AFC Bournemouth
AFC Bournemouth welcome Burnley to Vitality Stadium on Saturday and afcb.co.uk spoke to Burnley Express sports editor Chris Boden to find out what the Cherries can expect from Sean Dyche’s side.
afcb.co.uk: It's been a difficult season for Burnley, who at the time of writing are 17th but five points clear of the relegation zone. What have you made of it so far?
CB: It's felt like a long season, as everything started with the Europa League back in July. Burnley have never quite felt like themselves. They had an eight-game unbeaten run from the end of December to mid-February when they restored Tom Heaton to the team.
Dwight McNeil came into the side as well, and they just started doing what they had been doing last season, which is getting on the right side of tight margins in games.
In their Championship-winning season, they just knew how to find a way to win, nicking goals and seeing out games. That's not been as prevalent this season.
afcb.co.uk: You mentioned young Dwight McNeil, and the media have rightly sung his praises in his breakthrough season for Burnley. What have you made of his performances?
CB: A lot of people had earmarked him as a player who could potentially come into the side, but everyone's been blown away by what he's shown. He got a sniff against Bournemouth on the last day of last season, if people can remember!
Early this season, he came on against Aberdeen in the Europa League qualifiers in extra-time and showed that he can handle a football. He's technically proficient, positive and earned the start against Olympiacos.
Imagine that, being a 19-year-old playing against Olympiacos in the Europa League! He played very well and played against Manchester United where he didn't let himself down either.
With young players, it's about finding the right time to take them out and when to put them back in. The manager has also played Aaron Lennon in that position and bided his time with Dwight until he felt the time was right. Since he came in against West Ham, he's never looked back.
afcb.co.uk: Aside from McNeil, who are the other danger men in the side we should be keeping an eye out for?
CB: In terms of goal return since the start of the calendar year, Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes are certainly up there for total goals scored in 2019. They were an effective pair this time last year when Burnley were sewing up seventh place.
They didn't really get back together until that unbeaten run after Christmas. They're Sean Dyche's number one pairing, and on their day they're pretty effective as well.
afcb.co.uk: Speaking of seventh place, this season it could go to Wolves, Leicester or someone else. Given Burnley's experience of it this season, do you view Europa League qualification as a blessing or a curse?
CB: Do you know what? I don't think anyone in Burnley would have given it up for the world. You don't want to say it, but it may well be a once in a lifetime experience.
Wolves and Leicester have been there before and there are other clubs that have tasted it and will want to do so again, but it does have an effect.
Everton managed to find their way back up the table last year but had struggled for so long, even with their resources and quality. It's especially difficult if you get into the group stage.
Last season, Hamburg took around 20,000 fans to the Emirates Stadium because it was their first taste of Europe in donkeys years. They ended up getting relegated from the Bundesliga, so it's not just Premier League teams who struggle.
Burnley only played six games in the competition, but it can throw everything out of kilter. Bearing in mind, they played in Istanbul on a Thursday night before starting the season at Southampton on the Sunday. After the following away leg in Athens, they then played at Fulham on the Sunday, so the fixtures weren't kind.
The league can be fairer. Season after season, the big clubs say it's not fair how the fixtures pan out, but clubs like Burnley are thinking 'diddums'. I think the Premier League can help out the clubs in Europe, then we'll get back to what we're getting in the Champions League where the top English clubs are starting to dominate Europe again.
afcb.co.uk: The end of the season looks like it's presenting a tough run-in, with the Clarets facing Chelsea, Manchester City, and Arsenal. That makes the next two games against Bournemouth and Cardiff even more important, doesn't it?
CB: It does and it doesn't. Traditionally, Burnley have taken points off all the big six bar Arsenal. Even when Burnley were relegated, they took four points off Manchester City.
They've beaten the champions in every season they've played in the Premier League apart from this season, so City might have to be wary! They've picked up some curious points.
You just never know. They might nick a point from somewhere, maybe Chelsea. They drew with City last season at Turf Moor and are certainly due a result against Arsenal.
But everyone is looking at that Cardiff game, and if Burnley can maintain a healthy gap, and certainly avoid losing to Cardiff, then they can probably celebrate securing another season in the Premier League.
afcb.co.uk: Sean Dyche has had 300 games in charge of Burnley now. Are there any fans who have lost patience with him this season because of the way results have gone?
CB: A lot of people were very concerned on Boxing Day after losing 5-1 at home to Everton. Burnley had taken only 12 points from 19 games in the first half of the season.
They're now on 33 points, so they've taken 21 from the second half of the season with six games to play, so that's good going!
What fans would like to see is investment in the transfer market. They're trying to be more competitive in terms of wages, but the club didn't do enough in the summer transfer window and struggled to get anything of note done in January as well.
There's a level of sympathy for the manager in that respect. He's been working with the hand he's been dealt. He tried to make the side better in possession and a bit more expansive last season.
Losing Steven Defour, Robbie Brady, and Aaron Lennon through injury, there have been mitigating factors, but the fans certainly love and appreciate Dyche for what he's done. They'd just like to see the team return to that ability to be better with the ball.
afcb.co.uk: When Burnley and Bournemouth met at Turf Moor earlier in the season, the Clarets earned a 4-0 win. What do you expect this time around?
CB: That was a weird game! Eddie Howe said afterwards that it wasn't reflective of a 4-0 score-line and I think a lot of people agreed with that.
As for this weekend, I don't know. It's one of those where you wouldn't be surprised by any result, but I'd like to think Burnley could at least nick a point and keep ticking over.
Chris is on Twitter, @bodenknights.
