Sky Sports have reported that Burnley have tied down the services of their manager with a contract stretching till the summer of 2020. An earned reward or is it an oversight from the Burnley board? Judging by the position that Burnley is in right after winning promotion from the EFL Championship, it can be concluded that the contract extension is very well deserved.
“I am quite young in management terms. I am still learning and still improving, I believe, so for my personal reasons, as well, I think it’s the right place to be. I look around football and it’s hard to find and it’s hard to build. We’ve built it and found it, probably in equal measure, and I enjoy that side of it. There’s lots of work to be done, but I’m definitely ‘in’ for the work to be done.”
Burnley are enjoying one of their best seasons in top-flight football in decades and has greatly improved on their 16th place finish in the 2016/17 campaign. They are currently in the 8th spot and are quietly contending for a European qualification place against the likes of the Premier League elites. They have exceeded their own expectations and even after a dip of form during the Christmas period, they have maintained their stature as a top half Premier League side ahead of Everton and Leicester City.
Manchester United got completely washed out in the opening half of the Boxing Day fixture against the Clarets. Jose Mourinho’s men were shocked to see a lower tier side slot in two goals in the first half and could only manage a draw after the 90 minutes. That match was a testament to the incredible season Burnley are enjoying.
With the very limited resources at hand, Dyche has instilled a firm defensive structure into the team which has just conceded 21 goals so far into the season. A staggering amount when compared to other top half sides like Arsenal and Liverpool. If you want to survive in the Premier League, and if you want to start winning games, you still have to defend.
Manchester City is the only side who can dominate opponents with their remarkable efficient offence which dictates the tempo of the game for the entire 90 minutes – only possible for a side stacked with multimillion-dollar attacking talents. Dyche’s men have fallen off the wheel in recent times with their losing streak stretching to 3 games now, but they should not be ruled out just yet. Aaron Lenon’s arrival will give them the x-factor they have been looking for and should see them out well away from the relegation zone.
