fact that they are underestimated. They do not have Bournemouth’s pluckiness or Sheffield United’s uniqueness; they just have their own hard work and ability to grind it out when they need to.
With Manchester United to follow, it would be too easy for Lampard to rotate. But against a Burnley that does not quit and always has a point to prove that could be disastrous. This game is very much a “trap game” where any dropped points will lead to a whole lot of hindsight fueled criticism.
Burnley is a good team, though maybe not in the traditional sense. They probably will not be in eight when the season comes to a close but they may not be far off. Chelsea cannot be the team they sneak up on at home or away.
Lampard will show a lot of his managerial talent if he can safety navigate his way through Ajax away, Burnley away, and a match in a cup against Manchester United in the space of a week.