Burnley have been one of the surprise packages this season with Sean Dyche doing a brilliant job at the helm. The Clarets will be known for their exceptional home form this season, where they have stopped the strongest of the sides. They have collected 33 points from 19 home games, which is the ninth best in the league and are above sides like West Ham United, Southampton, Crystal Palace and Stoke City.
While it has been a revelation for some players surely, there were some who couldn’t keep up wth the pace.
Stars
Michael Keane- Definitely the best player Burnley had this season, and also one of the best centre-halves of the league. The English international has been a rock at the back for the Clarets especially at home, and his match-winning displays include the one against Manchester United at Old Trafford. He is being chased by many top sides in Europe now, and it was clearly his break-through season. It also led to his first national call-up for the national side.
Andre Gray- The star for Burnley this season, Gray has been phenomenal. The 25-year-old has scored nine goals and provided three assists in 32 games. And although he fell short of Sam Vokes in club’s top scorer, his vibrant presence in and around the opponent’s D-box and nose for goal have made him a hot transfer prospect in the coming months.
Tom Heaton- Clearly the motivator of the team. The skipper and goalie has led the team from the back all season. Heaton has conceded just 48 goals in 35 games and it clearly reflects his exceptional display at the back. He stopped a rocket from United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic, which helped them to keep a stalemate at Old Trafford earlier in the season.
Duds
Ashley Barnes- Another example of Championship strikers failing to make an impression in the Premier League, Barnes could only score six times in 28 appearances. He also managed three assists with a 55% passing accuracy, but it was his lack of defensive contribution that has failed him. Unlike Gray, he didn’t hassle opponent’s defenders winning 40% of his average duels.
Joey Barton- Surely the most colourful and controversial character to ever don the Burnley shirt. The bad boy of English Premier League was a surprise buy for Burnley in the midseason when Scottish club Rangers decided to leave him owing to disciplinary actions. While Dyche surely got a quality midfielder at a low price, it had a cost. After Dean Marney was ruled out of the season and Steven Defour was struggling with injuries, Barton was convicted of betting-related activities that saw him barred from playing leaving Burnley all the more vulnerable.
Johann Berg Gudmundsson- Coming from Charlton Athletic last summer after a successful Euro Cup campaign, a lot was expected from the Icelandic international. And he even started the campaign well before a knee injury sidelined him for 56 days, leading him to miss nine games in the process. He has managed just one goal and two assists in 20 outings.
