Burnley’s Season Ahead

Newly promoted Burnley face a tough task ensuring they can beat the drop and retain Premier League status beyond 2014/15. Already a number of experienced Premier League players have been recruited and the Lancashire side will hoping their mixed bag of seasoned professionals and young stars can prevail in what promises to be a tough season.

First team

Heaton

Trippier – Duff- Shackell – Mee

Marney

Kightly-Jones-Arfield

Jutkiewicz

Ings

New recruit Steven Reid has been brought in to add some much needed Premier League experience and could take a starting  role in midfield as well as provide competition for Keiran Trippier. Ben Mee is a good left-back, but not of Premier league quality, so I would expect to see a new left-back recruited over the summer. A move for an experienced centre-back to partner Jason Shackell is also a priority. If Burnley fail to recruit in this area centre back Michael Duff could retain a place in the starting XI.

Burnley have had a 1.5m bid for Craig Dawson of West Brom rejected, but should put in another bid. Shackell and Trippier look the most secure options in defence currently. In goal, Tom Heaton looks secure.

Michael Kightly impressed on loan last season and his move was made permanent in June. He looks a shoo-in to retain the right side of midfield role with Dave Jones and Dean Marney occupying central midfield roles. Marney is the most defensively minded midfielder and is likely to sit in front of the back four. Scott Arfield may just have the edge over new recruit Matt Taylor on the left of midfield, but it will be a situation to keenly monitor during pre-season.

Lukas Jutkiewicz, who has joined from Middlesbrough, is expected to be favourite for a number ten role behind Danny Ings as lone striker. Ross Wallace, who played as a number 10 last season as well as Marvin Sordell will offer competition. Ings also has penalty duties in the absence of forward Sam Vokes, who is set to miss the start of the season through injury.

Key Players’ Championship 2013/14 statistics

GK: Heaton 46 app, 19 CS (& 2/3 pen saves)

DEF: Trippier 41 app, 2 goals, 14 assists

Shackell 46 app, 2 goals

MID: Kightly 32app, 5 goals, 4 assists

Arfield 42 app, 8 goals, 4 assists

Wallace 5 app, 0 goals, 3 assists

STR: Ings 40 app 21 goals, 5 assists

Vokes 39 app, 20 goals, 4 assists

Formation

Burnley are likely to start the season using a  4-1-3-1-1 formation but when Sam Vokes returns there is a good chance the team will shift to a 4-2-3-1 formation with Jones moving back to help Marney protect the back four, Vokes taking the central striker role and Ings competing with both Jutkiewicz and Wallace for the number 10 role.

Prediction/Expectations for the season

Manager Sean Dyche, like Tony Pulis and Sam Allardyce, sets up his team not to lose. Burnley are obviously favourites to be relegated, but if Dyche can get his tactics right and is able to contain teams, I can genuinely see us doing what Crystal Palace did under Pulis. It will be an extremely diffiicult season ahead with probably the smallest squad in the Premier league, but Burnley have brought in solid Premier league experienced players in Matt Taylor, Michael Kightly and Steven Reid. Marvin Sordell will provide cover up front, and if we do get Craig Dawson, that’s more Premier league experience to bolster us. Overall, the way things are going, I see Burnely being safe, ending up just above relegation zone. If not, then the team will be good enough to bounce straight back up.

Fantasy Recommendations

Best bets (like Hull last year) will be budget defenders and our keeper Heaton. Trippier will be flavour of the month, but Shackell will be the one that’ll get you bonus. A cheap midfield option will be Kightly as he is guaranteed starts. I would, however, avoid our main strikers (Ings and Vokes) as I believe are not quite ready for the Premier league. Jutkiewicz is also unproven but is a player worth monitoring.