By Turftalker
January 21 2006

Burnley fans got an insight in to what a post-Akinbiyi era would look like today and by heck it was not pretty. The clarets stumbled to their third consecutive league defeat in the 120th Lancashire derby and worryingly the poor away form is catching at home.

A full match report will be posted later - but first let me give my analysis of the match!

Overview

The game itself was a pretty average affair. It had "draw" written all over it and for large parts Burnley were the better team. The difference? PNE are on a good run, they have Nugent and they can grind out a result - thats the sign of a very capable team.

Indeed Burnley only conceded from set pieces, but to be honest never looked like scoring.

Lamentable Attack

If this is how we would attack if Ade Akinbiyi left it could be a very long finale to the season. Branch and GNW try hard, but they are holding up strikers. There was no pace, flair or shooting ability on display whatsoever and against a pretty cumbersome PNE defence that really could have worked. No our strikeforce (loose description) did not have one shot on target. Noel-Williams really does go down too easily when an opportunity arises to shoot.

A lack of width

Once again the clarets failed to use the pitch to good effect. Other than an excellent first 10 minutes Wade Elliot offered little to the attack. This was disappointing because today of all days we needed crosses on to the heads of the big men. No the PNE coaching staff got it spot on - realising the threat Elliot was posing a slow Grahame Alexander, they rapidly put Tyrone Mears to face Elliot - the winger was then nullified. Even worst was the left wing - with Branch pushed up front Garetth O'Connor showed us once again why he is not a left winger. As a result the team showed a real lack of width and as such creativity.

Where are the leaders?

1-0 down in a big derby - you would expect some shouting, some leadership on the pitch - sadly it did not seem to show. I have said it many times before, but Burnley have never replaced Kevin Ball. O'Connor and Hyde are effective little operators, but they are not leaders on the pitch. Too often there was a lack of drive on the pitch.

Creaky Defence

Overall I felt the defence played well today - coping with a cumbersome Dichio who was on the turf more often than Rasiak was when Derby last came to town. But weaknesses are starting to show. Duff can be hit and miss, but an offensive threat he offers more than Sinclair. Sinclair is better in the middle and Thomas, whilst not fully fit, is not showing the potential we were led to think he had.

Where next?

The break abroad has to be used by the clarets for good effective. Brighton and Plymouth are up next and you have to expect the clarets to pick up 6 points if they are serious about a play off push. Failure to do so could see this season peater out rapidly in to mid-table obscurity. We need to look in to getting cheap loans in to bolster numbers and if Akinbiyi does go - we simply must, must, must replace him with a speedy striker. GNW and Branch up front are not going to be prolific.

The Opposition

Preston looked a solid team - nothing dazzling but effective. Spurred on by the over the top, frankly annoying Davies they hit the deck more often than a breakdancer, gaining spurious freekicks. Nugent may be a talent, but has a temperament which could cause him problems. While Claude Davies has a little bit to go before he can call himself better than Frank Sinclair - although on today's performance neither were anything special.

and the Officials?!

Ahh deary me! What to say? He got the penalty right for PNE, he generally got our penalty shouts correct, perhaps one on McGreal was the strongest case, but he was wrong with PNE's freekick which led to the first goal.

 

Onwards and Upwards - at least I won in the Naps League!